Oma Rosella Salyer Childress, age 99, died peacefully at Lankenau Hospital, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 2018, her birthday.

Born on March 23, 1919 in Caney Ridge, Dickenson County, Virginia, to Abraham and Lettie Salyer, she was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from Berea College (now Berea University) in 1940 with a degree in English Literature. Berea College was pivotal in her life, expanding and enriching her love of learning which she instilled in the students she taught as well as her children and grandchildren.

On December 11, 1943, Oma married Roy Corbett (Cub) Childress of Breaks, Buchanan County, Virginia. They were married for 47 years and had two daughters, Anna Rose Childress of St. David's, Pennsylvania, and Harriet Kathleen Childress, of Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Upon graduation from Berea, Oma taught French and Literature at Ervinton High School, Dickenson County, until 1951. She and her family moved to Breaks, Virginia (Buchanan County), in 1962, where she then taught the first and second grades at Breaks Elementary School for 22 years, giving three generations of the local community a quality start in reading, writing, math, and science. She also taught the summer Head Start kindergarten program for several years, helping young children get ready for the first grade. Whatever the subject, she gave it a spark of excitement and sowed a magic seed of curiosity to learn more. She was also president of the PTO at Breaks Elementary School for many years and was actively teaching until her retirement in 1984.

Oma had a deep and abiding love, respect, and loyalty for her relatives, neighbors, community, and the southwestern Virginia people and culture. She enjoyed being with her people, in social and religious gatherings, and contributed in a variety of ways, from teaching summer Bible School, cooking food for Ladies Circle, and donning humorous outfits -- to her specially written prose to commemorate all occasions with puns, empathy, and humor.

Oma always wrote poems and prose, throughout her rich, long life, and shared these with her friends, loved ones, and extended family, even writing personal poems for her doctors, dentists, and caregivers. Among the many things she will be remembered for, besides her kindness and selflessness, are her belief that a little sip of Coca-Cola will cure all, and you can make virtually any food item taste better with a bit more sugar!

Survivors include her daughters, Anna Rose Childress (spouse: Skip Brooke), St. David's, Pennsylvania, and Kathleen Childress (spouse: Ed Davidson), Malvern, Pennsylvania, and four grandchildren, Drew Brooke, Brooklyn, New York; Amelia Brooke, Los Angeles, California; Maxwell Davidson, Manhattan, New York; and Samuel Davidson, Malvern, Pennsylvania. Oma was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Corbett (Cub) Childress in 1990, and by 10 siblings.

Family will receive friends Wednesday, March 28th at 11 AM in the Clintwood Funeral Home Chapel.  Services will begin at 12 Noon.