Rebecca (Becki) Irene Fields Easterling
Sister of Timothy Shane Donovant
Rebecca was born September 11, 1982 and was named after three of her grandparents. She was killed in a car wreck on August 1, 2004. Becki loved everything about life and especially spending time with her family and friends.
Becki loved to spend time writing poems and songs. As a teenager she was into cheerleading, softball, Bengal singers, bands and pageants. She was in Girl Scouts for ten years and earned lots of badges. She also received numerous awards for things like 4-H, Bengal singers and band. I remember a 4-H award she received for cornbread. I would pick at her and tell her it was my ribbon because it was my cornbread.
Becki had the most beautiful smile I have ever seen – it would light up the room and you couldn’t help but smile back at her. Her smile made you feel the love and joy that she had about her. Her eyes were so blue it was like looking at the sky through her eyes.
Becki never met a stranger. She was friendly to everybody and showed love and compassion for everyone. I never knew how much she impacted lives until she died and I received letters and cards from strangers saying how friendly she was and that she was always there when they needed her.
Becki never judged people for who they were and she always found good in people.
Becki was blessed in January 2000 to meet her boyfriend Andy. They were married in June of 2002. Rebecca loved spending time with her brother Timothy, even if it was just to watch a movie together. When Timothy died, she sang one last time for him.
Rebecca loved to see new life in everything. I can remember when we planted her flower beds she would call me and let me know every day how they were doing and she would be so excited about how they were growing and blooming.
I thank God every day that he gave me Becki as my daughter and for the time we had together and the memories I have that I will cherish the rest of my life.
From Aunt Cindi:
Becki captured my heart the day she was born. We had a contagious kind of love – the family joked that we got children mixed up. I’ll always remember coordinating her wedding and helping her prepare for Teen Miss All America. It was such an honor helping her. We went to hair salons and got ideas of what to do with her hair and had a makeup artist show us how to do her makeup for the lighting. She was so precious!
She had just gotten her license at the time of the pageant and wanted to drive to Richmond herself so I rode with her and quizzed her all the way as if she was the winner. She was astonishing. She set a mark in life to excel and encouraged others to do the same.
I now envision her glowing all over heaven asking Jesus questions because she always wanted to know what the Bible said about this or that.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God – Matthew 5:8
Patricia Ann Elkins
1943 - 2004
“Pat” as she was called by all, was a very private person. She was a perfectionist. Everything had to be perfect. She was an accountant having worked at Blue Ridge Job Corp for 25 years. Before that she helped set up a bookkeeping system at a new plant in Marion called Mouldings Inc., a wood-working plant. Other than her work, she was real interested in people less fortunate than she. In lieu of flowers, she requested that donations be made to the First Methodist Church “Food and Fellowship” program. This is serving a hot meal in the middle of the day to anyone that wants to come. After the dinner there is a program of singing and bible reading. She had many friends. She was sick from 1996 off and on, having lost a lung to cancer at that time.
Eugene (Joe) Ellison
Husband and father of four, he loved spending time with his family traveling, watching football and most of all reading.
His hobbies were collecting books and cooking. He also loved to make travel plans. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 4 1/2 years and later went to work at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base until sickness forced him out of work.
We love and miss him dearly.
The Ellison Family
Franklin D. Epps
December 28, 1945 – June 5, 2004
God gives us eyes to see all the beautiful things he has created, and a heart to be full of love for those things. Frank Epps used his eyes and his heart for something special, spreading the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Frank never laid eyes on a stranger. His eyes always saw the good in people and his heart was always full of love for all. They say that you can tell a lot by looking into someone’s eyes. By looking into Frank Epps’ eyes you could see the agape love of Christ, an immense love of his family and community and a prime example of the light that God wants us to be to the world.
Erika Lachele Evans
September 9, 1990 – June 26, 2004
Erika was a wonderful, loving daughter and big sister. She was like most 13-year-old girls – she loved listening to music, dancing, and talking on the phone, but most important, she loved God and she was not ashamed of it. Erika is loved and missed by all. Erika’s memory will live forever in our hearts.
Mom, family and friends.
