Joyce K. Buttermore, 76, passed away peacefully at her home on April 22, 2020. She was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother and friend to many. Professionally, she was a public speaking professor at Gulf Coast State College for 35 years and served for 13 years as the chair of the Language and Literature division. She retired in 2010 and was named Professor Emeritus.
Born in Peoria, Illinois and raised on a farm, she never lost the mid-western work ethic that was a part of her early life. After graduating high school, Joyce went to Western Illinois University where she received her B.S. in English and began her career by teaching at a local high school. She then attended the University of Oklahoma and received her M.A. in Speech Communication. She arrived in Panama City in 1974 and immediately became an adjunct at Gulf Coast Community College and was hired as a full-time professor of speech in 1979. In addition to teaching thousands of students public speaking, she also worked with the Kettering Foundation where she was chosen as a national faculty member for the Public Policy Institutes and worked all over the country training conveners and moderators for national issues forums. She often said those experiences gave her a keen awareness of civic life beyond the campus classroom.
After retirement, she and her husband, Tom, enjoyed traveling and exploring Europe and the United States. Additionally, she said that living in the south for 35 years "softened her midwestern edge" and resulted in her love for cooking and entertaining. One of her greatest pleasures was spending time with her children and grandchildren where she often enjoyed cooking and baking with them.
She is predeceased by her parents, Glenn & Helen Utter and her brother, Ron. She is survived by her beloved husband of 39 years, Tom Buttermore and by children, John (Kelly) Meyer of Panama City and Cassie Meyer Gisclair (Jerry) of Tampa, and by four grandchildren: Meredith Meyer, Megan Meyer (Panama City), Luke Gisclair and Ella Gisclair (Tampa). Additionally she is survived by her sister, Sherri Zimmerman of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, and by many beloved cousins and family members.
A celebration of Joyce's life will be announced at a later date. She will be honored by her immediate family in a private ceremony on April 25, 2020. In lieu of flowers those desiring may make a memorial donation to the Gulf Coast State College Foundation or the charity of your choice in memory of Joyce K. Buttermore.