Obituary for Joy Hawley:
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our beloved, Joy Marie (Brennan) Hawley, 63, on February 13, 2020, at Dulles Health & Rehab Center, Herndon, VA.
Joy was born June 7, 1956 in Carbondale, PA, the daughter of Frank P. & Nancy A. (Barry) Brennan. Joy, along with two Sisters and five Brothers, was raised in Brookland Estates/ Franconia, Alexandria, VA and attended Bush Hill Elementary, Mark Twain Middle School and Thomas Edison Highschool. During Highschool Joy volunteered as a Candy Striper at Alexandria Hospital and helped start a day care/Mom’s Day Out program as part of her home economics class at Edison Highschool. From early on I life Joy had a penchant for caring for others and wanted to go to Nursing School. Amazingly talented and industrious, Joy was a very gifted seamstress who expertly sewed everything from dresses to bedspreads and drapery and loved crafting.
At the age of 16, Joy survived a horrible car accident which changed her life forever, leaving her withsevere physical limitations. However, that did not stop Joy from living a full and beautiful life. A Women of indomitable spirit and a joyful heart, Joy took on any adversity that came her way with grit and determination. Never once feeling sorry for herself, she worked hard to change what she could and accepted with grace what she could not.
Joy worked for many years in administration in our Father’s Insurance office and then went on to work in Administration for Fairfax County until 2007. Joy married her best friend and loving husband, Ronald W. Hawley in 1990 and had a Son, Ronald W. Jr. and settled into a Condo in Newington Forest, and later purchased their Condo in Lorton, VA where they lived for many years and where her Husband Ron still resides. Joy and Ron loved attending Country Western Concerts, Car Races, Shopping at the Mall and shared a love of watching football games together on TV.
Joy’s greatest pleasure was to make things for the people in her life, she liked latch hooking, painting, drawing and crafting and gifting her creations to her family and friends. She loved to laugh and loved to make people smile, Joy had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed funny stories, jokes and pranks. Joy’s love and kindness touched many people’s lives and she is loved by many, her presence on earth will be terribly missed.
An exemplary example of how we all should live our lives, Joy met each day, right up to the last day of her life, with dignity, grace, gratitude, kindness and a beautiful smile for everyone. Joy is predeceased by her Parents, Frank P. & Nancy A Brennan. Surviving in addition to her Husband, Ronald W. Hawley, are her son Ronald W. Hawley Jr., Sisters, Colleen A. McQuillen and her husband Dale, MariAlyce Brennan and her husband John Guldner and Brothers, Sean F. Brennan and his wife Terri, Brian V. Brennan, Barry Brennan, Paul V. Brennan, Frank P. Brennan and his wife Sabine, and remembered by many nieces and nephews.
Visitation – Friends are invited to share their Memories of Joy on Saturday, February 22nd at 12:00 to 1:00pm at the Sacred Heart Chapel at 6430 Token Forest Rd, Woodbridge, VA
Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Chapel (the same location) at 1:00pm
Reception to follow at 2:00pm at Montclair Country Club 16500 Edgewood Drive, Montclair, VA 22025
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