FRANCIS JOSEPH WALCAVICH

Francis Joseph Walcavich of Palmyra, Virginia, husband of Alyce Elizabeth Musgrove Walcavich, passed away on September 3, 2023, at the age of 74.

Joe was born on January 27, 1949, in Washington, DC, to Frank and Anne Morris Walcavich.  He graduated from Naperville Community High School as an outstanding baseball player.  After briefly attending Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, he joined the US Navy in 1969, where he received recognition for aviation safety in 1971 and a Good Conduct Award in 1973.  After being honorably discharged in 1974, Joe continued his education at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.  He graduated with a BS in Mass Communications in 1977.

During Joe's advertising career in Virginia from 1978 to 1989, he was employed as Assistant Advertising and Marketing Director for Prices Appliances, account executive at Primm Advertising and Elkman Advertising. He served as President of the Advertising Federation of Greater Hampton Roads, special events Chair for United Way, on the Advisory Board of the Old Dominion University Center for Economic Education and as ex-officio board member for the Better Business Bureau.  

In 1989 Joe was hired as Regional Director of Advertising for McDonald's Corporation in Jacksonville, Florida.  From 1998 to 2006, he served Bank of America as Team Manager, Vice President, Technical Design Engineer and Subject Matter Expert. From 2006 until his retirement in 2010 he was employed as project manager at BBCBS, Peoples United Bank of Bridgeport, Fidelity National, Deutsche Bank, and BVA Compass.

In 1974 Joe met Alyce Elizabeth Musgrove at VCU.  They married in 1977 and moved to Virginia Beach and Norfolk, where their sons, Colin Joseph Walcavich and Tyler Thomas Walcavich, were born.  After a number of years in Florida, the family moved back to Virginia and settled in Palmyra in 2019.

Joe is predeceased by his parents.  He is survived by his wife, Alyce, his two sons, his sister, Margo Walcavich Tate, her husband, Michael Tate, niece Julie Tate Bowman and three nephews Michael, Chris and Mark Tate.  

A memorial service will be held at Palmyra United Methodist Church, 258 Palmyra Lane, Palmyra, at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 29, 2023.  A light reception will follow in the church fellowship hall.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Palmyra Methodist Church, 258 Palmyra Lane, Palmyra, VA  22963 or The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (aspca.org).