South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard

08/24/2026

‼️New Webpage Alert‼️

We have added “Our History” to our website. Go check it out at

Serving the Greater Lynchburg Area and Surrounding Communities

08/19/2026

We are so grateful for the generous support of Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc.!

Thank you for believing in the mission of the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard and for choosing to support the work we do to honor nurses and their legacies.

Your sponsorship means so much to our organization and helps us continue providing meaningful tributes to nurses and their families during such an important time. We are truly thankful for your generosity and for standing alongside us in honoring those who dedicated their lives to caring for others. ❤️

Service • Honor • Remembrance 🕯️

We are honored to partner with the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard by providing our chapel as a gathering place for their trainings and educational events.

The Nurses Honor Guard is a remarkable group dedicated to honoring nurses at the end of life through meaningful Nightingale Tribute ceremonies that recognize a lifetime of compassion, service, and dedication to others.

At Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, we believe every life deserves to be celebrated with dignity, and we are grateful to support organizations whose mission reflects that same commitment to caring for our community.

Thank you to the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard for allowing us to be a small part of your important work.

Whether you're a nurse interested in joining the Honor Guard or someone who would like to support their meaningful mission through a donation, we encourage you to connect with them directly. Every contribution helps them continue honoring the nurses who have dedicated their lives to caring for others. [email protected]

08/16/2026

Yesterday, the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard had the honor of performing a gravesite service for Joan Coleman Wooldridge, a nurse whose life was marked by compassion, faith, family, and an unwavering commitment to caring for others.

Joan peacefully departed this life on Friday, July 25, 2025, beginning her eternal journey with her Lord and Savior. We were honored to gather with her family and loved ones to pay tribute to her life and her nursing career.

Born in Appomattox, Virginia, Joan graduated from Appomattox County High School before earning her nursing degree from the University of Virginia. As a cardiac rehabilitation nurse, she dedicated her career to positively influencing the recovery of countless individuals. Her commitment to nursing was a meaningful part of a life centered around serving and caring for others.

Joan was also deeply devoted to her faith and her family. A beloved member of Heritage Baptist Church, she shared her beautiful voice through the choir and lived her faith through countless acts of love and kindness. She was a devoted wife to Gary, a loving mother and grandmother, and was affectionately known as "Nanny" to her grandchildren. Her radiant smile, remarkable kindness, and ability to make everyone feel valued left a lasting impression on all who knew her.

Her obituary beautifully describes the impact she had on those around her: "Joan's radiant smile and remarkable kindness left a lasting impact on everyone fortunate enough to know her."

We are grateful for the opportunity to honor Joan not only as a nurse, but as a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, friend, and woman of faith. It was a privilege to stand alongside her family and remember the difference she made throughout her life.

Service. Honor. Remembrance.

08/13/2026

Today we are celebrating our wonderful Activities Coordinator, Mark Morris, RN!

Mark, thank you for your faithful service, dedication, and the many ways you support the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard. Your commitment to honoring the nursing profession and creating meaningful activities for our members is truly appreciated.

We pray your birthday is filled with joy, love, and wonderful memories, and that the year ahead is blessed with good health, peace, and abundant happiness.

Please join us in wishing Mark Morris, RN, a very happy birthday! 🎉🎂💙

08/11/2026

Happy Birthday to Ashley Perrow!!! Thank you for serving with us, we hope you have a fantastic day!

08/08/2026

Today, the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard had the privilege of honoring Doris Litty Albertson

December 4, 1931 – July 31, 2026

During today’s tribute, these beautiful words were shared about Doris:

“Doris was, above all, a loving wife and mother. No scraped knee went without a gentle, loving touch, and no moment of need passed without her care and comfort. The same compassion she showed her family was reflected throughout her life as a nurse.

Although her husband and son were not certain what first led her to nursing, they believed she was naturally drawn to caring for others. Before beginning nursing school, Doris worked as a nanny for Gloria Vanderbilt in New York City. In 1955, Doris graduated from the Norwegian Hospital School of Nursing in Brooklyn, New York, and began her nursing career at New York Hospital in Manhattan.

The work that brought Doris the greatest joy was at Carlisle Pediatric Associates in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. There, she formed meaningful friendships with the staff she worked alongside. Her husband and son remember how much those relationships meant to her and how deeply her colleagues cared for her in return. They gave her an amazing party when she left from there.

Whether caring for her husband and son, comforting a patient, or supporting a colleague, Doris brought warmth and kindness to those around her. Today, we honor her not only for her years of service as a nurse, but also as a devoted wife and mother whose gentle touch and caring spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.”

It was an honor to remember Doris and celebrate the legacy of care and compassion she leaves behind.

Service • Honor • Remembrance 🕯️

08/05/2026

Today we are celebrating our wonderful Treasurer, Kim Price!

Kim, thank you for your faithful service, dedication, and the many ways you support the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard behind the scenes.

We pray your birthday is filled with joy, love and wonderful memories, and the year ahead is blessed with good health, peace, and abundant happiness.

Please join us in wishing Kim Price a very happy birthday!

08/03/2026

We are honored to share the End-of-Life Tribute for Renae Mason.

This tribute is being shared at the request of the family so that those who were unable to attend, or those who wish to revisit this meaningful moment, may do so.

It was our privilege to honor Renae’s life and nursing legacy through this final tribute.

🎥 Watch here: https://youtu.be/v98RMnukKE4?is=_cQNo3f-OZD7o9Fw

Please continue to keep Renae’s family, friends, and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this time.

Honoring the Nursing Legacy of Renae Mason Sep 29, 1953 - Jul 22, ...

08/02/2026

🌻Honoring the Nursing Legacy of Renae Mason
Sep 29, 1953 - Jul 22, 2026 🌻

The South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard was honored to recognize the life and nursing legacy of Renae Mason today through a Nightingale Tribute and Final Call to Duty.

During the tribute, we shared the following reflection on Renae’s remarkable nursing journey:

“Although Renae once dreamed of becoming a mortician, she was always her daddy’s girl. When he encouraged her to pursue nursing instead, she trusted his guidance and chose the path that would shape her life.

She graduated from Virginia Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in 1974. Her early career began in the LGH Emergency Department, where she served as a Charge Nurse for nearly seven years. In 1981, she moved into occupational health as a nurse at RR Donnelley. A lifelong learner, she earned her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing from Lynchburg College and later her Nurse Practitioner degree from the Medical College of Virginia.

After completing her NP training in 1995, Renae joined Dr. “Bill” Brown at Amherst Family Medicine. As her career grew, she discovered the work that brought her the greatest joy: travel nursing. As a traveling Nurse Practitioner, she served patients in St. Croix, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Alaska, Iowa, West Virginia, Martinsville, and Virginia Beach. She hoped to practice in all 50 states—a dream she pursued with enthusiasm until her health no longer allowed her to continue.

For Renae, nursing was never just a job. It was a way of touching lives. She formed lasting bonds with many of her patients, offering comfort, kindness, and genuine care wherever she went.

Renae’s legacy is one of service, learning, adventure, and compassion. Through every life she touched, she showed what it truly means to care.”

Renae’s career reflected a lifelong commitment to learning, service, and compassionate care. It was a privilege to honor her and recognize the meaningful impact she made in the lives of her patients, colleagues, and the many communities she served.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Renae’s family for allowing us to participate in honoring her life and for entrusting the South Central Virginia Nurses Honor Guard with this meaningful tribute. 💙

Service • Honor • Remembrance 🕯️

07/30/2026

💙 Happy Birthday 💙
to our Social Media Coordinator Liz Stacey Melcher!