Virginia Ruth Epperson Sloan

Mrs. Virginia Ruth Epperson Sloan, 90, of 1038 Raven Rock Road, Ararat, VA, passed away Monday morning, January 9, 2012, at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Mrs. Sloan was born February 23, 1921, in Patrick County, VA, the daughter of the late Emmitt Ulysses and Hattie Mae Gunter Epperson. In 1961, Ruth graduated from Winston-Salem School of Practical Nursing. For more than 20 years, she worked as a licensed practical nurse at Northern Hospital of Surry County, with most of her experience in the labor and delivery unit. Many mothers remember her rocking their babies in the nursery. In 1997, Ruth was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease, which caused much discomfort and severely limited her activities. In spite of her disabilities, she never gave up, fighting to the end to be the best she could be. With whatever life threw, she faced it head on and fought to overcome whatever obstacle was hindering her life. Mrs. Sloan was a member of The Fellowship Church in Ararat, VA. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Patricia Ann and Benjamin C. Young of Rural Hall; two sons and daughters-in-law, Floyd Gerald and Ruth Snyder Sloan of Keyesport, IL, and Gilbert Leslie "Les" and Polly Bowman Sloan of Mount Airy; six grandchildren, Jon Young and Sandra Moore, both of Winston-Salem, Michael Young of Rural Hall, Dale Sloan of Smithboro, IL, Lee Sloan of Yadkinville, and Renay Dalton of Mount Airy; twelve great-grandchildren; a great-stepgrandchild; a great-great-grandchild; three sisters-in-law, Wilma Sloan Godfrey of Statesville, Hilda J. Sloan of Hamptonville, and Margaret O'Connor Epperson of Ararat, VA; a brother-in-law, Fred B. Sloan of Hamptonville; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Sloan was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Green Sloan; two grandchildren, Angela Kay Sloan and Daniel Gerald Sloan; a sister, Annie Lee Epperson Sloan; and three brothers, Ronald E. Epperson, William Gunter "Bill" Epperson, and Charles Ray Epperson. The funeral service will be held Thursday, January 12, 2012, at 11:00 AM at The Fellowship Church, with the Rev. Kelly Giese and the Rev. Charles Moore officiating. Burial will follow in the Unity Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 7:00 until 9:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home in Mount Airy, where her body will remain until carried to the church to lie-in-state 30 minutes prior to the funeral service. The family may also be contacted at The Young Farm, 424 Youngs View Trail, Ararat, VA. Flowers will be accepted, or memorial contributions may be made to The Fellowship Church, P.O. Box 80, Ararat, VA 24053.