“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” Brenda Spain Hancock, formerly of Beckley, born May 1, 1951, passed away quietly March 6, 2010, at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke, Va. Family and friends were at her bedside for the final goodbye. Brenda was a kind person who loved family, reading, and good soul music. She was a 1970 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, attended Fairmont State College, and worked in retail sales for over 20 years, mostly at J.C. Penney. Brenda was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Hancock; father, Anderson Spain; uncles, James and Charles Spain, and grandparents, Essex and Leola Spain, who raised her. Left to cherish her memory are: sons, Michael and Essex “Chris” Spain of Beckley; daughter, Azure Spain of Beckley; sister, Diane (Raymond) Cook of Beckley; aunt, Francis Spain of Nashville, Tenn.; grandchildren, Kadijah, Chanté, Isabella, Michael Jr., and special friend, Anthony Harbison: other family and friends. Funeral services will be 12 noon Thursday, March 11, 2010, at the Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor Chapel, 748 S. Fayette Street, Beckley, with Elder Ricardo Lewis officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call one hour prior to the services at the funeral parlor. Condolences may be e-mailed to ritchie-johnson@suddenlinkmail.com. Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley.