In Loving Memory of Joleen Rachel Codner Doverspike
Joleen Rachel Codner Doverspike, devoted wife and mother, thoughtful sister and daughter, loving aunt, and dedicated friend, passed away on Sunday, February 28th, 2021 after a motor vehicle accident. She was 44 years old.
Joleen was born in November 1976 to Susan Finney Atwood and Nicholas Codner. As the oldest child of four in Londonderry, New Hampshire, her formative years instilled her with values of leadership, dedication, and perseverance, propelling her to success throughout her life. From her childhood days collecting Barbies and selling magazines to babysitting and working at Papa Gino’s as a teenager, she was an industrious and thoughtful girl who earned straight A’s and never wanted to miss a day of school.
In 1995, she graduated from Londonderry High School where she was an accomplished gymnast and trumpet-player. Her sense of adventure and travel was sown during this time as she performed with the Londonderry High School marching band at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, traveled to Russia with People to People International, and bicycled from Washington, DC to the White Mountains with Venture Unlimited.
After high school, Joleen attended Lehigh University where she earned her Master’s Degree in Materials Science Engineering and met her husband, Joshua. During her Junior year, she was inducted into Lehigh’s elite Martindale Student Associates Honors Program, affording her the opportunity to tackle unique engineering challenges in Chile and putting her at the top of Lehigh graduates.
She traveled the globe and developed a deep cultural appreciation for the countries she visited including Germany, Amsterdam, and Mexico. Despite her many accomplishments, she never quite learned how to make a decent pot of coffee.
After graduating from Lehigh, she moved to Maryland, married Joshua, and became the proud mother of two children. She enjoyed long walks and sampling new restaurants with her husband. She was involved with Girl Scouts with her daughter and Boy Scouts with her son. She initiated hiking and traveling trips with her extended family. She was a consummate fixer-upper of misfit items and had a deep-rooted passion for helping others.
Among other interests, Joleen loved lobster dinners and had just picked up running. She cherished her role as a mother and the time she spent with her family. She was especially proud of her children and relished each moment spent sharing their interests. In particular, Joleen was delighted by her son’s delectable cooking and her daughter’s impressive academic accomplishments.
Anyone who had the pleasure of a visit from Joleen benefited from her thoughtful gifts and those who visited her house left with armfuls of supplies, reflecting her incredible generosity. Joleen filled her days with dedicated acts of love that were reflected in the thoughtful and selfless ways that she raised her children, supported her family, and helped anyone in need.
Professionally, Joleen led an impressive career of more than 20 years at Northrop Grumman where she began as a process engineer and advanced to serve as Director of Eastern Region Hardware Engineering. Joleen was instrumental in the development of innovative manufacturing technologies in the aerospace and defense industry and drove the successful delivery of a complex space payload that protects our nation to this day. Joleen was widely respected for her technical skills, as demonstrated by her numerous patents, disclosures, and publications. As a leader, she was known for her frequent check-ins that kept her connected to the countless people who now mourn her loss and already miss her keen intelligence, empowering attitude, sheer determination, enthusiasm, and passion.
Her colleagues at Northrop Grumman describe her as humble, warm, kind, and a bright light. She was committed to growing the next generation of leaders and gave everything for the 1500 people she oversaw. Joleen mentored middle and high school students, encouraging them to follow their passion for STEM and empowering women in technology. Those above her describe her as remarkably intelligent and a much-beloved rising leader within the company and the industry whose shoes will be impossible to fill. The void of her mentorship, compassion, and energy will be keenly felt for a long time and her impactful contributions to the field of engineering will endure for generations.
Joleen is survived by her husband Joshua, their two children, and a large extended family and friends who loved her boundlessly. They will miss her quick wit, silliness, optimism, leadership, and remarkable ability to organize and facilitate anything and anyone. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, courage, and generosity of spirit that will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone who knew her.
As her legacy inspires, her personal motto reminds us to make the most of the time we have, “Get it done. No excuses!”
A walk through wake will be held on Friday, March 12, 2021 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Peabody Funeral Homes & Crematorium, 290 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry, NH. Due to State of NH guidelines, all guests are required to wear masks, minimize contact, and maintain social distancing. Funeral services will be held privately for the family. The burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Gilcreast Rd, Londonderry, NH.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:
• the Doverspike Children’s College Savings Account on Gofundme.com, link: https://gofund.me/e5c4caad.
• Girlswhocode.com, a nonprofit organization that aims to support and increase the number of women in computer science
• Boy Scout Troop 794 in Ellicott City via PayPal at: [email protected]