Joy Marie Jenkins

Joy Marie (Steinhaus) Jenkins, 88, of Frederick, passed away at home on Thursday December 7, 2023, surrounded by her family after a long and difficult struggle with dementia. She was the beloved wife of the late Gordon Tazwell Jenkins. They were married for 67 years. Born December 22, 1934, in Frederick, Maryland she was the daughter of the late Austin Nelson and Helen Louise (Hamilton) Steinhaus. She attended and graduated from Frederick High School in 1953.    

Following high school, Joy worked for the United States Army at Ft. Detrick in Frederick, MD, where she met Gordon who was then serving in the United States Army at Fort Detrick. While raising her five children and being a homemaker over the years, she also managed to have a career and eventually retired after serving over 31 years with the United States Army Medical Material Agency (USAMMA) at Fort Detrick. Following her retirement from the government she worked briefly at the Frederick County Courthouse and Tim May Investigations as a receptionist.  She was a long-time member of the South End Baptist Church and also attended the Pleasant View Church of the Brethren in later years.    

Joy loved to visit and enjoy time with the many friends in her life. She particularly enjoyed attending her high school class reunions over the years. Always a travel companion with her husband, she enjoyed attending carnivals, church suppers, festivals, blue grass music events, and most of all looked forward to being at the Great Frederick Fair for the entire week. Together they became a permanent fixture at community events throughout the county. Over the many years she always traveled with Gordon to his U.S. Navy veteran events and shipboard reunions. Most of all she loved the holidays and everyday visits with her children, grandchildren, and great grand-children until the end.  

She is survived by; children Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins, Gary L. Jenkins and wife Donna, Diane M. Lease and husband Donnie, all of Frederick County and Lisa Jenkins Gainey of Society Hill, S.C. Her loving grandchildren Charles “CJ” Jenkins Jr. and Meghan E. Jenkins, Kara Jenkins, Nicole Lease Randolph and Joseph Lease, Jessica Longenecker and Kamryn Gainey, and Ashley Jenkins, her great- grandchildren Audrey and Alaina Baugess, Logan and Bailey Jenkins, and daughters-in-law Shari Hendrickson Jenkins and Samantha Rohrer Jenkins. In addition to her parents and husband, she is predeceased by; her son Kevin Wayne Jenkins, son-in-law Raymond Gainey Jr., granddaughter Emily Jenkins, and a brother William Henry Steinhaus. The family also recognizes and would like to thank Joy’s dear cousin Carolyn Hamilton, who provided care for her over the past 10 months to allow the family to keep Joy in her home.        

The Jenkins family would like to thank Hospice of Frederick for their gracious assistance in providing care for our mother over recent months in her home. In lieu of flower the family is requesting contributions be made to Frederick Health Hospice at 1 Frederick Health Way in Frederick, to help in providing the same vital support to other families.  

The family will receive friends at the Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 from 4:00-8:00PM. Funeral services will be held at Stauffer Funeral Home on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 11:00AM with Rev. Tim May officiating.