Obituary for Darst Yvonne Rose
Around 8pm on Sunday evening, November 15, 2020 with family by her side holding her
hands, Darst Yvonne Rose took her last earthly breath. She died as she lived, praising the Lord and giving thanks. Yvonne arrived into the Salyer clan as she took her first breath on the first day of spring, March 20 of 1935, in the coal mining town of Dante, Virginia. Her miner father, Gernia and her mother, Mayme Griffith Salyer, gave birth to the first of their three girls, Yvonne, Dolores, and Sandra. Many in her younger years knew her as Puchi. Her grandson asked Yvonne her best memory of Dante. She replied the sense of community and strong support each had for the other. As the times were, Yvonne married Billy Ray Branson at 15 years of age. When asked of her greatest memory, she easily replied giving birth to her first child then each child thereafter. She was blessed with four children: first three boys, Timothy, Randall, and Christopher, then her daughter, Darst. With great sorrow, her dear Randy predeceased her in death in August 2014, yet she now rejoices with him.
Yvonne was a woman of great determination, ability, fortitude, and a jack of all trades. She
attended Castlewood High, ended up getting a GED then launched into a season of collecting higher educational degrees. A degree in nursing was her first stop next came degrees in psychology/social work from Virginia Intermont then a Master of Arts and Teaching from ETSU. She listed her occupations as a mother (69 years), nurse (12 years), social worker (10 years), teacher and counselor (28 years) not retiring from public work until 69 years of age. In 1970, she was named Nurse of the Year for the State of Tennessee by the Tn. Nursing Association. Many an Appalachian child received counseling and comfort from COOL, Controlling Our Own Lives, a program she wrote, developed, and trained to inspire peer mediation and character development. She received many accolades and acknowledges as she served the underprivileged children in all of Dickenson County.
In her life’s journey, she called home, Dante, Kingsport, Castlewood, Gravel Lick, Bristol,
and Abington. A marriage to Harry Allen Rose took her to Caney Ridge in Clintwood, Va. She later moved south to be near Darst and Darst’s family where she lived in Greer and then lastly in Taylors, SC where she was Darst’s neighbor.
Versatile and talented, she was. She wrote many songs in acapella style. As a poet, she had a published book of poetry, in which she wrote of birth, life, and love. She wrote of death “on the way to rendezvous with you but, hallelujah, ye lay no claim to my soul” and as a lyricist she penned “tell Him all about it [life] down on my knees” allowing rhyme and harmony to provide a glimpse into her heart.
As time laid its toll and she became less mobile physically, she turned to a crochet hat
ministry called “One of A Kind Hat Ministry”, a card ministry. She was known for her beautiful
handwriting. She made hundreds of hats for those with cancer, or those simply desiring to fend off the cold. Perhaps those reading may doff one’s hat in memory of Yvonne. Yvonne attended Peuther Chapel, Rachel’s Chapel, and last attended, and was a member of First Presbyterian Greer. All churches that loved her well.
When Yvonne got her final promotion, family left to remember her were her sons, Timothy
(Kathy) and Christopher (Wanda); daughter-in-law, Kathy, widow of Randall; and her beloved
daughter, Darst (Russell). Sister Sandra predeceased her, but her sister Dolores was her best friend till the day Yvonne passed. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Heather (Adam), Jessica, Anthony, Ashton, Brianna (Ashton), Christopher, Jr., Morgan (Isaac), Branson and Kori; and many great-grandchildren.
Yvonne’s ashes will travel back to the Appalachian land of her birth. Those that are able are
invited to attend a memorial service to be held on Friday, November 27, 2020 at 2:00 pm in St. Paul, Virginia at the Assembly of God Church. Words of grace and remembrance will be offered by Pastor Joe Sluss from her home church on Caney Ridge. Remember that social distancing and masks are the required behavioral norms these days.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in memory of Darst Rose to:
Puether Chapel Church, 842 Dc Caney Ridge Rd, Clintwood, VA 24228, Clintwood, VA 24228 or St. Paul Assembly of God, 16542 Broad St, St Paul, VA 24283.
hands, Darst Yvonne Rose took her last earthly breath. She died as she lived, praising the Lord and giving thanks. Yvonne arrived into the Salyer clan as she took her first breath on the first day of spring, March 20 of 1935, in the coal mining town of Dante, Virginia. Her miner father, Gernia and her mother, Mayme Griffith Salyer, gave birth to the first of their three girls, Yvonne, Dolores, and Sandra. Many in her younger years knew her as Puchi. Her grandson asked Yvonne her best memory of Dante. She replied the sense of community and strong support each had for the other. As the times were, Yvonne married Billy Ray Branson at 15 years of age. When asked of her greatest memory, she easily replied giving birth to her first child then each child thereafter. She was blessed with four children: first three boys, Timothy, Randall, and Christopher, then her daughter, Darst. With great sorrow, her dear Randy predeceased her in death in August 2014, yet she now rejoices with him.
Yvonne was a woman of great determination, ability, fortitude, and a jack of all trades. She
attended Castlewood High, ended up getting a GED then launched into a season of collecting higher educational degrees. A degree in nursing was her first stop next came degrees in psychology/social work from Virginia Intermont then a Master of Arts and Teaching from ETSU. She listed her occupations as a mother (69 years), nurse (12 years), social worker (10 years), teacher and counselor (28 years) not retiring from public work until 69 years of age. In 1970, she was named Nurse of the Year for the State of Tennessee by the Tn. Nursing Association. Many an Appalachian child received counseling and comfort from COOL, Controlling Our Own Lives, a program she wrote, developed, and trained to inspire peer mediation and character development. She received many accolades and acknowledges as she served the underprivileged children in all of Dickenson County.
In her life’s journey, she called home, Dante, Kingsport, Castlewood, Gravel Lick, Bristol,
and Abington. A marriage to Harry Allen Rose took her to Caney Ridge in Clintwood, Va. She later moved south to be near Darst and Darst’s family where she lived in Greer and then lastly in Taylors, SC where she was Darst’s neighbor.
Versatile and talented, she was. She wrote many songs in acapella style. As a poet, she had a published book of poetry, in which she wrote of birth, life, and love. She wrote of death “on the way to rendezvous with you but, hallelujah, ye lay no claim to my soul” and as a lyricist she penned “tell Him all about it [life] down on my knees” allowing rhyme and harmony to provide a glimpse into her heart.
As time laid its toll and she became less mobile physically, she turned to a crochet hat
ministry called “One of A Kind Hat Ministry”, a card ministry. She was known for her beautiful
handwriting. She made hundreds of hats for those with cancer, or those simply desiring to fend off the cold. Perhaps those reading may doff one’s hat in memory of Yvonne. Yvonne attended Peuther Chapel, Rachel’s Chapel, and last attended, and was a member of First Presbyterian Greer. All churches that loved her well.
When Yvonne got her final promotion, family left to remember her were her sons, Timothy
(Kathy) and Christopher (Wanda); daughter-in-law, Kathy, widow of Randall; and her beloved
daughter, Darst (Russell). Sister Sandra predeceased her, but her sister Dolores was her best friend till the day Yvonne passed. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Heather (Adam), Jessica, Anthony, Ashton, Brianna (Ashton), Christopher, Jr., Morgan (Isaac), Branson and Kori; and many great-grandchildren.
Yvonne’s ashes will travel back to the Appalachian land of her birth. Those that are able are
invited to attend a memorial service to be held on Friday, November 27, 2020 at 2:00 pm in St. Paul, Virginia at the Assembly of God Church. Words of grace and remembrance will be offered by Pastor Joe Sluss from her home church on Caney Ridge. Remember that social distancing and masks are the required behavioral norms these days.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in memory of Darst Rose to:
Puether Chapel Church, 842 Dc Caney Ridge Rd, Clintwood, VA 24228, Clintwood, VA 24228 or St. Paul Assembly of God, 16542 Broad St, St Paul, VA 24283.