The Life of Lena Wyckoff

The Friends are very saddened by the death of our founder Lena Wyckoff. For those who never had a chance to get to know her, this is a brief synopsis of her life.

Lena would have been 99 years a month after her death on January 12, 2001. She led a wonderful and varied life. Raised in southern Virginia, Lena pursued a vocation in education. She moved to Northern Virginia to begin her teaching career. Lena taught at Fairview, Clifton, Fairfax & Centreville Schools during the 1930's but left to raise her two young children.

She and her husband owned the Wyckoff Store that was located next to St. Mary's Rectory. At that time it also housed the small Fairfax Station Post Office. Upon her husband's death in 1947, Lena succeeded him as Postmaster until she retired in 1971.

Shortly after, Lena joined Clifton Community Woman's Club and then began a crusade to preserve the building that had given the village of Fairfax Station its name and identity, the old train station. As a former teacher and daughter of a railroad conductor it was her dream to preserve it as a museum so future generations would know the area's history. The club rallied around her and with other community support, her vision was finally realized.

She became the first President of the Friends of Fairfax Station, Inc. After many years of struggling through the process, the museum opened its doors in 1988. Lena Wyckoff, who had been called "The Little Engine That Could" became "The Little Engine That Did". The rest is history……

All "Friends" members and the community will miss Lena. She was an inspirer, visionary, teacher, but most of all……a friend. The family has requested donations be made in her memory to the Friends of Fairfax Station, Inc.

Donations can be made to The Friends of Fairfax Station, Inc. P.O. Box 7 Fairfax Station, VA 22039 .