May 4, 1932 – May 14, 2025
It is with sadness that we announce that our mother, Virginia Brown East, passed into the arms of Jesus Christ on May 14, 2025. In our sadness, we find peace in knowing that her time of suffering has been replaced with clarity, and the joy of being in God’s presence by the side of our father, Thomas Evan East.
Mama grew up within a large family of 10 brothers and sisters on a farm alongside the Staunton River in Leesville, Va. She was the proud daughter of Thomas Lowry Brown and Mary Emma Brown. If you knew our mother, you know that she was fiercely independent and unable to do anything less than full speed. Somewhat embarrassingly, we daughters never had to wash a dish, make a bed, or scrub a floor because she did not have it within her to wait for something to get done! Yet, she still taught, by loving example, how to maintain a happy home and was intensely proud of her three daughters. She possessed a divine calling for hospitality. Daddy was a proud Virginia State Trooper and always welcomed new troopers into our home for Mama’s delicious meals. Thereafter, they would stop by regularly to eat at Mama’s kitchen table while she and Daddy recruited them to church on Sunday.
Mama was a 60+ year member of Troutville Baptist Church. For many years she served in the church kitchen leaning on her gift of hospitality. She joyfully sang in the choir and loved her Sunday School class. Our mother was a beautiful woman with a sweet smile always adorned with her one necessity… good lipstick. “Estee Lauder Starlit Pink,” to be exact.
She worked off and on as her daughters grew older, but primarily was the consummate housewife to a husband she adored. She lived a full and happy life and by grace and through faith has experienced the gift of salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”
She was preceded in death by eight siblings and has one surviving sister, Jeanette Brown Dowdy. She leaves to cherish her sweet memory, three daughters: Cheryl Ratliff (Gary) of Troutville, Sandra Reeves (Steve) of Vinton and Cynthia Shaver (Scott) of Staunton; six grandchildren, Emma Hope Cotes, Ashley Pennington-Tripp, Blake Ratliff, Kelley Reeves Shifflett, Parker Reeves and Kelsey Shaver. She was blessed with 10 great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 3 at Troutville Baptist Church, officiated by the Rev. Carol Johnston. Visitation will be from 12 to 1 p.m. prior to the service.
Words cannot express the appreciation we have for Brookdale Roanoke Memory Care. The staff at Brookdale lovingly cared for our mother and did everything in their power to preserve her dignity, independence and sense of self. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Brookdale Roanoke team for the upcoming 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Checks should be written to the Alzheimer’s Association with a notation of “Virginia East” and mailed to: Brookdale Roanoke, 1127 Persinger Road, SW, Roanoke, 24015, or by visiting this link to donate online: http://act.alz.org/goto/reeves.
Arrangements are by Oakey’s East Chapel and Crematory, 540-977-3909.
