Condolence: My late wife, Peggy andI thought a lot of Mary and Joe. What a life well lived serving others, her community ,preserving history and being a steward of the land. The valley has lost an institution, she will be missed.

Condolence: We will miss Mary deeply as we spent many hours with her over the past years enjoying meals out,Tim's cookouts,and traveling to surrounding areas for day visits with some picnics and fun traveling snacks we would pick up at odd stores!She was such an intelligent woman with a love for nature and Gods greatness within it. So the short trips were fun with her perspective on everything! Elizabethton TN I think was her favorite. The History and family that she and Joe would visit there. She even remembered the street name and house of the relatives. Ruby Street, and so it was....what a memory she had! She loved her Joe so much and both of her families!She gave me a copy of a book titled The Elvis Tooth to read and the pages on which her and Joe's story played out! She said I should read page 199 first!They met on a church hayride she said. She always had stories to share about their adventures and just their lives together. She and Joe had so many friends and interests in their lives, but always kept their loyalty to their family and friends in the Western North Carolina area of their home closest to their hearts!They helped many along their lives paths! They were good and reliable friends as well. She was so lost without her Joe, as she called him "my Joe" so often , after his passing.She tried to carry on as best she could by doing what she thought he would want in all she did. I think she continued that spirit of loyalty to family, friends and community with great honor! Tim and I will miss Mary so much in the coming days! Especially spring! She loved the newness of this season and growth!It is however a blessing to know that Mary and Joe met in that place we can only hope to see soon also, because all those worldly cares are now gone. She is most assuredly meeting all her family, friends, and those oh so many little critters she nursed to health or at least saw leave this earth in a better way than she found them.I think those of us who knew her, truly knew her heart, feel that way... Better now at looking for ways to help our fellow man, creatures and creation than we were before we knew Mary R. Hemphill.

Condolence: This was no ordinary life. This was a life well-lived and well loved. A life that will be deeply missed and
a sorrow that touches my heart.

Condolence: Please accep my sincere condolences to the family and all Ms. Mary's numerous friends. I am honored to have met this fine lady, and was on "her annual reunion" list. Ms. Mary's bright spirit will be missed, but now she's dancing in heaven with the love of her life, Joe. May God's peace be with you during this time.

Condolence: Please accept my sincere condolences during this time of grief. My hope is that the words of Christ Jesus be of comfort, when he stated that "the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out" (John 5: 28, 29). We can also take comfort in God's personal promise to "wipe out every tear" and that soon, even "death will be no more" (Revelation 21: 4).

Condolence: I rejoice in Mary's freedom from the bonds of earth and her reunion with Arthur Joe, though I grieve with everyone left to miss her sweet, generous, thoughtful spirit.