Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® President, Sharen Gromling, is pleased to announce the area’s top high school and college student-athletes.  Students are chosen each year to represent their school during the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast which takes place during the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® on Saturday morning, May 6, 2023, at 8:00 am inside the Tolley Dental Zone at James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center on the campus of Shenandoah University.

The 2023 outstanding local student-athletes include:

Andrew Link, James Wood

Andrew has earned both his academic and varsity letters at James Wood. He has earned two for football, two for basketball and will earn his fourth letter this season in track and field. Honors include being Team Captain for basketball and track. Andrew earned All-State Honors in 2021 for both the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles and in 2022 for 300 meter hurdles. He earned a district championship in the 300m hurdles in 2021 and 2022 and in the 110m hurdles in 2022. He also earned a regional championship for 300m hurdles in 2022 and 55m hurdles in 2023.  He is 3rd all-time at James Wood in both the 55m and 300m hurdles. Andrew earned the “Most Outstanding Sprinter/Hurdler” award by his coaches in 2021 and 2022. He has been a two-year starter for basketball and earned the “Coaches Award” for basketball in 2023. He played Tight End, Wide Receiver, and Linebacker for varsity football.  Andrew was also awarded “Senior Player of the Game” for football in 2022 and earned the Sportsmanship award.  Andrew is an Eagle Scout and member of the National Honor Society.  Andrew has a 4.15 GPA and plans to attend the United States Coast Guard Academy where he will continue running track.

Jamie Mae Kelly – Skyline High School

Jamie Mae Kelly is from Front Royal, Virginia and attends Skyline High School. Over her four-year high school career, Jamie has earned 12 varsity letters (4 volleyball/4 basketball/4 softball).  In volleyball, Jamie was Team Captain her junior and senior seasons. During her junior season she was Second Team All-District. Her senior season Jamie was First Team All-District, Second Team All-Region, and First Team NV Daily All-Area team while also being voted Skyline Volleyball MVP. As a three-time team MVP basketball player, Jamie was Second Team All-District as a freshman, First Team All-District and Second Team All-Region in both her sophomore and junior seasons, before exploding into First Team All-District and First-Team All-Region her senior season.  Jamie was on the Strasburg Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team during both her junior and senior years, as well as First Team NV Daily All-Area team both her junior and season seasons.  Jamie reached a career milestone this past season when she scored her 1000th career point and leaves the Hawks as their second all-time leading scorer.  Currently in her senior softball season, Jamie Kelly earned both Second Team All-District and Second Team All-Region her sophomore and junior seasons and was awarded First-Team NV Daily All-Area as a junior shortstop/pitcher.  Jamie has a 3.52 GPA and has signed to play collegiate softball for Potomac State College next season.

Sara Waller – Warren County High School

Sara has earned 11 Varsity letters for Warren County High School, playing 4 years of Varsity Volleyball and Softball, and 3 years of Varsity Basketball. Sara has been named 2nd team All-District and 2nd team All-Region for her sophomore and junior years in Softball and junior year in basketball. Sara has been a 4-year starter and 2-year team captain on the varsity volleyball team where she earned 2nd team All-District and All-Region honors as a sophomore and 1st team All-District and All-Region honors as a junior. During the 2022 season, Sara helped lead her team to a Region 3B Championship and State Semi-Final appearance. During this run, Sara was named 1st team All-District, 1st team All-Region along with Region 3B Player of the Year and 1st team All-State for Class 3. Sara was also named the 2022 Northern Virginia Daily Player of the Year. Sara is ranked 5th in her graduating class with a 4.19 GPA. She is the Senior Class Vice-President, the National Honor Society Historian, and the Vice President of Hospitality for the Warren County High School DECA program which competes at the National level. Sara intends to continue her volleyball career in college while studying Marine Biology.

Emma Ahrens – Sherando High School

Emma Ahrens has earned 10 varsity letters at Sherando (4 cross country/2 indoor track/3 outdoor track/1 band).  She is a five-time state qualifier, and two time state medalist in cross country and the indoor 3200m. She is also a national qualifier in the indoor 3200m and 5000m. Emma earned Winchester Star and Northern Virginia Daily honors in each of her seasons between freshman and senior year. She also plays two instruments in multiple bands at Sherando and is active in Student Council and National Honors Society.  Emma has a 4.25 GPA and has committed to run cross country and track for Concordia University Wisconsin in the fall.

Christopher LeBlanc- Clarke County High School

Christopher LeBlanc has earned 6 Varsity letters, 4 from Soccer and 2 from football. Due to covid his freshman year he was a 3-year starter at the midfield/attacking positions from his sophomore year to senior. In his sophomore season from 2020-21 he earned 1st team All-District, and Region. His junior season from 2021-22 he won the Class 2 state championship and earned 1st team All-District, Region, and all Area by the Winchester Star. He also earned 2nd team All-State. For his current senior season, he is expected to perform well again and make a deep run into states. During his 2021-22 junior season in football, he earned 1st team All-District, Region, and Area by the Winchester Star for punting and kicking. His senior year from 2022-23 he earned 1st team All-District, Region, Area by the Winchester Star, and 2nd team state, for punting. He earned 2nd team All-District, Region, Area by the Winchester Star, and state for kicking. Chris was also a member of the Screamin’ Eagles Marching Band from his 8th-10th grade years and was a section leader starting his freshman year. He has also been a member of DECA since his junior year. Christopher has a 3.889 GPA and has signed a letter of intent with Shenandoah University to play football.

Emerson Fusco – Handley High School

Emerson Fusco has earned 7 varsity letters at John Handley High School.  He was a 3-year starter in Football as a Defensive Back and Running Back.  He earned All-District and All-Region Honors his junior and senior years and was All-Area for the Winchester Star both seasons.  On the hardwood for the Judges, Fusco was a 4-year starter.  He was All-District and All-Region and was the Northwestern District Player of the Year his junior and senior years.  Additionally, he was voted the Region 4C Player of the Year his senior season and garnered All-State Honors.  He also scored the 2nd most points all time at Handley, scoring 43 points in a playoff game vs Sherando.  He was also the Winchester Star Player of the Year his junior year (has not been released to date for 2022-23). He has a 3.4 GPA and will play college basketball next year.

Nicholas Hayden- Millbrook High School

Nicholas Hayden is a senior cross country/track and field athlete from Millbrook High School. Nicholas has earned state titles in the 800m outdoor and 1000m indoor races. He also has five district titles and two region titles between track and cross country. He holds Millbrook High School records in the 500m, 800m, 1000m, 5000m, and 4x400m relay. He was the 2022 Winchester Start Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Nicholas is a member of Millbrook’s Chapter of the National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America. Nicholas has a 4.465 GPA and will attend and run track for Columbia University, majoring in Finance.

Kailyn Allanson – Legacy Christian Academy

Kailyn Allanson is a senior at Legacy Christian Academy.  She has played Varsity Volleyball for 4 years and was a part of the 2022 National Championship team.  Kailyn has a GPA of 3.18.  She will attend Arizona State University to study Criminal Justice.

Miles Moore – Shenandoah University

Miles Moore from Richmond, Virginia graduated from Manchester High School. He is currently a senior at Shenandoah University and ran all 4 years for the Hornets while playing football 2 of those years. He has set numerous records at Shenandoah breaking the 100 meter dash, indoor 200 meters dash, outdoor 200 dash, 4x100m relay, and the 4x200m relay records. Miles is a 6-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) champion. He received USTFCCCA All-American in March for the Indoor 200 meters placing 8th at the NCAA Championships. Miles earned USTFCCCA All-Region, All-ODAC, and VaSID All-State.  Miles intends to use final year of eligibility to run at Mount St. Mary University receiving his master’s degree in Sports Management.

Ella Drury – Mountain View Christian Academy

Ella Drury has been a student of Mountain View Christian Academy for the last four years. She is a member of the graduating class of 2023 and is President of the Academy’s Student Government Association. During her high school career, she has been an SGO and National Honor Society member for two years and a member of Mountain View’s Drama department for all four. She played varsity volleyball her junior and senior year as a middle hitter. She is also a part of the Academy’s Chapel Worship team, where she sings and plays guitar. Ella has a GPA of 3.7.  After high school Ella plans to stay in her hometown of beautiful Winchester, VA to work and save money until she feels secure enough to move to New York City, where she will begin a career in acting.

Tickets to the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast are available at www.thebloom.com/events.

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On March 25, 2023, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution with Middletown, cosponsored a commemoration to National Vietnam Veterans Day.  This day has been set aside to honor those veterans who served during the Vietnam Era and those who did not return. On March 29, 2012 President Barack Obama proclaimed this day as Vietnam War Veterans Day. On March 29th local veterans asked the community to fly American flags to commemorate and honor the service and sacrifice of all Vietnam veterans, alive or fallen.  March 29 was chose because it was on this day in 1973 the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was disbanded and U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam.  At President Obama’s proclamation, he called for appropriate programs and ceremonies to commemorate the war. From The American Presidency Project, “Proclamation 8829 — Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War (2019)”:  “As we observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, we reflect with solemn reverence upon the valor of a generation that served with honor. We pay tribute to the more than 3 million servicemen and women who left their families to serve bravely, a world away from everything they knew and everyone they loved. From Ia Drang to Khe Sanh, from Hue to Saigon and countless villages in between, they pushed through jungles and rice paddies, heat and monsoon, fighting heroically to protect the ideals we hold dear as Americans. Through more than a decade of combat, over air, land, and sea, these proud Americans upheld the highest traditions of our Armed Forces.

Marshall DeHaven leading the Pledge of Allegiance.

“As a grateful Nation, we honor more than 58,000 patriots—their names etched in black granite—who sacrificed all they had and all they would ever know. We draw inspiration from the heroes who suffered unspeakably as prisoners of war, yet who returned home with their heads held high. We pledge to keep faith with those who were wounded and still carry the scars of war, seen and unseen. With more than 1,600 of our service members still among the missing, we pledge as a Nation to do everything in our power to bring these patriots home.”

On December 26, 2016, the Vietnam Veterans Day Coalition of States Council presented a letter to President Elect Donald Trump and Congressional leadership requesting March 29th be established as Vietnam War Veterans Day.  President Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 on March 28, 2017.  This officially recognized March 29th as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

The ceremony was emcee’d by Dale Corey and Marc Robinson of the Colonel James Wood II Chapter with greetings and wreaths provided by Mayor Charles Harbaugh of Middletown and Ernie Coggins, President of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution.  Marshall DeHaven, compatriot of the SAR and Korean War Veteran led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Dale Corey presented a tribute to veterans of the Vietnam Era with the POW/MIA flag posted by Vietnam Veteran Jerry Headley.

Kneeling l. to r. Paul Christensen, Thomas “Chip” Daniel, Edie McGoth, Nancy Braswell, Leslie Caliva, Ken Bonner. Seated l. to r. Jim Simmons, Ernie Coggins, Marc Robinson, Mike Weyler, Phil Hunter. Standing l. to r. Dave Cook, Richard Tyler, Paul Parish, Bryan Buck, Erick Moore, Will Reynolds, Charles Jameson, Bill Schwetke, Brett Osborn, Dale Corey, Doug Hall, Sean Carrigan and Kelly Ford.

Additional wreaths honoring the veterans of the era were presented by Thomas “Chip” Daniel (Colonel James Wood II Chapter), Dave Cook (Fairfax Resolves), Charles Jameson (Culpeper Minutemen), Bryan Buck (Fort Harrison), Paul Parish (General Daniel Morgan), Ken Bonner (Sgt Maj John Champe), Doug Hall (Order of Founders and Patriots of America), Cat Schwetke (Fauquier Courthouse DAR), Anita Bonner (Fair Lanes DAR), Ray Steele (Middletown) and the American Red Cross represented by Leslie Caliva, Edie McGoth and Nancy Braswell.

A musket salute was fired by the Virginia State Color Guard commanded by Brett Osborn. Color guard members included Ken Bonner, Bryan Buck, Sean Carrigan, Paul Christensen, Dave Cook, Dale Corey, Chip Daniel, Kelly Ford, Doug Hall, Phil Hunter, Erick Moore, Brett Osborn, Paul Parish, Will Reynolds, Marc Robinson, Bill Schwetke and Richard Tyler.

Virginia State Musket Squad preparing to fire a salute.

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Editor’s note: If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Almost everyone agrees that putting money behind the national suicide and crisis hotline is a good thing.

But not everyone thinks a new phone tax is the best way to pay for it.

Since the crisis line’s easy-to-remember 988 number launched last July, its use has increased significantly. The lifeline had 404,194 calls, chats, and texts in February alone, an increase of 161,678 contacts over February 2022.

Calls answered increased by 48%, chats answered by 247%, and texts by 1,599%. (Some calls went unanswered, either because a caller hung up or there was a technical service interruption.)

An infusion of federal money to the national nonprofit that administers 988 and to local call centers that historically have received little or no federal aid has largely covered the expense of launching the new number and the recent increase in volume. But in the future, state and local governments still will be responsible for funding the local centers where calls are first routed, leaving many budget writers grappling with how to cover the costs as demand increases.

When Congress passed a law in 2020 requiring the Federal Communications Commission to designate 988 as a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline, it also allowed states to enact new telecommunications fees to fund 988 operations. Yet only five states have done so: California, Colorado, Nevada, Virginia, and Washington.

Virginia’s mental health hotline launches amid fears it won’t meet expectations

Six other states have pending legislation that would impose a fee: Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont, according to the education and advocacy nonprofit National Alliance on Mental Illness.

About 20 other states this year have either passed or are considering other 988-related legislation, ranging from providing money for the 988 programs or for mobile crisis services to creating a task force or launching a study of potential funding sources, the alliance said.

Officials knew that the 988 number would significantly increase contact volumes, meaning states would need to come up with more funding for call centers; that’s why Congress allowed states to impose a telecom fee. And the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which oversees the crisis line, wants the transition to 988 to spur the growth of a robust system that links callers to community-based providers who can deliver a full range of crisis care services, such as mobile crisis teams or stabilization centers.

States had about a year and a half from the passage of the federal law to the launch of 988, noted Stephanie Pasternak, director of state affairs for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Pasternak said 988 implementations has happened fast, “and that’s been a challenge, I think, for states in terms of really figuring out exactly how much funding they need and where they need to pull that funding from.”

The group wants states to enact comprehensive laws as they transition to a more robust 988 hotline, which means answering a few key questions, she said.

“Number one, what does 988 look like in their state?” Pasternak said. “How is it going to be sustained financially, and who’s in charge?”

Sustainable funding could come from a phone fee, included in people’s monthly phone bills, or through recurring spending, she said. For example, Ohio lawmakers have proposed a recurring line item in the state budget to pay for 988. The Ohio spending bill would provide nearly $21 million in fiscal 2024 and nearly $26 million in fiscal 2025 “to support statewide operations and related activities” of the lifeline.

But many states already charge a monthly phone fee to pay for 911; now, some are debating whether to do the same for 988.

“Anytime you want to have a discussion about adding a new statewide fee, that’s just always a politically challenging conversation to have,” Pasternak said.

How it works

People experiencing a suicidal, substance use or mental health crisis can call, chat or text the line 24 hours a day. The former 10-digit number 800-273-8255, which was launched in 2005, still functions as well.

Calls are routed to the local lifeline network crisis center, based on the caller’s area code; if a local center can’t take the call, it is routed to a national backup crisis center.

There’s a network of more than 200 state and local independently operated call centers. The national backup centers are run by the nonprofit Vibrant Emotional Health, which administers the lifeline on behalf of the federal government.

It’s largely up to state governments to fund the local call centers. In-state counselors are more likely to be familiar with local resources and may be better able to provide referrals or assistance.

In 2021, Washington state passed a law imposing a tax on phone service to fund the 988 line.

Consumers there now pay 40 cents monthly per line. The fee brings in about $11 million each year, according to Crosscut.

But 988 efforts in Washington state continue. The state House this month unanimously approved a bill that would require the state to develop informational materials and a social media campaign related to the 988 crisis hotline, boost training for responders, fund mobile rapid response crisis teams and report data on hotline use. It awaits action in the state Senate.

Federal and state efforts also focus on some groups particularly at risk. Military veterans now can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.

In November, Washington state launched the country’s first crisis response line dedicated to serving American Indian and Alaska Native people. Anyone calling 988 from a Washington state area code can press 4 to be connected to the Native and Strong Lifeline; calls are answered by Native crisis counselors.

During the pandemic, American Indians experienced suicide and overdose attempt rates at least two times higher than that of non-American Indians, according to the state.

Debate over phone fees

Oregon legislators are considering a bill that would establish a monthly tax of 50 cents per phone line. A House committee approved the bill this month.

At a February hearing, Dwight Holton, CEO of the regional nonprofit Lines for Life, testified that the volume his organization handled rose after the 988 number launched, from 14,956 contacts in the July 2021-January 2022 period to 21,094 in the July 2022-January 2023 period.

Several advocacy groups lent their support to the bill, saying it would provide stable funding for a needed resource; those groups include the Urban League of Portland, Our Children Oregon, the Oregon chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Everytown for Gun Safety.

But the Oregon chapters of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials and the National Emergency Number Association opposed the legislation. While they support 988 efforts, officials from the two groups said, adding a new tax on phone lines unrelated to 911 would “confuse” the straightforward approach to funding 911.

“What we do not support is any entity encroaching on the tax that we have worked long and hard for repeatedly,” officials said in written testimony. “We feel that any further taxes or increasing our tax to fund other things is an open invitation for many others to want their piece of that pie and it would risk our ability to successfully continue down the road.”

Jake Lestock of the wireless communications trade group CTIA encouraged legislators to use other state and federal money to support the 988 program. He noted most states have gone that route rather than enacting a new tax, which he said would especially affect working families and Oregonians with financial challenges. But if lawmakers do choose a tax, he added, it “should be kept as low as possible and justified by data.”

“These types of taxes are highly regressive. Wireless phones are the gateway to the internet for many Oregonians.”

In Minnesota, Democrats have introduced bills in the House and Senate that would impose a phone fee of between 12 cents and 25 cents per month, with the exact amount to be recommended by the commissioner of health.

During a February hearing of the House Human Services Policy Committee, bill sponsor state Rep. Jessica Hanson said that since 988 launched, Minnesota’s four call centers have increased their call load by 44%, web chats by 173%, and texts by 250%.

“It’s critical that calls to 988 from Minnesotans be answered in our own state so that connections to local resources and mobile crisis response can be made as needed,” the Democrat said.

But Republican state Rep. Dave Baker suggested that rather than create a new fee, the funding should be taken out of current phone taxes or fees already being charged to consumers. He said he’d like to offer an amendment to that effect as the bill progresses.

Hanson responded that the fee would create a stable structure to fund the program that couldn’t be changed — and that it purposely would draw residents’ attention.

“When folks look at their cellphone bills, they see a 911 fee,” Hanson said. “We want people to see a 988 fee so that if they themselves ever face this, maybe they’ll be like, ‘What is this 988 fee?’ and hopefully will look it up. So, there is a piece of this that is to help spread the word.”

Wyoming lawmakers considered a different funding model: a long-term trust fund. A new law signed in February creates a 988 trust fund and related reserve account — but it doesn’t have any money in it.

The original bill would have directed $46 million of state money into the fund, but Republicans skeptical of providing state dollars took out the provision. As passed, the law directs the Department of Health to request funding for the program in its next standard budget request. In the meantime, the fund can accept donations. The law also has a sunset date of 2028.

Republican Gov. Mark Gordon criticized the move to strip the state money.

“We are the worst state in the nation for suicide. We have two counties in our state that have the worst records for suicide. And not to recognize that as a not only an important issue, but a pro-life issue, and [that] we need to get ahead of it, was a big disappointment to me,” Gordon said at a news conference, according to the Casper Star-Tribune.

By Noelle Straub / Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts

by Stateline, Virginia Mercury

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sarah Vogelsong for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. Follow Virginia Mercury on Facebook and Twitter.

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“In contrast to Ms. Wulf’s complaints about the assessors and the assessments, I much appreciated the opportunity I had to appeal the 43% increase in the assessed value of my home.

This assessment was made at the height of a real estate bubble that was on its way to collapsing by the time the new assessments were received in the mail.

I was overcome with fear and grief as I realized that my real estate taxes would be such a burden for my very fixed social security income. How could such high taxes be levied on people of middle to lower-middle income in my little mountain community? There are no — not even one — fancy homes in my neighborhood.

I came to the appeals assessor prepared with comps for the area, photos of my home from when I bought it to now (no significant changes), and photos of the dump two doors down from me. The assessor commented with an appreciation of my being prepared to comment that most people just come in and sit down.

My appeal was successful. It was way too high for this area and the dwelling I am in. I deserve to live in a modest home and in peace without the government taking that away and without others complaining.”

S. Fox
Warren County

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Attorney General Jason Miyares and 20 other state attorneys general warned more than 50 of the nation’s largest asset managers about Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investments being made with Americans’ hard-earned money as annual shareholders’ meetings begin for many public companies.

In an open letter sent Thursday to 53 asset managers with $40 billion or more in assets, the attorney’s general site concerns that asset managers may be pushing the political goals of Climate Action 100+ and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative rather than acting in the best financial interests of their clients, which is their fiduciary duty.

“Asset managers have a responsibility and a legal obligation to make decisions dependent on the best financial interests of their clients, not unelected ESG advocates trying to achieve political gains at the cost of everyday Americans,” said Attorney General Miyares.

The coalition reminds asset managers in the letter that they have extensive legal duties to their clients under federal and state law to act as fiduciaries to their clients, which may appear to be disregarded in favor of their commitments to the Net Zero Managers Alliance and Climate action 100+, which push ESG initiatives.

In addition, the coalition note that during the 2023 proxy season, asset managers will need “to choose between their legal duties to focus on financial return, and the policy goals of ESG activists” as banks, insurers, and utility and energy companies are all facing proposals from climate activists affiliated with organizations asset managers may have joined. Additionally, abortion and political spending and race and gender quotas may also be included in numerous proposals this year but are not financially justified – and ESG aims themselves are not valid defenses.

“We will continue to evaluate activity in this area in line with our ongoing investigations into potential unlawful coordination and other violations that may stem from the commitments you and others have made as part of Climate Action 100+, Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative, or the like,” the attorneys general warned.

Read the letter here.

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Thomas Burke Boies, Jr., 96, of Front Royal, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at the Martinsburg VA Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 8, at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Bible Fellowship, 15 Faith Way, Front Royal, Virginia. The inurnment will be private.

Thomas was born November 22, 1926, in Winchester to the late Thomas Burke, Sr., and Mabel Boies of Front Royal, Virginia.

He was married for 67 years to his loving wife, Mary Lou Boies, who preceded him in death in January 2023.

Thomas served 20 years in the U.S. Navy on five different ships, including two years on President Harry S. Truman’s yacht. He went to Camp David (Shangri-La) while serving with the president. He retired in 1963 while serving on the USS Saint Paul, which was used to film some of the footage for the movie “In Harm’s Way” with John Wayne and Kirk Douglas. The actors and film crew ate meals with the sailors.

He was in the battle of Okinawa in 1945 and the Philippine liberation effort and received many medals. He was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the early Viet Nam war. Thomas was a lifetime member of the Giles B. Cook Post 53 American Legion in Front Royal.

He was our loving father and a warrior of our country.

Surviving is his younger brother, Joe Boies of Santa Fe, New Mexico; daughter, Julie Nowell, and husband Mike Nowell of Front Royal, Virginia; son, Thomas Burke Boies, III, and wife, Cindy Boies of Front Royal, Virginia; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, April 8, at the church from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Grace Bible Fellowship, 15 Faith Way, Front Royal, Virginia 22630.

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