Joyce Decker Obituary, Death – Born in 1930, Joyce Jeffreys Decker grew up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York, with a sizable extended family. She began dating Robert Decker, who would eventually become her husband, when she was 19 years old. They relocated right away to Washington, DC, where Bob Decker was employed by the metropolitan police department. They then made their first home purchase in Vienna, Virginia, in 1954. Over the years that followed, Joyce took care of their large family of seven children while also earning a high level of respect in the Vienna community. She established Vienna Tiny Tot’s Village, a prosperous private preschool and childcare facility, and dedicated her life to assisting others in a number of ways. She was a committed supporter of the Vienna Little League.
While a member of the Vienna Baseball Foundation, Joyce worked alongside Fred Crabtree and the other Little League founders. She co-led the Commemorative Brick Project that was located all around the Vienna Library and oversaw the charity event known as “The Chinese Auction” for a total of thirteen years. With the money, baseball grounds were built, and the Vienna Little League was able to grow. The Vienna Little League Board of Directors voted unanimously to welcome Joyce into the Vienna Baseball Association, which was established to manage Vienna Little League funds. Joyce received an honor for her “Lifetime Commitment to Excellence” for her involvement with the organization after being unanimously elected as the first female trustee of the Vienna Little League, Yeonas Park.
Joyce was chosen to be a Trustee for the Vienna Little League, Inc. in 1990. The Town of Vienna inducted Joyce into the Vienna Baseball Hall of Fame as a reward for the many years of work she put into improving the baseball experience for young people in the Town of Vienna. Joyce has also been added to the league’s Honor Roll by The Vienna Little League in honor of her outstanding dedication and service. She and Ron Decker, her son, are the only mother-son team to ever share this honor. In 1968, Joyce, a busy mother of five kids at the time, opened one of the first daycare centers and preschools in the area after realizing the great need for child care. With the same passion, focus, and tenderness that she gave to her own family and to Vienna, Joyce oversaw the school.
Numerous generations of Vienna’s small children have called Tiny Tot’s Village their second home because of how friendly and welcoming it is. The majority of Joyce’s time was spent counseling single-parent families, helping them through daily difficulties and setting an example for their kids. Due to the school’s multigenerational student body and workforce, Tiny Tot’s students, parents, and staff all grew to feel like a close-knit family. Parents who once walked through the home door in cap and gown on their way to graduate from Vienna Staff members of Tiny Tot’s Village Preschool later attended their own kids’ graduations.
All of Joyce’s children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren received an education because to Tiny Tots. Her school was a family-run business, and the vast majority of the Decker family worked there or in some other capacity supported the business. Later, once Joyce retired as the institution’s leader, Ron, who was also her business partner, took over. After another 53 years of operation, COVID compelled Tiny Tot’s to close its doors in 2021. Families continued to receive services from it at that time. For her commitment to the upbringing and education of children, Joyce received recognition, and in 1994, she had the honor of being named the Business Person of the Year. Joyce received this honor in appreciation for her dedication. In addition, Joyce had the privilege of leading the 2006 Vienna Halloween Parade, which celebrated its 60th year.
When Joyce was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1980, she managed to beat it. Her involvement in the activity taught her that women need more support overall and that rehabilitation involves more than just receiving medical care. To visit women at home or in the hospital, share her story, and encourage those going through breast cancer, surgery, or therapy, she joined the American Cancer Society’s Reach To Recovery program. Her goal was to assist other women going through similar circumstances. She joined Forever Living Goods in 1982 after discovering the therapeutic benefits of natural products while undergoing cancer treatment. She has been a distributor of aloe vera products for the previous 35 years.
Joyce had an intense and lasting love for her husband and her family, and she gave children’s education and care a high priority. She also had a strong commitment to assisting those in need. She made a meaningful contribution and served as a source of inspiration and support. Her busy years slowed down dramatically after she sustained a severe brain injury in 2016 and needed a lot of time to recover from it. Despite the setback, she persisted in finding joy in each day and continued to inspire everyone who were in her vicinity. Joyce is survived by her husband of 72 years, Robert Decker; their five children, Glen Decker (Gina), Ron Decker (Karen), Lynn Decker Enyart (Bill), David Decker (Carin); their seven grandchildren, Melissa Guidry (JR), Jonathan Decker (Emily), Matt Decker, Billy Enyart (Valerie), Lauren Horn (Dillon); and their ten great grandchildren, Quinn Guidry, Eleanor Decker, James Decker, and John Deck
