Joyce Hornaday Packard

Joyce Hornaday Packard, BA ’52, MS ’57, died Aug. 31, 2023, in Waco. She was born June 21, 1925, in Fordyce, Arkansas, one of seven children to Nora Wright and John Wesley Hornaday. After graduating from Fordyce High School and attending business school, Joyce entered Baylor University. While serving as Baylor’s assistant dean of women, she met Robert G. “Bob” Packard, ABC ’95, and they were married on April 15, 1954, by then-University president, Dr. W. R. White.

Packard’s contributions in the field of education were varied and widespread. At Baylor, she was a teacher, the assistant dean of women and dean of women. The Packards spent two years in Indonesia, where Bob taught in a medical school and Joyce was an active volunteer in the local community, including teaching English. They also spoke at fifteen universities in East Asia for the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board. During the summer of 1976, while Bob was a biophysics consultant to the Malaysian government, Joyce served as teacher and consultant at the University of Malaysia. In 1990, they were members of an international delegation to China as part of the Citizen Ambassador Program.

Packard’s leadership was recognized with the First Annual Waco Hospitality Award, Delta Kappa Gamma International Alpha State Achievement Award, Pathfinder Award, Athena Award, Waco Leadership Alumni Award, Waco Convention and Tourism Board Recognition, DAR Community Service Award, Bluebonnet Girl Scout Woman of Distinction Award and the Distinguished WISD Retired Faculty Award. From Baylor, Packard received the W. R. White Meritorious Service Award and the Abner V. McCall Service Award.