Nelson County Times
Published: February 28, 2008

Ernest Massie Baldwin, 87, of Patrick Henry Highway, Roseland died Feb. 20.
He was born Jan. 7, 1921 on the Oak Ridge Estate at Arrington, a son of the late James William Baldwin and Mamie Estes Ware Baldwin.
He retired from Central Virginia Electric Co-op as a mechanic with over 24 years of service. He was a member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church of Roseland and assisted his wife Eliza in the operation of Nelson Florist.
He was a Harley Davidson enthusiast and loved riding his Harley with his buddies over the Blue Ridge Parkway and any where else others would suggest.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by four sisters, Louise B. Walker, Marie B. Camden, Mildred B. Thacker, and Peggy B. Johns; and three brothers, Sam, George, and J.W.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years Eliza Whitehead Baldwin; one brother, Tunstall Baldwin of Lowesville; three sisters, Clara B. Caul of Afton, Virginia B. Ballow of South Boston and   Mary E. Lawhorne of Shipman; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral service was held Feb. 23 at Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel in Lovingston. Interment was in the Bethlehem Church Cemetery at Roseland.

William Lee Davidson died on Feb. 23.
Born Aug. 24, 1927, in Rustburg, he was the son of the late Lee and Stella Dowdy Davidson.
He retired as a Virginia State Trooper after 34 years of service. He was a member of Masonic Lodge 45 of Scottsville, the ACCA Temple Shrine of Richmond, the Piedmont Shrine of Charlottesville, the Scottish Rites of Roanoke and the Crozet Moose Lodge.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Vernell L. Davidson; a son, Jeff Birckhead and his wife, Brenda; two daughters, Libby and June; a brother, Robert Davidson; grandchildren, Justin and Kayla Birckhead; a step granddaughter, Natasha Daughtry; and other family members.
Following his wishes, services were private.

Gladys Herring, 72, of Earlysville, died on Feb. 13.
She was born on June 14, 1935, in Albemarle County, to the late William and Gladys Marsh.
She is survived by her six children, William Earl Herring Jr. of Earlysville, Donald Allen Herring of Earlysville, Keith Randall Herring and his wife, Lisa, of Ruckersville, Kevin Scott Herring and his wife, Melissa, of Madison, Elizabeth Ann Herring of Dyke and Susan Lawhorne and her husband, Greg, of Schuyler.
Additional survivors include her sister, Eva Mae Collier of Charlottesville; two brothers, Herman Lowry and Robert Lowry, both of Charlottesville; 10 grandchildren, Linwood Via Jr. and his wife, Melissa, Randall C. Via, Jason Via, Kayla Lawhorne, Justin Lawhorne, Taylor Herring, Kateland Herring, Hannah Herring, Haley Herring, and Madison Herring; and one great grandson.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband, William Earl Herring Sr.; and two brothers, Raleigh Lowry and James Lowry.
A funeral service was held on Feb. 16 at Ryan Funeral Home in Quinque. Interment followed at Chestnut Grove Cemetery.

George L. Kesler, 73, of Bent Mountain, died on Feb. 10.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran from 1953 till 1957, serving at Guantanamo Bay.
He is survived by a brother, Gene Kesler; sister, Nita Conner, both of Roanoke; sons, Mark K. Kesler and wife, Emily, of Arrington and Dennis M. Kesler, of Roanoke; grandchildren, Taylor Kesler and Kaitlin Cash, both of Arrington, Erin Thurston, of Roanoke, LCPL. Christopher P. Davis, USMC, of Okinawa, Japan; many friends and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services and interment were private.

Ronald Walter Roberts, 72, of Barboursville, died Feb. 17.
He was born April 9, 1935, in Nelson County, to George Allen Roberts and Maisie Graves Roberts.
He was retired from the University of Virginia Athletics Department, a Veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps from 1952 until 1955, a former member of the Nelson County Board of Supervisors, a member of Spring Hill Baptist Church and was trained in Forest Fire Prevention and Control.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Longley Roberts; two brothers, Michael Dane Roberts and infant, Kenneth Carl Roberts; a sister, infant, Barbara Joyce Roberts; and a nephew, Jeffrey Scott Roberts.
He is survived by a daughter, Donna D. Thacker and her husband Philip of Ruckersville; three grandchildren, Christopher B. Morris of Charlottesville, Jason M. Thacker of Charlottesville and P. Matthew Thacker of Chesapeake; one great-grandchild; two brothers, Richard A. Roberts and his wife, Doris, of Afton and Lewis C. Roberts and his wife, Pat, of Scottsville; two nephews; a niece; friends and numerous cousins.
A funeral service was held Feb. 20 at Teague Funeral Home Chapel. Interment followed at Hebron Baptist Church Cemetery in Afton.

Mary Margaret Shields, of Faber, died on Feb. 20. 
She was born Dec. 20, 1916 at the "old Martin homestead", Hickory Creek, the home of the late John T. and Mary Louise Shields. She is predeceased by her brother, John T. Shields Jr. 
She worked with county Agent John Whitehead at the Nelson County Extension office in Lovingston and was a secretary for the University of Virginia Urology Department. She was an active member of Cove Presbyterian Church, a lifelong Democrat, and had been a Chairman of the East District Nelson County Democratic Committee. She was a member of the Old Dominion chapter of the DAR, and an ardent supporter of UVA football. She was a member of the Nelson Memorial Library Advisory Committee, the Nelson County Litter Control and Recycling Committee, the Nelson County Rescue Squad Auxiliary, and the Nelson County Historical Society.
She is survived by her brother, Martin H. Shields of Waynesboro; three nephews; two nieces; and numerous great nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held on Feb. 24 at Cove Presbyterian Church in Covesville.

Richard Staron, 55, of Afton, and formerly of Greenport, N.Y. died on Feb. 9.
He is survived by his wife, Ginger; and his brothers, Robert and Donald Staron and their wives. He is also survived by his in-laws, James and Muriel Wein and Richard and Penny Winters; as well as his sister in-laws, Beth Spiess, Amy Blain and Susan Winters and their husbands.
He taught Special Education and Driver Education at Western Albemarle High School. He was a life long avid and skilled golfer.
A memorial service was held on Feb. 19 at the Rockfish Presbyterian Church in Nellysford.

Steve Strickland, 56, of Selma, N.C., died on Feb. 22.
Born Oct. 17, 1951 in Johnston County, N.C., he was a son of the late Charles Edward and Louie Viola Gilmore Strickland and was preceded in death by a brother, Randy Strickland. He was a retired heavy equipment operator with the NCDOT in Wake County. From 1974 — 1979 he worked with the Nelson County School Board as a custodian.
Funeral services were conducted on Feb. 22 in the chapel of Parrish Funeral Home in Selma, N.C.  Burial followed in Knollwood Memorial Park.
Surviving are his daughters, Renee Critzer and Trisha Lynn Strickland, both of Madison Heights, and Amanda Marie Strickland of Selma, N.C.; brothers, Daniel Strickland of Selma, N.C., Jackie Jones of Carolina Beach, N.C., Nelson Gilmore of Smithfield, N.C., Chuckie Strickland of Clayton, N.C., Bobby Strickland and Eddie Strickland both of Asheboro, N.C.; sisters, Brenda Rhodes of Micro, N.C. and Darla Mooney of Asheboro, N.C.; and six grandchildren, Caitlyn, Michael, Clayton, Daniel, Solomon and Hagen.

John Clayton Thompson, 57, of Monroe, died Feb. 8.
Born Feb. 18, 1950 in Lynchburg, he was a son of the late Nelson Thompson and Maxie Thompson. He was a member of Bethany United Methodist Church in Monroe, and a Quality Control Manager with Lynchburg Sheltered Industries for 32 years. He was also a member of the Elon Ruritan Club with over 30 years of service.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Elodie Taylor Thompson; a daughter, Meredith Suzanne Thompson, of Monroe; a son, John Clayton Thompson Jr. and wife, Catherine Elizabeth Thompson, of Monroe; two grandchildren, Brady Taylor Thompson and Madeline Elizabeth Thompson; five brothers, Percy R. Thompson, Russell L. Thompson, Malcolm Thompson, Layman Michael Thompson and Joe Thompson; three sisters, Mable Krantz, Mary Thompson and Mildred Thompson; and many close friends, nieces, nephews and other family members.
A memorial service was held on Feb. 10 at Bethany United Methodist Church in Monroe.

Annette Maria Walker, 40, of 603 Victoria Avenue, Lynchburg, died on Feb. 10.
She was the daughter of Lorenzo Walker Sr. and Grace Cashwell Walker. She had been employed at Kirkley Hotel in Lynchburg.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by two brothers, Lorenzo L. Walker Jr. of Woodbridge and Lloyd L. Walker of Lynchburg; grandmothers, Mary Walker Lecator and Nettie K. Cashwell, both of Lynchburg; two nieces; nine aunts; five uncles; and a host of cousins and other relatives.
A funeral service was conducted on Feb. 15 at St. James Baptist Church. Burial was in the Cashwell family cemetery.