Obituaries for Feb. 1, 2012

Arthur Thomas Harris

Arthur Thomas Harris, 74, of Nellysford, died Jan. 28 at his residence. Born May 10, 1937 in Nelson County, he was a son of the late Hugh F. and Nellie Hunt Harris. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Faye Witt Harris.

Arthur was a retired heavy equipment operator and truck driver.

He is survived by his children, Terri H. Jordan (Lewis), Toni H. Borinski (Wayne), Arthur Thomas “Tommy” Harris Jr. (Penny) and Timothy D. “Timmy” Harris (June); three sisters, Catherine “Kak” Harris, Katie B. Flynn and Florine “Lizzie” Romine; four brothers, David A. Harris, Harold D. Harris, William R. Harris and Ronald S. “Ronnie” Harris; 11 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

A funeral service was held Jan. 31 at the graveside in the Rockfish Valley Baptist Church Cemetery at Nellysford with speaker Robert Mansfield officiating.

The family received friends at Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel in Lovingston, (434) 263-4097.

Alfred Paul Heuer

Alfred Paul Heuer, 90, a resident of The Colonnades retirement village in Charlottesville, passed away Jan. 18 at the University of Virginia Medical Center. He was born on Feb. 28, 1921, in Chicago, Illinois, to Alfred W. and Martha (Guhl) Heuer.

He is survived by his wife, Jeannette (Adank) Heuer; a brother, Captain Edward H. Heuer, United States Navy, Retired; his sister-in-law, Jean; nephew, Captain Edward David Heuer, United States Navy, Retired, and his wife, Lieutenant General Fran Wilson, United States Marine Corp, Retired; niece, Linda Englehart; nephew, Steven Heuer, his wife, Raven, and two children, all of Virginia Beach; one son, Greg A. Heuer and his wife, Linda G. Heuer, of Nellysford; and two grandsons, Jason R. Heuer of Charlottesville, and Kevin Heuer and his wife, Leigh-Ann, of Asheville, N.C.

Al and Jeannette were married on Jan. 29, 1942, and were preparing to celebrate their 70th anniversary with family and friends.

Al was very proud of his service as a navigator-bombardier on B-29’s in the south Pacific during World War II. He worked for the J.R. Watkins Company for a short time, then Illinois Bell Company, working his way up from lineman to executive. He retired at 58 and pursued woodworking, bicycling, travel and his love of reading. Active in the Boy Scout program, he earned the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor given for distinguished service as an adult volunteer. Al enjoyed volunteering at the Chicago Botanical Garden and in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia Medical Center as well as Habitat for Humanity. He was a leader and participant in activities and sports at The Colonnades community and his many friends there will miss his exuberant optimism.

A reception was held at The Colonnades Jan. 28 in celebration of Al’s life.

Private interment occurred at a later date.

Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to The Architectural Woodwork Institute Education Foundation, 46179 Westlake Drive, Potomac Falls, VA 20165; note “The Heuer Family Scholarship Fund.”

Byrum-Parr Funeral Home of Roseland, is in charge of arrangements.

Nancy Gildner Long

“A tough old bird from Montebello”

Nancy Gildner Long, of Short Pump, Montebello and Vail, Ariz., passed away peacefully in her sleep on Jan. 28.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bruce Edgar and Ruby Price Gildner of Harrisonburg.

She is survived by her brother, Gerald Johnston Gildner of Harrisonburg; her husband, Larry Long; their daughters, Sherry Tucker and Kathy Ingersoll, all of Short Pump; son, Steven Long of Washington; son-in-law, William Ingersoll; and grandchildren, Patrick, Brittany and Eric Tucker, Jessica Bristow and Sarah Ingersoll, all of Short Pump.

Nancy grew up in Hampton until age 8 when the family relocated to Harrisonburg to start a mattress and upholstery business. She graduated from Harrisonburg High School in 1957 and served two years as Queen of the Court at the Natural Chimneys annual jousting tournament.

“Nancy Bruce” worked along the Skyline Drive at the Big Meadows lodge the summers of 1958 and 1959, where she met future husband Larry and friends Jim and Gerry Hopper. Nancy and Larry became engaged while attending Richmond Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University), and were married on Sept. 12, 1959. In 1975, Nancy and her husband purchased land off the Blue Ridge Parkway where they built a cabin and started a Christmas Tree farm. They sold trees at their Broad Street home in Short Pump from 1991 to 2004. They retired to their Montebello tree farm in 1993, and spent winters in Tucson and nearby Vail, Ariz. In conjunction with their 52nd anniversary, Nancy and Larry renewed their marriage vows in September 2011.

Nancy earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1961 and was known for her arts (acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, southwestern) and crafts (grapevine wreaths, painted mailboxes), especially painting, jewelry design and canning (blackberry, grape, cherry, especially apple butter). She was also a current member of the Pima Painting Club in Tucson, and a past member of the Short Pump Ruritan and a Richmond gardening club.

She was a collector of colorful (especially Southwestern) rocks and gemstones, a lover of hummingbirds, mountain and desert wildlife, seafood, tiger lilies, and encouraging her artistic grandchildren.

Her remains rest at Bliley’s Funeral Home, 8510 Staples Mill Road, Richmond, where the family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 2.

A memorial service will be held at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church at 9155 Hungary Road, Henrico, at 11 a.m. Feb. 3.

Per Nancy’s wishes, her cremated remains will be spread in the flower bed at her Virginia mountain cabin, beside her Arizona rock garden.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions may instead be made to the Cullather Brain Tumor and Quality of Life Center or the Montebello Volunteer Fire/Rescue Agency.