Frances Elizabeth “Boots” Keyes Lewis, 84, of Bedford passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, June 30, 2022 surrounded by her family. She was the wife of the late Harold Lewis. Born in Lynchburg on February 25, 1938, she was the daughter of the late Leslie and Evelyn Keyes. She was preceded in death by her two sons, Pete and Brad Lewis; one brother, Melvin Keyes; and one sister-in-love, Nancy Martin. She is survived by her daughter, Desiree Lewis (Stephanie) of Bedford; her grandchildren, Stuart Lewis (Wendi), Mathew Lewis (Kathryn), Cole Lewis and Courtney Lewis (Nick); four great grandchildren, Camden, Bryce, Mercy and Elizabeth Lewis; her brothers, Bobby (Jackie), Clinton (Janie), Sonny (Rose) and Billy (Michelle) Keyes; and a host of nieces, nephews and adopted kids and grandkids that loved her dearly. Frances was most proud of her children and grandchildren and loved them unconditionally. She loved spoiling her grandchildren more than anything. She loved her snacks, especially sharing them with her great grandchildren. Frances loved flowers and was a retired Kroger florist. She also loved fresh summer vegetables from the garden, shopping and antique stores and of course reading. Frances’ compassion, love, stubbornness and most of all her witty sense of humor will always be remembered by her family, friends and those she loved. As her nephew laughingly told her, Frances was as pure as the wind driven snow. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at Burch-Messier Walnut Street Chapel, 1235 Walnut Street, Bedford with Rev. John Sines, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Virginia Memorial Park. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360

Daniel Reed Ware, 66, of Lynchburg, Virginia passed away Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Lynchburg General Hospital. Danny was born August 26,1955 at Lynchburg General Hospital. He was the son of Thomas Lee Ware and Mazie Josephine Wilson Ware Cumbee of Lynchburg, Virginia; both of whom are deceased. He was the grandson of the late Lester Edward Wilson and Dovie Elizabeth Craft Wilson of Rustburg, Virginia. In addition to his parents and grandparents he was preceded in death by one sister, Elizabeth Ann Ware McLean of Hartsville South Carolina. He is survived by one sister, Vorndale Marie Ware Spitzer Kershner of Evington, Virginia; two half siblings, Thomas Ware of New York and Rosa Lee Ware Propst of Brandywine West Virginia; niece, Meghan Elizabeth McLean Rodriguez of Bakersfield California; two nephews, Josh Daniel McLean also from Bakersfield, Eric Lee Spitzer Jr. of Rustburg Virginia; two uncles, Roy T. Wilson of Rustburg Virginia (Lois), Luther C. Wilson of Evington Virginia, and Eleanor Jean Wilson Silby Sheriff also from Rustburg Virginia. Danny loved his family and friends. He loved sports especially basketball and football. He would get so excited when he watched them. He loved to laugh. He never met a stranger; he was very social. Thanks to his friends Connie Nichols, Robin Weigand, Kathy Stratton and Vicki Crews, for their devotion during his stay at Lynchburg Health and Rehabilitation. They took him out for meals and shopping trips plus treats. A memorial service will be held on Saturday July 16,2022 at Bethany Methodist Church, 2772 Bethany Church Rd Rustburg Virginia 24588. Please come join our family and friends and celebrate his life with music, prayer, food and fellowship. It was his wish to Celebrate his Life and passing. “No tears allowed”. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Vernon “Ghee” Whitten Merritt, Sr, 71, of Lynchburg, VA, passed away on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at Lynchburg General Hospital. A Funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at Burch-Messier Walnut Street Chapel 1235 Walnut Street Bedford, Virginia 24523 with Pastor Russell Lee Officiating. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Susan Record Harriman passed away peacefully on June 21, 2022, with family members by her side. Susan was born in 1937 to Louis DeWitt and Eva Wakely Record of Nashua, New Hampshire. Susan attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine. There she met the love of her life, Edward “Ted” Nickerson Harriman, Jr. Susan and Ted were married in 1958 and graduated together from the language program at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University to prepare for a life abroad. The couple set off to Singapore for their first assignment. They would live not just in Singapore but also in Malaysia, Okinawa, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Greece, China, and Hong Kong. Along the way, they raised four handsome, fun-loving, globe-trotting boys, John Record, Stephen Charles, Andrew Campbell, and Christopher David. In 1989, the couple returned to the U.S. to realize their long-held dream by opening The Inn at Sunapee in Sunapee, New Hampshire. For 19 years, they welcomed guests, friends, and family to the 18-room inn and became a fixture in the community of Sunapee. In 2008, with two careers behind them and many friends all over the world, Susan and Ted felt they could finally retire. They closed The Inn at Sunapee with one last weeklong gathering of family and friends during the holidays that year and then moved to Virginia to be closer to their family. Susan had a gift for hospitality and a flair for cooking that shone in her time as an innkeeper. She loved to share the dishes and recipes that she discovered during her world travels, especially if she was cooking them for a dining room full of her children and grandchildren. She had an infectious giggle and loved to tell her sons naughty jokes to make them blush. She was a loving and tender caregiver to her husband in his days fighting Alzheimer’s disease. Susan is survived by her devoted children, Jay Harriman and his wife, Barbara, Andy Harriman and his wife Amy, and Chris Harriman and his wife Kim; her grandchildren, Zach, Allie, Alex, Jenny, Christopher, Holly, Campbell, and Julia Harriman, Joseph and Erica Harriman LaComb, Erik, Evan, Stephanie and Ian McGrew; three great-granddaughters, Maya McGrew, Levi Paige, and Adelina Buhls; her sister, Judith R. Balyeat; her niece, Cathy B. VanBenthuysen and her husband, Russ; her great-nieces and nephew Jessie and Jesse Kistler and Amy VanBenthuysen, and two great-great nephews, Jaxon and Jetson Kistler. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Edward “Ted” N. Harriman, Jr. in 2019, and her precious son Stephen C. Harriman lost tragically in 2014. A celebration of Susan’s life will be on August 6, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. in Boggs Chapel, RandolphMacon Academy, 200 Academy Drive, Front Royal, Virginia, 22630. Susan and Ted will be interred later in the summer at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Harwich Port, Massachusetts. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Nellie Bowyer Wilson, 87, of Thaxton, VA went to be with her Lord Monday, June 20, 2022 at Lynchburg General Hospital. She was born in Bedford, Va. March 31, 1935 a daughter of the late Roy Walter Bowyer and Dorothy Landrus Bowyer. Nellie loved all sports and enjoyed playing with all the kids, and she enjoyed riding her bike. She is survived by daughter, Robin Cottrell and husband Danny; son, Timothy “Tim” Wilson; special grandson, Toby Wayne Cottrell ; Special family friends, Michael Cottrell,  Patricia, Sonya, Sheree, Benji ; and Numerous Nieces, Nephews. A Funeral service will be held 6:00 pm Thursday, June 23, 2022 at Burch-Messier Funeral Chapel, 1235 Walnut Street Bedford, Virginia 24523 with pastor Shane McSweeney Officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service starting at 5:00pm. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360

Leonard Grady Nelms passed away peacefully in his home in Bedford, Virginia on June 9, 2022 surrounded by his loving family.  He was born in Macon, Georgia on December 11, 1935 to the late Sallie Osborne Nelms and Claude Lee Nelms. He was a 1954 graduate of Lanier High School, attended Mercer University and was a graduate of Georgia State College (now Georgia State University) where he was a member of Delta Sigma Pi professional fraternity and was vice-president of his junior class.  He worked in the corporate world for many years, and upon his retirement in 1993, he established his own CPA firm, Leonard G. Nelms & Associates in Marietta, Georgia.  He was a member of the Georgia Society of CPA’s. He was a devout Christian, a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and was affectionately known to his family as “Grady the Great” and “Loveable Leonard.”  He served in roles of leadership in several different churches over the years and was an ordained elder in The Presbyterian church. He was most recently a member of Bedford Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Ralph Nelms, Wallace Nelms, Raymond Nelms and Herbert Nelms; and two sisters, Eula Nelms Peavy and Doris Nelms Langley. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Joan Weaks Nelms; two sons, Len Nelms (Tammi) of Canton, Georgia, David Nelms (Claire) of Bethlehem, Georgia; and one daughter, Leigh Nelms Habecker (Nathan) of Lynchburg, Virginia; as well as nine grandchildren, Christian Nelms, Chloe Nelms, Avery Nelms, Luke Nelms, Harrison Nelms, Camille Nelms, Kelly Habecker, Andrew Habecker (Ashley) and Samuel Habecker, and one great-granddaugher, Collins Habecker.  He is also survived by his sister, Christine Nelms Hartley of Macon; and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, July 22, 2022 at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, 955 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations to Gideon International, P.O. Box 1394, Woodstock, Georgia 30188 or Bedford Baptist Church, 1516 Oakwood Street, Bedford, Virginia 24523 in his memory. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360

Joyce Ann Ruff, 76, of Glen Allen, VA and formerly of Bedford, passed away on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. She was born in Bedford, VA on May 12, 1946 a daughter of the late Deputy Sheriff Claude Davis Ruff and Ellen Phillips Ruff. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Terry Davis Ruff; and sister, Shelby J. Campbell Taglio. Joyce retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2005 with 36 years of service. She began her career with the Postal Service in Montclair, NJ and transferred to Richmond in 1980. She has been a resident of Glen Allen, VA since 1988. She loved her family dearly and leaves you with this quote, “Seek first to understand then seek to be understood”. She is survived by her granddaughter, Tera Avianna Ruff; and niece, Rhona D. Campbell Blankenship and husband, Gary. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, June 10, 2022 at Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the SPCA or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.