Obituaries - Oct. 1, 2008

Staff
Published: October 1, 2008

Mildred Faulconer Bryant

Mildred Faulconer Bryant, 84, of Madison Heights, passed away Sept. 29 in Lynchburg General Hospital.

She was the wife of Mahlon S. Bryant Sr.

Born Sept. 17, 1924, in Amherst County, she was a daughter of the late Aubrey Farrar and Eva Hudson Faulconer.  She was a member of Monroe United Methodist Church. She was retired from Amherst County Public Schools after more than 30 years of service.  She graduated from Sweet Briar College at 19 and then taught at Ferrum Junior College and later in Nansemond County before coming to Amherst County to teach English and Latin at Amherst County High School.  She was a member of the Amherst Woman’s Club and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Mrs. Bryant is also survived by one son, M. Scott Bryant Jr. and his wife, Doris, of Amherst; two granddaughters, Sarah Elizabeth Bryant and Deborah B. Mays and her husband, Jerry, all of Amherst; two great-grandchildren, James and Coy Mays; and one sister, Roselle F. Scales, and her husband, Joseph, of Greenville, S.C. She was preceded in death by one brother, Aubrey F. Faulconer Jr.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Monroe United Methodist Church with the Rev. George Riggins officiating. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Diuguid Wiggington Chapel (811 Wiggington Road, off Old Forest Road.)

Interment will be in the Hudson Family Cemetery in Elon.

Memorial contributions may be made to Monroe United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 237, Monroe, VA 24574.

Diuguid Funeral Service-Wiggington Chapel (811 Wigginton Road), 385-8900, is serving the family. Online condolences may be sent to http://www.diuguidfuneralservice.com.

Willie H. Campbell

Willie Hansford Campbell, 77, passed away Monday, Sept. 29 at his home in Lowesville.  Born in Amherst County Dec .  29, 1930,  he was a son of the late Thomas Jackson and Rosetta Mays Campbell. Willie was a U.S. Army veteran, a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church and the Piney River Moose Lodge.

He is survived by two sons, Willie H. Campbell Jr. of Arrington and Timothy H. Campbell and his wife, Mary ,  of Lowesville; four grandchildren, Joshua, Hunter, Heather and Hailee; one great-grandchild, Dixie Lee; one sister, Rose Etta Sprouse of Newport News and numerous nieces, nephews and other loving relatives and friends.

Besides his parents, he is predeceased by his beloved wife of 48 years, Joyce Lea Campbell on July 10, 2001; four brothers, Jim Buck, John, Henry and Manford and five sisters, Verdie Lee, Littie Bell, Hattie, Mary Jane and Ruth.

A funeral service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Thursday at Byrum-Parr Funeral Home by the Rev. Carl Davis and Richard Fitzgerald.  Interment to follow in Amherst Cemetery.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Cornelia Johns

Cornelia Johns, 94, of Amherst, died Sept. 23, at the Medical Care Center.

Born Oct. 14, 1913, in Amherst County, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Rosa J. Johns. Cornelia was a devoted mother, sister, homemaker and a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Mission.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a special niece, Gracie Roberts.

She is survived by her daughter, Helen H. Royce of Hyattsville, Md.; two grandchildren, Mary Kleinheinz and husband, Mark, of North Carolina, and John Royce and wife, Brenda, of Maryland; a nephew, whom she raised like a son, Lester Johns and wife, Frances, of Charleston, W.Va.; four great-grandsons; and devoted friends, Curtis and Louise Branham.

A funeral service was conducted Sept. 25, 2008 at Whitten Monelison Chapel by the Rev. Sidney Wade. Interment followed in St. Paul’s Episcopal Mission Cemetery.

The family received friends at the funeral home prior to the service and other times at the home of Robert and Gracie Johns.

Send condolences to the family at http://www.whittenfuneralhome.com.

Whitten Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Monelison Chapel, is serving the family.

Catherine MacGregor MacIntyre Johnson

Catherine (Kitty) Johnson, 95, of Lynchburg, passed away Sept. 3 in Lynchburg after a brief illness.

A resident of the Odd Fellows Home at 600 Elmwood Ave., Ms. Johnson had lived in the city of Lynchburg, and Amherst and Nelson Counties since 1941.

The daughter of Clara Hale Stubbs and Wade Hampton McIntyre, Catherine McGregor McIntyre was born on August 11, 1913 in Marlboro County, S.C. She grew up in South Carolina and graduated from Bennettsville High School. In 1932, she was an honor graduate in a two-year teaching certificate program at the current Longwood University in Farmville, where she was also a member of Kappa Delta social sorority. Ms. Johnson obtained a B.A. degree in education from Lynchburg College in 1957 and achieved substantial coursework toward a Master’s degree from the University of Virginia.

Her local teaching experiences began in 1951 and included various assignments in Amherst County where she was principal of Clifford Elementary School during the early 1960s. She later taught at Fort Hill Elementary in Lynchburg and was active in the Virginia Education Association. She was among the first teachers to participate in the federal “Head Start” program and was beloved by her students as an inspiring teacher and engaging storyteller. She was also an avid flower gardener and bridge player and belonged to several bridge clubs in Amherst; after retirement, she traveled in Europe and the Caribbean and also toured the Alaska coast. She was a supportive member of the Amherst Presbyterian Church and later the First Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg.

Ms. Johnson’s marriage to Gerald Johnson ended in divorce. She is survived by her son, Richard Neely Johnson of Lynchburg and two daughters, Clara J. Polk of Mount Jackson, and Catherine J. Bailey, of Arlington, and step-daughter, Geraldine J. Gholson of Holly Springs, Miss., as well as grandchildren: Gerald Page Brockman of Victoria, Texas; Catherine Brockman Stancombe, of Charlotte, N.C.; Richard Shelton Bailey, of Arlington; Meagan Bethea Bailey of Portland, Ore.; and Spencer Johnson McDonald, Catherine Neely Johnson and Stuart Hampton Johnson of Lynchburg; nine step-grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Her daughter, Patricia J. Brockman, and stepdaughter, Jeanne J. Harris, preceded her in death. Ms. Johnson was especially honored to have Wanda Burnett of Lynchburg as a special friend.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that donations be made to the Odd Fellows Home Activity Department, 600 Elmwood Avenue, Lynchburg, VA 24503; or Gentle Shepherd Hospice, 22712 Timberlake Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502. A “Celebration of Life” service with a reception and gathering immediately following will be held at the Tharp Funeral Home in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008, at 11 a.m.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, (434) 237-9424. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting http://www.tharpfuneralhome.com.

Cora Emily Olson Sexter

Cora Emily Olson Sexter died peacefully at Lovingston Health Care Center on Sept. 28, at the age of 103.

Born Aug. 18, 1905, in Lemond Township, Ellendale, Minn., she was the daughter of the late John and Caroline Olson. She was preceded in death by her husband of 74 years, Clarence Edward Sexter, and her son-in-law, Allus A. Norvell Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Shirley Sexter Norvell, of Amherst, and by three granddaughters, Brenda N. Goad of Lovingston, Janice N. Wheaton of Roseland, and Martha N. Tucker of Temperance; their husbands Robert C. Goad Jr., J. Thomas Wheaton and Preston M. Tucker; and seven great-grandchildren, Robert C. Goad III, Felicia V. Wheaton, Garrett H. Wheaton, Warren T. Wheaton, Blake L. Wheaton, Mallory M. Tucker, and Samuel P. Tucker. She also leaves behind four dear friends, Katherine Blevins, Nita Rose, Elizabeth Adams, and Janice Smith.

Cora was known her entire life as a kind and gentle lady, and she leaves behind many friends who loved and admired her. We would like to thank the selfless and dedicated staff of Lovingston Health Care Center who loved her as their own and who tirelessly assisted both Cora and her family throughout the past several years and most especially during the past week. Their kindness and generosity are without measure.

A graveside service was held Oct. 1 in Amherst Cemetery with the Rev. David Blevins officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.

Evelyn Shelby ‘Pat’ Vann

Evelyn Shelby “Pat” Vann, 77, of Lynchburg, died Sept. 24 at her residence. She was the widow of Hugh Godwin Vann.

Born in Spencer, N.C., she was the daughter of the late Clayton Ernie and Gladys Young Shelby.

Pat was a choir director for both Amherst Presbyterian Church, where she was a member, and at Mark’s Episcopal Church. She received her BA in music in 1953 from Flora McDonald College in Red Springs, N.C. but she started playing at age 5 and started playing for various churched at age 12. In addition to her family, her music was the love of her life.

She is survived by two sons, W. Miller Davis Jr. of Lynchburg and George C. Davis and wife, Deborah, of Marion, S.C.; one daughter, Evelyn D. Booth and husband Greg, of Forest; one sister, Moneye Brown of Gainesville, Fla. and five grandchildren, Ashley Booth Shaffer and husband Thomas, Savannah C. Booth, Alexander D. Booth, G. Brandon Davis and A. Jason Davis.

A memorial service was conducted Sept. 29 at Whitten Timberlake Chapel. Entombment followed in Fort Hill Memorial Park.

The family received friends Sept. 28 at Whitten Timberlake Chapel.

The family requests that those wishing to send memorial contributions, please consider the Hospice of the Hills, 3300 Rivermont Ave, Lynchburg, VA 24502.

To send condolences and messages online, please go to http://www.whittenfuneralhome.com.

Whitten Funeral Homes and Cremation Service is serving the Vann family.

Sarah Maude Crawford Worsham

Sarah Maude Crawford Worsham, 91, of Moneta, died Sept. 4 at her residence. She was born Jan. 29, 1917, in Barboursville, the daughter of the late Penn Andrew Crawford and Etta Maude Eheart Crawford. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Henry Worsham, and a brother, Penn Woodrow Crawford.

She was a member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church and Moneta Garden Club.

Sarah is survived by two sons, Charles Edward Worsham and wife, Patricia, of Madison Heights, and Penn Eheart Worsham of Moneta; four grandchildren, Joshua, James, Travis and Michelle; two great-grandchildren, Holden and Thomas; three sisters, Irene Beazlie of Newport News, Christine Hester of Charlottesville, and Alice Rawls of Gulf Port, Miss.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bedford Hospice, 815 Summit St., Bedford, VA 24523.

A celebration of Sarah’s life was conducted Sept. 13 at Tharp Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Mark Flores officiating. To send condolences, please visit http://www.tharpfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are by Tharp Funeral Home and Crematory, Bedford, (540) 586-3443.