Miriam Virginia Fernald Bodurtha, 93, peacefully passed to her eternal home early Sunday, April 24, 2016.
She was born and raised at her home in Port Haywood where she resided until health issues necessitated moving to the Riverside Convalescent Center in Mathews almost two years ago. She came to view the center as her home and dearly loved the aides and nurses that cared for her.
Miriam retired as a Daily Press carrier in 2006 having faithfully delivered the newspaper for 39 years. The words that best describe her are hardworking, resilient and straightforward. She loved her family and cooking big meals for them. She also enjoyed gardening and cutting grass.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George Vanderslice and Harriet Elizabeth Hudgins Fernald; her husband, William I. Bodurtha Sr.; brothers, Otwood and George Fernald, and son-in-law, Cabell D. Higginbotham.
She is survived by her son, William I. Bodurtha Jr. (Becky) of Mathews; daughters, Nancy B. Higginbotham and Cathy B. Rowe (David) of Mathews; nine grandchildren, Steve Higginbotham, Kelly Jenkins, Vicky Pruitt, John Bodurtha, William Bodurtha, Jennifer Wornom, Joseph, Hannah, and Benjamin Rowe; 16 great-grandchildren, Brandy, Brooke, and Haden Higginbotham, Haley Sullivan, Jon Jenkins, Sarah Jenkins, Jessica Spence, Rachel and Troy Reardon, Travis and Caleb Wyatt, Meghan Pruitt, Alastair and Kallista Bodurtha, Mallory and Cooper Wornom; two great-great-grandchildren, Chance Higginbotham and Jayden Webb; nieces, Rebecca Pereira and Anne Binford, and nephew, Don Fernald.
The family received friends at Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home, Mathews, from 6:30-8 p.m. on Monday, April 25, 2016. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home with interment to follow at H.C. Smithers Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Mathews Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 8, Hudgins, Va. 23076 or to the Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 723, Mathews, Va. 23109.