Vivian Lorraine Hart Smallridge

Date of Death: January 28, 2024

service

Services will be private

Vivian Lorraine Hart Smallridge, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away peacefully at the Willows in Winchester Virginia on January 28, 2024. Born on January 13, 1926, in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, she grew up on her family’s farm in Bridgeport, WV in the care of her parents, Wilbur and Anna Hart and alongside her siblings, older sister Shirley and younger brothers Glen and Phillip (all deceased).

Working from age 15 at her great uncle’s department store, Parsons — Souders, in Clarksburg, WV, Vivian was able to pay her own way through Potomac State before WWII. On June 20, 1947, she married Kenneth Edward Smallridge (deceased) and they soon moved to Buckhannon, WV. There they had two daughters, Brenda Kay Koonce and Sharon Ann Stickley. Vivian completed her education at West Virginia Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics. Upon completing her education Vivian and family moved to Winchester where Vivian and Kenneth taught in the Frederick County School system. She loved educating young people so they could fulfill their dreams as she had done.

Both Vivian and her husband were avid collectors of Native American art and artifacts. While there was little she enjoyed more than traveling the country in search of such treasures, what brought her the greatest joy was spending time with her grandchildren : Shelly Hart Koonce Day, Kara Kay Koonce Hicks (husband Travis), Anna Lorraine Stickley Harrison (husband Matthew), Swagler Henkle Koonce, Ill (wife Britney), LeeAnn Koonce Porter (husband Andrew), Robert Smallridge Stickley, and Samuel FitzSimons Stickley (wife Emily) as well as her seven great grandchildren: Emma Harrison, Zane and Zoey Day, Vivian and Nathan Porter, Evelyn Hicks, and Estelle Koonce all of whom she is survived by. She also had a special place in her heart for her sons-in-law Swagler Koonce, II and Robert Stickley.

Many thanks to the staff of The Willows at Meadow Branch assisted living where she spent seven happy years and to Blue Ridge Hospice for taking care of her beginning May 2023.

There will be a private graveside service held for Vivian at Shenandoah Memorial Park.

Beth, David and Claire Chasco

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Services will be private

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Our thoughts are with you. May your wonderful memories of Vivian sustain you.

Thinking of all of you and hoping the memories will comfort you as you remember your beloved mother, grandmother. What a special woman. Love to you all! Beth and Dave

I am so sorry for your family's loss. Vivian was a wonderful woman. We so miss having her as our neighbor. She was simply the best.

To all those in the family and community who were touched by Vivian, our condolences for your loss. Vivian was one of my favorite adults since I met her as my science teacher in eighth grade. She won me over the day that she just stopped in the middle of class, put her hand to her chin with a faraway look and said "I think I want to be cremated". She had me from then on. She was an independent thinker and great intellect, a gift that she has passed down to all of you in the family in no small measure. Take care and know that we are thinking of you all.
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Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.