Thomas, Sue Tyler
Sue Tyler Thomas, universally known as Granny Sue, of Norfolk and Dublin, died at the age of 92 at WestminsterCanterbury on November 16, 2006 after a short bout with pneumonia.
She was born on May 21, 1914 in Norfolk, Va., to Nelle Serpell and Stockton Heth Tyler. She attended the Norfolk Tutoring School and Hollins College. From the age of 10, her summers were spent at “Belle Hampton,” her family farm in Pulaski County, Va. She took over the farm management upon the death of her father in 1943. Many generations from all parts of the state enjoyed her hospitality and remember fondly the time spent with her in the garden, hayfield or anywhere else work needed to be done.
In 1976, attempting to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps, she ran for Governor against Chuck Rob and Marshall Coleman garnering 87 write-in votes from die hard Farm Party supporters. The agony of defeat caused her to retire from the political arena, leaving her son Vince to carry the banner of public service.
In 1994, Granny Sue moved from Virginia Beach to Westminster-Canterbury in Lynchburg where she spent the last 12 years complaining that her children made her leave her friends and family in Tidewater. She even lost her zeal for “Belle Hampton” after the death of her long-time farm manager and friend, Lane Kilby.
During her lifetime, she was a member of Old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk Yacht & Country Club, Princess Anne Country Club, King’s Daughters, The Junior League of Norfolk, Farm Bureau, Back Creek Watershed and The Garden Club of Virginia. Her only regret was that her daughter was never invited to join the Lynchburg Garden Club.
Granny Sue was preceded in death by her husband, Vincent Graves Thomas; three brothers, Goldsboro Serpell Tyler, James Hoge Tyler III, Stockton Heth Tyler, Jr.; one sister, Nell Tyler Whittle and a myriad of friends and family.
She is survived by four children, Vincent Johns Thomas and his wife Elizabeth Carroll, William Allison Thomas and his wife Barbara Hofler of Norfolk, Heth Tyler Thomas and his wife Elizabeth Hobbs of Roanoke and Susan Thomas Duerson of Lynchburg and her ex-husband, Samuel Hardy Duerson, Jr., of Raleigh, N.C. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Samuel Hardy Duerson III of Lynchburg, Bradley Tyler Duerson of Bluemont, Elizabeth Duerson Williamson of Raleigh, N.C., Elizabeth Thomas Currie, Sally Thomas Thompson, Vincent Graves Thomas II of Tidewater, Allison Thomas Kunze of Grand Island, N.Y., William Allison Thomas, Jr. of Palm Springs, Calif., Molly Thomas Angevin of Charlottesville, Russell Frazier Hughes, Jr. of Roanoke, Elizabeth Melville Hughes of Chania, Greece, Courtney Holcombe Hughes of Wilmington, N.C.; 26 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Guelielma Tyler Hooper of Cambridge, Mass.
The family would like to thank the dedicated staff on the sixth floor of Hearthside at Westminster Canterbury, especially Diane Bowman for the excellent care given our mother during her illness. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Amazement Square, 27 Ninth Street, Lynchburg, Va. 24504, Old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church or a charity of your choice.
A memorial service will be held Monday, November 20, 2006 at 11 a.m. at Old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 201 St. Paul’s Blvd., Norfolk, Va. 23510. Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, 434-237-9424. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.tharpfuneralhome.com.