Gertie Virginia Shepard Parsons

Gertie Virginia Shepard Parsons, age 60 of North Tazewell, Va., died Thurs., Oct. 30, 2008 at her home. Born Oct. 20, 1948 in Thompson Valley, Va., she was a daughter of the late Frank and Lena Gillespie Shepard. She was a member of the Open Door Community Church in Baptist Valley, Va. Mrs. Parsons attended Tazewell High School. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one grandson, James Lee Parsons, II; two sisters, Shirley Shepard and Mary Hazel Shepard; three brothers, Charles Shepard, Robert Shepard and David Shepard. Survivors include her husband of 42 years, Jerry Lee Parsons; sons and daughters-in-law, Jimmy and Joann Parsons of Pennington Gap, Va., Scott and Sherry Parsons, Frankie and Angie Parsons, all of North Tazewell, Va.; six grandchildren including five granddaughters, Leanna, Blake, Savannah, Hannah, Sierra, and one grandson, Zachary Parsons; nine brothers and sisters, Annie Horne and Helen Horne, both of Tazewell, Va., Carl Shepard and Nellie Brown, both of Thompson Valley, Va., Betty Teachey of Climax, N.C., Pauline Finley of Christiansburg, Va., Janice West of Salem, Va., Janie Turner of California, Ky., and Jean Wright of Riner, Va.; several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Funeral services were conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sat., Nov. 1, 2008 at Peery & St.Clair Funeral Home Chapel in Tazewell, Va., with the Rev. Charlie McGlothlin and the Rev. Mitch Nichols officiating. Burial followed at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, Va. Sons, her grandson, and nephews, served as pallbearers: Jimmy Parsons, Scott Parsons, Frankie Parsons, Zachary Shepard, Joe Shepard, Robbie Brown, Larry Lowe, and Kenny Brown. The family received friends at the funeral home after 1:00 p.m. Sat., Nov. 1, 2008.