Obituaries

Nancy Lackey Edelen age 87, went to be with the Lord on December 30, 2024. Born on September 26, 1937, to James Paul Lackey and Nannie Hylton Lackey of Bassett VA, she grew up in Woolwine, VA as her father traveled between Bassett Furniture and the family’s farm and apple orchard in Woolwine. She moved in with her sister Pauline in Collinsville at age 16 to attend high school. It was at a local high school football game where she met her future husband, Finney Edelen of Baltimore. He frequently traveled to southern Virginia selling furniture hardware and was quite taken with Nancy who had recently been crowned “Miss Woolwine”. They were married in 1957 and moved to Martinsville. Four children soon came along, and Nancy poured her heart into raising them as a full-time homemaker. Nancy was also devoted to her nine brothers and sisters, along with numerous nieces and nephews who were living in the area. The Edelen house on Sherwood Place had a regular stream of kin and kids visiting.

Nancy was a devout Catholic and combined her love of music and faith in the choir at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Martinsville. She sang at church and as a soloist at numerous events. Her children especially cherish the memory of her singing at their weddings. Nancy served in other ways in the Martinsville area volunteering in Prison Ministries and as a Catholic lay minister. While she was meticulous about being “properly made up” before leaving the house, Nancy was grounded in humility and had a heart for helping those in material or spiritual need whether family or stranger. She traveled to Rome, Greece, and Egypt to see sights of antiquity and the Vatican.

Nancy and Finney welcomed nine grandchildren into the world and enjoyed trips to Vermont, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas to visit them. Their pace slowed down after Finney suffered a stroke in 2006, but the extended family made precious memories at their house in Chatmoss until his passing in 2019 after 62 years of marriage. A couple of years later, Nancy relocated to an assisted living center in Nazareth, PA to be near her daughter Andrea and her family. She remained there until Thanksgiving this year; at which time she moved in with Andrea under hospice care. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her children and son-in-law.

Nancy is survived by her children John F. “Jay” Edelen, Jr. of Lynchburg VA, daughter Andrea Powell and husband Terry Powell of Hellertown PA, son J. Chris Edelen and wife Kristin Coffey of Houston TX, and son Edward “Ed” Edelen and wife Pei Shu Sun of Baltimore MD. She is also survived by her grandchildren Jessica Powell of Hellertown PA, Garrett Powell of Harleysville PA, Elizabeth Edelen of Durham NC, Yana Edelen of Brooklyn NY, Patrick Edelen of Brooklyn NY, John Edelen of Salt Lake City UT, Sarah Edelen of Houston TX, and Oliver and Cyrus Edelen of Baltimore MD.

She was predeceased by her parents James Paul and Nannie Lackey and was the last surviving child. Brothers James McCray Lackey, Hylton Hartley Lackey, Earl Maynard Lackey, William Kenneth Lackey, and sisters Pauline Lackey Brown, Katheline Lackey Turman, Irene Lackey Manor, Elsie Lackey Trent, and Evelyn Lackey White all preceded her in death.

The visitation will be Friday, January 3, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Norris Funeral Services Martinsville Chapel. A funeral mass will be held at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 10:00 am, followed by interment at Roselawn Burial Park.

Norris Funeral Services Martinsville Chapel is serving the Edelen family.