Vivian Dunkley Roop

ROOP, Mrs. Vivian Dunkley, of Crewe, Virginia, died May 1, 2023, just shy of her 100th birthday. She was born in 1923 to Joseph Archer Dunkley and Mary Dance Dunkley of Farmville, Va. The youngest of seven children, she and her family worked their tobacco farm and raised dairy cattle during the great depression. Her father died when she was fifteen years old, so upon graduation from high school, she worked in the Farmville shoe factory to earn enough to go to UVA Nursing school. She graduated in 1945, passed state boards and became a registered nurse.

She became a war bride in 1944 when she met her beloved husband, Jake Everett Roop who predeceased her in 2007. When Jake, a U.S. Navy sailor, returned from the South Pacific, she moved to Cleveland, Ohio until his discharge. Upon her husband's discharge they moved to Crewe to begin their family. While he worked for Norfolk & Western Railroad, "Vic" (as she was known by all the community and friends) devoted herself to raising three children. When her children went to college, Vic returned to a full-time nursing practice at Longwood University after having worked private duty for local families while raising her family. At Longwood, from March 1971 to July 1983, she rose to become head nurse of the college infirmary. When she retired, she and Jake traveled until his death.

She lived the rest of her life in Crewe, was a member of the Crewe Baptist Church and loved to bake – always for others. Many locals will remember her famous pound cakes, pecan cakes and fabulous fudge, which she was known to share at Christmas.

She is survived by her children, Janet R. Foote and husband, Silas Beck of Woodbridge, Va., Sandra R. Foote and husband, Allan F. Foote of N. Chesterfield, Va. and Gene E. Roop and wife, Deborah B. Roop of Crewe, Va.; seven grandchildren, Carol Shannon Foote of Chester, Va., William Henry Foote III and wife, Lauren of Alexandria, Va., Elaine F. Hendrick and husband, Alexander of Charlottesville, Va., Erin F. Wilson and husband, Patrick of Richmond, Va., Wesley Allan Foote of Richmond, Va., Holly R. Canary and husband, Ben of Richmond, Va. and Justin Everett Roop and wife, Leslie of Crewe, Va.; six great-grandchildren, Anna Catherine Foote and William Henry Foote IV of Alexandria, Eliza Albina Hendrick and Olivia Erin Hendrick of Charlottesville, Va., Liam Alexander Canary of Richmond, Va. and William Everett Roop of Crewe, Va.

Graveside funeral services will be held on Friday, May 5, 2023, at 2 p.m., at Trinity Memorial Gardens, 22482 Prince Edward Hwy., Rice, Va. 23966. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Crewe Baptist Church, 400 E. Virginia Ave., Crewe, Va. 23930. Arrangements are by the Crewe Chapel of Joseph McMillian Funeral Home, 200 W. Carolina Ave., Crewe, Va. 23930. www.mcmillianfuneralhome.com