Joyce "Joy" Darnell

Joyce “Joy” Thelma Darnell, 85, of Sugar Grove, WV passed away Friday, April 8, 2022 at her home.

She was born in Laytonsville, Maryland on April 27, 1936, a daughter of the late Donald and Marion Madge (Royer) Fraley.

A 1954 graduate of Gaithersburg High School, Joy was a cheerleader and member of the Maryland State Choir. Following graduation she attended the National Institute of Nursing in Washington, D.C. and became a private duty nurse. On September 23, 1954, she married Glenn E. Darnell and together they resided in Jacksonville, N.C. at Camp Lejeune Marine Base, from there they relocated to a small farm in Fredericksburg, Va. and in 1965 they moved to Laytonsville, Maryland. It was there, Joy owned and operated a ceramic shop where she offered classes and sold ceramics. She was active in the Laytonsville Fire Department, member of the Ladies Auxiliary Drill Team and traveled alongside Glenn with the National Tractor Pullers Association, making friends and memories along the way.

In 1978, Joy and Glenn moved to McDowell, where she was instrumental in helping with the building and start up of the McDowell Volunteer Fire Department, where she would go onto become an officer of the McDowell Ladies Auxiliary. She worked in the kitchen at Stonewall Elementary School in McDowell and in Monterey, with Little Rock Preschool. Additionally, she helped with the Little Switzerland Cloggers and kept many children in her home.

They made the move to Mooresville, N.C. in 1997, where she provided care for two girls in their home traveled with Glenn who was active in Nascar Sportsman Racing and fed all the guys that he would bring home from the track. Ultimately in 2004 they settled in Moyers, WV and began renovations on an old farm house. There Joy worked for Pendleton County Senior and Family Services as an in-home caregiver and assisted her daughter, Lisa, with catering.

Through the years Joy cared for many children, both young and old, always with a smile and laughter and enjoyed working in her yard and feeding countless people.

A special thanks to her caregivers, Linda Weaver Kimble, Kimberly Bowers and Nancy and David Pultz, who made her last days comfortable and joyful.

She is survived by two daughters, Lisa D. Jamison and husband, Michael of Moyers, WV and Alicia Head and husband, Jason of Mooresville, NC; son, David Darnell and partner, Naomi of New Jersey; daughter-in-law, Emma Teodosio of Potomac, Md.; foster sister, Ruth States of Delaware; as well as grandchildren, Brayden Glenn Head, Elizabeth Grace Head, James Lyle Darnell and David Conway Darnell Jr.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Warren “Brad” Darnell; foster sister, Ginger Pontlitz; and sister, Julia Fraley.

A funeral service will be held 1 p.m., Friday, April 15, 2022 at St. John Lutheran Church in Moyers, WV with Revs. Jason and Jess Felici officiating. Interment will follow in the church’s graveyard.

Pallbearers will be Tommy Darnell, Mike Holt, Todd Stanton, Mike Hancock, Matt Darnell, Brian Janney, Mike McCray and Kevin Burns.

Honorary pallbearers will be friends attending the service

Family will receive friends, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 14, 2022 at Obaugh Funeral Home, as well as one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday, April 15th.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hungry Kids Fund, c/o Highland Elementary School Cafeteria, PO Box 310, Monterey, Va. 24465.

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