Edna Louise Childress

Edna Louise Black Childress, a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully at her residence on October 31, 2026, in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Edna went home to be with her Heavenly Father. Born in Lunenburg County, Virginia, she lived a life filled with love, strength, determination, laughter, and devotion to those who meant the most to her.

Edna was a woman with a kindred soul, a protective heart, and a love for her family that knew no bounds. She was kind, funny, smart, strong-willed, and fiercely protective of the people she loved. She loved with all her heart and had a way of making those around her feel cared for and protected. She was the kind of person who would stand up for her family, lend a helping hand, offer words of wisdom, or simply be there when someone needed her. Her kindness and generosity extended beyond her family to anyone fortunate enough to cross her path.

Edna dedicated more than 20 years of her life to managing the Holiday Inn in Conyers, Georgia, where she took great pride in her work and dedication. Following a stroke, she retired in 2002 and devoted more time to enjoying the things that brought her happiness.

She loved cooking, gardening, reading, going to the beach, listening to music, and keeping up with football. Whether enjoying her favorite music, preparing a home-cooked meal, tending to her garden, or relaxing with a good book, she found happiness in life's simple pleasures. She also found great joy in caring for others and helping wherever she could. Her humor, intelligence, warmth, and strong personality made her unforgettable.

Her greatest accomplishment and most treasured legacy were her family. She is survived by her two children, Garland Matthew Childress and Donna Louise Childress; her brother in law, Rick Bradner; six grandchildren, Christopher Matthew Childress (Katie), Jessica Mears Daulton (Jaime), Lindsey Lohr (Adam), Christopher Mears, Mitchell Ray Childress, and Lauren Mears; and eight beloved great-granddaughters, Savannah and Gracelyn Childress, Addison, Avery, and Caroline Lohr, and Amealia, Abigail, and Annarae Childress; nieces; and great nieces and nephews.

She also leaves behind a beloved daughter-in-law, Melinda, whom she welcomed and loved as a daughter; Steven Pinkston (Angel Downey), whom she loved and considered a grandson/granddaughter; and her two precious great-grandsons, Kayden and Kaleb. Family was never just about titles or bloodlines to Edna. She loved with her whole heart, and those she welcomed into her family were truly her own. They, too, will carry her love and memories with them always.

Edna was preceded in death by her parents, Charlie Mathew Black and Edith Lastic Morgan; her two sisters, Mary "Frances" Blakely and Merita Black Bradner; and her two oldest children, Theresa Ellen Mears (2020) and Elwood Lee Mears, Jr. (2018), whom she will now be laid to rest beside.

In keeping with Edna's wishes, there will be no funeral or memorial services. She chose cremation, and her final resting place will be at Dale Memorial Park in Chesterfield County, Virginia, where she will be privately placed alongside her beloved children, Theresa and Elwood. This special family resting place will also honor the bond shared by Edna and her four children.

Though she may no longer be here to protect, guide, laugh with, and love her family, the lessons she taught and the love she gave will remain forever.

A mother like Edna is never truly gone. She lives on in the hearts of her children, in the laughter of her grandchildren, in the lives of her great-granddaughters and great-grandsons, and in every memory made with those she loved. Her love will continue to reach across generations, reminding her family of the remarkable woman she was.

Rest peacefully, Mom. You loved with all your heart, and we will carry that love with us for the rest of our lives. You were our protector, our strength, our laughter, and our home. We love you, and we will miss you always. Until we meet again, may you rest in the loving arms of your Heavenly Father.