Loudoun Now

It is with great sadness that the family of Julia Yost Kretsinger announce her passing. Julia was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on March 30, 1929 and passed away on October 14, 2021. She was born to the late Charles and Elizabeth Yost of Biglerville, Pennsylvania. A loving mother and accomplished organist and pianist, Julia enjoyed raising a joyful noise as the Music Director at New Jerusalem Lutheran Church for over 65 years. Employed by the Loudoun County Public Schools since the early 1970s, Julia served in many roles to include choir accompanist, substitute teacher, and finally as a secretary in the Library Media Center until retiring in 2015. She loved to watch cooking channels,...

Mitchell Kregg Athey, 59, of Lucketts, VA passed away on October 8, 2021 at his residence. He was born in Leesburg, VA on October 1, 1962 to James C. Athey and JoAnn D. Kerrigan Athey. He is survived by his wife of 15 years Debra Jenkins Athey, two sons Ryan Athey of Haymarket VA and Jacob Athey of Colorado, and stepson Nyles Jenkins of the residence. He is also survived by his mother JoAnn D. Kerrigan Athey of Lucketts VA, brother Mark Athey(Jackie) of Lucketts VA, and sister Michele Coates(Danny) of Lovettsville VA. He is predeceased by his father James C. Athey and brother Michael Athey. Mitchell was a perfectionist and that was reflected in his excavating business. Many people commented...

Scarlett Beard Lucas, 74, of Ashburn, Virginia, passed away on October 8, 2021. Scarlett was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, to Herbert Glenn Beard and Olive Abbott Beard on October 19, 1946. Following graduation from E.C. Glass High School, she attended Radford College (now known as Radford University). While at Radford, she met the love of her life, Robert ("Bob") Cormell Lucas, a student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Scarlett and Bob married on December 29, 1967. After spending time in Germany while Bob served in the U.S. Army, Scarlett and Bob moved to Northern Virginia and eventually settled in Sterling, Virginia to raise their family. In addition to serving as the primary...

Bunny Havlicek, passed away at home in Leesburg, Virginia on Sunday, September 12, 2021. She was 103. For the past 25 years she has shared a home with her daughter, Jane Havlicek Roth, who survives her. She is also survived by her brother, Don Weede of Tucson, Arizona, a niece, Lorraine Giltner of Ottumwa, Iowa, and several nephews including Brian Pennington and Kevin Weede of Tucson, Arizona, Chris Weede of Yuma, Arizona, and Charles Weede of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Born Bernice Weede on November 13, 1917, in Lancaster, Missouri, her father quickly nicknamed her Bunny, which remained her name of choice to her death. She grew up in Bloomfield, Iowa, and knew at a young age she...

Rhea J. Christensen December 31, 1928 - August 27, 2021 Rhea J. Christensen died August 27, 2021, at INOVA Fairfax Hospital. Rhea was born in Shawsville, Virginia to the late Rev. James M and Golda E. Jewell. Rhea came to Loudoun County to teach in the Fall of 1949 from Radford, Virginia. Rhea began her teaching career at Lincoln High School and later transferred to Loudoun County High School where she remained until her retirement. She retired after teaching 37 years. Rhea, who lived in Leesburg, Virginia, was the widow of Gordon K. Christensen, who died in 2003. She was previously married to Robert Bragg. Rhea was a loving mother and grandmother and a dedicated business teacher who...

Sharon Nalle went to be with the Lord on Sunday, July 18, 2021, 3-1/2 months after her 92nd birthday. Her health failed shortly after a fall in which she broke her hip. She was in and out of hospitals for her last three months, but was blessed to draw her last breaths at home attended by her daughter and granddaughter. Sharon was born Melva Sharon Fry on April 1, 1929 in Lucketts, VA. Her father Melvin Curtis Fry was a carpenter, her mother Madge Baker Fry a teacher and a homemaker. Sharon worked as bookkeeper and secretary until 1951, when she married Ned Nalle of nearby Leesburg, VA. The two were pillars of Sharon's childhood church, Faith Chapel of Lucketts, until they sold their farm and...

Cathy J. White August 29, 1951 - July 7, 2021 Cathy J. White was born August 29, 1951 to Carmen and Norma Nohre in Spring Grove, Minnesota. The eldest of three children, she valued loving devotion and service to family from a young age. She spent formative years living in Brussels during her father's post with the USDA Foreign Service, which gave her first-hand access to history and culture. She and her family eventually settled in Virginia, where she lived for most of her adult life. She married Ralph E. White, Jr., raised two children, and "adopted" many of their friends as a surrogate mother, assuming the nickname Momma White. Cathy spent much of her career working in information analysis...

Claude "Pete" Franklin Farris Claude "Pete" Franklin Farris, 91, of Loudoun County, died July 17, 2021 at his home in Lucketts, Virginia. Pete was born on September 22, 1929 in Oatlands, Virginia to Matthew Elijah Farris, Sr. and Myrtle Elizabeth Phillips Farris. In 1938, Pete's mother passed away. His father worked hard keeping the family together. Two years later, his father remarried Ethel Marie Turman. Pete was 1 out of 11 children. He started school in Poolesville, Maryland. When the family moved back to Virginia, he went to Mountain Gap school in Oatland, Virginia. It was a one-room school with 7 grades, heated by a coal stove. The students carried in the coal and drinking water for...

Daniel L. McGinnis, 82, of Round Hill, Virginia passed away of congestive heart failure on July 5, 2021 surrounded by his family. He was a devoted parishioner of St. Bridget of Ireland Catholic Church in Berryville, Virginia. He is survived by Arlene, his wife of nearly 60 years, and their three daughters; Colleen McGinnis, KellyAnn Royston and Erin Meitzler, their spouses, 5 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, his sister, Maureen Kane and brother, Edward McGinnis. Born and raised in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, Dan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a year later, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering, also from the...

Merle Frederick Mayner, 103, of Frederick, Maryland passed away Friday, July 2, 2021. Born April 29, 1918 in Sheldahl, IA to the late Edgar Eldon and Esther Christina (nee Sandberg) Mayner. He was the beloved husband of the late Ruth Elizabeth (nee Dowden) Mayner. He was preceded in death by his brother Edgar Warren Mayner and sisters Mary Joy Harriet Mayner Double and Louise Gertrude Mayner Knight. He grew up in Iowa and worked as a photographer for the Des Moines Register and Look Magazine in his 20's. He came to DC for a job with the government, but arrived on December 7, 1941, the day of the Pearl Harbor attack. He was drafted into the Navy September 1943 during World War II and...

George F. Martel died peacefully on Sunday, June 13, 2021 at the Adler Center in Aldie, Virginia. He was born on June 5, 1935 in Baltimore, MD. A graduate of Patterson Park High School in June 1953 he then served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 2 years. After graduation from the Commercial Radio Institute in Baltimore, he briefly worked for IBM and WBAL. Most of his life was spent as a computer technician and assistant systems engineer at the Federal Aviation Agency where he retired after 39 years of service. In 1961 he married the former Dorothy Baer and they moved to Middleburg, VA in 1965. While living in Virginia he was active in the Loudoun County Jaycees serving as president and...

David Bruce King, age 68, of Leesburg, VA passed away on June 7, 2021, after an extended battle with cancer. David was born October 4, 1952, in Leesburg, Virginia to the late Leslie and Carol King. He was raised in Loudoun County and graduated from Loudoun County High School in Leesburg VA. He joined the military in 1972 and served honorably in the US Army for 25 years and retired with the rank of First Sergeant. He later graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems from Strayer University. David was proud of his service and worked as a Communications Maintenance Supervisor for the Army for 25 years. He received numerous awards during his long and distinguished career...

James T. Burke, 88, a resident of Leesburg, VA since 1970, died on May 29, 2021. Known to many as Jim, he was born July 18, 1932 in Acushnet, MA to the late Joseph A. Burke and J. Elizabeth Trunnell. He grew up in Washington, DC and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1950 and received his BA in Accounting from Benjamin Franklin University. Preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Thelma A. Burke, Jim was a devoted husband and proud father to Sharon Lawson, Linda Burke, Michael Burke, and Jimmy Burke, and father-in-law to Rusty Lawson, Laurie Burke, and Cleopatra Burke. He was a doting grandfather to Kevin, Travis, Bryan, and Myka. His insatiable curiosity and interest in...

Susan Claire Sondheim Mohr, 64, died at Fair Oaks Hospital on 5/29/2021 of complications from breast cancer. Born on 21 February 1957 to H. James Sondheim and Lucille Dewey Sondheim Teare, Susan graduated from Greenwich High School and Middlebury College, earning a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, with minors in History and French. Her first job was at General Cigar in NYC, where she was assistant to the VP of International Sales, and later, Import-Export Manager. In 1982, she went to work for the Central Intelligence Agency, where she served as an Intelligence Officer for over ten years, including overseas assignments in Madrid, London, and Brussels. While in Virginia, Susan met...

Jon Derek Hardman, 58, of Leesburg, Virginia passed away Wednesday, May 26, 2021, and has been reunited in heaven with his mother, Barbara. Derek, aka "Deke," was born in Clarksburg, WV on April 3, 1963 to Robert Ray and Barbara June (Lough) Hardman. Derek was surrounded in love at his passing by his wife Kim, daughter Megan, son Jacob, brother-in-law Scott Hobbs (Erin) and parents-in-law David and Jan Hobbs. Derek is also survived by his father Robert Hardman (Janice), his nieces Kayden, Avery and Kara Hobbs and special family members Jim and Nancy Hufford, Steve Hufford (Jenny), Chris Nolan (husband of Debby Hufford, also deceased) and their children and grandchildren. Derek graduated from...

LEESBURG, VA. Shirley June Browder Wetherell, 84, of Ashburn, Virginia passed away peacefully on May 13, 2021. She was born on August 18, 1936 in Joplin, MO to the late Edward Browder Sr. and Augusta Mae Faust Browder. It was in Joplin that she met and married her husband Dan on September 16, 1955. Following their marriage, she moved with him to Westover AFB in Massachusetts while he finished his tour of service in the Air Force. In 1958, Shirley moved with Dan to Stillwater, OK and worked at the student union coffee shop at Oklahoma State University to help support Dan and their young daughter, Donna, while Dan earned his bachelors degree in electrical engineering. After Dan's...

Richard Edward Daubenspeck, of Ashburn, Virginia passed away on Saturday, April 17, 2021 at Loudoun Hospital. He was born on November 25, 1932 in Scottsbluff, NE to the late Col. Wayne Martel Daubenspeck, Chaplain, US Army (ret) and Ethel Mason Daubenspeck. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his grandson, Jacob Taylor Daubenspeck, and by his brother Henry Mason Daubenspeck. Richard enlisted in the Naval Reserve on his 18th birthday in 1950 and graduated from Midland Lutheran College, Fremont, NE in 1954. During his 28 years of Naval service he was in the Naval Reserve Electronics Unit at Midland College and while on active duty served on the following ships: USS...

John Davie "Jack" Price died at home April 3, 2021. The cause of death is undetermined, pending the results of an autopsy by the Northern Virginia medical examiner's office. He was 22. Jack was born at Inova Loudoun Hospital on Feb. 20, 1999, and was a lifelong resident of Leesburg, Va. He graduated from Heritage High School and was enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College at the time of his death. Jack struggled with autism and OCD, but with the help of medication, therapy and the love of his family and friends, he led a mostly happy and fulfilling life. He was active in Scouting, first with Cub Scout Pack 965 and then Boy Scout Troop 1159. He achieved the rank of Eagle Scout under...

Rebie "Ellen" Bradshaw, 81 of Ashburn, Virginia, passed on Friday, April 2, 2021, at INOVA Loudoun Hospital Center in Leesburg, VA. Born Sunday, March 17, 1940 in Leesburg, Virginia, Ellen was the daughter of the late William Piggott, Sr. and late Rebie Piggott. Growing up in Middleburg, VA, she was a graduate of Loudoun County High School. Ellen is survived by her loving husband of sixty-two years, Paul Bradshaw, daughters, Sandy Bradshaw and Susan Fox, and son, Jim Bradshaw. She has several grandchildren, Brooke Brylawski, Katie Nichols (Chris), Christie Wagner (Joel), Lydia Sergent (Josh), Kevin Bradshaw, Anna Bradshaw, five great grandchildren, and sister-in-law Cindy Bradshaw. A...

Charles Robert Norris, III, 88 of Leesburg, Virginia passed on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg, Virginia, with his loving wife of sixty years, Frances (Bunny) Carnes Norris, at his side. Born on July 28, 1932 in Alexandria, Virginia, he was the son of the late William Norris and the late Margaret James Norris, brother to the late Elizabeth (Betty Jane) Martin, and nephew to the late Eleanor W. James. Charles is also survived by his son Charles (Rob) R. Norris IV and grandson Charles (Charlie) R. Norris V, all lifelong residents of Loudoun County, VA; nephews Geoffrey Schelhorn (Betty), Robert Schelhorn (Terry), Thomas Schelhorn and niece Rebecca Dunlop, all of...

Janice K. Butts, age 88, of Sterling, Va. passed away Thursday morning, March 04,2021 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Joanne and Will Cockerill of Purcellville, VA. Janice was born in Fayette, Iowa on August 14,1932 and lived on a farm up until the third grade. She has shared many fond memories of those days, of spending time with her dad in the front seat of his pick-up truck and of her love for the chickens and the hogs. When the farm was sold, she and her family moved to Texas, later to Arizona and eventually ended up in the State of Washington. There in Kennewick, after graduating from high school, she met the love of her life and married on April 26,1952. After her husband,...