Obituary of Gilly Bland

Gilly Andrews Bland, 89, departed this life to join her Savior, husband, parents and sister on April 5, 2023. She was born on November 19, 1933 in Bacova, VA to the late Gordon and Ann Andrews.

Gilly was a lover of flowers and all things beautiful in nature, poetry, and her family.

She made a new home in Kingsport in 2019 after living in Richmond, VA where she finished her working career as the General Registrar for Chesterfield County, Va, retiring in 1995 after 22 years of service being the registrar from 1987- 1995. Gilly retired so that she would be able to welcome her granddaughter into the world. She busied herself babysitting and keeping a beautiful home inside and outside working in her flowers.

In addition to her parents, Gilly is preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Billie W. Bland; sister, Mildred Cunningham; and special aunt, Ronella Bradley.

Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Mark Bland (Karen); daughter, Ashley Delp; granddaughter, Berkeley Ballew (Jon); great-granddaughters, Jamie Ballew and Olivia Canoles; great-grandson, Beau Conley; her sister, Betty Sue Aude; and a dear cousin, Rufus Bradley.

A graveside service will be held April 24, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Sunset Memorial Park in Chester, Va.

A celebration of life will be held April 29, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at The Blake in Kingsport, Tennessee.

The family would like to thank The Blake in Kingsport for welcoming Gilly to Tennessee in 2019. They would also like to thank the nurses and therapists at NHC Kingsport who treated Gilly as family and made her whole to her enjoy her final months.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church memorial fund at 213 Colonial Heights Road, Kingsport, TN 37663 or to Rock Heritage Baptist Church memorial fund at 4838 Fort Henry Drive, Kingsport, TN 37663.

To express condolences to the family please visit our website at www.cartertrent.com. Carter-Trent Funeral Home in Kingsport is serving the Bland family.