Patricia Ann Poindexter
Patricia Ann Poindexter, age 84 of Salem passed away Monday, July 7, 2025. First child of Dr. J. Carl Poindexter and Josephine T. Poindexter, Patricia enjoyed and excelled in school activities first in Roanoke City Schools (through junior high school at Woodrow Wilson) then at Andrew Lewis High School in Salem. She was an excellent student and active in sports including gymnastics and cheerleading. Well known for her mature beauty at a young age, in 9th grade she was crowned the Snow Queen for the Roanoke City Christmas Parade, an extraordinary event as the chosen queens had always been high school seniors before. She subsequently was the Dogwood Princess in the Vinton Dogwood Festival, then Miss Virginia in the Miss Universe pageant.
Continuing her education in Washington, D.C., she graduated from George Washington University, then went to a full career as a performing artist, briefly in Boston, but continuing for decades in New York. She starred in the musical Evita, a celebration of the passion brought to the political arena by Argentina’s Eva Peron, she performed in summer stock theater in New England and in St. Augustine, Florida. She had periods as a cabaret performer in New York and in South America. Retiring from the big city, she returned home to her beloved Salem, Virginia at the turn of the millennium, residing in the family home she grew up in.
Predeceased by her parents, she is survived by her brother, J.C. Poindexter, by multiple nieces and nephews and their offspring, and by the dogs and cats that she prized as her constant companions. She also continued to maintain close friendships both in New York and here in Virginia. Bright and an intense reader of history, she became well versed in Civil War and World War II history. She enjoyed participating in WWII Roundtable events, often performing patriotic songs with guitar accompaniment. She was a contributor to many causes, including animal support programs. Any desired donations should be made in her honor to Angels of Assisi, 415 Campbell AVE. SW, Roanoke, VA 24016.
A brief graveside service will be held at the family cemetery in Glade Hill, Virginia at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. A memorial service will be held in her memory later at a date and location to be determined.
Friends and Colleagues of Patricia PoindexterThere will be a bit of a celebration of the life of Patricia Poindexter, and particularly her embraceof Buddhism, on August 3. While we plan a brief grave site event at 3:00 p.m., our lake house(which is one mile from the family cemetery) will be open receiving guests from noon forward,with departure to the cemetery just a short time before 3.The house address is 61 Crafts Lane, Glade Hill, VA 24092 and is across the field on the gravelroad opposite the white Church at the intersection of Webster Road and Crafts Lane. Driving toour house, you will travel past the cemetery (on the right) one mile before you get to our house.The Poindexter family cemetery address is 3720 Webster Road, Glade Hill, VA 24092.The Poindexter properties are about a 45 minute drive from Roanoke, by way of U.S. 220 toRocky Mount, then route 40 east to the village of Redwood (a very short distance from RockyMount), then onto Webster Road (Rt. 655) to get to our location(s).Everyone is welcome to join us at our home or at the cemetery. Phone contacts for us are:J.C. 540-588-0105Martha 540-588-0506
Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount.
