Mava Sutphin Vass, 96 of Hillsville, passed away on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Mava was born in Willis, Virginia, Carroll County on January 4, 1926. She attended Mount Hebron School, Buffalo Mountain School and graduated from Hillsville High School. Mava graduated from Radford College, the Women's division of Virginia Polytechnic University in 1947. She began her 42-year teaching career at the Turman School, Willis High School and in Sylvatus,Virginia. Mava married William Hassell Vass, a World War II Navy Veteran, from the Crooked Oak community of Carroll County. She taught in the Hampton City Schools while Hassell was stationed in Norfolk.

Mava also worked as a guidance counselor at the Woodlawn High School. She taught English at the newly opened Wytheville Community College in the mid-1960's, and at the Carroll County High School teaching Senior English, until retiring in 1987. During her tenure at CCHS, she prepared her students for the college experience and for life in the real world. She was an inspiration and mentor to her students and was voted Teacher of the Year several times.

In 1968 Mava and her late husband Hassell joined the Hillsville Presbyterian Church. She became the first female elder in the church, taught Sunday School, and served on the Missions Board. Mava was a founding member of the Open Table Mission, was also involved in the Backpack Buddies program, Baskets for Young Mothers program and the Nursing Home Flowers Ministry through Ideal Florist.

In addition, Mava served on the Board of the Twin County Regional Hospital in Galax, Mount Rogers Board, Wytheville Community College Foundation Board, and chaired the Wytheville Community College Main Board when they selected their current president. Mava has volunteered with the Carroll County Registrar's Office to help register voters and to do Absentee Voting for residents in Nursing Homes. She was a member of the Hillsville Lions Club, judged entries at the Carroll County Agricultural Fair, and was on the committee that brought about the Playground 2000 in Hillsville and the picnic shelter and honors wall at the Carroll Wellness Center Park.

In celebration of Mava's 90th birthday, a garden was planted at the Carroll Wellness Center Park in her honor. She served as Grand Marshall of the Hillsville Christmas Parade in 2016.

Mava and her husband Hassell (former Sheriff of Carroll County) resided on Edgewood Drive since the early 1960's. Having no children of their own they doted on their nieces and nephews, and on numerous neighborhood children. For 30+ years Mava planned and hosted an Annual Neighborhood Party in her home, preparing all the delicious foods herself.

Mava Vass has served the Hillsville Community well for the greater portion of her life. She had endless energy, was very determined and seldom took "no" for an answer when helping others. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her and were blessed to be part of her life.

Mava is survived by her spiritual family at the Hillsville Presbyterian Church, and Kevin and Angela Campbell and sons, Alex and Drew; her nieces and nephews, Ann Terrell Christian and husband Lawrence Christian, daughters Rachel Amanda Katherine Christian and Sydney Chambers Christian Pratt, husband Alexander Cole Pratt and son Christian Henry Pratt, William Dabney Terrell, V and wife Nancy Smith Terrell, Elizabeth Foster Terrell, Charles DeWitte Terrell, Timothy Westmoreland Terrell and wife Kimberly Murphy Terrell, brother-in-law, William Dabney Terrell IV, Carolyn and Tommy Alderman and sons Travis and Scott, Patricia Ann Vass, son Craig Bowman and wife Patty, and daughter Amy Bowman Turbyfill and William Randolph "Randy" Vass and son Jeffrey Vass; and Judy Webb Vass; and her neighbors The Terry family, Ed, Lora, Candice, Cody and Hannah.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel at 11:00 AM with Pastor Kevin Campbell officiating. Friends will be received at the funeral home from 9:00 until 11:00 AM prior to the memorial service. Following the memorial service, a reception celebrating and honoring Mava's life will be hosted by the congregation of the Hillsville Presbyterian Church in the church's fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Hillsville Presbyterian Church in Mava's memory.

Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel is serving the family.