ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 1997 TAG: 9703180019
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: MARK CLOTHIER THE ROANOKE TIMES
Kay Cross' sudden death leaves a tear in the fabric of the Blacksburg community.
There are people who don't necessarily move and don't necessarily shake who still manage to register.
People who sit on town committees. People who teach Sunday school. People who chip in at their children's schools.
People like Kay Cross.
On March 5, Cross died unexpectedly. She was at home recovering from surgery. She lay down to take a nap and never woke up. She was 50.
Her death is a massive loss to her family and her friends. She is survived by her husband, Lanny Cross, her sons Randy and Lee.
Her passing also stills the quiet force behind a lot of the little vibrations that make a community like Blacksburg hum.
She was on a committee helping to plan the town's 1998 bicentennial celebration. She taught Sunday school to Blacksburg Baptist Church third-graders. She volunteered at the Blacksburg branch library. She kept score for her son's Blacksburg High basketball team. She worked in the concession booth at high school football games. She also worked part time as an office assistant at Graves Construction Co., in Blacksburg.
Her memorial on March 8 tells of her impact: Blacksburg Baptist Church's 600-seat sanctuary was nearly packed.
Associate Pastor Don McKinney presided. "She was an exceptional person who was well-loved in this town; constantly giving of herself to the community and to the church," he said. "I can't say enough good about her."
A decision made last week by the members of the Blacksburg High School Athletic Booster Club, of which Cross was a member, tells as well.
Last fall, Cross suggested starting the Faithful Indian award. It was to be given to the person in the community who had done the most to support Blacksburg High Indian athletics. No decision was made, and the idea was put on the back burner. Until last week.
Booster President Treesha Baird said the group will adopt the plan. It will be called the Kay Cross Faithful Indian award and Cross will be its first recipient. It will be presented to her family at the club's spring ceremony.
Said Baird, "She was really a hard worker. But more than anything, her love and her concern for children was very genuine. She was a neat lady."
Assistant Town Manager Bonnie Svrcek worked with Cross on the Blacksburg Bicentennial Steering Committee. They sat through some 20 meetings the past 18 months. She remembers Cross as generous of her time, energetic, enthusiastic and committed to anything in which she was involved.
"And in a community like this," Svrcek said, "those people are worth their weight in gold."
LENGTH: Medium: 57 linesby CNB