Helen Aline Dunford Blair, age 86, of Ivanhoe, VA passed away Saturday, September 7, 2024. She was born June 2, 1938, daughter of the late Walter and Helen Dunford. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Clyde Blair and siblings, Marie Dunford, Sue Stroupe,
Deedom Dunford, Debbie Ruiz, Phyllis Sayers and Lou Davis.

Survivors include her daughter, Trevia Blair and son and-daughter-in-law, Bobby Blair and Patty; grandchildren, Shaun Blair (Melody) and Heather Sawyers (Jared); her pride and joy, great-granddaughter, Ryleigh Quesenberry; great-grandchildren, Clay Sawyers, Cody
Sawyers (Lyndsi), Levi Sawyers; great-great-grandchildren, Liam Sawyers and Paisley Sawyers; her siblings, Frank Dunford (Mary), Jean Stroupe, Maxine Stroupe, Elvie Ferguson, Trish Goodson and Darlene Funk.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at the Barnett Funeral Home with Chase Sink and Cheyenne Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Ivanhoe, VA.
The family will receive friends Tuesday evening, September 10 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

A Tribute to My Mawmaw

For exactly 34 years and two days, I was loved by the greatest woman I've ever known. Mawmaw's life from the very beginning was anything but easy. Being the second oldest child of 13, she became a caretaker at a very young age. First helping too raise her siblings, then she married at 15 years old and not long after started raising her own kids, then grandkids, then raising everyone else's. If you're between 30-45 and grew up in or around Ivanhoe, Mawmaw probably had some hand in raising you.

Mawmaw never had a lot of material things but what she did have she took care of. She was known for her housekeeping being able to "eat off her floors" and if her bed was made (which it always was) you better not sit on it. Mawmaw made the best of what she had. If something needed to be done or fixed and she didn't know how, she'd figure it out someway somehow. If that meant putting cardboard up to cover a hole in the wall, or duct tape or supergluing something back together, that's what she did.

Mawmaw loved Gunsmoke, Maury, and Loretta Lynn. She loved fruit cake, butter pecan ice cream, and buttermilk with cornbread. If she gave you a  birthday or Christmas card, it'd always have "a little piece of money" clipped in it with a bobby-pin.

Mawmaw taught me a lot of things at a very young age. She taught me how to cook and bake. How to wash dishes and clean house. How to paint a room, swing a hammer and use a screwdriver, and how to make do with what I had. I didn't realize it then but she was preparing me. Preparing me to be independent. Preparing me to be able to take care of myself. Preparing me to never have to rely on anyone for anything because she knew all too well how hard life could be and she wanted me to be ready for it. She made me a stronger person. She made me believe that if I was determined enough I could do and survive anything, because she had.

Mawmaw always put everyone else before herself. If she was struggling or hurting, you would never know because she wouldn't want to worry anybody. She was the last one to fix her plate at any meal because she always wanted to make sure everyone else had plenty. She would give you her last bite of food and the last dime she had. She was selfless. Anytime I was leaving the house whether it was just to go to work or if I was going out of town, she'd always call me to make sure I had money for food and gas.

Mawmaw is the one person in my life that I can honestly say has never once let me down. She was my constant. She was small but she was fierce. She would have fought the devil for me and never thought twice about it. She was my biggest cheerleader, my secret keeper, the one I could tell anything to with no fear of judgement. She was always on my side even when I was wrong. There never has been and never will be another person in my life that meant as much to me as my Mawmaw did. She was my person. When I felt like the whole world was against me, she was there. I don't know how to live this life without her, but I have to. I have to reach down deep like I'm sure Mawmaw had to do many times in her life, and find the strength to keep going. Mawmaw loved Jesus and was ready for Heaven an if anyone deserved Heaven it was my Mawmaw.    You will be missed, Heather

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.highlandfuneralservice.com
Barnett Funeral Home, Wytheville, VA is serving the Blair family.