Mary Jane Nuffer

Surely, God has called one of His beloveds home.
Mary Jane (Bee) Keller Nuffer, widow of George Russell Nuffer, Jr., passed away at Brookdale Staunton on February 12, 2025, at the age of 98.
Preceding her in death in addition to her husband were her parents, Okey Wilburn and Gertrude Thompson Keller; brothers, John F. Keller, Okey W. (Bill) Keller, Jr., and Kenneth E. Keller; half-brother, Bentley Thompson; daughter, Alice N. Herbert, and granddaughter, Amanda Lewis Corrie.
Survivors include her sisters, Evelyn Rayner of Hopewell, Hilda Sprouse (Harvey) of Craigsville; daughters, Sandra Volkstorf (Edward) of Charlottesville, Gail Martin (Buddy) of Afton, and Vicky Lewis (Randall) of Craigsville; sons, Curney Nuffer of Richmond, and Stephen Nuffer of Craigsville; and a half-brother George M. Keller of Craigsville.
Also surviving are her grandchildren, Chris and Todd Volkstorf, Jennifer Evans, Matt Evans (Mendi), Stephanie Lemons (Ben), Jeff Caldwell, Cyndi and Rusty Herbert (Becky), Laura Lewis, Becky Binns (David), and Rachel Flieg (Nick); great-grandchildren Ashlyn and Gunnar Stuppy, Blake and Chase Evans, Jackson and Lillian Lemons, Lindsay and Mason Caldwell, Asa, Russell, and Samantha Herbert, Sidonie and Alvie Corrie, Savannah Lewis, Sloan Binns, Maxwell Flieg, and scores of nieces and nephews.
Bee's accomplishments were many over her long life. One of her proudest was being among the young women called on in WWII to repair radios in warplanes returning from and flying back to battle sites in Europe. At seventeen, she boarded the train in Craigsville bound for Quantico in Northern Virginia to do this important work, returning home after a year and a half to take care of her family when her mother's health failed.
Back home in Craigsville, she finished high school, where she was a feisty guard on the basketball team. She met and married her husband, Russ, had their six children by the age of 30, and settled into the life that was defined by determination and hard work tempered by a love of family and fun. Bee's deep and abiding faith nurtured her and gave her the strength she needed throughout her life.
The career of custodian that spanned 37 years at Craigsville Elementary School was a perfect fit for her. She scrubbed and mopped and swept, but she also tutored and cared for the many children who passed through the school, making sure they had a clean place in which to learn and in some cases, clean clothes and popsicle money when they came to school empty-handed. Bee shared a special bond with many of the teachers and staff with whom she worked until her retirement in 1996. She and Russ spent many entertaining evenings playing bridge with a few of them, especially the Vandevanders and Lynn Klary, "chuckling" over miscues and goof-ups.
Bee always loved being active. She kept her rocking chair busy year-round putting grand-babies and then great-grand-babies to sleep. Her summers were filled with mowing grass, swimming in Big River with her kids and neighborhood friends and later in the backyard pool with her grandchildren, having water hose battles with anyone brave enough to challenge her, creating beautiful flower gardens with bulbs from Lowe's and plants culled from her daughter Vicky's own gardens. Autumn saw her raking leaves and walking sometimes for miles with her friend, Pearl. In the winter time, Bee spent time stockpiling firewood on the back porch to feed her wood stove before stretching out in her recliner with mystery novel in hand alongside the cozy fire. She made pots of her famous vegetable beef soup, giving jars of it it away to family and friends. That same drive to be active lasted well into her nineties, infamously sledding or playing bridge with her daughters or going on laugh-filled road trips where she was " just along for the ride!"
More than anything, Bee will always be remembered for her love of life, her feisty spirit, and her beautiful smile, something the caregivers in Brookdale's Clare Bridge unit came to appreciate. Bee's family thanks all those who showed loving kindness and attention in caring for her during the last year and a half. Special thanks to Jenn Williamson, her Legacy Hospice caseworker, and Clare Bridge faithfuls, Jennifer, Michelle, Casey, Erica, Kerri, and many others too numerous to name. She loved you guys!
Je t'aime, Mama. Bee Jane. Granny. Granny B. Nanny. Aunt Bee. BJ.
Rest in love.
A graveside service will be held in Craigsville Memorial Cemetery on Tuesday, February 18, at 2:00 p.m. You may want to wear boots!
Friends and family are invited to Vicky and Randall Lewis's house afterwards for some nibbles and to reminisce a bit and share happy memories.