Berniece June Brown Townsend

Berniece Brown Townsend, age 91, of Bristol,Va., went to be with the Lord on January 31, 2025.

Berniece worked for the Bristol Health Department as a CNA until retirement, after which she continued private care by helping those in need; she also visited church members that were shut-ins or in nursing homes. Berniece was a faithful member of Adoration Church of Bristol, Va.

She enjoyed a very large family as she was the oldest of nine siblings, whom she cared for; Berniece always made sure if you were at her house you left fully fed. She loved the Lord and gospel music, which she sang with her family in churches as a teen and into her later years. She will be dearly missed by all she has touched throughout her life.

Berniece was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; parents Glen and Lucille Brown; sons Ricky and Randy Townsend; brothers Chester Brown and Jerry Brown; sisters Barbara Bowers (her identical twin), Charlotte Murray and husband Arthur, and Linda Sharna and husband Dennis; and grandchildren, Jamie Moore and Donna Townsend.

Berniece is survived by her daughters, Beverly  Moore and late husband Carl, and Rebecca Grizzel and husband Gary; sister Andrea Miller and late husband Charlie; brothers Dr. Roger Brown and wife Julie, and Wayne Brown and late wife Carol; sister-in-law Shirley Brown; special friends Ann Brown and Opal Grizzel; grandchildren Carl Moore Jr. and wife Amber, Angela Miller and husband Mike, Amy Alexander and husband David, Travis Widener and wife Jamie, Michael Grizzel and wife Shelly, Scott and Stephanie Townsend; twelve great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at Adoration Church,152 Old Airport Rd., Bristol, Va., with Pastor Todd Asbury officiating. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm, prior to the funeral service at the church. Graveside service will follow at Rooty Branch Church Cemetery, Bristol, Tenn. Pallbearers will be Carl Moore Jr., Mike Miller, Ben Miller, Hunter Miller, Michael Grizzel, Ted Murray, Vernon Murray, and Gene Murray. Honorary pallbearers will be Travis Widener, Caleb Grizzel, Joshua Grizzel, Steve Grizzel, Cole Widener, and Ethan Widener.

Our family would like to thank everyone for their prayers, love and support during this time; faith, family and friends are what makes these times bearable.

The family of Berniece Brown Townsend is being cared for by Farris Funeral Service & Crematory, Main Street Location, 427 E. Main Street, Abingdon, VA 276-623-2700.