JOAN GILLETTE ROKUS

Joan Gillette Rokus, 89, died peacefully in the shadow of the town and the county she adored on December 9, 2022. An avid tennis player and sports enthusiast, her courageous fight was inspiring to the end. A service of celebration will be held Tuesday, December 27, 2022 at 11:00 AM, at Leesburg United Methodist Church, 107 W Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia. Joan was born on June 24, 1933, in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Barbara Stinson and Phil G. Gillette. She was a graduate of Penn State University where she was a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. She earned her master’s degree from West Chester University. Joan was beloved by her daughters, Jennifer Rokus Heath and Lori Rokus. She believed travel was the most important part of a person’s education and Joan traveled the world with her family and friends, including favorite trips to Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Argentina, Kenya and through the Panama Canal on the QE II. She is survived also by her sisters, Marilyn Knauer (David), and Carol Hughes (Charles), and her nieces and nephews, Renée Witherspoon (Terry), Suzette MacKey (John), Barbra Daniel, Gordon Schiring (Cathy), Sean Hughes (Laura), and Darin Hughes. Her brother, Gordon Gillette (Margie), preceded her in death. Joan taught physical education at Keuka College in New York’s Finger Lakes, Susquehanna University and West Chester University in Pennsylvania, public schools throughout Loudoun County and Foxcroft School in Middleburg. Later she was the administrator for the veterinary practice of her former husband, William S. Rokus. Combining her educational degrees with her personal tennis achievement of reaching the highest USTA rating sanctioned at Loudoun Indoor Tennis Club, she also taught tennis for several years at Northern Virginia Community College. Joan was president of the Catoctin Elementary PTA and later served as the president of the Northern Virginia District PTA Council. Her keen interest in the environment and wildlife led her to the presidency of Keep Loudoun Beautiful where she brought attention to removing litter from not just roadways, but also waterways by initiating the first annual creek cleanup via canoes on scenic Goose Creek. During her 2-term tenure as a Loudoun County Supervisor for the Leesburg District, Joan served as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors as well as chair of various committees: Council of Governments, Economic Development, and Commission for Women. She was the first woman to be elected as a Loudoun County Supervisor for the Leesburg District. Joan was recognized for her work on historic preservation and parks, including Temple Hall, Aldie Mill and Mount Zion Church. For many years, she presided over the annual Arbor Day ceremonies. Among a number of significant boards and commissions, Joan represented Loudoun County on the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority for 23 years and served on the National Recreation and Parks Association Board of Trustees for nine years, as an Honorary Board Member for the Salvation Army, and the Thomas Balch Library Advisory Board for many years. She was named 1999 Loudoun Times-Mirror Citizen of the Year and 1993 Person of the Year from the Leesburg Daybreak Rotary Club. Joan belonged to the Junior Women’s Club of Loudoun until she “aged out” into the Women’s Club of Loudoun. She was member of the Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and served on the Advisory Committee of the Patriot Project. A lifelong dog lover, she raised Jack Russell terriers each of whom were mischievous and devoted. For those who choose to send memorials, the family requests consideration of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) https://www.cfnova.org/donate/nova-parks-fund or Friends of Loudoun County Animal Services (FLCAS) https://www.flcas.org. Share condolences with the family www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com

JOAN GILLETTE ROKUS

June 24, 1933 - December 9, 2022