Elsie Laverne Bowyer Mitchell, age 66, of Bedford, passed away on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at her home surrounded by her husband and children by her side. She was born on December 12, 1959 in Bedford County and she was the daughter of the late Hilary Marsh Bowyer and the late Earle Davenport Bowyer. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by sisters, Shirley Mae Bowyer and Esther Bowyer Ashley; brothers, Robert W. Bowyer and James R. Bowyer, Sr.; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Buddy Marshall Mitchell, Sr. and Sarah Lemon Mitchell; brothers-in-law, John Q. Whorley, Robert L. Ashley, Jr. and Jeffrey L. Mitchell.

She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She graduated from Otterburn Academy and was a retired social worker at Bedford County Social Services with 30 years of service.

She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Buddy Marshall Mitchell, Jr.; her sons, Buddy Marshall Mitchell, III (Ronell), Luther Marsh Mitchell (Megan); sister, Margaret Whorley; sisters-in-law, Michelle Tompkins (Darrell), Shelley Mitchell, Carleen Bowyer and Delores Bowyer; as well as five grandchildren, Cadence, Colton, Leland, Reagan, Freyja; many nieces and nephews; and very special companion, Licky.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society or St. Jude.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Centra Hospice for their care and support shown to their loved one.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at Nicopolis United Methodist Church Cemetery with Rev. William Clark officiating. Family will receive friends one hour prior at the cemetery.

Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

With heavy hearts and deep love, we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, sister and friend, Tammy Gilbert Blizzard, who left this world peacefully on Christmas Day at the age of 61.

Born in Lynchburg VA on September 30, 1964, Tammy lived a life filled with kindness, laughter, and unwavering devotion to those she loved. She married her soulmate, Stephen Blizzard, with whom she shared 24 beautiful years of marriage. Together, they built a home where warmth, faith, and joy were constants, and where every holiday—especially Christmas—was a celebration of love.

A devoted mother to Matthew, Joshua and Megan, she poured her heart into nurturing, guiding, and cheering them on through every stage of life. Her gentle wisdom, warm hugs, and ability to make everyone feel special will be forever missed.

Tammy had a gift for making ordinary days extraordinary—whether through meals, her thoughtful words, or her quiet acts of generosity. Her passing on Christmas Day feels bittersweet, as it was her favorite day of the year, a time she always filled with light, music, and togetherness.

She was preceded in death by her father, Jesse Mearl Gilbert; her mother, Phyllis Marr Witt; and two brothers, Jesse Mearl Gilbert, Jr., & Thomas Randall Gilbert. 

She is survived by her loving husband, Stephen Blizzard, three children, Matthew Bryant, Joshua Williams, & Megan Parker, and two sisters, Cindy Currin (Don), and Donna Evans (Dennis).

A memorial service will be held on Saturday,  January 3,  2026, at St John’s Episcopal Church (314 N Bridge Street, Bedford VA) at 4:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to SJC Warming Shelter and Shower & Suds Ministry at St John’s Episcopal Church or an organization close to her heart.

Though our hearts ache, we take comfort in knowing that her love will continue to guide us, and that her spirit will forever be part of every Christmas morning.

Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Douglas Wayne Roberts passed away on December 23, 2025.  He was born in Campbell County, VA on November 7, 1950 a son of the late Elisha Roberts and Sallie Millner Roberts.  He is survived by his son, Travis Roberts; grandchildren, Adrianna, Morgan and Elijah; great-grandchildren, Sadie, Nash and Weston; Sisters, Sharon Roberts and Barbara Bowling; Brothers, Harold, Sammy, Donnie and David Roberts; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.  His final wishes were to be cremated and buried by his mother in Roberts Cemetery.  He will be missed and his memory will live on through family and friends that knew him.

stay at Lynchburg General Hospital. John was the son of John N. “Jack” Bradley, Sr. and Mildred
Bradley (née McCullough). He lived in Bedford, VA for his first sixteen years, before moving to
Northern Virginia when his mother accepted a position with Fairfax County Public Schools.
John worked as an employee at IBM for twenty-five years before taking an early retirement.
After that, he continued working with IBM on a contractual basis, as well as beginning to work
with sound engineering and installation, a business that evolved out of volunteer work he did
for the church he attended at the time.

After attending college in New Mexico, and living in Centreville, Virginia; Rochester, Minnesota;
and Marietta and Roswell in Georgia, John returned to his hometown of Bedford, Virginia in
2007.

John was an active member of his local and church communities wherever he found himself
throughout his life. He was on the Board of Directors at the Sedalia Center, and did construction
work for Habitat for Humanity, until medical issues and treatment slowed him down in late
2019. He nonetheless continued volunteering at his church (Word of Life in Bedford) doing
audio engineering, and being active in the community.

John is survived by his son John Bradley, and daughter Teresa Bradley, his sister Suzannah
Kuhns, his dear friend Mary Lee Nance, as well as several cousins, nephews and nieces of
various removes. He was well loved, and will leave a perceptible empty space in his community.

A memorial service is planned for John on the afternoon of Saturday, January 31, at 2:00 pm at
Word Of Life church in Bedford, Virginia. Word of Life church is located at 912 Burks Hill Road,
Bedford, VA 24523.  ***This service has been postponed until a later date.

Karen Denise Lang went to be with the Lord, Saturday December 20, 2025. She was born October 20, 1959, the daughter of the late Raleigh T. Orange and Ida P. Orange.

Denise loved animals of all kinds, traveling, and going on mission trips to share her love of God. She cherished being a part of the Taylor’s Mountain community. As many of us know she loved plants and enjoyed landscaping.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Jerry Orange.

She is survived by her daughters, Jessica Craig and Jenna Francisco; her grandsons, Isaiah Craig and Jamie Craig; and her granddaughter Isabella Francisco, Nana’s sunshine. She is also survived by her loving companion, Ernest Myers; her sister, Regina (Troy) Cheek; her brother, Roger Orange; her cousin Debra Ellis; special friends, Brenda Hammans, Rhonda Maxey, Peggy Nester; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. 

Her final wish was to be cremated, with her ashes buried by her parents on Taylor’s Mountain.  

She will be deeply missed, but her love, kindness and faith will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Gene Arthur “Fat Man” Nichols, 87, of Bedford, passed away on Friday, December 19, 2025.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., on Sunday, December 28, 2025 at Mt. Herman Baptist Church, 3805 Otterville Road, Bedford with Rev. John Boyles and Rev. Austin Hull officiating.

Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Joyce Farris Baker, 87, passed away on December 19, 2025, in Forest, Virginia, after a valiant third battle with breast cancer. Born on August 19, 1938, in Aurora, Illinois, she lived a full and vibrant life marked by fierce dedication to her family and her own special brand of feistiness.

Joyce grew up in Aurora and attended Michigan State University before moving to Chicago, where she worked as an administrative assistant. She met Hal—the love of her life—at the Chicago Ski Club, where the two had a ball together. After marrying in 1963, the couple moved to Cleveland, Ohio, then to Forest, Virginia, in 1972.

After raising her two young daughters, Joyce worked as a legislative aide for three consecutive delegates representing the 22nd district in the Virginia House of Delegates. Her commitment to civic engagement and strong work ethic left a lasting impression on those with whom she worked.

Beyond her work, Joyce was known for her dynamic spirit, zest for life, strength, resilience, beauty, and impeccable appearance. She embraced a wide range of interests over the years: skiing, cooking, playing tennis, gardening, and golfing. Her lifelong love for homemaking is reflected in the lovely spaces she created, culminating in her beautiful home on Ivy Lake.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Rollie and Zella Farris; her husband of 56 years, Hal Baker; her sister, Wilma Reuland; and her brother, James Farris.

She is lovingly remembered by her daughters, Julie Baker and Laurie Wyatt; son-in-law, Shannon Wyatt; grandchildren, Kayleigh and Scott Wyatt; nephew, Fred Reuland and his partner, Martin Grochala; and her supportive Ivy Lake friends. All their lives have been deeply enriched by Joyce’s presence and will continue to be blessed by the wonderful memories they shared.

A private celebration of life will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (www.bcrf.org).

Scottie Lynn Rider, 44, of Moneta Virginia, suddenly and unexpectedly left this earth and has gone home to be with his Momma and Daddy, Vicky and Roy Rider, on Thursday, December 18, 2025. 

He is survived by his brother, Lee and wife, Heather Rider & their children & grandchildren; and his brother, Todd Nuckols. 

He is also survived on his mother’s side by Dinah Davis & family, and on his father’s side, Danny Rider & family.

At the time of his passing, Scottie worked for Adams Construction, where he loved working with his big brother Lee, every day. 

Scottie will surely be missed by all. Some friends he had for a lifetime while others he met along the way. 

He never met a stranger, he didn’t talk much, but he would help anyone out with anything that was ever needed.  If you were good to him, he was good to you. Life was just that simple for him. 

If there is anything we can take from knowing and loving Scottie, and who he was, let it be this:

Speak lightly. 

Don’t be scared of a damn thing.

Leave a huge impact when you leave. 

We love you brother. 

Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Mary Linda Gillespie, our beloved mother passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at the age of 81. She was born on October 11, 1944, and lived a life defined by love, dedication, and quiet strength.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband (or beloved father), James Gillespie Jr; her parents, Rachel and Herman Thomason; her siblings, Shirley, Jimmy, Evelyn, and Wayne; a special niece, Monica; and her cherished pets, Blackie, Buffy, and BJ.

She is survived by her three devoted daughters and sons-in-law, Marie and Harold Jones, Donna and Charles Taylor, and Sandy Tayloe-Wiseman and Tony Wiseman. She also leaves behind five beloved grandchildren, Christy Carroll (Nick), Erin Delp (Travis), Jessica Sine (Daniel), Josh Taylor (Paige), and Alex Tayloe (Melanie); twelve treasured great-grandchildren; and one precious great-great-grandchild.

A hardworking wife and devoted mother, she was known for her strong work ethic and deep love for her family. She took great pride in her home, especially her beautifully maintained yard and flower garden, which reflected the care, patience, and beauty she brought into the lives of those around her. Her kindness, resilience, and nurturing spirit will be fondly remembered and deeply missed.

The family will hold a private memorial service at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to your favorite charity in her memory.

She will be forever loved and never forgotten.

Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-586-7360.

Daniel Lewis Witt III, 78, passed away peacefully at his residence on December 11, 2025.

He was born July 7th, 1947, and raised in Evington, Virginia. Daniel later made his home in Lynchburg, Virginia.

He was an avid golfer and spent many happy days on the courses at London Downs and Falling River Country Clubs’ courses. A devoted Dallas Cowboys fan, he was known to wage a bet or twelve.  He loved to walk and be active which was great, since he also really loved sweets. He loved his Firebirds and always wanted to show anyone he could convince, to go look at the red one.

He worked for Meredith-Burda, was a delivery driver for Pepsi, and lastly retired from Flav-O-Rich Dairy, as a delivery driver. He still loved to tell anyone who asked, that he was the “Milkman”.

Daniel was preceded in death by his parents, Daniel Lewis Witt II and Dorothy Milam Witt, his brother Kenneth (Carolyn) Witt, and both his half-brothers, Stevie and Rick Stevens.

Daniel is survived by his only child, daughter, Rebecca Lynn Reynolds (Jason) of Concord; and his only grandson Joseph Lewis Thurman (Hannah) of Concord. 

Daniel also held a special place in his heart for Violet Taylor, as well as her grandson Jason Mays (Melanie) and Jason’s son Hunter.

Daniel’s family is deeply grateful to his dedicated caregivers, Wanda Blankenship and Danny Ferguson, for the exceptional care, comfort, and support they provided. Also, the family would like to thank 1st Choice Facilitators (Jennifer Ferguson/ Delores White) for the integral role they played in keeping him at home until the end.

He will be remembered for his jokes, laughter, and giving nature. For those wishing to make a donation please consider the Alzheimer’s Association.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date TBD.

Arrangements by Burch-Messier Funeral Home, Bedford, 540-5867360.