Elmyra Ann Kearns

Elmyra “Myra” Ann Kearns, 100, Woodbridge, Virginia died November 22, 2025 at the Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. Elmyra was a member of Our Lady of Angels Roman Catholic Church. Elmyra was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Knollman and Albertina Knollman (Kluesner), sister Janet Gissy, brother Charles Knollman Jr., and husband Donald Kearns Sr. Elmyra is survived by her children Barbara Buzzard, Wendy Meyer, Donald Kearns Jr., Kathleen Kearns, and Laura Smith, and 11 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren, and her dear friend Eduardo Pineda Alas. The family will receive visitors Wednesday, December 10th from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd., Woodbridge, VA 22192. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, December 11th at 11am at Our Lady of Angels Roman Catholic Church, 13752 Mary's Way, Woodbridge, VA 22191 with burial to follow at Quantico National Cemetery in Triangle, VA. Elmyra was the first of three children born in her family and was raised in St. Louis, Missouri where she enjoyed rollerskating while growing up. After graduating high school, Elmyra worked for the government. One of the good friends she made at work introduced her to her cousin Donald Kearns who had recently enlisted into the Marines during World War II. Both Elmyra and her friend later traveled cross country by train to San Diego where they met up with Donald prior to his shipping out to fight in the Pacific. He proposed to Elmyra during that visit and they ultimately married after he finished college after the war. Elmyra and Donald had five children and moved multiple times through job changes and promotions and ultimately ended up in Northern Virgina and were married for over 50 years prior to Donald’s death in early 2000. Elmyra relocated to the Belmont Bay neighborhood in July 2022 following a housefire, caused through no fault of her own, at her Montclair, Dumfries, Virginia townhouse. Elmyra started taking walks in Belmont Bay since then where she became somewhat of a neighborhood celebrity. She inspired many who witnessed and/or knew of her dedication to walking. As one neighbor noted, “Beamed with a bright smile under her sun glasses and a light blue baseball cap, Elmyra will brighten your day! “ Beautiful Elmyra has always embraced change and was very remarkable and resilient in all that she has had to deal with throughout the years including most recently three surgeries in four days at the end of this past July due to a hematoma in her right forearm and living with breast cancer for more than the last three years, among other health issues. Elmyra had not missed a day walking for over 2 years prior to the end of July where she had worked up to 1 mile per day most days and worked up to being able to walk 1 mile again not long after celebrating her 100th birthday with family and friends on September 28, 2025. Elmyra was a 3-time gold medalist in her age group in the 2024 Senior Olympics 1600 m and 800 m walking events and 60 m dash event. It was the first time participating in any type of sporting event. Elmyra was able to keep pushing through and/or coping with whatever health or other issue came her way. She was an excellent example of how to roll with life’s punches with grace and would simply say “what choice do I have” but to try to push through. Her being young at heart, full of spunk, quick to show her beautiful smile, and having a great sense of humor all helped her through both good and bad times. Elmyra always tried to stay up on the news, politics, and current events throughout her life. Her family has memories growing up of her reading the newspaper and watching the news daily providing an excellent example of the importance of keeping up with what is going on in the world. Elmyra was extremely generous, possibly partly due to the examples her parents showed through getting her involved in helping those in need during the depression. Elmyra had a full life well lived and did not have anything she felt was unfinished. Elmyra always put her children first and had unwavering support and unconditional love for them. She was their biggest fan.

Tributes

Elmyra Ann Kearns

November 22, 2025