Joan Jenkins

Joan Jenkins passed away peacefully while in hospice on October 8th, 2023, at the age of 92. She is survived by her eldest son Jim and his wife Pam, and her three grandchildren, John, David, and Steven. Joan was born in Minersville, Pennsylvania to John and Violet Burcheck in 1931. She was the middle child and was the last surviving sibling of her to two sisters, Dolores, and Charlotte.

Joan married James (Jim) Talley Jenkins in 1952. Jim joined the US Army in 1951 and was deployed overseas until 1955. Following Jim's return, he was hired by the National Security Agency and assigned to an office in Washington DC and Joan and Jim moved to Arlington, Virginia with their newborn son to start a new life. Within a few years there was a new addition to the family, John Scott Jenkins, and the family moved to New Carrollton Maryland. While embracing her new lifestyle and in addition to raising a family, Joan began to explore her love of art, and by the mid 1960's she had become an accomplished and prolific artist working in oil on canvas and later in acrylic. Joan shared her love of art and her work freely with family and friends and always sought to bring joy to others with her gift. Joan also worked with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC in various capacities as a volunteer for many years and loved the cultural enrichment it offered. While working at the Museum of Natural History She often spent her lunch hour next door at the National Art Gallery, all the while studying and admiring the great works on exhibit. Joan was always learning, advancing her skills, and applying that knowledge to her many facets of life.

In addition to art and love of family, and the many close friends she loved, Joan had a deep connection with God. She was raised Catholic and stayed devoted and faithful throughout her entire life. Though she attended a Lutheran church for many years with her husband, she returned to the Catholic Church soon after moving to Riva, Maryland following the death of her husband in 1994. With the love of family and friends and her strong connection to the church, Joan was able to build a wonderful independent life purely of her own design where she lived life to the fullest for nearly 30 years.

Soon after her move to Riva, Joan began volunteering at Holy Family Church in Davidsonville, Maryland and especially loved the small historic chapel near the entrance that marked the early days of the church, and dates back nearly 100 years. She often told the story of how it was purchased through a catalog as a kit and assembled on site circa 1920. Soon after joining Holy Family, Joan was asked to join the team in the church office and served an important role as Fellowship Director where she organized many ongoing events over a 20-year career that brought parishioners together and allowed her to develop deep and rewarding friendships with so many people. She often expressed how the important work and the friends she made brought her great joy and enriched her life immensely.

Joan also faced many tragedies and the loss of loved ones, including the loss of her youngest son at the age of 17, but she always pulled herself together and gave comfort to others even while grieving.

She will be missed by many.

Services will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 W Central Ave, Davidsonville, MD 21035 on Friday November 3rd at 11:00 AM