Joanne H. 'Jody' Withycombe

Joanne H. 'Jody' WithycombeLawyer

Joanne H. "Jody" Withycombe, 50, a lawyer who was active in activities at her children's school, died May 3 of breast cancer at her home in Arlington County.

Mrs. Withycombe was born in Larchmont, N.Y., and grew up primarily in Andover, Mass. She graduated from Georgetown University in 1980 and from Georgetown's law school in 1984.

She did a year of graduate study in tax law at New York University before practicing corporate law in New York for six years.

After moving to Arlington in 1992, she devoted most of her time to raising her three children and serving as PTA secretary and a member of the design committee at Nottingham Elementary School in Arlington.

Mrs. Withycombe enjoyed reading, knitting, needlework and quilting, and she was known for her humor and sense of design.

Survivors include her husband of 16 years, Kent Withycombe of Arlington; three children, Katherine C. Withycombe, Luke T. Withycombe and Mary H. Withycombe, all of Arlington; her mother, Claire Hochschwender of Rye Beach, N.H.; one sister; and three brothers.

-- Matt Schudel