Joy Ann Spencer's Obituary
Joy Ann Spencer was born to the late Amelia Beryl D’Arcy and Cecil M. Spencer on May 22, 1945 in Georgetown, Guyana. “Jinx” as she was affectionately known, was the eldest of eight siblings.
Jinx attended the Ursuline Convent from the age of four until she graduated from high school in 1963. She worked for the Sugar Producers Association until she decided to come to the United States in 1967 to pursue a career as a dental assistant. She received her Certificate of Proficiency in Dental Assisting in 1968 but decided she wanted a career change. This led her to enroll in Howard University to pursue a degree in Business Administration. She built a career in the medical billing field and held numerous positions with various prestigious companies and finally retired from Howard University Physicians Inc. in 2005.
Jinx utilized a variety of methods to empower and motivate not only herself but also her family, helping them visualize and achieve their goals and dreams. Jinx had a lot of interests; she was an avid reader, a war history buff, and a movie aficionado. Her love of sewing led her to accept a position at Joann’s Fabrics in 2006. She loved using her talents to make blankets, dresses, and scarves for family and friends. Jinx loved to cook and enjoyed imparting her culinary skills with her family. She was kind and generous and loved telling stories of her youth especially with her friend of 66 years Patricia Hugh.
While battling her illness, Jinx developed a close relationship with her niece, Lizel Salmon, who was also going through a similar challenge. They helped each other through their difficult times, so close was this bond that they passed away on the same day.
Jinx was married to the late Winslow O. Vickerie for 13 years ending in 1984. She is survived by her two sons, (Stewart & Troy) her daughter-in-laws (Twaligh & Wanona) her grandchildren (Taylor, Damarco, & Damarion), and five sisters and two brothers. Her stories about her youth, her sense of humor, wise advice, friendship, love, strong opinions, and her generosity will be missed by all.
In lieu of flowers you may make a donation in her name to one of the following organizations:
WM is such a rare disease that it is considered an "orphan" disease. It affects only a few out of every one million people and receives little government, agency, or institutional attention.
International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation
6144 Clark Center Avenue
Sarrasota, FL 34238
The Wellness House of Annapolis
2625 Mas Que Farm Rd
Annapolis, MD 21403
Repast
Immediately following the memorial services
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