Fallin Jessie

Jessie Marie Powers Fallin Jessie Marie Powers Fallin, 90, a longtime resident of Montross, Virginia, died peacefully on Monday, July 28, 2014, at the Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge in Charlottesville, Virginia, and entered the gates of the Kingdom. Her gentle kindness and nurturing love will be forever cherished by family, friends, and caregivers. Appropriately born on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1924, in Sturgills, North Carolina, she was the youngest of seven children. Her beautiful mother, Elizabeth Peake, passed away when Jessie was two years of age, followed within 10 months by the death of Winfield Powers, her dear father. She was raised by her beloved grandmother, Jane McCrady Peake, until the age of 16 at which time she lived with her older, adored sister, Ola Worley and her husband, Mert, and their family in Bristol, Tennessee. Jessie Marie married her beloved Landon on June 3, 1942, in Bristol, Tennessee. Together, they raised their children, Donna Marie, Stephen Thomas and Lisa Lee in the Washington, D.C. area where Landon was the President of Fallin Realty, Inc. on Capitol Hill. Two daughters and one son did not survive and passed away before birth while one infant daughter lived for several days. What a joyful reunion in Paradise. The loss of her mother and father at such a tender age opened her heart to a special compassion for children and she was honored to work with the Baptist Home for Children in Bethesda, Maryland where she served as the President of the Board of Church Representatives. There she met young Leo Shipp, who began spending holidays with the family, eventually becoming an honorary son. A woman of deep faith, she taught Primary Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many years at the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where she was also a faithful member of the choir. She and Landon were also devoted members of the monthly ministry of friendship and fellowship to the patients of St. Elizabeth's Hospital. After retiring, Landon and Jessie moved back to the banks of the beautiful Nomini Creek on Deep Point in Montross, Virginia, where they attended the Currioman Baptist Church and Jessie taught adult Sunday school as well as Vacation Bible School. She was a life member of the Friendship Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star in Washington, D.C. An accomplished painter, she studied at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington. A lover of beauty, every plant she touched seemed to flourish at her gentle hand and she especially enjoyed marigolds, petunias, blackeyed susans and roses. Through the years, Jessie and Landon traveled the world and especially enjoyed a family trip to the Motherland, beautiful Ireland in 1994. Jessie was famous for her succulent home cooked meals that nourished both body and soul. Many a meal was lovingly prepared solely with vegetables from their garden and fresh fish from the Nomini Creek. Predeceased by her three sisters and brother, Ola Worley, Grace Hart, Alta Faust and Carl Powers; her oldest daughter, Donna Marie; and late groom of 62 years, Landon Fallin. Survived by her son, Stephen Thomas of Manassas, Virginia; daughter, Lisa Lee and Jack of Camp Springs, Maryland, and Leo Shipp of College Park, Maryland; grandchildren, Timothy Robert, Rachel, Jessica, Aimee, Sonia Marie, Landon Nathaniel, Joshua Alexander, and Landon Matthew. Additionally, great-grandchildren including Sydney Anne and Madeline Grace; numerous nieces and nephews including Roxanna White, Charles, James and Fred Worley, and Robert Burnett, dear husband of beloved, late niece June Burnett; sister-in-law, Doris Fallin; cousin, Vergie Dungan; and sisters, Hazel Magdalene Britton and Blanche West. Though diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2004, Jessie's love and light continued to shine brightly, abundantly blessing those around her and teaching us all profound lessons of compassion, patience, and the great importance of living in the moment. The family would like to express our deepest appreciation to social worker, Marie and her husband, Matt Mierzejewski, and children, Peter Joseph, Thomas Gabriel, and Mary Olivia, for being ever present with our Lord's love and tenderness, the outstanding staff, past and present, of the memory care community, Vista, the compassionate staff of the Health Care wing of the Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge and Hospice of the Piedmont. The loving kindness of social worker, Marie Mierzejewski, and the beautiful staff of Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, played an immeasurable role in Jessie's health, serenity and contentment that she enjoyed for many years in Charlottesville, Virginia, despite the ever progressing Alzheimer's. A celebration of Jessie's life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 8, 2014, at Currioman Baptist Church of Montross, Virginia, with interment following in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the services. Welcomed expression of sympathy may be considered in the form of contributions to Samaritan's Purse (Operation Children's Christmas Box in Memory of Jessie Fallin) P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607; or The Alzheimer's Association, Central and Western Virginia, 1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 306, Charlottesville, VA 22901.