Nancy Via

1935 - 2021

Nancy Via

January 31, 1935 - April 4, 2021

Nancy Lee Funkhouser Via, 86, passed away peacefully at Hospice of the Piedmont on Sunday, April 4, 2021. She was born on January 31, 1935, in Winchester, Va., the daughter of the late Blair Allen Funkhouser and Annie Elizabeth Curtis Funkhouser.

Nancy is survived by her beloved husband of almost 67 years, Walter Dabney Via of Charlottesville; and two children, Beth Via Hawkey of Burlington, N.C., and David Scott Via and his wife, Mary-Elizabeth of Charlottesville. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Michael Hawkey and his wife, Kaitlin and their children, Hayden and Emersyn; Andrew Hawkey and his wife, Elizabeth; Douglas Via; and Elizabeth Via Finlay and her husband, Hocquard and their children, Adelaide and Jack. She leaves behind two sisters, Elaine Layman (Tony) and Debra Smith (James); two brothers, Gary Funkhouser (Carolyn) and Joe Funkhouser (Barbara); as well as a sister-in-law, Beverly Via Wagner and a brother-in-law, James Early Shipp. Also surviving are her six step-siblings, Janice Gough Gunter, James Russell Gough (Alice), Peggy Shiflett (Grady), Lindley Gough, Robert Gough (Judy), and Jerry Gough.

Nancy graduated from Crozet High School in 1952. After marrying Dabney in 1954, they raised their family in Crozet where Nancy was an active part of the community. Nancy's life was all about people and she worked and served in many ways, always making the extra effort to make everyone feel at home and part of her family. She was employed at University of Virginia Hospital Employee Health and was the Office Manager at Crozet Family Medicine, returning there as their medical transcriptionist after semi-retirement.

Music was always an important part of Nancy's life. She taught piano to countless children and adults in the Crozet area for 20 years, and she was a volunteer choral teacher at Crozet Elementary School before paid music positions began. She spent many Saturday afternoons volunteering at the Children's Rehabilitation Center playing music for and with the children there. The importance of her church life and her music life came together as she acted as Choir Director and Organist at Crozet United Methodist Church and Mt. Moriah United Methodist Church over the course of most of her adult life. After suffering a stroke in 2013, her musical career ended. But her love for God and the church never took a back seat as she settled into a new church family closer to home at Tabor Presbyterian in Crozet. Over the last two years, she's also enjoyed growing her faith even more deeply with the residents at Our Lady of Peace where she and Dabney lived.

Nancy will be interred at Mt. Moriah Methodist Church Cemetery at a private family graveside service with the Rev. Liz Hulme Adam and Father Daniel Bain officiating. The family would like to thank the staff at Our Lady of Peace, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, and Hospice of the Piedmont for their love and care of Nancy. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, or a charity of your choice.

Anderson Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.