6A WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2021 THE NEWS LEADER Clem, 86 Mount Solon 11-May Johnson Funeral Service inBridgewater Francis R. 94 StuartsDraft 09-May CoffmanFuneral HomeandCrematory LindaA. 74 Staunton 07-May Henry Funeral Home Dr. Steven 69 Charlottesville 08-May CoffmanFuneral HomeandCrematory BrianThomas 74 Waynesboro 26-Apr WaynesboroChapel of ReynoldsHamrick Funeral Homes Additional information in display obituaries Obituaries appear in print and online at www.legacy.com/obituaries/NewsLeader OBITUARIES AND DEATH NOTICES Name Age Town, State Death Date Arrangements STAUNTON Linda Darnell (Adams) Davis, 74, wife of John Davis, passed away on Friday, May 7, 2021. She was born on Sep- tember 25, 1946 in Pittsylvania daughter of the late Rufus Earl and Bernice Eliza- beth (Hairston) Adams.
Linda was a homemak- er throughout her life. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She loved her family very much and encouraged unity and love always. She was baptized in Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Danville, VA. In addition to her husband of 57 years, family members include her children; Marcus Davis of Northern, VA, Kesha Davis of Staunton, Kati- na Davis of Stafford, Johnell Davis of Staunton, Jonathan Davis of Winchester, Cherice Davis of Staunton; a sister, Remona (Adams) McNeil of Georgia; two brothers, Carl Adams and wife, Bar- bara of Staunton and Donald Adams of Georgia; seventeen grandchildren; two great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Rufus Adams and her grandchild, Breckenridge. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sat- 15, 2021 in the Henry Funeral Home Chapel. Condolences to the family may bemade online at www.henryfuneralhome.net. Linda A.
Davis STUARTS DRAFT Francis Rudolph Coffman, 94, widower of Anna Ellen (Nelson) Coffman formerly of Mullins Lane, Stuarts Draft, passed away Sunday, May 9, 2021 at Stuarts Draft Retirement Community. Francis was born in on September 19, 1926, a son of the late Henry Rudolph andAimee Dorothea (Arehart) Coffman. Mr. Coffman was a member of Cherryvale Unit- ed Methodist Church, was a veteran of the United States Army, and retired in 1988 with fourteen years of service as Supervisor with the City of Staunton. Francis was very strong willed, self-sufficient, and age a factor for he was always trying to accomplish most anything when he knew quite well he In addition to his wife and parents, Mr.
Coffman was preceded in death by a Ray Coffman; three brothers, Randolph Coffman, and Melvin Coffman; and two sisters, Dorothea Brownlee and Viola Coffman. Surviving are two sons, Robert L. Coffman and his wife Phyllis K. of Glen Allen and Marcus J. Coffman and his wife Denise A.
of Stuarts Draft; a daughter, Patricia A. Brubaker and her husband Gary L. of Stuarts Draft; five Christian and her husband Jackie, Gary Lee Bru- baker, II, Matthew Coffman and his wife Sklyer, Steven Coffman and his wife Lindsey, and Lindsay Coffman; eight great-grandchildren; one great great-grandchild; a sister, Nancy Back of Middlebrook; and a number of nieces and nephews. A celebration of life will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 15, 2021 in Cherryvale United Methodist Church by Pastor Mike Lawson.
The family will receive friends following the service in the cemetery. Burial will follow the service at Augusta Memorial Park in Waynesboro. Honorary pallbearers will be Matthew Coffman, Steven Coffman, Gary Lee Brubaker, II, Brandon Brubaker, Trip Christian, and Lindsay Coffman. (Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic all current guidelines and restrictions will be followed.) It is suggested those desiring make memorial contributions to Augusta Health Foundation, of Hospice of the Shenandoah, Post Office Box 1000, Fishersville, Virginia 22980. Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory, 230 Frontier Drive, Staunton, Virginia is in charge of his arrangements.
Condolences can be expressed to the family online at www.coffmanfu- neralhome.net Francis R. Coffman CHARLOTTESVILLE Dr. Steven Nichols, 69, a longtime and beloved principal at Robinson Sec- ondary School in Fairfax County, VA and School Superintendent in Amherst County, VA, Staunton City, VA and Jefferson County, WV, passed away on May 8, 2021, at UVA University Hospital after a brief illness. Dr.Nichols enjoyed a forty-seven-year career as an educator in a variety of roles from classroom teacher to Superintendent of Schools. passion for teaching was matched only by his love for his alma mater, The University of Virginia.
The number of students Steve helped and mentored is immeasurable. Dr. Nichols was born on December 26, 1951 in Kingsport, TN to Roy L. andDanaM.Nichols.He had a familymembers preceded him in death. Steve served in various education departments, including Fairfax County, Manassas Park City, VA, Staunton City, VA, Jefferson County, WV, and Amherst County, VA.Dr.Nichols received his and doctoral degrees from the University of Virginia.
He also served as a part-time faculty member at UVA and JamesMadison University.Dr.Nichols was affiliated with Oxford University in the United Kingdom as aVisiting Scholar through his advanced studies in Ethics as well as Transitional Leadership in Public Policy. In 2010, he was elected as a Reader at the Bodleian Library at Oxford. During his career as received the prestigious University of Virginia, Curry School of Education, Superintendent of the Year award. He also received the Phi Delta Kappa Leadership award. Dr.
Nichols also held a degree in American history and was a life-long researcher in various aspects of American history and culture. During his Dr. Nichols was employed as a National Park Ranger with the U.S.National Park Service assigned to several of the national mon- uments andmemorials in area, including an extended period at the White House. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, May 14, 2021, at 11:00 a.m., at St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish, 401 Alderman Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903.
A Vigil will begin at 10:00 a.m. The Rite of Committal and burial will be 2:00 p.m.Monday,May 17, 2021 at the Fairfax Memorial Park Cemetery, 4401 Burke Station Road, Fairfax, VA 22032. Memorial donationsmay bemade inDr.Nichols’memory to theUniversity of Virginia Jeffersonian Historic Buildings Restoration and Maintenance Fund, P.O. Box 40087, Charlottesville, VA 22904 or the St. Jude Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory, 230 Frontier Drive, Staunton is in charge of his arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.coffmanfu- neralhome.net Dr. Steven Nichols Obituaries WAYNESBORO Bri- an Thomas passed away in his home- town of Waynesboro, Vir- ginia, on April 26, 2021 at age 74. He was a former Rahway resident born to the late Stephen and Katherine of Rahway, NJ. He is preced- ed in death by brothers Stephen John, and Kerry.
He is survived by sons Brian and Brennan, and 3 granddaughters Jenna, Echo, and Jordan. Brian served with US Army 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Vietnam where he was se- verely injured during combat in May 1968. He was the recipient of a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal. He soon after started a family and adventured to and lived in various countries in Europe, Mid- dle-East, Western Asia, and the South Pacific. Brian, an artist and UNC Greensboro graduate moved to Virginia where he opened a pottery stu- dio and served as project coordinator for the Blue Ridge Heritage Trail Initiative to preserve unique culture and heritage of the Blue Ridge region.
He was an actor and playwright in the American Shakespeare Center Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA where he also received a Master of Master of Fine Arts from Mary Baldwin University with a thesis on Shakespearian actor speed memorization techniques. Brian, a deeply spiritual man, was active in his local congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was ordained to the of- fice of priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. He loved the message of love, redemption, and salvation through Jesus Christ and desired to share his testimony with any who would listen. Brian will rest at Arlington National Cemetery with an accompanying service announced at a later date. Those wishing may share a memory or an online condolence by visiting www.reynoldshamrickfu- neralhomes.com Arrangements entrusted to the Waynesboro Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes.
540.949.8383 Brian Thomas May you find the courage to face tomorrow in the love that surrounds you today..
