Joan Whitacre, 82, of Whitacre, Virginia passed away Thursday, January 19, 2017 at Winchester Medical Center.
Mrs. Whitacre was born in 1934 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the daughter of the late Joseph and Edna Fetter. She was a graduate of Blacksburg High School, Class of 1951 and graduated from Madison College, which is now James Madison University, earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Education in 1955. Mrs. Whitacre was a school teacher with Frederick County Public Schools, where she taught 2nd grade at Apple Pie Ridge Elementary, retiring after 33 years of service. She was a member of many organizations; Delta Kappa Gamma sorority, Daughters of the American Revolution, Blue Ridge Democratic Women, Frederick County Retired Teachers Association, Virginia Horticultural Society Women’s Auxiliary, and Board of Directors member for Shawnee Canning Company, as well as an Alumni of Madison College. She loved to watch any type of college sports, enjoyed gardening (especially her flowers), and attending plays at Shenandoah University. She was a member of Redland United Methodist Church, where she was very involved with teaching Sunday school for many years. Mrs. Whitacre loved her dogs, Rocky and Teddy, and adored her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Whitacre married William Lee Whitacre on June 29, 1957 in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Surviving with her husband are daughters, Deborah Whitacre Olson (Col. Fredric Olson) of Stafford, Virginia and Lisa Whitacre Johnson (Craig) of Winchester, Virginia; grandchildren, Chris and Katie Ritter, Kyle, Scott, Alex and Kara Johnson; great grandchildren, Mikaela, Fiona and August Ritter; brothers, Bobby Fetter (Mary) of Winchester, Virginia and Jimmy Fetter of Martinsville, Virginia.
Mrs. Whitacre was preceded in death by sister-in-law, Francis Fetter.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.
A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel with Reverend Melissa Porter-Miller officiating. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Whitacre, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in memory of Joan may be made to Redland United Methodist Church, 6540 N. Frederick Pike, Cross Junction, Virginia 22625.
“A cheerful laugh that could be heard anywhere.”