Suzanne Garst Glass

Suzanne Garst Glass, 76, of Radford, Virginia, passed away on August 12, 2012 surrounded by her loving family. She was born February 4, 1936, in Roanoke, Virginia, a daughter of the late Hazel Blackburn Garst of Roanoke, Virginia, and the late Russell Leo Garst of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by a brother, Jack Leo Garst, of Memphis, Tennessee.

Suzanne graduated from Jefferson High School in Roanoke, Virginia in 1953. She graduated from Madison College in Harrisonburg, Virginia in 1957, with a Bachelor of Science in Education. After graduation, Suzanne held positions in education in Roanoke and Radford. She was employed in Radford for 37 years. During her career as a social worker, Suzanne touched the lives of many. She valued all her clients and worked hard to improve lives in Radford.

Suzanne was very involved in her community. She was an active member of Grove United Methodist Church in Radford where she long served as the President of the O\"™Donnell Sunday School Class. She was especially dedicated to the Radford chapter of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization). Suzanne exemplified and was passionate about the P.E.O. mission of promoting educational opportunities for women. Suzanne was a member of the Virginia Tech Faculty Women\"™s Club and volunteered at the Radford Clothing Bank. Always available to help a friend in need, Suzanne delivered countless meals, ran errands, and spent hours visiting and supporting her many friends.

Suzanne had an amazing eye for beauty. She enjoyed cooking, home decorating, and gardening but most especially entertaining. Suzanne loved planning and hosting parties. Her efforts in organizing celebrations at her home to commemorate her daughters\"™ graduations from high school, college, graduate school, and her husband\"™s, 75th birthday, along with the party at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia in 2011, to celebrate her and her husband\"™s 50th anniversary were among the most memorable. Suzanne\"™s datebooks were filled with entries for lunches and bridge games with dear friends as well as trips to visit her daughters\"™ families and friends. She lived an active life and will be remembered as a loyal friend, good listener and a great story teller.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 51 years, Richard Gerald Glass (Jerry); daughters: Jennifer Sue Glass (John Bysiewicz) of Branford, Connecticut, Anna Glass Toth (Robert Toth) of Leesburg, Virginia, Nancy Ellen Glass (Lisa Wood) of Baltimore, Maryland, Sarah Garst Glass (Christopher Tharp) of Lynchburg; and a sister Nancy Nichols (James Nichols) of Germantown, Tennessee and sister-in-law, Sarah Matthews Garst of Charlotte, NC. She is also a survived by her eight beloved grandchildren, Sophie, Isabel and Raissi Bysiewicz, Daniel, Andrew, and Abigail Toth, and John and Theodore Tharp.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11AM, Wednesday, August 15, 2012, at Grove United Methodist Church with the Reverend Karen Lane officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11AM and then again at a reception at the church immediately following the service. Interment at Evergreen Burial Park will be private.

The family asks that you consider a memorial gift to the Suzanne Glass Memorial Fund checks payable to Chapter H P.E.O. and mailed to Kitty Young, 31 Richfield Lane, Radford, Virginia 24141.

Arrangements by Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Bedford, (540) 586-3443.