Nelson Lyle Emmons Sr., 71, of Suffolk, Va., passed away Sept. 6, 2009 surrounded by his loving family. He was a native of Borderland, W.V. He was the son of the late David Fox and Pansy Bartram Emmons. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. Nelson was a 1956 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, the class of 1960 Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he was a lieutenant in the Corp of Cadets. He also attended the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, where he met his wife, Ruth. He was a member of Alpha Kappa Psi and the Baptist Student Union at both V.P.I. and UVA. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army with the 6th Missile Battalion 562D Artillery Company. He was the owner/operator of Western Auto and Western Union Associate Store for 44 years in downtown Suffolk.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth Snowden Emmons, of 47 years; daughters and sons-in-law, Linda Nell and Tracy Cooper, of Lynchburg, Va., Maryanne E. and R. Johan Conrod, of Suffolk, Va., Nicole M. Emmons, of Brooklyn, NY.; son, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Nelson L. Jr., and Namkang Emmons, of Honolulu, Hawaii; grandchildren, Teagan D. Cooper, Jacob J. Conrod, Abigail E. Conrod, Emma G. Conrod, Katherine R. Conrod; and an uncle, Chester Bartram, of Canton, Ohio.
A funeral will be held Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009 at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 237 N. Main St., Suffolk, VA 23434, with Dr. Bryan J. Ray and the Rev. Micah Voight officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. Friends may join the family Wednesday night from 7 to 8 p.m. at Parr Funeral Home & Crematory, 3515 Robs Drive, Suffolk, VA. Memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church and the Corps of Cadets at V.P.I., 143 Brodie Hall (0213), Blacksburg, VA 24061. Condolences may be registered online at www.parrfuneralhome.com. Nelson’s family wishes to express their appreciation to the staff of Sentara Obici Hospital and Nansemond Pointe Rehabilitation Center.