Person Page - 278

     Rayburn Alra "Ray" Poff was buried at Old Dominion Memorial Gardens, 7271 Cloverdale Road, Cloverdale, Botetourt Co., Virginia.³ His Social Security Number was 230-38-7074.⁸ He was born on July 11, 1935 at Pembroke, Giles Co., Virginia.^8,4,9,10 He married Betty Jean Hall on January 9, 1958 at Chesterfield, Chesterfield Co., South Carolina.^1,3,11,12 Rayburn Alra "Ray" Poff died on December 19, 2008 at Salem, Roanoke Co., Virginia, at age 73.^3,8,5,10 He Ray A. Poff, 72, of Roanoke, went home to be with the Lord, Friday, December 19, 2008. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Nannie Blevins Poff. Ray retired from Brad Ragan Tire Company and after his retirement he worked for Blue Ridge Tire Company. He served in the United States Air Force and was a member of Ridgeview Brethren in Christ Church. Surviving are his wife of 51 years, Betty H. Poff; children, Ricky Poff and wife Vicky of Lititz, Pa., Teresa "Tess" Blethyn of Salem, Bruce Poff and wife Susie of Ft. Myers, Fla; grandchildren, Daniel Poff and Victoria Poff; sister, Carol Thornhill and husband Larry of Panama City, Fla; brother, Gerald Poff and wife Shirley of Lynchburg; numerous nieces and nephews and a special brother-in-law, Lynwood Butterworth. Interment will follow in Old Dominion Memorial Gardens. on December 21, 2008.³

     Eliza Jane Duncan was buried at Oakdale Cemetery, Mount Airy, Surry Co., North Carolina.² She was born on July 15, 1889 at Carroll Co., Virginia.² She married Rev. Benjamin Franklin Poff, son of Isaac Sydney Poff and Virginia Ellen "Virgie" Hurst, on January 4, 1911 at Carroll Co., Virginia.^2,1,3 As of January 4, 1911,her married name was Poff.³ Eliza Jane Duncan died on May 25, 1972 at Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., North Carolina, at age 82.²

     David C. Lowman was born in May, 1856 at Pulaski Co., Virginia.^1,2 He married Mary Magdalene "Mollie" Poff, daughter of Isaac Sydney Poff and Virginia Ellen "Virgie" Hurst, on September 27, 1894 at Pulaski Co., Virginia.¹ David C. Lowman died in 1906 at Pulaski Co., Virginia.^3,4

     His Social Security Number was 130-09-7725.³ Oscar Bibb Lowman was buried at Cecil Chapel Cemetery, Pulaski Co., Virginia.^4,5 He was born on September 16, 1895 at Hiawassie, Pulaski Co., Virginia.^2,3,4,9,7 He married Mildred Eloise Rice on July 4, 1937 at Manhattan, New York Co., New York.^5,10,6 Oscar Bibb Lowman died on May 20, 1966 at St. Petersburg, Pinellas Co., Florida, at age 70.^11,4,5,7 He Mr. Oscar Bibb Lowman, 70, died Friday, May 20, in a St. Petersburg, Florida rest home. A former county resident, he attended school in Dublin. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Mildred Rice Lowman, New York, N.Y., one sister, Mrs. Theodore Pobst, Tazewell, Va. two brothers, Morris S. Lowman, Victoria, Texas; David A. Lowman, Pulaski. Funeral services will be held from the Cecil's Chapel Methodist Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery. on May 22, 1966.⁵

     His Social Security Number was 308-40-2762.¹⁰ Morris Sampson Lowman was buried at Shiloh Cemetery, Denning, San Augustine Co., Texas.⁴ He was born on February 16, 1897 at Hiawassie, Pulaski Co., Virginia.^1,2,10,4,5,7 He married Winifred Elizabeth Smeed on August 11, 1923 at Washington, D.C..⁶ Morris Sampson Lowman died on October 13, 1983 at San Augustine Co., Texas, at age 86.^3,4

     Mary Madge Lowman was buried at New Dublin Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Dublin, Pulaski Co., Virginia.^3,2 She was born on May 20, 1899 at Pulaski Co., Virginia.^1,3 She died on October 2, 1913 at Dublin, Pulaski Co., Virginia, at age 14; Killed when a train ran over her buggy. Her gravestone has a death date of Oct 3, 1913.^2,3 She At Dublin yesterday Edgar D. Withrow, the ten-year-old son of E. D. Withrow, president of the Dublin bank, and Madge Lowman, fifteen years old, an orphan, were run over by a Norfolk and Western freight train while attempting to pass over a crossing in a buggy, both dying several hours later. The Withrow boy had both legs severed by the wheels of the train. He was brought to a Roanoke hospital and underwent an operation. He died soon after. The little girl was taken into the home of Mr. Withrow, her foster father, where she died. The children were on their way to school when the accident occurred. on October 3, 1913.⁴

     His Social Security Number was 226-16-5715.⁴ David Amon Lowman was buried at Cecil Chapel Cemetery, Pulaski Co., Virginia.^1,2 He was born on August 20, 1902 at Pulaski Co., Virginia; Her death certificate has a birth year of 1901.^5,6,4,2 He married Dorothy Virginia Spence on April 4, 1929 at Pearisburg, Giles Co., Virginia.³ David Amon Lowman died on July 21, 1985 at Richlands, Tazewell Co., Virginia, at age 82.^1,2

     William McKern was buried at Concord Cemetery, Marion Co., Iowa.¹ He was born on January 29, 1815 at Tennessee.^4,3 He married Nancy Faulkner on September 24, 1840 at Henry Co., Iowa.² William McKern died on September 13, 1874 at Marion Co., Iowa, at age 59.^1,3

     Alice Pricilla Lowman was buried at Maplewood Cemetery, North Tazwell, Tazewell Co., Virginia.^2,3 Her Social Security Number was 225-48-1400.⁵ She was born on October 16, 1903 at Virginia.^4,6,7,8 As of circa 1924,her married name was Pobst.⁹ She married Theodore Adolphus Pobst circa 1924.^9,1,2,3 Alice Pricilla Lowman died on July 16, 1990 at Raleigh, Wake Co., North Carolina, at age 86.^8,3 She Alice Lowman Pobst, 86, of Brian Center of Clayton, formerly of Tazewell, Va., died Monday. Graveside service will be held Thursday at Maplewood Cemetery, Tazewell, Va. Surviving are her husband, Theodore A. Pobst of Brian Center, Clayton; one daughter, Mary Sue Hufford of Raleigh; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. on July 19, 1990.³

     Nancy Jane Alley was buried at East Hill Cemetery, both sides of Rt. 11, Elliston, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,2 She was born on February 16, 1838 at Floyd Co., Virginia; Her tombstone lists her birth date as 1842.^1,2 She married John William Cole, son of James B. Cole and Mary Phoebe Ann "Phebe" Rumberg, circa 1857. As of circa 1857,her married name was Cole. Nancy Jane Alley married Marshall S. Poff, son of Peter Edward Poff and Catherine Radford, on January 10, 1869 at Floyd Co., Virginia.³ As of January 10, 1869,her married name was Poff. Nancy Jane Alley died in 1913 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,2

     David Daniel Poff was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.³ He was born on October 2, 1876 at Floyd Co., Virginia.^4,2,6,3 He married Mary Jane Burke on January 26, 1895 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^7,5,3,6,8 David Daniel Poff married Cora Ella Edwards on June 14, 1939 at Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., Virginia.⁹ David Daniel Poff died on December 12, 1939 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia, at age 63.^3,6

     Mary Jane Burke was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^3,4,5 She was born on August 4, 1872 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^3,4 She married David Daniel Poff, son of Marshall S. Poff and Nancy Jane Alley, on January 26, 1895 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^6,2,3,4,5 As of January 26, 1895,her married name was Poff. Mary Jane Burke died on April 4, 1938 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia, at age 65.^3,4,5 She April 4. - Mrs. Mary J. Poff, 65, died at her home here today. She is survived by her husband, D. D. Poff, two daughters, Miss Nellie Poff and Mrs. C. R. Sheppard; three sons, J. W., R. T. and E. D. Poff, all of Vicker; three sisters, Mrs. Martha Mills, New River Depot, and Mrs. Nettie Keister and Mrs. Sallie Baker of Radford. Burial will be in Pine View cemetery near Vicker. on April 5, 1938.⁵

     Nellie Ora Poff was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^2,7 Her Social Security Number was 223-96-8905.⁹ She was born on November 18, 1895 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^9,2,7,3 As of April 30, 1941,her married name was Carper. She married Frank Patterson Carper on April 30, 1941 at Roanoke, Virginia.^10,7,11 Nellie Ora Poff died on November 22, 1975 at Blacksburg, Virginia, at age 80.^1,2,7 She Mrs. Nellie Poff Carper, 80, of Christiansburg died Sunday in the Montgomery County Hospital. Surviving are one sister, Mrs. Annie Mae Sheppard, Christiansburg, three brothers, John W. Poff, Robert T. Poff, Eddie D. Poff, all of Rt. 4, Christiansburg. Burial in the Pineview Cemetery. on November 24, 1975.¹

     Annie May Poff was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^2,1,6 Her Social Security Number was 226-92-7082.⁷ She was born on March 4, 1904 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^7,2,1,3 She married Charlie Ray Sheppard on October 28, 1925 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^8,6,1,3 As of October 28, 1925,her married name was Sheppard.³ Annie May Poff died on May 22, 1981 at Pulaski, Pulaski Co., Virginia, at age 77.^2,1 She Mrs. Annie P. Sheppard, age 77, died Friday in a Pulaski hospital. She is survived by her husband, Charlie Ray Sheppard; her daughters and son-in-law, Dorothy and Bill Tuck, Roanoke; Coretta Gilmer, Pulaksi; a son and daughter-in-law, Roger and Peggy Sheppard, Christiansburg; two brothers, Robert Poff and Ed both of Christiansburg; six grandchildren, Richard Tuck, Indiana; Dr. Nathanial Tuck of Pulaski; Reginald Tuck of Roanoke; Coretha Gilmer of Nashville, Tenn; Jeffrey Sheppard and Jill Sheppard both Christiansburg; two great-grandchildren Ray Tuck of Pulaski; Joshua Tuck, Indiana. Interment in the Poff family cemetery. on May 24, 1981.⁶

     His Social Security Number was 226-40-1986.⁹ John William Poff was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,2,10 He was born on August 29, 1906 at Radford, Virginia.^9,1,2,3,4 He married Pansy Louise Boose on June 20, 1931 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^11,12,13,2 John William Poff married Mary Ernestine Scott on September 26, 1975 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^14,15 John William Poff died on November 18, 1980 at Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., Virginia, at age 74.^1,2,10 He John W. Poff, age 74, of Rt. 4, died at his home Tuesday morning. He was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church a and the Administrative Board there. He was the operator of J.W. Poff Co. at Vicker. Surviving are his wife, Mary A. Poff; one son, William B. Poff, Roanoke; a sister, Mrs. Annie Sheppard, Christiansburg; two brothers, Robert Poff and Ed Poff, Christiansburg, five stepdaughters, Mrs. Norma Jean Cummings, Portland, Ore; Mrs. James P. Edmondson, Chester; Mrs. Charles Hutzler, Pineville, La; Mrs. Charles Allen, Athens, W. Va; Mrs. Earl Cox, Christiansburg; a stepson, Rev. Donald Akers, Boaz, Ala. Burial in the Poff Family Cemetery. on November 19, 1980.¹⁰

     His Social Security Number was 719-07-9858.⁸ Robert Thomas Poff was buried at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, 2880 North Franklin Street, Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^9,10,2,3 He Robert Thomas Poff, age 75, died Monday, July 2, 1984 in a Roanoke hospital. He is survived by his wife, Mamie S. Poff; two daughters, Mrs. Walter C. (Thelma) Dean, Jr, Christiansburg; Mrs. James C. (Betty) Hand, Bristol; a son, David L. Poff, Christiansburg; one brother, Ed Poff, Christiansburg; a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Phoebe Poff, Christiansburg; ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Burial in Roselawn Memory Gardens.² He was born on October 28, 1908 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^8,9,10,3,4 He married Mamie Virginia Snider on October 31, 1928 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^11,12 Robert Thomas Poff died on July 2, 1984 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 75.^9,10,2,3

     Eddie David Poff was buried at Highland Memory Gardens, 5555 Lee Highway, Dublin, Pulaski Co., Virginia.^11,2,5 His Social Security Number was 719-07-9859.¹² He was born on January 17, 1910 at Pepper, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^12,11,2,3,4 He married Ora Mae Keister on September 23, 1931 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,9,11,2,13 Eddie David Poff died on March 13, 1987 at Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., Virginia, at age 77.^12,2,5 He Eddie David Poff, age 77, died Friday evening, March 13, 1987, at his home. He was retired from the N&W Railroad. Surviving are several nieces and nephews. Entombment will follow at Highland Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Dublin. on March 15, 1987.⁵

     Frank Patterson Carper was buried at Sherwood Burial Park, 1045 Lynchburg Turnpike, Salem, Roanoke Co., Virginia.^1,4 He was born on July 14, 1891 at Pulaski Co., Virginia.^1,5,4,2,3,6 He married Nellie Ora Poff, daughter of David Daniel Poff and Mary Jane Burke, on April 30, 1941 at Roanoke, Virginia.^7,1,5 Frank Patterson Carper died on October 16, 1975 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 84.^1,4

     His Social Security Number was 577-03-3213.⁴ John Redmond Dodd was born on May 12, 1901 at Alexandria, Virginia.^4,3,5 He married Lena Josephine "Lennie" Elmore, daughter of Paul Newton Elmore and Laura Katherine "Lora" Hancock, circa 1931.^1,2 John Redmond Dodd died on December 15, 1988 at Washington, D.C., at age 87.⁴

     Charlie Ray Sheppard was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,2,4 He was born on March 5, 1902 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^2,4,5 He married Annie May Poff, daughter of David Daniel Poff and Mary Jane Burke, on October 28, 1925 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,3,4,6 Charlie Ray Sheppard died on July 19, 1990 at Shawsville, Montgomery Co., Virginia, at age 88.^1,2,4 He Charlie Ray Shepphard, age 88, died Thursday morning July 19, 1990, in a Shawsville Nursing Home. He was preceded in death by his wife, Annie Poff Shepphard and is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law, Dorothy and Bill Tuck, Roanoke; Coretta Gilmer, Boones Mill; and a son and daughter-in-law, Roger and Peggy Shepphard, Christiansburg; a brother, Ward Shepphard, Radford; two sisters, Arlene Akers; Sadie Shepphard both of Radford; six grandchildren, Richard Tuck, Ind; Dr. Nathaniel Tuck, Pulaski; Rev. Reginald Tuck, Weyers Cave; Rev. Coretha Morra, Boones Mill; Jeffrey Shepphard, Christiansburg; Jill Hamblet, Virginia Beach; six great-grandchildren. Burial in the Poff Family Cemetery. on July 20, 1990.¹

     Her Social Security Number was 231-24-8050.⁹ Dorothy Mae Sheppard was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.¹ She was born on January 29, 1927 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^9,2,3 She married William Haskins "Bill" Tuck on June 12, 1946 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^4,1,2,6,10 As of June 12, 1946,her married name was Tuck.² Dorothy Mae Sheppard died on January 10, 2009 at Montgomery Co., Virginia, at age 81.^1,9,10 She Dorothy Mae Sheppard Tuck, of Roanoke, Va., entered into the mystery of the resurrection on Saturday, January 10, 2009. She was preceded in death by her husband, William H. Tuck; and her son, Dr. Nathaniel R. Tuck. She leaves memories of a devoted mother with her sons, Richard H. Tuck, of LaOtto, Ind., and Reginald D. Tuck, of Blacksburg, Va. Her daughtersin-law, Barbara W. Tuck, Barbara Z. Tuck, and Catherine G. McCollough, will remember with gratitude her love for them and their children. The grandchildren, Joshua A. Tuck, Dr. Nathaniel R. Tuck Jr., Amelia T. Martin, Benjamin M. Tuck, Monica C. Tuck, and Nadia C. Tuck, will always have memories of a grandmother who cherished them. The great-grandchildren, Abigail Tuck, Nathaniel Tuck, and Addison Martin, gave her great delight and pleasure. Her sister, Coretta Ferris; and her brother, Roger Sheppard; were always close in her heart. She also deeply loved her extended family in Montgomery County and she always looked forward to family reunions. She loved her parents, Ray and Annie Sheppard, who gave her life and nurtured her throughout their lives. She was a member of Cave Spring United Methodist Church where she enjoyed the gift of Christian friendship and fellowship. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be given to Cave Spring United Methodist Church in her honor. The family wishes to express thanks to all her friends who have shared the goodness of life with her. The family is grateful to Bob and Shelby McAden, Gary Click, and Russell Stump, for the ways that they cared for her. Interment will be conducted at the Poff Family Cemetery, Vicker, Va. on January 12, 2009.¹

     Coretta Faye Sheppard was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.² She was born on June 23, 1931 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,2,7,3 She married Bernard Jackson "Jack" Gilmer on December 24, 1949 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^8,9,1,2 As of December 24, 1949,her married name was Gilmer.¹ Coretta Faye Sheppard and Bernard Jackson "Jack" Gilmer were divorced on November 28, 1980 at Pulaski Co., Virginia.^2,3 As of January 7, 2006,her married name was Ferris.¹ Coretta Faye Sheppard married Clinton Lee Ferris on January 7, 2006 at Roanoke, Virginia.^2,1 Coretta Faye Sheppard died on October 23, 2016 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 85.² She Coretta Faye Sheppard Gilmer Ferris, of Boones Mill formerly of Christiansburg, died Sunday morning, October 23, 2016, at Friendship Manor in Roanoke. She was born June 23rd, 1931 in Vicker, Virginia, to the late Charlie Ray and Annie May Poff Sheppard. She was preceded in death by an infant son, Bernard Jackson Gilmer, Jr; and an infant daughter, Brenda Faye Gilmer; also her sister, Dorothy Sheppard Tuck; and two very special nephews, Nathaniel Tuck and Richard Tuck. She was also predeceased by her first husband, from whom she was divorced, Bernard J. "Jack" Gilmer, and her second husband, Clinton Ferris. Coretta was a graduate of Christiansburg High School, and spent most of her adult life working as a bookkeeper for various businesses. She had been an active member in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) wherever she lived, a member of Beta Sigma Phi (Pulaski Chapter) and was an avid bridge and canasta player. Coretta is survived by her daughter, Coretha Gilmer Loughridge and husband Johnny, of Tyler, Texas; grandson, Paul Morra and wife Courtney Lott, of Everett, Washington; great-grandchildren, Mila and Gabriel Morra; she is also survived by stepgranddaughters, Heather Boss and husband Todd, of Vienna, and Shannon Kramer and husband Jake of Whitehouse, Texas; and five stepgreat-grandchildren. Survivors also include her brother, Roger Sheppard and his wife Peggy, of Christiansburg; and numerous nieces; nephews; and cousins. A graveside service will be conducted at the Poff Family Cemetery on Peppers Ferry Road in Christiansburg. on October 26, 2016.²

     Cornelius Roger Sheppard was born on April 11, 1935 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^9,3,4 He married Eva Gertrude "Peggy" Teel on September 10, 1955 at Christiansburg, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^1,2

     His Social Security Number was 224-24-3002.⁷ William Haskins "Bill" Tuck was buried at Sherwood Burial Park, 1045 Lynchburg Turnpike, Salem, Roanoke Co., Virginia.^8,5 He was born on February 19, 1921 at Richmond, Virginia.^7,2,3,4,6,9 He married Dorothy Mae Sheppard, daughter of Charlie Ray Sheppard and Annie May Poff, on June 12, 1946 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^10,11,2,12,5 William Haskins "Bill" Tuck died on May 6, 1998 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 77.^8,7,5,9 He TUCK, William H. ("Bill"), 77, of Roanoke, died Wednesday, May 6, 1998. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a retired locomotive engineer working during the days of steam for Norfolk Southern Railway. Bill was a member of Cave Spring United Methodist Church and a very devoted grandfather. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Dorothy Tuck, Roanoke; three sons and daughters in-law, Richard and Barbara Tuck, Indiana; Nathan and Barbara Tuck, Dublin, Reginald and Cathy Tuck, Midlothian; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Henry Trent, Norfolk, Roger and Peggy Sheppard, Christiansburg, Coretta Gilmer, Rocky Mount; also a number of nieces and nephews; special friends, Edith Earnest and Gary Click. Interment will follow in Sherwood Memorial Park. on May 9, 1998.⁸

     Her Social Security Number was 226-40-2008.⁴ Pansy Louise Boose was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.¹ She was born on January 22, 1910 at Mercer Co., West Virginia.^4,1,5,2,3 She married John William Poff, son of David Daniel Poff and Mary Jane Burke, on June 20, 1931 at Montgomery Co., Virginia.^6,7,8,2 As of June 20, 1931,her married name was Poff. Pansy Louise Boose died on April 15, 1975 at Salem, Roanoke Co., Virginia, at age 65.^1,2

     His Social Security Number was 229-32-0629.⁸ William Beverly Poff was born on August 23, 1932 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^5,2,3,8 He married Magdalen Barbara "Mag" Andrews on December 28, 1957 at Charlottesville, Virginia.^9,5,1,4 William Beverly Poff married Spring Cho after June 12, 1997.^10,5 William Beverly Poff died on September 5, 2012 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 80.^5,4,8 He William B. Poff passed away on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, surrounded by family and friends. A renowned attorney, Bill was born in Vickers, Va., on August 23, 1932. His father, John Poff, ran a country store and his mother, Pansy Boose Poff, was a school teacher. They taught him the value of hard work and education which stayed with him throughout his life. He graduated from Christiansburg High School at the age of 15 and then attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He earned his law degree at Washington & Lee University where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and Order of the Coif. After graduation from law school, Bill was commissioned into the United States Army, and taught at the Judge Advocate General school in Charlottesville. Bill joined the Woods Rogers law firm in 1959. Bill's accomplishments and awards in the law are extensive. Bill was not only masterful in the courtroom, but he was a gifted teacher of legal skills, strategy, and technique. He was a mentor to countless attorneys throughout Southwestern Virginia, and it was a source of pride to Bill that a number of the attorneys he mentored went on to become judges. In his over 50 years of practice with Woods Rogers he argued and tried hundreds of cases in federal and state courts in Virginia and beyond, winning cases before the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. In doing so, he earned a reputation for his keen intellect, tenacity, and the ability to simplify even the most complex issues. Bill was, over the course of his distinguished career, President of the Virginia State Bar, President of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, a Member of the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association and a founding member of the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys. He received the Frank W. "Bo" Rogers Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award from the Roanoke Bar Association and also received a lifetime achievement award from the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys. Just this year, Bill received the Roger Groot Professionalism Award from the Ted Dalton American Inn of Court, the Inn's highest honor. Bill was "old school" in his work ethic, determination and attention to detail - but also "new school" in his fascination with new technologies, new ideas and in his desire to learn about ever-expanding areas of law. He was a consummate lawyer, colleague and friend, and he leaves his own indelible mark on the practice of law in Virginia. Bill married Magdalen (Mag) Barbara Andrews Poff in 1957. She was an award winning journalist with the Roanoke Times who shared Bill's work ethic and dedication to professional excellence. After Mag's death, Bill married the next love of his life, Spring Cho, an intelligent, devoted and successful businesswoman. She brightened his later years immeasurably, and her influence helped Bill reveal to the world the softer side of the hard-boiled litigator. Spring's four daughters, and their children, became a source of pride and joy for Bill. Bill was always deeply involved in civic affairs. He was a long-time leader in Roanoke's Sister Cities program; he worked diligently in support of Republican Party politics, and served as Director of local organizations such as Mill Mountain Playhouse, the Roanoke YMCA, and the Roanoke Valley Jaycees to name only a few. Bill was also a very generous man, devoted to many causes, and fiercely loyal to his cats - Pan, Piper, and Frisky. Bill is survived by his wife, Spring; and his stepdaughters, Virginia, Young, Sunn, Anne and her husband, Mike; in addition to his grandchildren, Carter, Ryan, Victoria and Peyton. on September 7, 2012.⁵

     Barbara Uldine Poff was buried at Harman Cemetery (also known as Poff Family Cemetery or Pineview Cemetery), just off Rt. 114, Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.¹ She was born on June 25, 1934 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.^2,3 She died on June 26, 1934 at Vicker, Montgomery Co., Virginia.²

     Magdalen Barbara "Mag" Andrews was buried at Evergreen Burial Park, 1307 Summit Ave SW, Roanoke, Virginia.⁷ Her Social Security Number was 078-24-5506.⁸ She was born on February 25, 1932 at Brooklyn, Kings Co., New York.^8,1,4,3,6 She married William Beverly Poff, son of John William Poff and Pansy Louise Boose, on December 28, 1957 at Charlottesville, Virginia.^1,2,3,5 As of December 28, 1957,her married name was Poff.³ Magdalen Barbara "Mag" Andrews died on June 10, 1997 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 65.^8,5 She TIMES WRITER POFF DIES "ACCURATE," "GRACIOUS," "METICULOUS" REPORTER CODY LOWE THE ROANOKE TIMES. This story was written against her wishes, but such a life should not end unnoticed. This is what Mag Poff was like. Tuesday she called a co-worker here at the newspaper three times to give instructions about the material she had prepared for next Monday's Money Page. Mag was lying in a hospital bed, on oxygen, so short of breath that she could speak only a couple of minutes at a time. By day's end, Mag was dead from the effects of a virulent cancer that had overpowered her diminutive body, but not before we knew where she had left behind enough work to cover the next week. Monday, Mag's final contributions to this newspaper's business pages will appear in their usual place - as usual, carefully crafted well ahead of deadline. Magdalen Barbara Andrews Poff was raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she was born in 1932. She came to Virginia after winning an all-expense scholarship to Sweet Briar College. Once there, she edited the school newspaper, was elected Phi Beta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude. After college, Mag went to work as the education reporter for the Charlottesville newspaper. During the last half of the 1950s, she covered "massive resistance" to desegregation of the public schools there. Late in 1956, she was assigned to write a story on the judge-advocate general school - where the U.S. Army's lawyers were trained. There she met - and eventually fell in love with - a faculty member named William B. Poff. They married a year later, in December 1957. In 1959, they moved to Roanoke, where he began the practice of law and she became a general-assignment reporter for the city's afternoon newspaper, The World-News. Her first job involved covering the near-continuous conventions at the Hotel Roanoke, and the Norfolk and Western Railway, whose offices were across the street from the hotel. Later she covered City Hall, where her journalistic rival was Jeff DeBell, the reporter for the city's morning paper, The Roanoke Times. "Mag was the first reporter I met when I came to Roanoke in 1966," DeBell, now an editor for the newspaper, recalled Wednesday. "I still remember her warm smile. It made this young newsman feel welcome." Once they started vying for stories, however, "I quickly learned that the owner of that charming smile was a fierce and unrelenting competitor. Whatever skills I developed as a reporter I owe in part to my efforts to beat Mag to an occasional scoop." Mag's efforts didn't go unappreciated by her supervisors. Former Managing Editor John Eure remembers Mag as "one hell of a good newspaperwoman. ... I don't think I had anybody better" as a reporter, Eure said. Her "careful thoroughness and meticulous accuracy" made her "totally dependable." It was that commitment to accuracy and the "consistently high standards she set for herself" that impressed Warner Dalhouse, former chairman of First Union National Bank of Virginia and its predecessor, Dominion Bankshares. By the end of the 1970s, Mag had moved onto the business reporting staff, specializing in covering financial matters. She even attended a series of American Institute of Banking classes at a local college to learn more about that facet of her beat. She developed and reported the Money Page, a Monday feature that included financial advice for consumers. "She asked piercing, insightful questions," Dalhouse said, "but she was never deliberately antagonistic. I think she had determined she could get more real information and persuade her subject to reveal more if she asked the right questions and did a lot of listening. "I admired her a great deal." But there was one enthusiasm Mag would put ahead of even an interview with a source like Dalhouse - her daily aerobics workout.
Judith Shelburne, vice president and creative director at John Lambert Associates, also teaches aerobics. Mag was in her classes for almost six years. Shelburne recalls Mag's near-religious devotion to exercise, including at least one occasion when she talked Dalhouse into postponing an interview until after she had completed her aerobics routine.
Although she often walked to work from her South Roanoke home - usually while reading a book at the same time - Mag missed a midday aerobics session only if she was out of town or an assignment just could not be worked in another time. "She always had something pleasant to say. She made you feel that you were important, even if she was the only one to show up for a class," Shelburne said. "She would walk from The Roanoke Times building to the YMCA come rain, sleet or snow," Shelburne recalled. And she was always smoking. She would extinguish a cigarette on the steps of the Y on the way in, and light up another one on the way out. "She made no apologies about it," Shelburne said. "That was one of the things that was so great about her. She had a strong sense of who she was and she liked to smoke." In 1964, Mag became involved in what has become the Roanoke Valley Sister Cities program. She and her husband, Bill, were instrumental in setting up the organization that now includes official ties between the Roanoke Valley and cities in South Korea, Kenya, China, Russia, Brazil and Poland. Both Poffs served in a variety of leadership roles in the organization, and Mag's meticulously kept records of its early years now are stored in the Roanoke City Main Library as its official history. Mag also had a passion for cats that began when longtime friend Phyllis Harholdt asked her to baby-sit a kitten 25 years ago. After that, Mag had to have a cat, so Harholdt took her friend out to a farm where "Mag picked the runt of the litter. It was the ugliest kitten you ever saw. Its body was twice as long as it should have been. Its legs were twice as short as they should have been. Its tail had a crook in it ... but it grew up into the most beautiful big Persian cat." The Poffs have had what Mag called "a herd of cats" ever since, many of them strays Mag took in and nursed back to health. Start asking people about Mag, and you'll get an earful of compliments, but that was something she was never comfortable with. She wanted no funeral or memorial service and specified that any obituary about her was to say only that "arrangements are private." But on the day after her death, that request couldn't keep many of those who knew her from wanting to express their feelings about what her life meant to them. Beth Obenshain, the newspaper's New River Valley editor, worked with Mag for the past 17 years. "She was very supportive of me and other younger women who worked at the paper. She always showed an interest in our lives, in our work. "At the end, her professionalism was only exceeded by her courage in coming to work every day. To the end, she was gracious, serene, generous." Cody Lowe can be reached at 981-3425 or codyl@roanoke.com on June 12, 1997.¹