Joy June Cerney Marshall

Joy June was born in Chicago, Illinois on January 12, 1925 to John Wilbert and Augusta Vrastil Cerney. After graduating from Morton East High School in Berwyn, Joy took business classes at the University of Chicago and worked at the Merchandise Mart. Joy met the love of her life, John Franklin Marshall, Jr. while he was in training at the Great Lakes Naval Station during WWII. When the war ended, John and Joy married on May 4, 1947 and she moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, his hometown, where they started Charlottesville Office Machine Company. Over the course of her working life, she was employed at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Levy’s of Charlottesville, Sperry-Rand and the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Joy retired as a senior executive administrative assistant from the Foreign Science and Technology Center, now NGIC, and was one of the first to operate computers.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Charlottesville where she participated in Circle and sang in the Chancel Choir for many years. Joy played the organ, loved flowers, reading, traveling the world with John, and sports, especially the Chicago Bears and Cubs and UVA Basketball. She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Joy was preceded in death by her parents, her Aunt Ella Vrastil; her husband of fifty-six years, John; a granddaughter, Megan Bavetz; and by her Breakfast Buddies group with whom she met nearly every morning for over twenty-five years.

She is survived by her children, Sharon Marshall Davis and husband Mike, Kevin S. Marshall and partner Donna Jones; four grandchildren, Jim Bavetz and wife Victoria, Amanda Griggs and husband Kerry, Allison Albrecht and husband Joe, Catherine Albrecht and husband Robert; and six great-grandchildren, Jackson and Mason Griggs, Ella and Donovan Albrecht and Charlotte and Tucker Albrecht.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude for the friendship and devotion of her caregiver and special companion, Valencia Janine Miller, who loved and cared for her in the last years of her life, and for the faithfulness, patience and care shown by her hairdresser of fifty years, Theresa Staton who came weekly.

Due to COVID limitations, a family memorial service will be held at a later time. If desired, memorial donations may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association of Central and Western Virginia, 355 Rio Road W, Suite 102, Charlottesville, Virginia 22901 or the First Baptist Church of Charlottesville, 735 Park Street, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902.