Herbert Howard Sawyers

Mr. Herbert Howard Sawyers, 68, of 3387 Friends Mission Road, Ararat, VA, passed away Monday, October 31, 2011, at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Mr. Sawyers was born May 6, 1943, in Patrick County, VA, the son of the late Jimmy and Susan Iris Goins Sawyers. Herbert worked at Proctor-Silex Inc. for many years and later farmed. He is survived by his wife, Traci Knowles Sawyers; two daughters, Annette Sawyers (Thom Lawrence) and Melinda Sawyers, both of Ararat, VA; five sons and a daughter-in-law, Anthony and Sharon Sawyers of Cana, VA, Greg Sawyers, Brandon Sawyers, and Joey Knowles, all of Ararat, VA, and Roger Sawyers of Dobson; fourteen grandchildren, including a special granddaughter and her husband, Shelia and Samuel Ashburn; six great-grandchildren; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Ray and Brenda Sawyers of Mount Airy and David and Mary "Cookie" Sawyers of Ararat, VA; several nieces and nephews; and a special friend, Ann Knowles. In addition to his parents, Mr. Sawyers was preceded in death by a son, Bradley Sawyers; a sister, Irene White; and a brother, Haywood Sawyers. The funeral service will be held Thursday, November 3, 2011, at 2:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home Chapel in Mount Airy, with the Rev. Harlow Goins and the Rev. Odell White officiating. Burial will follow in the New Beginning Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at the funeral home.