Mrs. Mary Ethel Cox Vernon

Mary Ethel Cox Vernon, of Cana, Virginia, widow of Calvin Clayton Vernon died Tuesday, December 6, 2011, in Houston, Texas. Ethel was born October 3, 1916, the daughter of Herman Glenn and Minnie Bailiff Cox of Crooked Creek, Virginia. She graduated from Radford College and began teaching at Elkhorn School in Virginia at age 17. She then moved to Cana, Virginia, where she taught at West Liberty School. Mrs. Vernon also taught at Lambsburg School in Lambsburg, Virginia, Franklin School in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, and at St. Paul School in Cana, Virginia. Her teaching career spanned 38 years. While at St. Paul, Mrs. Vernon taught seventh, eighth, and ninth grade English and Language Arts and served as the school librarian. During her career she also taught physical education and driver's education. Mrs. Vernon coached girls' softball, basketball and cheerleading. She completed her Master's Degree in Education at Radford University in 1972. She retired from teaching in the Fall of 1978 to care for her mother. She later continued to teach as a long term substitute at St. Paul. She loved music, reading, working with young people, watching and playing a wide range of sports, and spending time with her family. Mrs. Vernon is survived by a sister, Edna Sigmon of Baltimore, Maryland, and two daughters, Linda June Vernon Parker and a son-in-law, Roy, of Spring, Texas; and Dr. Elizabeth Ann Vernon Heath and son-in-law Roby of Clifton Forge, Virginia. She also has three granddaughters (Stephanie Robinson Cox, Jennifer Robinson Allen, and Dr. Mary Amelia Heath), one grandson (Patrick H. Clayton Heath), and three great-grandchildren (Clayton and Brody Allen, and Virginia Cox.) She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters and two brothers, and one daughter (Mary Edna Vernon.) Mrs. Vernon is also survived by a very special and beloved niece, Claudia McKinney Bryant, of Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Mrs. Vernon's body will rest at Moody Funeral Home in Mt. Airy until the viewing which will be held at Calvary Baptist Church at 12:30 December 14 . The funeral will follow at the church at 2 PM Interment will be at Flower Gap Primitive Baptist Church in Cana, Virginia, where she will rest next to her husband and lifelong companion of 60 years, Clayton Vernon. In lieu of flowers, you may make donations to the Ethel Vernon Memorial Scholarship Fund. Checks may be sent to the Carroll County Scholarship Foundation at PO Box 517, Hillsville, VA 24343. Please make a notation on the check that the donation is for the Ethel Vernon Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship will be awarded to a student from the Cana area who plans to pursue a degree in education at Radford University, Mrs. Vernon's alma mater.