Bender, Emily Warner
Emily Warner Bender, 96, of Blacksburg, VA, passed away on August 25, 2026. She was born in Blue Ridge Summit, PA to the late Laurean and Margaret Hays Warner. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Ed Bender, son Dan Bender, brother and sister-in-law Larry and Connie Warner, sister-in-law Betty Fuqua and her husband Isaac.
She is survived by her son Sam Bender, daughters Margaret Bender and Ellen Plaza (Alex), granddaughter Emmy Bender (Katie), brother and sister-in-law Joe and Joan Warner as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their families.
Emily attended Grove City College and Shippensburg University, obtaining her teaching degree. She was teaching school in Pennsylvania when she met her husband Ed at Church. They were married in 1954 and after moving about for a few years, built their home in Blacksburg. Emily taught school at Shawsville Elementary for about 10 years and had fond memories of her students and the staff. She quit teaching when Ed retired from Virginia Tech and they began living full-time on their farm in Floyd County.
Emily supported Ed on the farm, assisting in any way she could but her favorite pastime was gardening. Most days found her sowing seeds, weeding or harvesting. Flowers were her favorite and she always made time to share her bouquets with friends in need of a little sunshine. She also began drying flowers and attended many craft fairs selling her beautiful creations.
They moved back to their home in Blacksburg when Ed’s health began to decline. Living in Blacksburg allowed her to spend more time with her granddaughter with whom she shared her love of gardening. Emily was also active in her Church, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school, participating in various committees and Church Women United. She also served as a deacon and ruling elder.
After Ed’s passing, she continued to garden but also spent time writing and volunteering. She attended writing workshops and began to fill notebooks with her stories of life on the farm. She wrote about 30 stories leaving a wonderful gift of memories for her family. She also volunteered with RSVP in the clothing bank and enjoyed making new friendships with her fellow volunteers.
Emily’s life was an adventure. She always had a story to tell whether it was of her family in Pennsylvania or her family and friends here in Virginia. When she walked into a room she filled it with joy and laughter. She loved life and faced every situation with hope and a positive attitude. Her faith always sustained her.
A memorial service will be held at Northside Presbyterian Church on October 31 at 11:00. The family invites you to stay and visit after the service. In Lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Northside Presbyterian Church, Blacksburg, VA or to cancer research of your choice.
A special thank you to Becky and Mary Ann with Senior Home Care, Inc. and to all the staff at Good Samaritan Hospice, especially Kendra.
