Myrtle Irene Bice

Myrtle Bice passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 after suffering a heart attack. She was 91 years old.

The youngest of five children of John and Lillian Pinckney, Myrtle was raised on a dairy farm in Smyrna, NY. As a young woman she moved to Bluefield, WV, to seek employment and after several years relocated to Bastian, VA, where she worked at Tultex until her retirement. She lived in walking distance from New Hope Union Church, where she was a very active member. For many years she was involved in serving the meals that the church provided for hikers on the Appalachian Trail. She enjoyed hiking on the trail herself and loved the countryside. She was an avid gardener. She was also a lover of animals and took in many cats and dogs who needed homes. Myrtle was an enthusiastic reader and even operated a small lending library out of her home for several years. Myrtle was a proud resident of Bland County and enjoyed the history of the area, the nature all around, and the opportunities for socialization including the senior bus trips. 

Myrtle was an excellent needleworker and knitted and crocheted many gifts as well as caps and scarves for babies and homeless people. She was also a prolific quilter. In addition to creating quilts for family members and friends and going to quilting shows, she created many, many unique and beautiful quilts and gave them to area nursing homes and charities. Although she never talked about it, over the last many years she continued to create countless numbers of quilts for people she would never meet.

Myrtle is survived by many nieces and nephews and her friends, too many to name, whom she enjoyed so much.

Family and friends are invited to Myrtle’s funeral service at A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home Chapel, 2508 Walkers Creek Valley Road, Pearisburg, VA, 24134 (in White Gate) on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 1:30 P.M. Visitation will precede at 12:30 P.M. The Rev. Alan Ashworth will officiate.

Burial will follow in the Suiter Cemetery.

Gifts in honor of Myrtle Bice may be made to New Hope Union Church and earmarked for the sewing ministry, Sewing Seeds of Friendship, of which Myrtle was a member.

This family is in the care of A. Vest & Son Funeral Home, White Gate, avestandsons.com, (540) 921-2985.