Having successfully survived the Covid-19 Pandemic, Margaret Pearl Price Adkins died peacefully on Christmas Eve at 3 P.M. listening to the soundtrack “Sleeping” by DJ Jojo (Remix) from the effects of injuries sustained in a fall.
She was born in at her parents’ home at 631 North Park Avenue, Burlington, North Carolina, on Monday, the 24th of July 1922, at 6:45 A.M. making her time on earth 98 years, 5 months, 8 hours and 15 minutes. The daughter of the late John Price and the late Ethel Shull Price, she moved to Fieldale, Virginia, with her family in September of 1924 where she grew up surrounded by friends at the bottom of Fifth Street. She attended public school in Fieldale before quitting in 1940. She obtained her GED in 1987 at the age of 65.
She was of the Methodist faith, having been a member of Fieldale United Methodist Church where she was baptized at age 12, and later Bassett Memorial United Methodist Church and Wesley Memorial Methodist Church. She was a towel and wash cloth inspector at Fieldcrest Mills in Fieldale before her marriage and during World War II. In 1978 she went to work at the Leggett’s Department Store in Collinsville, in the alterations department. She retired from Belk in the 1990s.
Among her many achievements, she taught herself and several relatives how to drive. She was involved with the Fieldale Girl Scout Troop and the Fieldale Community Center Swim team. She was a member and one-time president of the Bassett Homemakers Club. She was treasurer of the local chapter of the AARP, a member of the Reynolds Homestead Quilters, a crafter of stained glass at Studio 107, and member of the Martinsville Writers Group. An avid bowler she bowled on the senior league at Druid Lanes.
Margaret was fortunate to travel to many places in her life, beginning in 1986 with a trip to Scotland and England, her first time flying, with her daughter Susan. A cross country trip in 1995 which took her to Wall Drugs Store in South Dakota and The Corn Palace in Nebraska. In 1996 she traveled to Ireland, where she made the perilous climb to kiss the Blarney Stone. In 1997 she traveled to New Mexico for the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. In 1999 she traveled to Italy with a broken vertebra and visited the Vatican, Assisi, Venice and Lugano, Switzerland. In 2007 she traveled to Arizona to walk upon the Glass Bottom Bridge and in 2009 cruised thru the Panama Canal. Her final adventure took place on the 26th of September 2014, when at the age of 92 she ascended in a hot air balloon in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In the early 2000s, Margaret began a writing career, publishing her reminiscences in the Readers Diary Section of the Martinsville Bulletin. She published two books, Two’s Company and Echos, which was named for her 2001 Toyota Echo. She also published volumes of verse. This also entailed her learning to use a computer, and she was the first resident of Blue Ridge Manor to be online.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Herbert “Hub” O. Adkins, a daughter, Susan Leigh Adkins, her sisters, Hazel Price Bolejack and Mildred Price McFarland; three brothers, Marion “Jimmy” Price, Rupert A. Price and Walter “Squeeky” Price. Left to cherish her memory are her brother, Jerry L. Price and his wife, Sara, of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, daughter, Elva Adkins Adams of Martinsville, Virginia Sister-in-Law,
Christine W. Adkins of Collinsville, Virginia, son, Truman Adkins of Fieldale, Virginia; three step grandchildren, Susan Adams Oliver of Chappaqua, New York, Dr. William C. Adams of Cary, North Carolina and John R. Adams, Sr., of Midlothian, Virginia. Grandson, David P. Adams and wife Michelle Griffith of Albuquerque, New Mexico; granddaughter, Margaret Adams Joback and husband John of Leesburg, Virginia, grandson George A. Adams and wife Kimberly Frost Adams of Galax, Virginia; great grandsons, Evan Adams of Galax and Michael Adams of Albuquerque; and one great granddaughter, Allison T. Adams, of Galax, several step step-great and great-great grandchildren and two special friends she loved as daughters, Holly Kozelsky of Martinsville, and Nami Arita of Ibaraki, Japan, as well as a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
The family wishes to extend their thanks to the staff of Kissito Mulberry Creek Nursing and Rehab for caring for Margaret in her final years and the staff of the Palliative Care Unit of Carilion Roanoke Memorial for making her final days comfortable. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you support your local florist by sending flowers to the living who can enjoy them.
Due to the circumstances in which Margaret and the rest of us have had to live the past nine months, burial will be private, and a memorial service will be held at a later date, so stay healthy so you can attend.
Arrangements are by McKee-Stone Funeral Home-Martinsville, VA
To express condolences online, please visit www.collinsmckeestonemartinsville.com
