Judy Rice Mitchell, age 78, passed away peacefully at her home with family on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. Born at the Columbia Women’s Hospital on July 8, 1944 in Washington, D.C., Judy was the beloved daughter of Robert and Mary Rice. Together with her older sisters, Janet and Lourah Anne, she was raised in Arlington, Virginia. Judy pursued her education at Yorktown High School before attending Elon College in North Carolina. Returning to Washington, D.C., she started working for the National Science Foundation (NSF), where she met her husband, Donald Raymond Mitchell. Donald, a former Marine and Vietnam veteran, and Judy were married for 46 years. Together, they lovingly raised three children in Dunn Loring, Virginia.
Judy was a dedicated homemaker, devoting herself to the upbringing of her children and creating a warm and welcoming home for all who entered. She actively participated in her community, volunteering at the neighborhood pool and contributing to her children’s classrooms and PTAs. Judy’s family brought her immeasurable joy, and she delighted in being a grandmother. She proudly proclaimed that each of her four grandchildren, Lauren and Lillian Runz, Charles and Brooks Moxley, were perfect and bore a striking resemblance to her.
Following retirement, Judy and Donald relocated to Hayes, where they relished their time with their cherished dogs, “Molly” and “Jack,” and embraced the natural beauty of their “Rivah” view and pool on Creekside Lane. Judy discovered a passion for bowling, finding camaraderie and friendship both through her bowling league and political volunteer work. Judy was preceded in death by her loving husband, Donald, as well as her parents, Robert Russell Rice and Mary Chapman Rice. She is deeply missed and survived by her dear sisters, Janet and Lourah Anne, as well as her Ware cousins. Judy is lovingly remembered by her daughters and their spouses, Lara and Curran Runz, Mary and Kyle Moxley, and her son, Britt Raymond Mitchell. Judy’s spirit lives on through her cherished grandchildren, her family, and all those whose lives she touched with her kindness, warmth, and genuine love. She will forever be remembered as a devoted wife, a nurturing mother, a doting grandmother, and a dear friend with an unforgettable smile.
A memorial service will be held at Falcons Landing on Monday, June 26, 2023, at 2 p.m. In her memory, contributions may be made to the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society at P.O. Box 385, Gloucester, Va. 23061 or the Falcons Landing Benevolent Fund at Falcons Landing Retirement Community, Attn: Business Office, 20522 Falcons Landing Circle, Potomac Falls, Va. 20165.