Joy Anne Fox

Joy Anne Fox passed away peacefully at Gilchrist Hospice of Towson on April 4, 2023. She was 83. The beloved wife of the late Richard Gilbert Fox; devoted mother of Lisa Ann Holbrook and son-in-law Timothy Adam Holbrook, Sr.; cherished grandmother of Timothy Adam Holbrook, Jr., and Logan Fox Holbrook; dear sister of John Lorenzo Spry, Jr., and Susan Adele Cianchetta. Joy Anne is survived by many loving nieces and nephews, as well as many loyal friends.

Joy Anne was born on May 6, 1939, to John and Martha Spry, in Baltimore, Maryland. She lived in various locations in Maryland over the years, and for a brief time, in California. She graduated from Patterson Park High School in 1957. Joy had a beautiful soprano voice, was a member of the Clipper Choir, invited to sing as a soloist at various events and for churches in the Baltimore area, as well as for the USO. She loved classical and Christian music and had a love of the arts. She was a frequent attendee of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and took great delight in introducing her grandsons to concerts. Joy attended Strayer Business School, Philadelphia College of Bible, and the Peabody Institute where she studied piano and voice.

Joy Anne started her career as a secretary at her alma mater, Patterson Park High School in 1957. She worked as an executive assistant for large corporations such as McCormick & Company, and Caterpillar Tractor, and transitioned into law, as a legal secretary. Joy spent a majority of her career as a successful law firm administrator, having worked for several major firms in the area, the last one of which was Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber, P.A.

Joy Anne and her husband Richard of thirty-three years loved power boating and traveling. They had memorable trips, down the Intercoastal Waterway, with special friends and one trip, which Joy called the trip of a lifetime, to the US Virgin Islands.

A devoted and faithful follower of Jesus Christ, Joy Anne served in multiple capacities in various churches over the years. Most recently, she was a member of Hunt Valley Church in Cockeysville, Maryland, where she was described as the “heart” of their missions’ team. Joy faithfully served each year in Vacation Bible School and assisted with communion preparation each month. She loved her small group from Hunt Valley Church that met weekly to study scripture, and minister to each other and the community.

In addition to being a member of Hunt Valley Church, Joy started attending Church of the Resurrection on Greenspring Avenue, during the pandemic. She loved the music ministry, and the people, and they loved her. Joy participated in their weekly bible studies, prayer service, hospitality team, and Vacation Bible School. She was also a member of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for years, where she faithfully studied the Bible, and made many, good friends.

Most of all, Joy loved her family and friends. She was the heart and soul of her family, and she hosted fabulous holiday dinners and organized family vacation get-aways. She was an accomplished baker, and prepared scrumptious pies of all kinds for holidays and special occasions, including apple, pumpkin, pecan, chocolate, and lemon cloud. Her neighbors and friends were also the lucky recipients of her culinary endeavors.

Joy enjoyed gardening and traveling. When she was 72 years old, she fulfilled her dream of traveling through Europe. She was an avid reader and lover of history. Joy was always seeking to expand her knowledge, and her trips involved spending hours touring various museums, learning all she could about other people, places, and cultures.

While Joy was accomplished in many things, her greatest love was for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She bravely fought head and neck cancer for over 23 years. During that time, she never complained, and bravely faced the challenges associated with this devasting disease. She was a great inspiration to all who knew her as she learned the cancer had become terminal. Her faith was in Jesus, and it was her greatest hope that all her friends and family would come to know and love Him.

A celebration of Joy Anne’s life will be held on Saturday, April 29th at 10am at the Church of the Resurrection, 11525 Greenspring Avenue, Timonium, Maryland. The service will also be livestreamed at: www.resbalt.org/

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Joy Anne Fox to Gilchrist Hospice at: Make A Gift - Gilchrist (convio.net); 11311 McCormick Road, Suite 350, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21031, or by calling (443) 849-8330.