Midway - Francis "Frank" Joyner was a Renaissance man. Some knew him as a Coast Guardsman, a
race-car driver, an electrician, or a father. His grandkids knew him as the best chocolate milk
maker.
Frank passed away on June 13, 2019 in Midway, Georgia after battling a long illness. He was
born in Savannah, Georgia on March 18, 1942 to Tillman W. Joyner and Elizabeth Elmgren
Joyner, where he grew up.
He graduated from Savannah High School in 1960 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Coast
Guard. During his service he married his wife, Charlotte Joyner, on August 18, 1962. He served
for four years before joining the U.S. Army Reserves.
In his spare time, Frank raced a 1942 red Ford race-car at the Savannah Speedway in the
mid-1960s. He raced as number "2" alongside NASCAR great Cale Yarborough.
Upon completing his service, he started building his career as an electrician at Union Camp
Corporation. After hours, Frank would provide electrical work to family and friends while
Charlotte would manage the books. When his side business became too much to handle, he left
Union Camp to start his own electric company, Joyner Electric Company, in 1972.
Known for their "Hugger Orange" electrical trucks, Joyner Electric quickly expanded to serve the
entire Southeast. Frank, with his son Melvin at his side, later opened a division of Joyner
Electric known as Savannah Alarm Systems. His son eventually took over the family business,
now known as Joyner Electric & Security.
In 1981, Frank survived extensive third-degree burns to over 60 percent of his body following an
electrical accident. He became a charter member of the Burn Foundation of America in the
Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta.
He was an active member of his churches throughout his life. He served as a deacon in Silk
Hope, Hinesville First Baptist and Fleming Baptist churches. He was also a former member of
Gideons International. He also served as a lead Stephen Minister during his membership at
Savannah Christian Church.
Frank was an avid traveller. He and his wife have visited dozens of countries together, and one
of his favorites was always Ireland. He also enjoyed camping with his grandchildren and tending
to squash and other vegetables in his garden. On occasion, Frank enjoyed authoring poetry.
He moved his family down to Midway in 1979 where he built his forever home on the water one
year later.
His favorite place in the world was anywhere he could fish. He would take extensive inland
waterway cruises to St. Simons Island, go 40 miles offshore to deep-sea fish, and he competed
in fishing tournaments. However, to him, nothing would beat casting a net off of his dock for
shrimp.
Frank is predeceased by two daughters, Charlene Marie Joyner and Pamela Rene Joyner, two
brothers, George Walter Joyner and Donald Paul Joyner, and one granddaughter, Faith Terese
Bell.
He is survived by his wife, Charlotte, and children Samone Joyner Norsworthy (Matt) and James
Melvin Joyner (Kyndall). He is also survived by his six grandchildren, Karoline Joyner Ussery
(Jason), Georgia Ann Bell, Katherine Joyner Morris (Jody), James Chase Joyner, Charlotte Fox
Norsworthy, Tillman Matthew Norsworthy, his five great-grandchildren, and his Yorkie, Honey.
The family wishes to thank Georgia Hospice Care for their thoughtful and unwavering support.

The visitation will be on Saturday, June 15th from 12 noon until 1 p.m. at the funeral home with the funeral to follow at 1 p.m. in the chapel of the Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Home located at 901 W. Hwy. 80 in Pooler, GA with burial to follow in the Greenwich section of Bonaventure Cemetery.

Flowers are welcomed as are donations to Fleming Baptist Church in his memory.

Thomas C. Strickland & Sons Funeral Home - West Chatham Chapel - (912) 748-2444