Mr. Troy C. Justis, 60, of Painter, passed away at Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital in Onancock on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Born on a cold Saturday, Jan. 11, 1964, in Nassawadox, he was the son of the late Larry Lee Justis and Sherri Carmine Justis.
Growing up in Onancock, Troy developed into the man (the myth, the legend) that the folks of the Eastern Shore would come to love and elevate into the social stratosphere as one of its most admired and respected citizens. A proud, hardworking man who valued family above everything else, he gave a great portion of his time to serving his community.
Since age 16, he volunteered at Melfa Volunteer and Fire Rescue Company. Wearing many hats over the years, he spent the last part of his life as rescue chief. When he wasn’t at the fire station, it was a fair bet that he would be at the Eastern Shore Post office, his second home since opening day in 1999, working on advertising for all the small businesses in the community.
When Cheryl Nowak and Candy Farlow started the Eastern Shore Post, they needed someone who was well-liked by the people of the Eastern Shore, had the gift of gab, and sincerely valued the small-business owner. Candy thought of her son-in-law, Troy. He was hired and worked there for 25 years — through three different ownerships. He was the last remaining original staff member.
A practical joker with the gift of levity, he made the workday not just bearable for his coworkers, but an out-and-out pleasure. Troy Justis, or T-Bird as he was sometimes called, built extended families wherever he went. He quietly took care of so many that needed a helping hand or were down on their luck. And he was fiercely loyal. Those lucky enough to be his friend were granted unprecedented access to his protection, cooking skills, and teasing. Teasing was his love language: if he liked a person, he’d find a way to make a joke to remind them that he cared enough to take the time for silliness.
Fortune would find you on the losing end of an argument if you bet against Troy’s beloved Cowboys. Come fall, the blue and silver T-shirts became a staple in his uniform (not to be overshadowed by his ever-present white Reeboks and gold-toe socks.) Much to his Wahoo wife’s dismay, he pumped his fists in the air every time Virginia Tech took the field. More country boy than most, it didn’t stop him from hooting and hollering at the TV if the New York Yankees were playing.
T-Bird knew trivia about every rock ‘n’ roll band that ever played a stadium. If Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones were on the radio, you’d do well to hush until the song was over. He once had a nighttime radio show on WESR that played requested love songs.
Proud of his Native American lineage, he spent many an afternoon hunting arrowheads in the farmers’ fields.
Troy wore so many hats that he needed to duck in the doorways, but none was worn as proudly as that hat that read “Family Man.” His wife, kids, grandkids, siblings, nieces, nephews, and parents were like a 6-volt Coppertop Duracell battery for Troy.
After flirting with JJ during class, the two started dating, and before the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve 1999, the two became one. He was an extrovert and couldn’t walk down an aisle in Walmart without talking to 50 people. She is a quiet, smart bookworm (the smartest woman that ever walked the face of this Earth, as Troy would say). As a team, they worked best — complementing one another’s strengths, whether it was teaching CPR side-by-side or raising a family together. And when tragedy struck not once, but twice, and two of his sons died at a young age, it was as a family unit that they pulled through.
Troy made sure that every person he met knew how valuable his family was to him. Any conversation with T-Bird lasting longer than two minutes would surely include how JJ was getting an invitation to MENSA any day now, Bud was probably the best mechanic on the Shore, Darbee had more medical knowledge than just about any physician, and Baylee would most certainly play softball in the Olympics one day. After the death of Drew and Taylor, Troy was absolutely destroyed. But then a miracle happened: his grandkids were born, and the smallest little flicker of light started to shine again. Stepping into the role of “T-Pop,” that light turned into a lantern, and eventually stadium lights.
He looked forward to annual trips to Pennsylvania Dutch Amish Country with JJ, the kids, grandkids, Tana, Candee, and their families. Somehow, he managed to bring back apple butter, beets, and 474 different kinds of jams to every single person he knew. It was that kind of generosity and remembrance that will be missed the most.
Troy is survived by his wife of nearly 25 years, Jennifer Jo “JJ” Justis, of Painter; children, Anthony Troy “Bud” Justis (Brandalyn), of Willis Wharf, Baylee Justis Cobb (Hunter), of Onancock, and Darbee Pearl Justis, of Painter; grandchildren, Braleigh, Andrea, Vaden, Kayden, Autumn, Ali, and A.J.; sisters, Tana Allen (Lenny), of Accomac, and Candee Justis Reid, of Onancock; brother-in-law, Buddy Taylor (Michelle), of Lyman, Maine; father-in-law, Cliff Taylor (Betty), of Exmore; special friends, David McCready and Greg Nottingham; and coworkers, Ted and Ryan.
He was predeceased by his parents, Larry Lee Justis and Sherri Carmine Justis; beloved sons, Andrew Trey Justis and Austin Taylor Justis; mother-in-law, Candy Farlow; and brother-in-law, Dean Reid.
A service to celebrate the life of Troy C. Justis was held at the Exmore Baptist Church Outreach Center on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Jonathan Carpenter officiating. A reception followed at Melfa Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co.
Contributions in Troy’s memory may be made to Melfa Volunteer Fire and Rescue Co., P.O. Box 100, Melfa, VA 23410.
Arrangements were by the Williams-Onancock Funeral Home.
