Joyce O. Rae

Joyce Olivett Rae, 73, of Jarratt, Virginia, passed away peacefully at home on September 20, 2024. Originally from Emporia, Virginia, Joyce attended Greensville County schools and studied art and design at Virginia Tech. Joyce started her career at an insurance agency but made the switch to computer programming and webpage coding after earning a certification in programming from John Tyler Community College. Joyce was a talented artist and never lost her love for drawing and painting. She was also passionate about gardening and built beautiful landscaping and flower beds around her home. She was proud of her Scottish heritage and dedicated many hours to researching her relatives and building family trees. She even made several trips to Scotland to visit ancestral homes and regions. Above all else, Joyce loved being a grandmother, and she never hesitated to color pictures or build Lego houses when a little voice asked her, “Nana, will you play with me?”

Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, Woodrow and Elsie Walls Rae, and her sister, Judith Rae Swader.

Joyce is survived by her husband of 40 years, Richard Avent; her son, Rob Turner, and daughter-in-law, Michelle, of Fredericksburg, VA; her son, Bradley Avent, and daughter-in-law, Esther, of Raleigh, NC; and her daughter, Mallory Reardon, and son-in-law, Will, of Colts Neck, NJ. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Taylor, Thomas, William, Wrenn, and Walker; and her siblings, Janis Lee (husband James) of The Villages, FL, Jeanne Horne-Jones (husband Henery) of Richmond, VA; and James Rae (wife June) of Jarratt, VA. A memorial service and reception to celebrate her life will be held on October 19, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Aberdour Presbyterian Church, 702 Allen Road, Jarratt, VA 23867.