Margaret “Janelle” Marchant Orrico
July 23, 1929 - April 14, 2023
Memorial Service
Sunday, June 11 at 1:30 p.m.
Abiding Presence Lutheran Church
In-Person & Online
Reception to Follow at the Church
To participate in Janelle’s memorial service online, go to AbidingPresence.net/live on the day of the funeral and you will find the service.
Margaret Janelle Marchant Orrico passed away peacefully at the age of 93. She lived in Springfield, VA for over 50 years, and grew up in Tifton, GA and Daytona Beach and Lakeland, FL.
She is survived by family near and far: daughters, Cheryl Moss (Ray) of Richmond, VA and Kris Clark (Dick) of Houston, TX; son, Chuck Orrico (Donna) of Houston, TX; grandchildren, Krissy Watson (Joe) of Richmond, VA, Brandon Moss (Lindsay) of Concord, NC, Sam Clark (Melody) of Hawthorne, CA, Alex Clark (Aimee) of Norfolk, VA, Jordan Huerta (Eddie), Charlie Orrico, and Madeleine Orrico, all three of Houston, TX; and 11 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Gussie King and William Isaac Marchant, step father “Daddy Lee” Walker, and her three older siblings: John E.”Jay” Marchant, Virgil Marchant, and Ruth Beatty. Her devoted husband of 69 years, Colonel Charles James Orrico (USAF, Ret), most recently preceded her in death. He likely greeted Janelle with her signature dry Rob Roy cocktail (with a twist of lemon, please) and notification of a tee time as she arrived at her eternal home.
Janelle had a strong work ethic. She graduated from Lakeland High School in 1947, where she became a master of words, grammar whiz, and fell in love with Latin. She entered the workforce at age 14 at her first job in Ma Weeks restaurant in Lakeland, FL with her sister, Ruth. She went on to work in secretarial and office management positions at Morrell Memorial Hospital in Lakeland, FL; Universal CIT in Daytona, FL; and Union Bag and Paper in Savannah, GA. After raising her three children, Janelle returned to work as Executive Secretary for the Department of Defense in the Defense Logistics Agency at Cameron Station in Alexandria, VA. She then earned a top security clearance and worked at the Pentagon as Office Administrator and Researcher in the General Counsel’s Office in the Office of the Secretary of Defense followed by working at National Right to Work and United Way in Springfield, VA. In 1984 her career culminated when she was selected for a one year Congressional Fellowship on the staff of the Congressional Caucus for Science and Technology on Capitol Hill.
In February of 1953, Janelle married Charlie and for the next 28 years they lived the military nomad life. They were stationed in Savannah, GA for nine years, where Janelle had her two daughters. In 1962, they moved to Omaha, NE where her son was born. In 1965 they were stationed in Montgomery, AL while Charlie completed Command and General Staff College and Janelle exemplified her superb skills by typing Charlie’s final term paper as well as those of all his classmates. In 1966, they were transferred to Arlington, VA where Janelle stayed busy volunteering in the childrens’ schools and scouting and taking innumerable excursions downtown ensuring her children were able to take advantage of all the opportunities the Nation’s Capitol had to offer. In 1969, Charlie served a tour in Vietnam, and Janelle moved to Daytona Beach, FL where she worked in her sister’s floral shop. Janelle enjoyed being creative, engaging in healthy competition and caring for others. She was blessed with a beautiful voice and could often be persuaded to sing at her children’s weddings; she painted several pictures that hung in the family home and especially enjoyed cooking and entertaining and was a gracious host. She was a force in the bowling alley, around the Bridge table and on the golf course, becoming the Women’s 9 Hole Club Champion at Springfield Golf and Country Club in 2004. One of her granddaughters will also tell you she was a pretty awesome roller skater! Janelle was an avid reader, had a way with words and beautiful penmanship. She enjoyed writing poems which frequently made their way into cards and notes she thoughtfully sent to family members on their birthdays. She always remembered everyone’s important occasions and was known to send a little “lipstick or pizza money” to her children and grandchildren in her letters. She actively volunteered at church; read the Bible and sang for those with Alzheimers; delivered for Meals on Wheels; cared for her mother in her last years; and flourished in the company of her Bible study group at Abiding Presence.
A celebration of life honoring Janelle will take place Sunday, June 11, 2023 at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church at 1:30pm. She will be laid to rest alongside her husband at Arlington National Cemetery at a later, undetermined date. In lieu of usual remembrances, donations in her memory may be made to Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, 6304 Lee Chapel Rd, Burke, VA 22015.