Martha Saunders Whitesell
Martha Saunders Whitesell
Viewing
July 18, 2016
2:00 – 4:00 PM/ 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Oakey’s South Chapel
4257 Brambleton Ave. Roanoke VA, 24018
Service of Death and Resurrection
July 19th, 2016
11:00 AM
Raleigh Court United Methodist Church
1706 Grandin Rd. SW, Roanoke VA, 24015
Service of Committal
Evergreen Burial Park
1307 Summit Ave. Roanoke, VA 24015
Martha Saunders Whitesell
An amazing woman who always wore a smile, Martha Saunders Whitesell, 96, of Roanoke, Virginia, died on Thursday, July 14, 2016. Born on December 4, 1919, in Goodview, Virginia, to William Abbott Saunders and Edna Hawkins Saunders, she was raised in Moneta, Virginia. She moved to Roanoke in 1945 and, in 1953, she married Harry Clifton Whitesell. Enjoying a career of more than 30 years at Blue Cross & Blue Shield, she retired in 1982, having made many lifelong friends.
Her church family played a vital role throughout her life. One of nine children, Martha, her siblings and parents filled an entire pew at Bethlehem Methodist Church, never missing a Sunday service. After moving to Roanoke, Martha joined Belmont Methodist Church, where cousins arranged a blind date with her future husband, Clifton. Raising their daughters in southwest Roanoke, they became long-time members of Raleigh Court United Methodist Church. Martha and Clifton made countless friendships at church, many of which became life-long bonds.
Martha was an avid bridge and canasta player and relished participating in many bridge and canasta clubs. She hosted regular club meetings, always delighting in having people in her home. She loved her home and neighbors, who became family, some to the third generation. Exercise was also a passion. She made numerous friends at the Lewis Gale Cardiac Rehab program, where she exercised regularly. For her 90th birthday, she received a treadmill so she wouldn’t miss a workout due to inclement weather.
Many of the standard clichés about being a nice person actually applied to Martha. She truly never met a stranger, and focused much of her life on doing for others. She loved growing tomatoes because “it’s so much fun giving them away,” she would say every summer. Martha connected with all ages and types of people, and her cheerful disposition always led to new friendships. She lived by the motto resting atop her kitchen sink: “If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.” And smile she did, exuding kindness and patience at every turn.
Martha used to tell her daughters, “Take each day as it comes and make the best of it; that’s all we can do.” She practiced what she preached, greeting every day with a smile and a positive attitude. She repeatedly told others how blessed she was to have so many good friends and family members, a fact she never took for granted. But those who had the pleasure of knowing Martha understood that just being friends with such a loving and kind woman was a blessing all onto itself.
Martha was preceded in death by her husband in 1980; brothers James, Hillary, Riley, and Spottswood; sisters Virginia, Lelia, and Nellie, many sister- and brothers-in-law, and her granddaughter, Morgan. She is survived by her daughter, Brenda Whitesell, and husband Marty Heck, of Penhook, Virginia; her daughter, Karen Whitesell, and husband Bennett Rushkoff, of North Potomac, Maryland; grandchildren, Rebecca and Jacob Rushkoff, also of North Potomac, Maryland; twin sister Mary Mitchell of Vinton; first cousins, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and friends. Martha loved and was beloved by her extended family of relatives and friends.
The family will receive friends on Monday, July 18, 2016, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. at Oakey’s South Chapel, 4257 Brambleton Ave. The funeral will be on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, at 11 a.m., at Raleigh Court United Methodist Church, 1706 Grandin Road, followed by a graveside service at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.
Rev. Ottis Lyle Burgher
Rev. Ottis Lyle Burgher
Viewing
July 17, 2016
4:00 – 6:00 PM
Oakey’s East Chapel
318 Church Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
Service of Death and Resurrection
July 18th, 2016
2:00 PM
Oakey’s East Chapel
318 Church Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
Service of Committal
Old Dominion Memorial Park
7271 Cloverdale Rd, Roanoke, VA 24019
Rev. Ottis Lyle Burgher
Rev. Ottis Lyle Burgher, 82, of Roanoke, went Home to be with the Lord, on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
He was born in Winchester, Kentucky and raised in Charleston WV.
He was preceded in death by; his father, Ottis Brown Burgher, mother, Cora Mae Burgher, and a sister, Betty Jo Cottrel.
Rev. Burgher was a retired minister of the Church of God, based in Andersonville, Indiana. He also served as the administrator for Shenandoah Homes for 15 years. He went on to serve as a chaplain for Medical Facilities of America, Inc. of the Roanoke area retirement communities for many years.
He met Mitzi Lou Hunicutt, the love of his life when he was 16 years old, their young love blossomed into a wonderful marriage of over 63 years.
In addition to his wife he is survived by: his 3 children; Kimberly Ann Bradshaw and her husband James of Gaithersburg, MD, Ottis David Burgher and wife Phyllis of Charlotte NC, and Sarah Beth Burgher Yearout of Roanoke VA, 9 grandchildren, Jennifer Burgher, Melissa Burgher, David Tyler Burgher, Heather Burgher, Matthew Yearout, Jamie Yearout, Michael Bradshaw, John Bradshaw and Paul Bradshaw, as well as great-grandchildren, other family members and friends.
A celebration of his life will be held 2:00 PM Monday, July 18, 2016 at Oakey’s East Chapel.
Rev Roy Miller will officiate and interment will follow at Old Dominion Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends Sunday, July 17, 2016 from 4-6 PM at Oakey’s East Chapel.
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