Joyce Cropp Gardner

Joyce Cropp Gardner

Born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 19, 1927, Joyce Gardner, 83 of Orange, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 7, 2010.

She moved to Coral Gables, Florida, with her family in 1941. It was there she met "Ed" Gardner, who was stationed with the Army Air Force at Homestead Base during World War II. They married on November 30, 1944, and moved "home" to Orange, Virginia, in the summer of 1949. It was here that they owned and operated the family business, Gardner Iron and Metal, for 57 years.

Joyce was an active member in several civic organizations where she enjoyed the longtime friendship of members of the Orange community. She cherished the love and fellowship of the wonderful congregation of Orange Baptist Church and it is there that a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 21. Interment will precede the memorial service at 10:30 a.m. at Graham Cemetery in Orange.

Friends and family will be received from 7 until 8 p.m. Friday, August 20, 2010, at the Preddy Funeral Home in Orange.

She is survived by her beloved children, Victoria O'Leary and her husband, Jack, of Keswick, Virginia, Janice Wood and her husband, Tom, of Gordonsville, Virginia, and Marion Semerjian of Kensington, Maryland; her three grandchildren, Alison Witoshynsky and her husband, Tom, of West Palm Beach, Florida, Kevin Semerjian and Brian Semerjian of Kensington, Maryland. Joyce will also be greatly missed by her brother, Richard E. Cropp and sister-in-law, Tomomi of Tokyo, Japan; six nieces, Joan Jones of Paris, Kentucky, Terri Caldwell and her husband, Joe, of Augusta, Georgia, Gloria Easterling of Midlothian, Virginia, Betty Jo Davis of Chester, Virginia, Jo Ann Parr of Roanoke, Virginia, and Faye Wood of West Seneca, New York; three nephews, Rick Cropp and his wife, Barbara, of Vancouver, Canada, Frank Hamilton of Lexington, Kentucky and John Hamilton and his wife, Jackie, of Lexington, Kentucky, as well as countless treasured family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, J.E. "Ed" Gardner on April 15, 2007; a son-in-law, Steven Semerjian of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and a nephew, Dennis Brown of Schuyler, Virginia.

Joyce's daughters wish to thank the administration and staff at Dogwood Village Assisted Living for their outpouring of kindness and loving care toward their mother during her last year.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Rapidan.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.