Obituaries

Barbara Sue Isbell passed away peacefully on June 16, 2019 at her home, surrounded by her family. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, John B. and Ida Mae Miller, and a son, Weldon Earl Isbell. Barbara is survived by her husband of 64 years, Billy W. Isbell and a son James A. Isbell of the home, a daughter, Patricia G. Isbell of Dale City, Virginia, and a granddaughter Amanda K. Ward-Isbell of Old Hickory, Tennessee, a brother Thomas T. Miller for Orange, Texas, a niece Charlotte Williams of Orange, Texas, and a niece, Gwendolyn Mathis of Tyler, Texas.

Barbara Sue Miller was born in a tent in the Kilgore, Texas oil fields on December 22, 1936. Her father was a carpenter who took his family around Texas in a homemade trailer during her childhood. Barbara married Billy Isbell on December 31, 1954 then graduated from Lutcher Stark High School in Orange, Texas the following May. Barbara and Billy moved around the country the following twenty years during Bill’s military career. Barbara and Bill moved to Woodbridge, Virginia in 1971 and settled in following his retirement from the U.S. Army.

John Tarsia, 79, of Woodbridge, Virginia died on June 18, 2019 at Fairfax Hospital. He retired from C.E.I. in 2004. He loved this job and traveled around the country and even to Hong Kong.

He was a member of Our Lady of Angels Church. He was an usher, and in the past ran the family festival, and taught religious education.

Carol A. Brandwein, 67, on June 10, 2019. The family will receive visitors Friday, June 21, 2019 from 10-11 a.m. with a service at 11 a.m. at Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd., Woodbridge, VA 22192. Interment will follow at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9902 Braddock Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032.

Rosalie B. Austin, 73, of Stafford, Virginia on June 17, 2019. The family will receive visitors Sunday, June 23, 2019 from 2-4:30 p.m. at Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd., Woodbridge, VA 22192. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, June 24, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 12805 Valleywood Dr., Woodbridge with interment to follow at Quantico National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of Rosalie.

Mathew Lee Barber, 28, of Woodbridge, Virginia passed away unexpectedly on June 14, 2019. Born December 11, 1990 in Prince William County Virginia. He was the son of Kevin Ray Barber and Susan Marie Barber. Mat attended Potomac Senior High School. He was formerly employed at Koons Kia of Woodbridge as a prep technician. He then became self-employed and started his own business "Barber’s Hauling" of Woodbridge, Virginia. Mat was committed to both his family, extended family and friends. His bond with his brother was steadfast. He was best known for his generous heart, tremendous sense of humor and his quick wit. Mat was preceded in death by his Maternal Grandfather Joe Cropper of Triangle; Paternal Grandfather Ray Barber and Maternal Uncle Raymond Cropper of Fredericksburg. He is survived by his parents Kevin Ray Barber of Woodbridge and Susan Marie Barber of Triangle, brother Chris Barber (Diane), two nephews Eli Mathew and Max Easton, Maternal Grandmother Peggy Cropper of Triangle and Paternal Grandmother Rosemarie Barber of Gainesville, Paternal Uncle Kenneth Barber of Falls Church and Maternal Uncle and Aunts Carol Coulter of Stafford; Leslie Cropper of King George; Hilda Martin of Stafford; Jerry Cropper of Midland; and Terry Cropper of Triangle. Memorial services will be held Monday, June 24, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd., Woodbridge, VA 22192. Interment will immediately follow at Dumfries Cemetery of Dumfries, Virginia. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the VA 529 account for Mathew’s nephews.

David "Dave" R. Fowler, 80, of Woodbridge, Virginia died June 10, 2019 at home. He retired a CW4 with the Army National Guard. Fowler was a member of the River of Life Pentecostal Holiness Church. He was preceded in death by Albert and Thelma Fowler and Sharon Hughes. He is survived by Debbie Fowler, Cindy Short, David Fowler Jr., Tammy Sparks, Nikki Walker, Angel Johnson, eleven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. The family will receive visitors Friday, June 14, 2019 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd., Woodbridge, VA 22192. Interment will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Alice Marie Chitwood, (nee Norland), 92 of Burkeville, Virginia, was born to Hjalmar Norland and Jennie Askelin on January 20, 1927, in Minneapolis.

She was the youngest of four children, which also included sisters Elsie (Nurmi), Lucille (Nick), and brother Suante Norlund. She arrived in this world two months after her father succumbed to a farming accident. Alice spent her early childhood in the largely Finnish immigrant town of Finlayson.

Claude "Mac" McCain, 65, of Woodbridge, VA died June 5, 2019 at Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, VA.

He was a retired LTC US Army Reserves and he was retired from the Department of Defense as an analyst. He was a trustee at the Elks Lodge in Dale City, VA.

Robert (Bob) Lynn Matthews of Woodbridge, Virginia died June 4, 2019, in the Veteran’s Hospital in Washington, D.C.; he was 71 years old. Professionally, he earned a Juris Doctorate in Law, and worked in the aerospace industry for Rockwell, McDonnell Douglas, and Boeing. Before moving to Virginia in 2003, he was Director of Contracts for Boeing in California. He retired in 2012, after a long and successful career.

As a child of an Air Force Colonel, Bob traveled extensively, living in Florida, France, Spain, Boston, Texas, Nebraska, and California. As a child, he was fascinated by the natural world. He particularly loved bugs, reptiles, and all the often lesser loved creatures of the earth. As he grew up he developed a passion for music and guitar, as well as a fascination with big ideas. He developed an encyclopedic knowledge of music from folk, blues, rock, soul, jazz, doo-wop, and big band, to contemporary music. He was a voracious reader, who was particularly interested in literary fiction, philosophy, history, detective fiction, true crime, neuroscience, spirituality, and nature writing. He also journaled extensively and wrote short stories and the beginnings of a memoir. He loved to travel and travelled throughout Europe, the British Isles, the Philippines (as a member of the US Air Force), and the Middle East. As he got older, he continued to see the natural world as a place of peace and repose. He always loved photography, but became more serious about his nature photography after his retirement.