Virginia Berryman Gillaspie, 83, of Paradise Rd., Concord, died Tuesday evening, July 26, 2011, at Centra Hospice House after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was the beloved wife of Dallas C. Gillaspie for 59 years.
Born in Rockfish, VA on February 16, 1928, she was a daughter of the late Thomas Hall Berryman and Florence Godsey Berryman. She was the youngest and last surviving member of her family of three sisters, Bessie Irene Berryman, Florry Gray Berryman and Flora May Berryman, and four brothers, Percy Harris Berryman, James Thaxton Berryman, Thomas Godsey Berryman and Carlisle Johnson Berryman. She was a 1946, graduate of Madison Heights High School and a graduate of Virginia Commercial College. After college, she worked for Forehand Real Estate, and then together with her husband owned and operated Gillaspie Appliance Service for 33 years. She was a dedicated member of Hebron Baptist Church in Appomattox County where she served faithfully as Sunday schoolteacher, served in the Women's Missionary Union, sang in the adult choir, and participated in all activities of the church until illness curtailed some of her activities.
In addition to her husband she is survived by two daughters, Connie G. Gallier and her husband, Chris of Forest and Karen G. Fraley and her husband, Joe of Pearisburg; five grandchildren, Alexa Gardner and her husband Jeremiah, Samantha Fraley and her fiancé, Jeremy Gillon, Cayla Fraley, Marisa Fraley, and Benjamin Fraley; and one great grandchild, Vincent Gillon.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Dwight Oldham and his staff for their care and concern during her illness; also special thanks to Centra Hospice, Centra Hospice House, and to the Hebron church family for the love and support given her during these difficult years.
Funeral services will be held 3:30 pm, Saturday, July 30, 2011, at Hebron Baptist Church by Rev. Tom Walker with burial to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall before the funeral service between 2:00 and 3:15 pm.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Hebron Baptist Church Mission Fund, 7533 Stonewall Rd., Appomattox, VA 24522; Centra Foundation, 1920 Atherholt Rd., Lynchburg, VA 24501 please put the Alan B. Pearson Cancer Center on the memo line; or Centra Hospice, 2097 Langhorne Rd., Lynchburg, VA 24501.