Joy Black Mrs. Diggs

Wesley Chapel - Mrs. Kristen Joy Black Diggs, age 40, died suddenly on February 24, 2015 at her home. Funeral services will be 2:00PM Sunday in Mt. Beulah Baptist Church, Wadesboro, NC. The family will greet friends on Saturday from 4:00 to 6:00PM at Leavitt Funeral Home, Wadesboro, NC. Burial will be private. Joy was born in Anson County on December 19, 1974, a daughter of Fred O. and Lois Watts Black, Jr. She graduated from Anson High School in 1993, UNCC in 1997 with a degree in special education, and Wingate University in 2011 with a master's in Educational Leadership. As a teacher of exceptional children with learning disabilities, Joy enjoyed her work but most of all, loved her 'children.' Over seventeen years of teaching, she worked in the Anson County school system, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system, and in the Union County school system at Unionville Elementary and currently at Western Union. Joy excelled at both academics and athletics and was a past 'Teacher of the Year' for Union County. She was active in the Indian Trail Baptist Church where she taught a children's Sunday school class and often served as a greeter for the church. She also found time to be a mentor for a local chapter of Girls on the Run and thoroughly enjoyed running herself. But she considered her greatest love to be that of her family of which she was most proud. Family members include her husband of 12 years, Jeremy Diggs of the home; two daughters, Kristen Jeri Diggs (age 4) and Jordyn Claire Diggs (age 3); parents, Fred and Lois Black Jr. of Wadesboro; a brother, Ray Black (Karey) of Monroe and their children, Caroline Rose Black, Grayce Ray Black, and Miller Dease; a sister, Miriam Black Sallee of Monroe; maternal grandmother, Esther Watts of Wadesboro; mother-in-law, Mary Polk Diggs of Peachland; sister-in-law, Monica Hege (Mike) of Kannapolis; and a brother-in-law, Jason Diggs and his son, Trystan of Surfside Beach, SC. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Kristen Jeri and Jordyn Claire Educational Fund, c/o Ray Black, 2210 Fowler Secrest Rd., Monroe, NC 28110.