Obituary of Joyce Ann Trickett

Joyce Trickett, 75, church leader, community volunteer for the poor and homeless, and 35-year government worker, went to her Heavenly Father July 29 after a brief illness.

Ms. Trickett, known as “Joy” to nearly everyone, left a profound impact on her community, her church, and particularly for those who were in the greatest need.  Her family took in many foster children as she was growing up, and she carried her parents’ compassion into the community and the world for her entire life.  Joy perceived volunteering as something she needed to do.  “It is very scriptural,” she told friend and associate Mark Gunderman, “We are supposed to help those who struggle to help themselves.”

Her favorite scripture was Matthew 25:35-40:  “Jesus said, for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in….  Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me”.

One of her biggest legacies was with the Good Shepherd Alliance (GSA), a Loudoun County nonprofit that serves the homeless and near-homeless.  Joy began volunteering with GSA, in 1997, serving as their Board Treasurer.  She was nominated and served as Board Chair from February 2002 until December 2009.  During those years Joy established a motivated and influential working Board of Directors and built the GSA into one of the most recognized non-profit organizations in Loudoun County.  Now GSA supports more than 3,000 men, women and children each year.  It provides almost 10,000 bed nights a year, and 77% of those it serves go on to stable housing.

Joy was a key player in the founding of Mary’s House of Hope in Purcellville, a GSA shelter which provides housing, counseling, education, love and support to homeless women experiencing a crisis pregnancy.  She established a partnership with the Town of Purcellville, coordinated HUD Community Development Block Grants administered by Loudoun County Department of Family Services, and solicited extraordinary acts of kindness from the community.  Mary’s House of Hope was dedicated on May 12, 2007.  The facility was designed exclusively for pregnant women, or women with newborns, by architect Tom O’ Neil of Leesburg and general contractor Bob Bryner of Lovettsville.  The House of Hope is the only facility of its kind in the area and proudly serves as a beacon light in Purcellville and western Loudoun County.

Again in 2007, Trickett was instrumental in an effort to renovate an old roofing company facility into the 7,000 square foot-two level GSA Center of Hope.  The Center of Hope helps homeless and impoverished families and individuals living in crisis.  This facility houses the administrative and family services staff, volunteers, a thrift store, and the community outreach center.  After arranging for Federal assistance through the office of then-Representative Frank Wolf, Joy melded her program management skills with architect Clint Good, Toll Brothers builders and HomeAid Northern Virginia.  Over 80 contractors and vendors provided reduced rate services for their labor or donated their time and materials to this huge renovation project.  The dedication ceremony took place on July 15, 2008.

Under her guidance, GSA's comprehensive programs for homeless children and youth have twice been distinguished by President Bush's initiatives for a Better America; first by the Washington DC based Points of Light Foundation, "Daily Points of Light Award" in August 2004, and later that year by America’s Promise, as the nation's first "Shelter of Promise.”

Joy also worked with LINK, an all-volunteer food pantry in Herndon that she helped found.  LINK provides emergency food services to people in Herndon, Ashburn, and Sterling.  LINK believes in the power of selfless service and the importance of providing people in crisis with unconditional love.

Joy received the Loudoun Volunteer Services (LVS) 2005 Adult Volunteer of the Year award in Leesburg in April 2005 and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) 2005 Outstanding Humanitarian Award in Washington, DC in October 2005.  The NCNW award said that Joy “provided unconditional love to people living in crisis and that she fulfills the vision of NCNW founder, Mary McLeod Bethune.”

The 2006 Virginia General Assembly passed Joint Resolution No.  316 commending Joy.  Individuals are nominated for this award based on efforts that are of local, state or national significance.  “Whereas Joy Trickett is dedicated to alleviating homelessness and poverty in Northern Virginia,” the Resolution stated, “Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, that the General Assembly hereby commend Joy Trickett for her valuable service and her devotion to the citizens of Loudoun County and Northern Virginia.”

On September 27, 2006, Trickett was honored by former Representative Frank Wolf by citation in the Congressional Record for her work in addressing and alleviating homelessness and poverty in Northern Virginia.  An excerpt reads, "For many hours each week, she volunteers to make a difference, one person at a time.  On any given day, you might find Ms. Trickett in the Good Shepherd thrift store in Sterling, working with her staff, or writing a grant proposal with her administrative director in Leesburg, or interfacing with other sister organizations like the Clothes Closet in Herndon, LINK in Sterling, Loudoun Red Cross and Northern Virginia Family Services in Fairfax."

Joy also supported many other worthwhile community organizations.  She was a church representative to the Great Falls Area Ministries (formerly Great Falls Ecumenical Council) and was a founding member of the Great Falls Senior Center, serving the latter as its first communications officer and, at the time of her death, president.  She also assisted the Browns Chapel Cemetery Association in making connections with the historical area families whose loved ones are interred there.

Joy was particularly active in the Dranesville Church of the Brethren, where she was a lifelong member.  At one time or another, Joy worked in practically all the church’s ministries.  At the time of her death, she was the church’s Leadership Team Chair, a deacon, and a member of the team’s Outreach and Hospitality teams.

In church, as in the community, Joy got things done.  She worked to raise money to aid young Brethren girls in Chibok, Nigeria, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014.  For those without work, she wrote job recommendations and made employment connections.  Joy was also known for sending encouragement cards or making a phone call to those experiencing both joyous and difficult life circumstances.  She taught Sunday School and was active in encouraging candidates for the ministry.  Joy encouraged the church to contribute to the LINK food pantry; led worship services; helped organize dinners and banquets for the area’s First Responders; and tirelessly prayed for church members and those in the community and the world.

Joyce Ann Trickett was born in Washington, DC on November 30, 1942, to Bruce Leigh Trickett and Bessie Catherine Acors – both of whom she cared for into their elder years.  Except for a few years when she lived in Catharpin, Virginia, she was a lifelong resident of Herndon, Virginia.  She began government service in 1961, and retired in 1996 from the Defense Mapping Agency.  She is survived by a foster brother, Donn Banks, and many cousins.

Guests will be received on Friday, August 17, at Adams-Green Funeral Home, Herndon, VA from 2 to 4 PM and from 6 to 8 PM.

A memorial service will be held at 11AM on Saturday, August 18, at Herndon United Methodist Church, Herndon, VA.

A memorial mass will be held at 5:30 PM on Saturday, September 15, at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1020 Springvale Rd, Great Falls, VA 22066

For additional information and directions please select the Service Information tab on this page.

In keeping with Joy’s heart for charity and historical interests, in lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to make donations to the following charities and agencies:

Dranesville Church of the Brethren 11500 Leesburg Pike, Herndon, VA 20170

Church of the Brethren Global Ministries for Nigeria, 1451 Dundee Ave, Elgin, IL 60120, or https://churchofthebrethren.givingfuel.com/all-ministries, in the Fund selection box, make sure to choose Global Mission and Services.  Also, specify Joy Trickett as the Honoree name and mention Nigeria in the Additional Gift Notes box.

Good Shepherd Alliance, 20684 Ashburn Road, Ashburn, VA 20147 - United Way #8920, or Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) #21537

LINK, P.O.  Box 443, Sterling, VA 20167

Browns Chapel Cemetery Association, 10231 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA 22182