Stafford, Mildred Vest

Mildred Vest Stafford, 92, of Dublin, and formally of Staffordsville, passed away Saturday, May 9, 2009, at Highland Ridge Rehab Center in Dublin.

She was a devoted wife, a loving Mother and Grandmother. She was a very special person to many people and loved sharing her faith and love for the Lord. She was a faithful member of Sheffey Memorial United Methodist Church in Staffordsville. She was a daughter of the late John and Julia Thompson Vest, of White Gate.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Stafford to whom she was married for 63 years. She was also preceded in death by a son, Dennis Wayne Stafford; a great-granddaughter, Jennifer Jordan; and a great-grandson, Aaron Coffey. Also preceding her in death were here brothers and sisters, Lucille Buchanan, Jack, Powell, Wilma Blackburn, Josephine Melvin, John Jr. and Don. Surviving to cherish her memory are two sons, Douglas and wife, Sharon, of Centreville, Va., Herbert and wife, Marion, of Cleveland, Tenn.; and a daughter, Joyce and husband, Charles, of Dublin. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and 11 step-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandsons. She was anticipating with great joy the arrival in 2 weeks of another great grandson, Conner Mitchell Canode. Also surviving are 2 sisters, Sadie White, of Christiansburg and Mary Albert, of Pearisburg; and a sister-in-law, Dolly Vest, of Pearisburg; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home in White Gate with the Rev. Jack Jenkins, the Rev. Michael Blouse and the Rev. Jo Ellen Hetherington officiating. The visitation will be at the funeral home Tuesday after 2 p.m. and family will receive friends from 6 to 8p.m. Burial will be in Birchlawn Burial Park Cemetery in Pearisburg.

In Lieu of flowers donations may be made to Holston United Methodist Home for Children, P.O. Box 188, Greeneville, Tenn. 37744.