Alice Farling

Alice Farling, a devoted daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on June 17, 2026, at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia, at the age of 86.

She was born in Henry County (Ridgeway), Virginia, on February 23, 1940, and grew up in Reidsville, North Carolina.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilbur and Edna Farling; her siblings, William, Mary, and Wilbur; and her grandchild, Ryan Taylor.

She is survived by her sister, Frances; her ten children, Leo, Theresa, Cary, Clare (Brian), Mary (John), Ruth (David), Ben (Kelly), Conrad (Jenna), Joe (Gracia), and Adrian; her nine grandchildren, Michael, Chris, John Wesley, Brad, Yvonne, Jason, Brooke, Kayla, Ben, and Lindsay; and her six great-grandchildren, Chris, Nate, Ray, Leo, Ryan, and Jacob.

Born with a strong sense of determination and compassion, Alice married in July 30, 1960, and dedicated herself to raising her large family. After her children entered school, she took up long-distance running, completing qualifying races and ultimately running the New York Marathon with a number in 1983 at the age of 43.

Alice was a lifelong learner and voracious reader. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Tech in 1988, and her Master of Counseling & Human Development from Radford University in 1996. She served as a child counselor for many years, including leading a family therapy group in Front Royal, Virginia, and later working at the Carilion Psych Center in Salem after relocating there in 2009. She retired from counseling in 2018, at the age of 78.

In retirement, Alice never sat still, enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and pursued her interests in sewing, quilting - particularly English Paper Piecing - art, photography, jigsaw puzzles, gardening, and reading. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion, quiet strength, and unwavering dedication, felt by her family and by the countless children and families whose lives she touched through her work. She will be profoundly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

A celebration of Alice's life will take place on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at the John M. Oakey & Son Chapel located at 305 Roanoke Boulevard in Salem, Virginia. The period of visitation will begin at 1 p.m., with a memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. The service will be officiated by Alice's granddaughter, Brooke.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Alice's name may be made to The Gideons International (gideons.org) or the Local Office on Aging (PO Box 14205, Roanoke, Va. 24038‑4205 or online at loaa.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/). Online condolences may be expressed at www.johnmoakey.com.

Alice will be remembered for her resilience, her generosity, her quiet strength, and the deep love she held for her family. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched and the family she cherished.