Patricia Jane Birckhead

She was born on July 10, 1931, to Matthew “Dick” Morris and Alice Lorraine Dowling. Jane’s young life was filled with family adventures that often ended with a picnic lunch at a local swimming spot or climbing rocks on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Jane began her work career at the Essex pencil factory in Charlottesville. She soon met Thomas, her husband-to-be, better known as Tommy and was married on November 10, 1950. They moved to Virginia Beach, starting a new family and where Tommy began working at Little Creek Amphibious Base. Jane accepted the role of motherhood graciously, becoming the best mother anyone could ask for to their daughters Patty and Tammy.

They moved the family back to the Charlottesville area in 1972 to assist in running her parents’ grocery store the “9th Street Market”. After the family business closed, she continued her retail career with Family Dollar where she retired and moved to Greene County with her daughter Tammy. One of her favorite pastimes after retiring was attending craft shows with her daughter Patty where they both met many new friends and she always looked forward to the next show.

The highlight of her life was spending time with her family and friends. She cherished every minute whether it was a holiday gathering, a drive on the parkway, or just a backyard event. Everyone looked forward to her signature potato salad followed by her renowned chocolate pie. When asked for her potato salad recipe she always answered with “I don’t use a recipe, I just add a little pinch of this and a little pinch of that.”

Jane joined First Christian Church in June of 1980. She always looked forward to Sundays where she enjoyed listening to God’s word and visiting with her church family until her failing health prevented her from attending. While there, she was a member of the choir for many years and became a member of the Young at Heart group.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Thomas Henry Birckhead, her daughter Patricia “Patty” Brent Birckhead-Decourcy, a beautiful great-granddaughter Mikala Brooke Keyton and her two sisters and best friends Valerie Rose Tinder and Carol Lorraine Blackwell.

Jane is survived by her daughter Tammy Jo Birckhead of Ruckersville, and her brother Matthew “Mack” Morris and his wife Linda of Ruckersville. Five grandchildren – Stephanie Nagel of Aylett, VA, Jennifer Callie Ranney of Charlottesville, Jason Thomas Keyton of Roanoke, Katelynn McGuire Sherrill and her husband Mark of Chester VA, and Joshua Tyler Daughtry of Ruckersville. Jane was blessed with 6 great-grandsons – Caleb Adams, Ryan Birckhead, Hunter Evans, James Sherrill, Preston Sherrill, and Adam Sherrill. She also leaves behind a son-in-law Philip Decourcy of Ruckersville, and many other relatives and friends.

The family would like to thank the caring staff at Albemarle Health & Rehab and Davita for the loving and compassionate care they provided Jane. We would also like to acknowledge and thank the wonderful residents of Albemarle Health & Rehab for welcoming her into their family and making her feel at home in the facility. A special thank you to Emanual, her primary transportation driver, for his dedicated attention to Jane and her needs while in his care.

Thank you, friends and family members that called and visited Jane; and an extra special thank you to her long-time faithful friends David Tyree and Gene McClure for their regular visits and contact.

The family invites you to share in Jane’s celebration of life at the Teague Chapel located at 2260 Ivy Road on Thursday, June 15th with visitation from 12 to 1 pm, and her service beginning at 1pm with David Tyree officiating. Graveside will immediately follow at Monticello Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your favorite charity in Jane’s name.