WHEREAS, Mary Fannie Burton Woodruff, esteemed proprietor and beloved member of the Monroe community, died on May 11, 2021; and

WHEREAS, in 1952, Mary Woodruff and her husband, James, opened Woodruff's Store in Monroe, proudly serving the community's fuel and other needs for more than 30 years; and

WHEREAS, after Mary Woodruff's daughter Angela reincarnated the store as Woodruff's Pies in 1998, Mary Woodruff remained a fixture in the store, greeting guests with stories and hymns well past her 100th birthday; and

WHEREAS, Mary Woodruff was an active and engaged member of her community who extended her gift for singing to several nursing facilities in the Monroe area to the delight of residents; and

WHEREAS, guided throughout her life by her faith, Mary Woodruff enjoyed worship and fellowship with her community at Chestnut Grove Baptist Church in Monroe, where she served as a pianist for more than 60 years and as a deaconess; and

WHEREAS, preceded in death by her loving husband, James, and her son, Walter, Mary Woodruff will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by her children, James, Jr., Darnette, Darnelle, and Angela, and their families; and by numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Mary Fannie Burton Woodruff, a treasured member of the Monroe community whose kindness and generosity touched countless lives; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Mary Fannie Burton Woodruff as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for her memory.