Frances ("Joy") Bustamante

Frances Bustamante Obituary Frances Joy Simmons was born in Jacksonville, Florida on February 24, 1932 to Thomas Eugene Simmons, Sr. and Alberta (Bertie) Evelyn Melton Simmons, affectionately known as “Bunny”. Joy, just as her name suggests, was a bright, high spirited, but slightly mischievous child. These traits she carried through to adulthood, becoming “Joy to the World” or “The Joy”. As a teenager, Joy attended Jacksonville’s historic Stanton High School, where she was a majorette in the marching band. There she met her future husband, John Henry Bustamante. From Stanton, with great enthusiasm and pride, she enrolled in Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia as a sociology major. In 1953, she took leave from Spelman and married John in Boston, Massachusetts where he was a law student at Harvard University. Their first son, Michael Tuan, was born soon after they settled in Cleveland, Ohio upon John’s law school graduation. Shortly after, Joy returned to Spelman, graduating in 1957. The family grew to include Zelma Sonali, J.W. Andre, Kamala Joy and the youngest Joachim David, who preceded her in death. Joy had a close relationship with each of her children and had a way of making them all feel special, loved and important. The young couple thrived in Cleveland, where John became a prominent attorney and businessman. Joy was an active partner in all of John’s endeavors, particularly serving as hostess for the many fund-raisers, meetings and receptions from which the First Bank National Association, Cleveland’s first Black bank and national holding company were established. From the family home on Coventry Road in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Joy loved to entertain friends and family, and made many local and national dignitaries and celebrities feel at home with soul food dinners and good music from the family’s juke box. In the late seventies, Joy and John parted ways by which time she’d already become very active in several civic and social organizations, including Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Cleveland Chapter of The Links, Inc., Cleveland Chapter of Girl Friends, Inc., the Local Attorneys Wives (L.A.W.), Jack and Jill of America, Inc., and the Jet Set Bridge Club. Joy was dedicated to these groups and their causes, serving each with grace and humility. At the same time, she could be counted on to bring spice and life to every festive occasion. As the Bustamante children grew up and ventured off to college, she earned a paralegal degree and started her career as a Support Enforcement Officer for Cuyahoga County’s Court of Domestic Relations, now the County Support Enforcement Agency. She retired in 2002, after 32 years of dedicated service and many unbelievable experiences. Joy’s retirement years found her welcoming grandchildren Michelle Wilson Jeffery (Dale), Napoleon Stephen Wilson, III (Marva), Aushayla Brown Peddy ( Rhaigeon,Sr."Mitch"), Gabrielle and Michael Bustamante, Martine, Joy and Julian Wilson, and great grandchildren Myles Jeffery, Elyzjah and Leah Wilson, and Rhaigeon,Jr. ("MJ ") and Rhajah Peddy, all who affectionately called her “Grancy”. Preceded in death by her parents, brothers Thomas Eugene Simmons, Jr. and Frank W. Simmons , and sister Betty Johnson. Joy leaves to cherish her memory her children Tuan Bustamante, Sonali B. Wilson (N. Stephen), Andre’ Bustamante and Kamala Bustamante Goode (Frank), her grandchildren and great grandchildren, her sisters-in-law Gloria Simmons, Juanita Simmons, Ethel B. Brooks, and a host of loving, dedicated nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joy's name to: Hope for a Cure for ALZ,P.O Box 24292, Cleveland, Ohio . Checks are made payable to "Hope for a Cure For ALZ", which is a 501(c)(3), non-profit corporation that funds Alzheimer's Research. The family would like to thank the staff at Menorah Park Retirement Living, especially the caring team in Fairmount 2, for taking wonderful care of Frances Joy these last few years. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Frances ("Joy") Bustamante, please visit our floral store. Read More

Frances ("Joy") Bustamante

February 24, 1932 - January 2, 2023