Neff, Katherine Dobbins

Katherine Dobbins (Kathy) Neff, 52, of Christiansburg, Va., passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2008. Mrs. Neff was a speech pathologist for Montgomery County Public Schools. She graduated from Christiansburg High School before receiving her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Radford University in Speech Pathology.

Mrs. Neff loved all of her school children at Auburn Elementary, Middle, High and Christiansburg High Schools. She also loved to garden and plant flowers, loved to cook, loved to watch movies and was a devoted Virginia Tech fan. Kathy was a member of the St. Paul Methodist Church in Christiansburg, Va.

Mrs. Neff was preceded in death by her father, James C. Dobbins; uncle, Irving Yates; and father-in-law, Jack S. Neff. She is survived by her husband, Jack H. Neff; mother, Lucille W. Dobbins; brother and sister-in-law, Mark C. Dobbins and spouse, Laura, of Atlanta, Ga.; mother-in-law, Mary K. Neff, of Harrisonburg, Va.; aunt, Joann Kiser; brother-in-laws, Joseph K. Neff and spouse, Lynn, of Richmond, Va., and Robert A. Neff and spouse, Rosa, of Managua, Nicaragua; uncles, Lester J. White and spouse, Rosetta, of Christiansburg, and Jim McNabb, of Atlanta, Ga.; aunts, Virginia Yates, of Christiansburg, Helen L. Dobbins, of Warm Hearth in Blacksburg, Va.; nieces and nephews, Hannah Dobbins and Samuel C. Dobbins, of Atlanta, Ga., and Reuben A. Neff and Christopher Neff, of Managua, Nicaragua; and numerous cousins.

She had many special friends and neighbors whom she has affected during her life, she will be sorely missed! The family would like to thank the doctors and staff of Montgomery Regional Hospital, Lewis Gale Hospital, and the Richfield Nursing Home for the wonderful care and kindness she was given.

Special thanks to members of both Auburn Elementary and Floyd County High Schools and friends that provided food and transportation during her illness.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2008, in the Horne Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. on Friday, October 24, 2008, in St. Paul United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. David Goodpasture officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, Kathy had requested that everyone plant a tree in her memory. Online condolences may be sent to hornefuneralservice.com. The Neff family is being served by Horne Funeral Service, Christiansburg, Va., 540-382-2612.