Obituary of Joyce Duston

DOLORES JOYCE DUSTON (85)

Passed away in Chantilly, Virginia on October 19, 2019. She was born September 20, 1934 in Detroit, Michigan to Amy & Casper Cain. She received her B.S. in Education from Wayne State.  

Joyce worked for over 35 years in public education. She taught elementary school in South Redford Township (MI) and Detroit from 1958-67.  After moving to Virginia in 1968, she taught in the Fairfax County Public Schools (VA). From 1974 until her retirement in 1996, Joyce was a special education teacher, with most of her time at Kilmer Center, teaching students with significant physical and mental disabilities from diverse communities. Joyce was extraordinarily gifted in her ability to connect with, teach and nurture her students.

Joyce was a very involved mother to her three sons, acting as a cub scout leader and regular volunteer at each of her boy’s activities and events. Joyce was known for her strong family values and her love and devotion to her husband Eugene (Gene, who was also a schoolteacher and school administrator).  It was these values along with her integrity, honesty, unwavering religious beliefs, open heart, wit, occasional “evil eye” and always caring soul, that Joyce embodied on a daily basis. It is these characteristics that she has passed on to her children, and grandchildren.

Joyce is survived by her sons Robert (Sheila), Tod (Robin) and Mark (Valerie), and six grandchildren, Jason, Jeremy, AJ, Lillie, Olivia and Anthony. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday November 9^th 2019 at 1 p.m. at Floris United Methodist Church, 13600 Frying Pan Rd, Herndon, VA. 20171.  Interment to follow at Chestnut Grove Cemetery in Herndon.

Memorial contributions may be made to Special Olympics Virginia (specialolympicsva.org) or  Helping Children Worldwide (helpingchildrenworldwide.org).