Obituary of Mildred Imogene Williams Whalen Semones

Mildred Imogene Williams Whalen Semones, age 91, of Cedar Springs, passed away on Sunday June 18, 2023. She was born on April 2, 1932 in Wythe County to the late Dewey Brian and Myrtle Frye Williams. Mildred was a collector of 4 leaf clovers, Lady Bugs and known far and wide for her famous Chocolate Pies. She was a 1949 Graduate of Speedwell High School. Mildred was the 1st female School Bus Driver in Wythe County and served for 28 years. She was a Dairy Farmer for 37 years, Manager of M&S Trout Farm for 15 years, truck driver for 6 years and worked in retail for 4 years. She was preceded in death by her Husbands, Wade Whalen and William Houston “Smokey” Semones; daughter, Olyvia Arlene “Libby” Goetzinger; brothers and sisters, Helen Williams, Mary Cline, Eileen Hale, Brian Williams, Olin Williams and Ronald Williams; son-in-law, Cooper Jones. Survivors include her special friend, Wilson Kaiser of Johnson City, TN; three daughters and son-in-law, Johanna and Larry Bromley of Bristol; Barbara Alice Main and Paul St. Pierre of Palm Bay, FL; Frances Jones of Rural Retreat; two sons and daughter-in-law, Eric and Angie Whalen of Roanoke; Winston Whalen and companion Tim Nichols of Cleveland, OH; son-in-law, Herschel Goetzinger of Sugar Grove; 10 grandchildren and spouses, Dawn and Tim Catron, Beverly Epperly, Valerie and Gary Bilbro, Michael and Abbie White, Jonathon and Julie White, Robert Jones, Alex Whalen, Quinten and Kaitlynn Whalen, Stephanie Whalen, Charlie and Staci Goetzinger; 8 great grandchildren, Andy Catron, Zoe Barber, Stasja Barber, Elizabeth White, Alex White, Austin White, Ryan Taylor, and Amelia Havens. Multiple nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be held 2 P.M. Friday, June 23, 2023 at the Grubb Funeral Home with the Reverend Derek Cowan officiating. Interment will follow in the Speedwell Methodist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12 noon until the time of the service on Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to the St Jude’s Hospital 501 St. Jude Place • Memphis, TN 38105. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.grubbfuneralhome.com The Whalen family is in the care of the Grubb Funeral Home