Joyce Van Tassel's Memorial Service

Hello! My name is Caitlin Van Tassel Rupnow, and I am fundraising for my mother's memorial service. My mother, Joyce Van Tassel, died of cardiac arrest and stroke complications on August 7, 2022. While her memorial service date and time are yet to be determined, this GoFundMe serves to raise money for the memorial service.

Please see below for her full obituary:

On Sunday, August 7, 2022, Joyce Ann Van Tassel, loving wife, mother of six, and grandmother of seven, passed away at age 68.

Like her leaving this world, Joyce was born premature on Monday, April 10, 1954, in West Chester, Pennsylvania to Dorothy Edith Bertles, James Alfred Smith, and Rienzi Worthington. Joyce joined the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) in January 1974 and was stationed in Fort Ord, California, where she met Darrell Van Tassel. They wed on June 7, 1975. Together, Joyce and Darrell had six children, James Dylan Van Tassel, Megan Nicole Van Tassel, Derek Rienzi Van Tassel, Nicholas Marion Van Tassel, Jessica Karleen Van Tassel, and Caitlin Elizabeth Van Tassel Rupnow.

Joyce was a passionate music lover. Guided by her mother from a young age, Joyce played the organ and piano. Joyce encouraged all her children and grandchildren to play instruments, often playing alongside them in the bell choir at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church. When she was nine years old, The Beatles premiered in the United States on The Ed Sullivan Show, thus beginning a life-long passion that she passed down to her children and grandchildren. She also passed on her fervent love of musicals, Queen, Styx, and so much more.

Joyce also passed on her love of art and crafting. Her crafting passions include quilting, sewing clothes, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, painting, weaving, spinning, baking, cake decorating, and far more. She often created costumes not only for her children’s and grandchildren’s Halloween celebrations but also for their dance and theater productions. Her creations for her family and friends have always been admired by all.

Joyce and Darrell, along with their ever-growing family, traveled the United States and to Germany throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Eventually, they settled down in Alexandria, Virginia. In Alexandria, the family became members of the Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church. As an elder, Joyce served on the Worship Council, often organizing and volunteering for musical and crafting endeavors, as well as the Agape Reservoir.

Prior to Joyce’s retirement in 2017, she was a dedicated Patient Advocate at the Fairfax Health Center. She guided patients through the military health care system and was a staple at the Fairfax Health Center for more than 20 years.

Joyce was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy, her fathers, James and Rienzi, her brothers, James A. Smith, John Rienzi Worthington, and Thomas Smith, and her daughter Jessica. She is survived by her husband Darrell, her children Jimmy, Megan, Derek, Nicholas, and Caitlin, her brother Robert Allen Worthington, and her grandchildren Kynzie, James, Jessi, Aaron, Aubree, Seneca, and Nicky.

A celebration of life will be held at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church on 2001 Sherwood Hall Lane. The service will be held Sunday, August 21st at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Joyce Van Tassel’s Memorial Service fundraiser via GoFundMe.