Obituaries
For the week of November 30 to December 6
James Lloyd Ayers
Spotsylvania
“Following graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served for twenty-two years, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander. Highlights of his military career include flying worldwide missions in his P3 aircraft and serving as Mission Commander on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. After his service in the military, Jim embarked on a second career as a systems engineer, specializing in space exploration and satellite development. He was employed by Aerospace Corporation at the time of his death.”
Goldie M. Brooks (99)
Spotsylvania
“On October 31, 1942, she married the love of her life, Bennie W. Brooks, Sr. to whom she was married for 68 years. Goldie was an excellent cook, but the greatest joy of her life was being Mom. She was a very kind and loving person and made friends wherever she went. She was an avid reader, reading on average two books a week.”
Doris Jean Buhle
Fredericksburg
“Doris leaves a legacy of kindness, caring and love for her family that she has passed on to several generations. She is deeply loved and will be greatly missed.”
Thomas Lee Burkhalter
Stafford
“Tom started his own home improvement business in his middle 30’s and took great pride in his ability to fix or build anything. He was always a phone call away when anyone needed him for help. He was a long-time member of Stafford Moose Lodge 2215. He was in a band with two of his closest friends, The Country Bumpkins, where they played at all the local bars. Once he retired, he loved spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren. He will always be known for the countless hours of lawnmower rides with the grandchildren. He was also an avid fisherman where he shared his love for fishing with his children and grandchildren.”
Jeffrey Wayne Cline
Stafford
“Jeff was a man whose life was marked by his unwavering commitment to others. He served as a deacon for many years in his church and gave generously to his community through his work and his personal life. His quiet sense of surety and leadership impacted countless lives. Professionally, Jeff built a distinguished career in information technology, specializing in networking. His pursuit of excellence and support of project management for the federal government earned him many distinguished recognitions and awards; his customers’ mission was always close to his heart.”
James Lloyd Coppage
Fredericksburg
“Though often quiet and unassuming, Jim possessed a wonderful sense of humor and was known for his playful nature. He found joy in life’s simplest pleasures: relaxing on his front porch swing, watching sports on television, cutting wood, observing the hummingbirds at his bird feeder, or searching for a black squirrel. A lifelong baseball enthusiast, Jim played the game in high school and later passed on his love of the sport to his son by helping coach his youth team. However, his greatest joy was being a grandfather, fondly known as ‘Paw’ to many. The love he shared with his grandchildren was a testament to the kind of man he was—caring, nurturing, and always present.”
Kirby Franklin Day
Fredericksburg
Lucille Oak
Fredericksburg
“She will be remembered as a woman of extraordinary strength, courage, and grace. A devoted mother, Lucille spent her life nurturing and guiding her children and grandchildren with unwavering love, patience, and kindness.”
Bonnie S. Patrick
Fredericksburg
“Bonnie had a zest for life; bringing joy, excitement, and her dry sense of humor wherever she went. She was always ready for an adventure and had wonderful stories of her travels around the world. Some of her fondest moments were spent with her toes in the sand at the Outer Banks and relaxing on her beautiful porch. However, her true love was the time she spent with her family and the memories they shared. Her legacy will shine bright through the importance of curiosity, strength, and tradition she instilled in those who knew her.”
Diane Suter Powell
Fredericksburg
“Diane had an encyclopedic memory of a variety of topics, including botany and gardening. She grew award winning irises.
Diane loved Disney. Her favorite character was the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. Her two favorite things to do at Disneyland and Disney World were to ride the King Arthur Carousel (she loved all carousels) and her absolute favorite ride, It’s a Small World.
Her other interests included: Reading, Politics, History, Women’s Rights, Star Trek, Star Wars, Downton Abbey, Fabergé Eggs, Tiffany-Stained Glass, Harrison Ford movies, the comedy of Tom Leher, and local Fredericksburg artists and performing groups. She enjoyed playing various word games such as Wordle. She was always busy and didn’t stay still for long.”
Joyce W. Price
Fredericksburg
“Joyce graduated from Spotsylvania High School and went on to attend Stuart Circle Nursing School in Richmond. Upon graduation, she was an RN at the old Pratt Clinic, school nurse in Stafford County Public Schools, and later became an instructor for the Nursing Assistant program in Stafford Schools. Two of her former students provided care for Joyce while on 4 North.”
Kay Louise Shaw
Fredericksburg
“Kay was an award-winning golfer, beginning at the age of 10 years old. A nine-time Virginia State Golf Amateur Champion, Kay played her last tournament in 2005 at The Homestead, where she won five of her nine titles over the years.”
Scarlett Newton Shelton
Stafford
“Scarlett graduated from Stafford High School and went on to retire from Mary Washington Hospital after 46 years of dedicated service. She was a member of Bethel Baptist Church for 75 years where she was a Sunday School teacher and director. She had a great love for family, friends, and dogs.”
Grant O. Warner
Spotsylvania
David Elliott Van Allen
Spotsylvania
“David started working as a theater usher and projectionist in his late teens, which was followed by a very successful and rewarding career in electrical engineering. During his career, he helped on the design and building of the Earth/Moon Horizon Sensors installed on the spacecraft for both the Gemini and Apollo space programs, including the Apollo 11 mission that put the first man on the moon. He enjoyed going to vintage air shows and visiting American historical sites.”
Chastity Lynn Williams-Cash
Spotsylvania
“She found joy and peace in the simple things in life from watching horror movies with her family, adding new movies to her movie collection, thrift shopping, talking on the phone with her father who was her best friend, cuddling up on the couch with her cat Henrietta, and helping her husband keep their son's memory alive in the many projects they worked on together especially the restoration of his beloved Iroc-Z Camaro.”
Local Obituaries
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