Brown, Effie King

Effie King Brown, 101 years young, departed this life on Saturday, May 05, 2012. She was born in Floyd County on December 13, 1910 to Thomas Merritt and Martha Ann Yates King. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Julian R. Brown of sixty five years who passed away on November 19, 1998 and their only daughter, Mary Frances Scholz who passed away on November 6, 1998. She was further preceded in death by three sisters, Maisie Cole, Goldie Prillaman and Anne King plus one brother, Sankey King, two half-brothers, Brinton King and Waller King, two half-sisters, Carrie Prillaman and Pearl Poff, two nieces, Elizabeth Jackson and Hazel Corbin. Effie is survived by her only son, Robert Brown Sr. Suffolk; two grandsons, Robert Brown Jr., Yorktown, Roy Brown and his wife Michele, Chesapeake; two great-grandchildren, Donovan Brown, Yorktown, and Kellie Claire Brown Chesapeake; three nephews, Edwin Cole and his wife Carrie Pilot, Robert Cole and his wife Mary Salem, and Paul Poff and his wife Avie Richmond; two nieces, Virginia Blatt, Hinton, and Frances Via, Daleville; plus a host of devoted neighbors; friends; and distant relatives that live throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and the lower 48. Effie graduated from Check High School in 1928 as Valedictorian of her class and after graduation she entered Radford State Teachers College (now Radford University) where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and she did her graduate study in Elementary Administration. Effie was a successful educator in the Floyd County School System for forty one years. She taught seven years in one room schools, twenty two years as a classroom teacher in the Elementary and Secondary Departments of Check High School and twelve years as Principal of Check Elementary School and during her tenure as Principal, she received the school accreditation in the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges. After retirement, Effie remained active in educational work. She was a lifetime member of the State Association of Retired Teachers, a life time member of District M (which Floyd County is part of) Retired Teachers and a Charter member of the Floyd County Retired Teachers Association. In 2001 (at the age of 91) Effie received an award from the Virginia Retired Teachers Association as being one of the seven most active retired teachers in the state. Effie was a long time member of the Alpha Kappa chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Iota State, an international organization for women educators. Effie was also active in many Floyd County organizations as well. She was an active member of the Floyd Courthouse Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution where she served in many capacities. She was a member of the Floyd Courthouse Garden Club, an honorary life time member of the State and National Federation of Garden clubs. Effie was a charter member of the Old Church Gallery Quilters Guild, the Floyd County Historical Society and the Floyd Museum all of which she helped organize. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Gardner Funeral Home, 202 Oxford Street, Floyd, VA 24091 and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to any of the many organizations that Effie was a member of. Viewing will be at the Gardner Funeral Home on Monday, May 7, 2012 and Tuesday, May 8, 2012 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Funeral will be held at the Stonewall Church on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 1 p.m. with the Reverend Fred Austin and the Reverend Darren Landon officiating. Interment will follow in the Restvale Cemetery. Condolences may be made at www.gardnerfuneralhomefloyd.com.