Avis Bussey Board
April 9, 1934 – April 9, 2025
On April 9, 2025, her 91st birthday, Avis Bussey Board peacefully passed away surrounded by her family. She was able to have a glorious birthday celebration by rejoining her husband Thomas Board and son, Larry Board, along with her siblings and parents in Heaven. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister whose love and care extended through generations.
She is survived by her children: Benny Board (Annette), Janet Betterton (Kenny), Lori McClure (Chris), and Jonathan Board; her sisters Nadine and Patsy A. Bussey (Pat); her grandchildren: Benjamin Board (Jessica), Katie Holcomb (Blake), Amy Betterton (Matt), Robbie Betterton (Emily), Anna Gilje (Andrew), Jacob McClure (Bailey); her great-grandchildren; Kaleigh, Hayden, and River (Ben), Eva and Emma (Katie), Walter and Mason (Robbie), and very special family friends: Kay Duffy and Austin Boettjer.
Avis was the seventh child born to a family of 10, raised on a small farm owned by John and Elizabeth Bussey. The children were the mainstay of this and as they grew up they were taught love, to love themselves, to love others, and to work hard in their surroundings, and appreciate life. These virtues passed onto their families and continue in the later generations.
Avis and Thomas spent 55 years together loving, sharing, caring, working and raising a family at Roundview Dairy Farm in Glade Hill. During those 55 years, Avis helped work on the dairy farm, raise tobacco and then after working over 40 years at Franklin County High School in the cafeteria, she retired to spend more time with and caring for her family.
Avis was active in her community leading boy scout troops, participated in home makers clubs, the fire department women’s auxiliary, farmer’s association, and many more. She was a devoted lifelong member of Rocky Mount Baptist Church. Avis spent her lifetime taking advantage of the bountiful garden harvest. She spent many summer nights snapping beans, and many days canning or freezing vegetables from the garden. Avis was a great natural country “chef” as she had many special farm fresh recipes as well as other numerous delights for others as her joy came from feeding her family and those she loved.
Along with cooking, Avis had a love for sewing. It started more as a necessity to outfit her growing girls but turned into a loving creative endeavor. She taught both her daughters to sew and tried to pass it down. Her goal was to make everyone in the family a quilt to remember her by. Quilting became a creative love that she could share with others winning some fair awards.
Avis loved birds and had birdhouses and feeders all over her yard. She loved watching humming birds and identifying the birds that came to her feeders and porch. Her love of birds has spread throughout the family.
Avis was known for her deep love of family, her beautiful flower gardens, and a spirit as strong and steady as the home she built. She had a remarkable work ethic, a toughness shaped by life’s challenges. Her heart always opened to the littlest ones – she could find a baby to hold anywhere she went. Her nurturing presence and quiet strength were the foundation of her family. Her serving attitude was present in her everyday examples teaching her family to serve the lord and others. Her presence will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew her.
A visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2025, with the funeral service to follow at 2:00 pm, at Rocky Mount Baptist Church. Interment will be private in the Board Family Cemetery at the home. Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount.