Ruby C. Atwell

Ruby Crabtree Atwell, 93, of Ceres died Monday, Jan. 19, 2009. Funeral service was held Thursday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. at Sharon Lutheran Church with Pastor Will Shelton and the Rev. Kathy Haga officiating. Interment was in the church cemetery. She was born Oct. 13, 1915, daughter of the late Basil Marvin and Ethel Ward Crabtree. She was a retired teacher having taught in Bland and Smyth counties and touched the lives of many children over the years. She was a member of the Bland County Retired Teachers Association and the Smyth County Retired Teachers Association. She was a member of the Red Oak Union Church. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Charles Bryson Atwell; her only brother, Marvin Ward Crabtree; and a sister, Kathleen Crabtree. Survivors include two sisters, Eleanor Rose of Winterpock and Lillian Hall of Boones Mill; a son and daughter-in-law, Archie Bryson and Darleyne Atwell of Ceres; two daughters and sons-in-law, Anna Laura and Joseph Dunker of Richmond, Evangeline Casey and William C. Neel of Greenville, S.C.; four grandchildren, Charles Atwell and wife, Melissa, Jim Atwell, John Neel and wife, Catherine, and Laura Mills and husband, Dwayne; and six great-grandchildren, Nathan Atwell, Maika Atwell, Emily Mills, Grace Neel, Virginia Neel and Rosemary Neel. Memorial 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 sent to the family at www.seaverbrown.com. Seaver-Brown Funeral Services Inc. in Marion was in charge of the arrangements.