Obituaries for Tuesday, Nov. 13
Lelia Janice Blackwell, 61, of Dale City, died Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001, at her son’:s home in Fredericksburg after a lengthy battle with cancer.
She worked for Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and loved gardening and animals.
She is survived by one daughter, Lelia E. Blackwell of Dale City; one son, Scott Blackwell of Fredericksburg; one sister, Donna Fawcett of Fredericksburg; and four grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Mountcastle Funeral Home, 4143 Dale Blvd., Dale City, where services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will follow at Pohick Church Cemetery, Lorton.
James M. Kerr
James “Jim” M. Kerr, 42, of Plano, Texas, died Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001, as a result of an accident while road bicycling.
He was a member of the Plano Cycle Club and rode thousands of miles each year in his home area and at cycling events around the nation.
He was a graduate of Woodbridge High School, where he was a member of the Viking marching band. He also attended Virginia Tech, where he received a master’:s degree in electrical engineering. He was employed as an engineering manager at Hewlett Packard in Richardson, Texas.
He was also an amateur chef and food connoisseur. He had an extensive collection of cookbooks and cooking equipment. He attended a chef’:s seminar at The Greenbrier in White Sulfur Springs, W.Va.
He is survived by his parents, Jane and John Kerr of Woodbridge; a brother, John Kerr Jr. of Falls Church; a sister, Janice Ryan of Chantilly; and one niece.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Mountcastle Funeral Home, 13318 Occoquan Road, Woodbridge, where a Christian Wake will be said at 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, 13752 Mary’:s Way, Woodbridge. Interment will follow at Fairfax Memorial Park.
Bruce E. Scruggs
Bruce Edward Scruggs, 43, of Manassas, formerly of Amissville, died Thursday, Nov. 8, 2001, at his home.
Prior to moving to Amissville, he was a longtime resident of Washington, D.C., where he became very involved in hospice care. He was an employee of Safeway Foods, prior to which he was employed with the National Coalition of Citizens for Disabilities. He graduated in 1977 from Stonewall Jackson High School.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Cora Ethel Scruggs, and his brother, John L. Scruggs.
Survivors include his father, Basil D. Scruggs of Manassas; his sisters, Wanda Carolyn Marchand of Fremont, N.H., and Pamela Poundstone of Gainesville; seven nieces and nephews; and four great-nieces and great-nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Price Funeral Home, 9609 Center St., Manassas, the Rev. Chris Rackley officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to a charity of choice.
LaValle F. Van Etten
LaValle Frazier Van Etten, 52, of Stafford, died Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001, at Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.
He was born Aug. 20, 1949, in Margaretville, N.Y., the son of the late LeRoy and Henrietta Frazier Van Etten. He was a U.S. Capitol police officer and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
He is survived by one daughter, Jenny Van Etten; two sons, Timothy Van Etten of Burlington, N.C., and Trevor Van Etten of Charleston, S.C.; one sister, Blanche Ury of Big Indian, N.Y.; three brothers, Dale Van Etten of Waterbury, Conn., Clark Van Etten of Big Indian and Claude Van Etten of Endicott, N.Y.; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today at Mullins & Thompson Stafford Chapel, where a funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, the Rev. Mark A. Miller officiating. Interment will be private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Mid-Atlantic Affiliates Memorials and Tributes Processing Center, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058; Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Victim Assistance Program, 511 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 700, Irving, TX 75062; or the U.S. Capitol Police Memorial Service, 119 D St., NE, Washington, DC 20510.