Obituary of Ruby Atwell

CERES, VIRGINIA: RUBY CRABTREE ATWELL, 93, of Ceres, Virginia peacefully entered into heaven on January 19, 2009. She was the daughter of Basil Marvin Crabtree and Ethel Ward Crabtree born on October 13, 1915. She was a retired teacher who taught in Bland and Smyth counties and touched the lives of many children over the years. She was a member of the Bland and Smyth Counties Retired Teacher's Associations and was a member of the Red Oak Union Church and a member of the Ceres Alumni Association. Ruby was preceded in death by her father and mother, Basil Marvin Crabtree and Ethel Ward Crabtree, her loving husband, Charles Bryson Atwell, her only brother, Marvin Ward Crabtree and one sister, Kathleen Crabtree. She is survived by her loving family members; two sisters, Eleanor Rose of Winterpock, VA, and Lillian Hall of Boones Mill, VA; three children, son and daughter-in-law, Archie Bryson and Darleyne Atwell of Ceres, VA; daughter and son-in-law, Anna Laura and Joseph Dunker of Richmond, VA, and daughter and son-in-law, Evangeline Casey and William C. Neel of Greenville, SC. She left behind four grandchildren; Charles Atwell and wife, Melissa, Jim Atwell, John Neel and wife, Catherine, Laura Mills and husband, Dwayne; six great-grandchildren, Nathan Atwell, Maika Atwell, Emily Mills, Grace Neel, Virginia Neel and Rosemary Neel. The family will receive friends at the Seaver-Brown Chapel on Wednesday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2009 at Sharon Lutheran Church with Pastor Will Shelton and Reverend Kathy Haga officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sharon Lutheran Church Cemetery, c/o Evelyn H. Groseclose, 860 West Bluegrass Trail, Ceres, VA 24318. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.seaverbrown.com. Seaver-Brown Service and Crematory is serving the Atwell Family.