Emily Lee Brown

Emily Lee Byrd Brown was born on September 2, 1926, age 99 years, 6 months and 13 days, made her crossing to heaven's shore to be with loved ones gone on before, and to wait for those of us yet to make the crossing. Departing this life on Sunday, March 15, 2026,

Emily was the daughter of the late W.C. Will Byrd and Rosa Whitt Byrd, both former natives of Russell County. Emily worked in many places, retiring from Ingersoll Rand in 1993. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. She was one of the best cooks around and loved cooking family dinners and inviting friends to share. She loved having her family at home and was always glad to see them come and visit. She always welcomed everyone and anyone who came and made sure they felt at home and had plenty to eat. Emily grew a garden and canned food every year until she was 94; even then, she helped to can what came out of the garden. This is what she loved doing and was very good at it. Emily had a strong belief in God and was of the Holiness faith.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Claude Brown; six sisters, Mary Hall, Grace Miller, Maude Witten, Ora Byrd, Thelma Byrd, and Delora Richardson. Five brothers, Harve Byrd, Robert Byrd, Herbert Byrd, Clarence Byrd, and Floyd Curits Byrd; a special niece who was like a sister, Dorothy "Doris" Whited, and a son-in-law, Jimmy Salyers. She is the last surviving member of her immediate family.

She is survived by:

Five Special Daughters:

Linda Salyers of Christiansburg, VA

Phyllis Hall and her husband, Ronnie of Swords Creek, VA

Judy Gross and her husband, Gary, of Pounding Mill, VA

Gaynell Richardson of Pounding Mill, VA

Janice Brown of the home

A special son, Charlie Brown, and his wife, Missy of Richlands, VA

Eleven Precious Grandchildren, Tracy and her husband Keith Vinson, Mona and her husband, Billy Dowdy, Valerie and her husband, Roy Burton, Kevin and his wife, Jennifer Salyers, Lori and her husband, John Thornsberry, Britta and her husband, Mackenzie Hearld, Eric and his wife, Rebecca Richardson, Chastidy and her husband, Brandon Estep, Charlotte and her husband, Cody Lester, Jenny-Marie Gross and Angel Brown.

Fourteen precious great-grandchildren, Hilary and her husband, Tim Thompson, Rachael and her husband, Robert Carter, Adam Dowdy, Hannah and her husband, Nunzio Gallo, Nathan and his wife, Jessica Bruton, Emily Salyers and her fiancé Joey Ballard, Sidney Salyers, Issac Thornsberry, Sky-Lynn and Zavian Estep, Pierce and Aftyn Richardson, Ellie and Eli Herald.

Ten Precious great-great-grandchildren, Hayden, Drew, and Gabe Thompson, Silas and Shepard Carter, Roman and Viviana Gallo, Jaxon and Weston Burton, Ashlyn and Aurora Dowdy.

One great-niece, who was her baby girl and loved with all her heart, Loretta Hall.

In Lieu of flowers, Emily requested that donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN.

A funeral service for Emily Lee Brown will be conducted at 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Richlands, Virginia, with the Rev. Bruce Mitchell and Rev. Roger Boyd officiating. Interment will be at Greenhills Memory Gardens in Claypool Hill, Virginia. Pallbearers will be Eric Richardson, Kevin Salyers, Danny Byrd, Roy Burton, Mackenzie Herald, Terry Byrd, Smiley Wicks, and Alfred Wicks. Howard Byrd will serve as an Honorary Pallbearer. The Brown family will receive friends from 6-9 pm on Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Hurst-Scott Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, and those wishing to express sympathy online may do so at www.hurstscottfuneralhomes.com