WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Joshua Daniel Mardis,

20, of Williamsburg, Va., died Friday, February 3, in a tragic car accident.

Joshua, known to his friends and family as Josh, was born at Langley Air Force Base Hospital on November 17, 2002. A loving, son, brother, grandson, nephew and devoted friend, Josh was loved deeply by all who knew him.

While in middle school and high school at Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg, most of his friends towered over him in height, but his fearlessness and courage lifted him higher than the very tallest among them. One of his most joyous days was when he received his acceptance letter to begin a new phase of his life majoring in Communications Studies at James Madison University. Joshua was an avid soccer player and fan, and was anxious to play with friends as a young man at JMU. His humor, his sensitivity, gentle manner and kindness are his legacy. We pray that this legacy will serve as a guiding beacon to all the lives that he touched. The blessing of Joshua’s life will never, ever be forgotten.

He is survived and forever adored by his mother and father, Kirk and Yvette Mardis of Williamsburg, Va.; his sister, Haley Mardis of Arlington, Va.; maternal grandparents, Oscar and Eunice Reynolds of Tampa, Fla.; paternal grandmother, Sarah Tidwell Mardis of Springdale, Ark.; his beloved aunts and uncles, Jimmy and Terri Mardis of Bentonville, Ark., Rockwell Reynolds of Tampa, Fla., and Alan and Pandora (Reynolds) Elam of Phoenix, Ariz., Debbie Collins of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Heidi and Ralph Haile of Lynchburg, Va.

Joshua was adored by his cousins, Tracey Mardis of Washington, D.C., Nathan Mardis of New York City, Ashley Lowery ( Mike) of Lynchburg, Va., Natasha Haile Watson of Charleston, S.C., D.J. Collins of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Emily Collins Hayes (John), also of Murfreesboro, Tenn.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, James Henry Mardis.

A visitation will be held Friday, February 17, 2023, at Williamsburg Community Chapel, 3899 John Tyler Hwy., Williamsburg, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The service will follow at 12:30 p.m. The public is invited to join the family at Williamsburg Memorial Park for the burial immediately after the service, but may also proceed directly to the reception at Kingspoint Clubhouse, 119 Northpoint Dr., Williamsburg, where the family will meet following the interment.

The family requests that donations be made in lieu of flowers to Walsingham Academy Endowment Fund in Williamsburg, Va. (www.walsingham.org) or Luke’s Legacy at https://gofund.me/2d01a3f7. Online condolences may be shared at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com.