Marion Gough Joyce
Public Relations Professional, Brookside Gardens Volunteer
Marion Gough Joyce, a public relations professional, volunteer at Brookside Gardens, and longtime resident of Silver Spring Maryland and Rose Haven Maryland, passed away on Sunday, September 23, 2018, after a long battle with cancer. Marion was born on November 8, 1942 in Washington, DC, to the late Ethel Fuller Gough, an Executive Assistant with Norfolk Southern Railroad, and Eugene Arnold Gough, a Metallurgist with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.
In addition to her husband, Charles (Chad) Joyce, Marion is survived by daughter, Joan Catterton and her husband Ronald Catterton of Owings MD, son, John Joyce and his wife Tracy Joyce of Riva, MD, daughter, Janet Barlow and her husband Thomas Barlow of Woodbine, MD, and six adult grandchildren: Kelsey Catterton, Kara Joyce, Nicolette Joyce, Alanna Joyce, Thomas Barlow and Christopher Barlow.
Marion grew up in Silver Spring with fond memories of summers spent at her family’s beach cottage on the South River in Edgewater Beach, MD, where she learned to swim, took a water rescue course and enjoyed crabbing, fishing and boating with friends and family. Later she would enjoy taking her own children to the community beach where she had spent so many of her childhood years.
Marion graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, MD, where she met Chad, now a retired accountant and banking executive, and raised two daughters and a son. She was a very caring and active mother, engaged with her children in activities at the Langley Park Boy & Girls Club, Girl Scouts, Long Branch swim team, and was an active volunteer member of their schools’ Parent Teacher Associations and St. Camillus Catholic Parish, having converted to Catholicism in 1972.
Despite an unpleasant first-time family sailing experience on a windless, hot summer day in 1973, Marion and Chad developed a lifelong love for fair weather sailing, exploring the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. They liked cruises and travel to tropical Caribbean islands and the Florida Keys where they enjoyed sailing, parasailing, snorkeling, and fishing. One of many highlights was when Marion caught a large Wahoo in Aruba, which the resort’s chef prepared and she shared it with everyone in the entire dining room.
While raising three children, she attended Montgomery College in Takoma Park and the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Journalism and Public Relations. During her career in public relations, while at the Adams Group, she started the “Taste of Bethesda” restaurant, food and music festival. She explored her adventurous side while employed at Re-Max by riding in one of the company’s iconic hot-air balloons. Later she served as the Community Relations Manager and spokesperson for Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission (MNCPPC) and Montgomery County Planning Board.
One of her favorite places for more than 40 years was Brookside Gardens. She visited many times, enjoying the ornamental public display gardens within Wheaton Regional Park. After retiring, she became a Brookside Gardens volunteer and coordinator for the annual garden of lights during the holiday season, arranging events and schedules for hundreds of volunteer singers, musicians and other entertainers.
Marion also had a love of music, photography, drawing and painting botanical stills and “Bayscapes” which she pursued after retirement. She combined her passion for writing and photography into a 25-year project documenting the lives and activities of her children and grandchildren in multi-volume photobooks. She painted life-size portraits of each grandchild during their senior year in high school as graduation gifts. She played the piano and led family Christmas carols during Christmas Eve celebrations at home.
A Celebration of Marion’s Life for friends and relatives will be held on Sunday, November 18, 2018 from 11 am to 3 pm at Herrington on the Bay Yacht Club, 7151 Lake Shore Drive, North Beach, MD 20714. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.
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