In memoriam: Buford Brown Meredith, grounds foreman, Department of Athletics
Buford Brown Meredith, 78, of Newport, Va., died Wednesday at Lewis-Gale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, Va.
Meredith had just completed 50 years of service with the Virginia Tech Department of Athletics.
He helped with the construction of Cassell Coliseum, and he helped build the Jamerson Athletics Center, which houses the Department of Athletics. Meredith also helped maintain all of the athletics department’s facilities over the years, including the mowing of the fields and the cross country course, but is best known for painting the lines and end zones on Worsham Field before home football games. He performed this task until 2005 when he started concentrating on other duties for home football games.
Born on June 13, 1934, he was a son of the late Phillip and Frances Merrix Meredith. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Eugene Meredith, and his sisters Dorothy, Ruth, and Thelma.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Shirley Stafford Meredith; his sisters Clara Kinzie and Alice Mann; his brother William "Billy" Meredith; his brother and sister-in-law Emory and Jean Stafford; his sisters-in-law Jane Stafford and Linda Spicer; a host of nieces, nephews, and friends; and special friends who helped while he was in the hospital, Emerson Pulliman, Judy and Sammy Aman, Wallace Link, Rhonda and Hope Crockett, Donna Owens, and Mary Ann and Jerry Cheynet.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Kendall Funeral Home, 605 Snidow St., Pembroke, Va., with Pastor Gary Poff officiating. Burial will follow in Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg, Va. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Condolences may be also be sent online.
