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Obituary for Sylvia T. Epps
Deaconess Sylvia Ann Taylor Epps, 92, of Marguerita D. Ragsdale Street, McKenney, slipped into eternal rest at River View on the Appomattox Health and Rehabilitation Center on Thursday February 9, 2017. She was born on July 23, 1924, at her family’s home in Church Road in Dinwiddie County. Mrs. Epps was preceded in death by her parents, Levi and Mary Taylor, her eight siblings, four girls and four boys, her husband, Oscar Winfield Epps and her son, Oscar Winfield Epps Jr. She was a lifelong resident of Dinwiddie County. At an early age, she joined Center Star Baptist Church in Church Road. She subsequently joined First Baptist Church when she married and moved to McKenney. Mrs. Epps served in several capacities at First Baptist, including President of the Deaconess Board, Treasurer of the Senior Choir, Member of the Missionary Circle, and Member of the Board of Trustees. She remained an active member of First Baptist until her health declined recently. She is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Anthony Epps, nieces Jewel Green Plummer of Arlington, Virginia, Mildred Green of Willow Springs, North Carolina and Michellene (“Marty”) Taylor of Stony Creek; nephew Dean Lawrence Burrell (Edna) of Randolph, New Jersey; Cousins Costella Curtis of Petersburg, Virginia, Willette Sims of Chester, Virginia, Herman Wyatt (Thelma) of Chester, and a host of other relatives and friends. Mrs. Epps received her elementary and secondary education in the Dinwiddie County public schools. She began her college studies at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina in 1942. She matriculated there until the end of 1944 and then transferred to Virginia State College, now VSU, in 1944. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in English there in 1946 and later pursued and received a graduate certificate in Library Science from Virginia State between 1961- 1964. She pursued further study at Virginia State in 1954-55, 1971-72, 1976-77, 1979-80. She pursued further study at the College of William and Mary in 1966-67. She loved teaching elementary school and sharing her love of books with elementary students. She began her teaching career at Little Bethel Elementary School in 1946-48. She then taught at Mason Town Elementary School between 1948-51. At both of these schools she taught several grades in a single classroom. She taught at McKenney Elementary School between 1951-1957. From 1957-1967 she was a “Teacher-Librarian” at McKenney. Between 1967-1969 she was the Librarian at both McKenney Elementary School and Sunnyside McKenney Elementary School. Between 1969-1984 she was the Librarian at Sunnyside; she was also the Assistant to the Principal and Librarian at Sunnyside from 1970-1973. During the summer between 1966-67, she was the Principal of Dinwiddie County’s Elementary Summer School. She was the Principal of Dinwiddie County’s Head Start Program in the summer of 1967 -68. She retired in February 1984. Mrs. Epps engaged in community activities throughout her life. She was a member of the Dinwiddie County Democratic Committee, Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the Dinwiddie Chapter of the NAACP, the Dinwiddie chapter of the Virginia State University Alumni Association and the Dinwiddie County Retired Teachers Association. She was most adamant about our obligation to vote and always helped transport members of our community to the polls on vote day. Funeral services will be held at 1pm on Thursday February 16, 2017 at First Baptist Church in McKenney. Viewing will be held at the funeral home chapel on Wednesday February 15, 2017 from 2pm – 8pm and a visitation from 6-7. Online tributes can be left at www.wlfieldsfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers please make donations to First Baptist Church, P. O. Box 191, Mckenney, VA 23872 Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the professional staff of the W. L. Fields Funeral Home, 10814 Doyle Blvd. Mckenney. 804 478-4811 www.wlfieldsfuneralhome.com.
