Frances Whitlow

Frances Brown Whitlow, 95, went to be with her Lord on Sunday, December 11, 2011, at Roman Eagle Memorial Home in Danville, VA. She was born on November 14, 1916, the daughter of Charlie W. Brown and Pattie Terry Brown. She lived her entire life in Pittsylvania County where she graduated as salutatorian at Dan River High School in 1935. She married Archer Gardner Whitlow on December 23, 1937. She and her husband operated Whitlow?s Market in Glenwood for 19 years until his sudden death in March 1968. During this time, they also owned and managed a 200 acre farm in Ringgold, where they operated a dairy, raised tobacco, and tended large crops of vegetables. At the age of 50, after her husband?s death, she attended Danville Community College where she obtained her practical nursing degree (with honors) and graduated in 1970. She was a nurse at Danville Regional Medical Center for a short period of time and then was a nurse on the south wing of Roman Eagle Memorial Home for 25 years. She retired at the age of 75. She was an active member of Sandy Creek Baptist Church in Ringgold, where she served as Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School teacher, youth leader, Girls? Auxiliary director, WMU leader, and on numerous committees. For 40 years, she served as clerk of her church and as the person responsible for preparing the quarterly communion, resigning those roles when she was 94. She is known by all who knew her as loving and kind, and as a lady with a servant heart. She thought of others first and will be remembered by her family and friends for her thoughtfulness and generosity. Hundreds have benefited from her love as they received a pie, cake, casserole, or vegetables from her garden on any given day, not just on special occasions. She loved to visit her friends and to travel and shared her faith in God through her words and her actions. She received the Sertoma ?Service to Mankind? Award in 1984 and was recognized as Pittsylvania County?s ?Mother of the Year? in 2009. She is survived by one daughter, Betty Jo Whitlow Foster, and her husband David Foster of Ringgold, Virginia, two grandchildren, Brian Foster (Ringgold) and Tracey Foster Ewing and her husband Lee Ewing (Ringgold) and two great-grandchildren, Anna Ewing and Luke Ewing. In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by one sister, Louise Lewis Brandon, and two brothers, Elmo Brown and Raymond Brown. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 14, at 2:00 p.m. from the Wrenn-Yeatts North Main Chapel by the Reverend William Blalock and the Reverend Bill Sigmon. Interment will follow in Highland Burial Park, Danville. The family will receive family and friends at Wrenn-Yeatts North Main Chapel on Tuesday, December 13, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and at other times at the home of her daughter and son-in-law (Betty Jo and David Foster) at 1388 Rocksprings Road, Ringgold, Virginia. The family sends a special thanks to the nurses and staff of Roman Eagle Memorial Home for their excellent care and their concern for their mother/grandmother during her six months of residency. Memorial gifts may be sent to Sandy Creek Baptist Church, In care of Marvin Honeycutt, 2637 Sandy Creek Church Road, Ringgold, VA 24586.

Frances Whitlow

November 14, 1916 - December 11, 2011