Lydia E. Mitchem passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015, at her home on Gwynn’s Island.

She was a nurse for Eastern State Hospital, Williamsburg, Va. Lydia was a member of Gwynn’s Island Church of the Nazarene, Hudgins, Va. She was a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Lydia was preceded in death by husbands, Thomas Lester Smith and Buddy Mitchem; a daughter, Mary Alice Cherry and a granddaughter, Stacie Cox.

She is survived by children, Peggy Cox (Lloyd), Lester Homer Smith (Luann), and Ellen Sutton (Wendell). Her nine surviving grandchildren are Kimberly Croxton (Jimbo), Woody Cherry (Michelle), Skip Cox, Mitzi Thomas (Tim), Tracey Scott Smith (Debbie), Thomas Franklin Smith, Jennifer Boyer (Frankie), Nikki Coates (Anthony), Scott Sutton (Stephanie), and she had 13 great-grandchildren.  

The family received friends from 6-8 p.m. in Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home Chapel on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. Graveside services officiated by the Rev. Dave McKnight were conducted in Gwynn’s Island Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015.

Memorial donations may be made to Church of the Nazarene, P.O. Box 246, Hudgins, Va. 23076 and/or Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 723, Mathews, Va. 23109.