Charlotte L. Brillhart

Charlotte Long Brillhart died peacefully at The Forum in The Woodlands, TX, late Friday afternoon April 27, 2018, after an extended illness. Charlotte was born in Dante, Virginia, on January 8, 1928. She was the youngest child of Sen. Melville Macon Long and Charlotte Elizabeth Long of St. Paul, VA. Charlotte received her high school diploma from the high school division of Montreat College in Montreat, NC. She also graduated from Virginia Intermont College in Bristol and in 1948 received her nursing degree from The Medical College of Virginia. While in Richmond at MCV, Charlotte met her husband, David Brillhart, whom she married on October 14, 1949. She worked in the blood bank and did private duty nursing while David completed his medical degree at MCV. After David served an internship in Roanoke, VA, they then moved to Abingdon, VA, where Charlotte lived until she moved to Texas to be near her daughter in 2014. During her years in Abingdon, she was an active member of the Sinking Springs Presbyterian Church, Meadowbrook Garden Club, Junior Women's Club, Booklovers, Gourmet Club, and the JMH Hospital Auxiliary. She volunteered for hospice, and was a supporter of The William King Arts Center, Barter Theatre, the Arts Depot, and the Washington County Historical Society. She and her husband also took many courses at the College for Older Adults.

Charlotte was a devoted wife, mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. Her nursing training and nurturing instincts were evident in her loving care and attention to her family members and friends, and the many dogs that lived in the Brillhart home over the years. Her other most memorable trait was a wonderful sense of humor which she displayed throughout her life.

Survivors include her daughter Anne B. Meinrath and her husband Mark of The Woodlands, TX; her son Mike Brillhart and his wife Kathy of Abingdon; her grandchildren Lesley Icenogle (Kurt) of Bismarck, ND, David Meinrath of Houston, TX, and Maggie Brillhart and Sallie Davis (Kyle), both of Abingdon; her great grandchildren Elsa Charlotte and Kurt David Icenogle of Bismarck, ND; and a number of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband David, her brother M.M. Long, Jr., and her sisters Margaret Creger, Virginia Burns, and Helen Muse.

Special thanks to the administrators, nurses, nurse's aides, activity leaders and other staff of The Forum in The Woodlands for their loving care and support of Charlotte and her family during her time there.

A memorial service in Abingdon is planned for the summer. A private burial will take place in the Troutville Cemetery in Botetourt County, VA where David is interred. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Arts Depot, 314 Depot Square, Abingdon, VA, 24210, Washington County Historical Society, PO Box 484 , Abingdon, VA 24212 , or Sinking Springs Presbyterian Church , 136 East Main St. , Abingdon, VA 24210 in memory of Charlotte.