Deanna Jones Martin

Born Deanna Leigh Jones on September 6, 1940, in Norfolk, VA, she was the younger daughter of the late Alvah Lee and Every Vance (Williams) Jones. Deanna had deep roots in the community of Knotts Island in Currituck County, NC, as both of her parents’ families had lived there for generations. After graduating from Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach in 1958, she attended first Westhampton College as an English major, then James Madison University as a biology/pre-nursing major. She then transferred to the University of Virginia, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1963. Deanna was awarded a Master of Science in Nursing at Boston University in August 1967.

While at UVA, she met Charles (“Charlie”) Perkins Martin, Jr., the great love of her life. When Charlie recently asked her why, when she had several suitors to choose from, she had agreed to go out with him, Deanna replied, “I knew a good thing when I saw him.” They married in 1965, just before Charlie was drafted and deployed to Vietnam. Over more than 56 years of marriage, Charlie and Deanna built a full and happy life together and proved to be each other’s greatest partners.

Deanna served as a clinical nursing instructor at the University of Virginia and later at Georgetown University. She also worked for many years as a school nurse in Arlington County, and later as a public health nurse for Fairfax County, where she specialized in maternal and child health. She especially loved serving her community through home visits, making sure new mothers had the support they needed.

Charlie and Deanna’s three children, Charles (“Chuck”), Adam, and Bethany were the first beneficiaries of Deanna’s impressive homemaking skills. She could cook, sew, or knit practically anything. She made elaborate costumes for Halloween and school plays, and she always seemed to have a new craft project in the works. Her holiday baking was second to none, and her party pecan pie and hand-painted gingerbread cookies were particular favorites.

Deanna was that rare parent who supported each of her children’s unique talents and interests, and she took great satisfaction in seeing them each flourish in their lives and careers. She was equally proud seeing her grandchildren find their own passions and vocations. Her family and friends knew they could always count on Deanna for good, practical advice—best accompanied by some fantastic homemade cookies.

In 1981, Deanna and Charlie settled in McLean, VA, where their neighbors became some of their closest friends. When Charlie had the opportunity to serve in London for three years, Deanna jumped at the chance for the family to experience living in another culture. Deanna loved to travel and inspired that love in her children. She said that some of her favorite memories were of visiting her grown children overseas and getting to see places she never thought she would see, including Japan, the Galapagos Islands, Wadi Rum and Holy Land sites in Jordan, and Jerusalem.

In 2000, Charlie and Deanna bought a house on Sheepscot Pond in Maine, where they spent many happy months each year. Deanna enjoyed the friends she made there, quiet evenings by the water, and the company of her dog, Dan. She also learned to make perfect lobster rolls and blueberry pie.

Deanna is survived by her husband, Charlie; son Chuck and daughter-in-law Tanya of Kingsville, MD; son Adam and daughter-in-law Sarah of Kampala, Uganda; daughter Bethany of Brooklyn, NY; and grandchildren Zoe, Hannah, Aiden, and Penelope. She was predeceased by her parents and her sister, Melinda (Jones) Lukei. She leaves behind many other loving relatives, friends, and neighbors who count themselves lucky to have known her.

A Memorial Service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 6715 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101, at 11:00 am on July 29, 2022. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Deanna Martin to The Natural Resources Council of Maine at (https://nrcm.salsalabs.org/honoraria). Checks can be made payable to: Natural Resources Council of Maine, 3 Wade St., Augusta, ME 04330.