Edythe Ballard Small passed away peacefully on April 1, 2012, at the age of 97 at Lake Prince Woods. A devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Edythe will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Edythe was born in Suffolk, Va., on Jan. 24, 1915. Daughter of the late Otelia Parker and Arthur Brown Ballard, Edythe was a life-long resident of Suffolk. She was a graduate of Suffolk High School and Blackstone College in Winchester, Va., where she majored in voice. She married Robert Landes Small in 1941 and shared a 50-year marriage with him. Edythe performed as guest soloist for numerous church services, weddings and civic clubs in the area. She loved music and grew up listening to the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts with her mother. At one time she was a member of the Golden Voices at Lake Prince.

A life-long Methodist, Edythe was a charter member of Oxford United Methodist Church, where she served on the executive board and sang in the choir. She was president of the Oxford United Methodist Women. She was an officer and member of the District United Methodist Women in Portsmouth. She was president of the Social Club and a charter member of the Westover Garden Club. Edythe was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Constantia Chapter.

Edythe careered with the American Red Cross and was the executive director of the Winchester-Frederick County Chapter after college. In 1936, she became the first executive secretary of the Suffolk-Nansemond Chapter of the American Red Cross. Between the years of 1936 and 1967 she was to serve the chapter two more times as executive director.

Edythe is survived by her loving children, Susan Small Spaulding and husband, Tuck Spaulding, of Mission Hills, Kan., and Robert Landes Small Jr. and wife, Pati Small, of Virginia Beach; grandchildren, Brooke Spaulding Beasley and husband, Marc Beasley, of Denver, Colo., Robert Barton Spaulding, of Denver, Colo., Ann Ballard Spaulding Fasel and husband, Geoffrey Fasel, of Kansas City, Mo., Robyn Small Hoyle and husband, Eric Hoyle, of Charlottesville, Va., and step-granddaughter Brett Elizabeth Johnson, of Virginia Beach. Edythe has six great-grandchildren, Parker Rollins Beasley, Charles Ashton Beasley and William Robert Beasley, of Denver, and Page Edythe Fasel, Edward Harrison Fasel and Della Ann Fasel, of Kansas City. She is survived by her brother-in-law, William Holmes Small and wife, Lena Small, of Suffolk, and two nephews, Christopher Thornton Small, of Richmond, Va., and William Holmes Small Jr., of Alamogordo, N.M., and niece, Evelyn Small Traub and husband, Dave Traub, of Richmond. She also is survived by cousins Anne Scott Click and Frederick Parker Norfleet, of Richmond, Va., children of her first cousin Anne Parker White.

Edythe was devoted to her family and friends and was affectionately called Grandmother, Grams and G-Mo by her grandchildren. She cherished the opportunity to share time with her six great-grandchildren. The family will miss her sweet and gentle qualities that endeared her to all who loved her. She will be forever missed, but her happy and loving life of 97 years was an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

The family wants to thank the Lake Prince Woods staff and Janet Phillips, Brenda Tooley and Cathy Scott for their special love and friendship. The family also appreciates the services of Odyssey Hospice.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at Cedar Hill Cemetery at 1 p.m. A reception celebrating her life will follow at Lake Prince Woods, 100 Anna Goode Way, Suffolk. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Lake Prince Woods, 100 Anna Goode Way, Suffolk, VA 23434 or The American Red Cross, Suffolk Chapter, 157 N. Main St., Suite C, Suffolk, VA 23434 or Oxford United Methodist Church, 601 W. Washington St., Suffolk, VA 23434. R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the family. Condolences may be registered at www.rwbakerfh.com.