June Powers’ Obituary BRISTOL, VA June Powers Brinkley of Bristol, Virginia, went to be with the LORD on Thursday March 7, 2019 at home at the Oakmont at Gordon Park in Bristol, Virginia. She was 89 years old. June was born on June 16, 1929, on St. Clair’s Creek in Chilhowie, Virginia.
She was the seventh of the ten children of Lee and Carrie Powers. June married Barty Brinkley, of Greendale, Virginia, on December 22, 1950. They were married 63 years.
June and Barty built their first home in Manassas, Virginia, where their only child, Mona Grey Brinkley (McHaney), was born in 1967. June enjoyed working 19 years as a secretary for Manassas attorney Leonard Lonas. She gave up her job in 1971 to return to Marion, Virginia to help care for her elderly mother.
In later years, the Brinkley family also lived in Gaithersburg, Maryland; Middletown, Maryland; and Apex, North Carolina. They retired in Bristol, Virginia. June was a pistol: quick, cute, and full of fire.
She was the first member of her family to graduate from high school and was voted “Most Witty” by her senior class at Riverside High School. She was always a spiffy dresser. June will be remembered as a devoted mother who was fiercely loyal to her family.
Her husband Barty adored her. Frequently, she opened up her home to overnight guests for weeks or even months at a time. Because she was such a good listener and a wise woman, many people called her with their problems.
June was a “straight-shooter”. She said what she thought. June was hard-working and determined, a good planner and saver.
She liked to dabble in real estate. While she was living in Maryland, she volunteered regularly at a local nursing home and served as the secretary for the Band Boosters of Middletown High School. June was fun to be with and young at heart.
She loved going to the beach. At the age of 70, she began riding jet skis. June is preceded in death by her husband Barty Brinkley; her parents Lee and Carrie Powers; three brothers: James Baker Powers, Elbert Powers, and Clarence Powers; and four sisters: Mabel Powers, Helen Parks, Virginia Heath, and Mae Gibson.
She is survived by her only child Mona McHaney and son-in-law Dr. Mark McHaney, M.D. of Bristol, Virginia, as well as two sisters: Dorothy Pollard of Baltimore, Maryland, and Grey Grinstead of Chilhowie, Virginia. June will also be missed by numerous nephews and nieces, especially Remonia Turturici of Delta, Pennsylvania. The family appreciates June’s amazing care-givers, Judy Fern and Eva Jackson.
She was also blessed by wonderful friends and neighbors, including Gene and Judy Canter and the Perry Family. Many thanks go to the staff of Oakmont at Gordon Park, an assisted-living and memory care facility in Bristol, Virginia. They loved on June like family.
And when June needed hospice care, Caris Healthcare helped make her final days comfortable. June was a life-long member of Macedonia Baptist Church in Chilhowie, Virginia. Services will be held for her there on Saturday, March 9, 2019.
The viewing will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The funeral service will follow at 12:00 PM with Reverend Dennis Eller officiating and June’s daughter Mona will read a tribute to her mother. Afterwards, a short graveside service will be conducted in the Macedonia Church Cemetery.
A luncheon reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. Directions to Macedonia Baptist Church, located at 1183 St. Clairs Creek Rd, Chilhowie, VA, 24319. From Bristol, take I-81 North and get off at Exit 35 for Chilhowie.
Turn right off ramp onto South 762, which becomes Whitetop RD. Pass Hardee’s on your left. Follow a long winding road for 3.
5miles. When you reach a four way stop with yellow flashing lights, continue straight ahead for 0. 2miles until you reach fork in the road.
You will see a sign for Macedonia. Take a left onto St. Clairs Creek RD and drive 2. 1miles on a curvy road.
Look on your left side for Macedonia Baptist Church. It’s a red bricked church perched on the hill. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.
bradleysfh.com. Bradley’s Funeral Chapel of Chilhowie is serving the Brinkley Family.
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