April Buchanan-Cassell

RICH VALLEY, VIRGINIA: APRIL MARIE BUCHANAN-CASSELL made her journey to be with God after an inspiring battle with a rare and deadly lung disease, Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), on Monday, August 25, 2008. April received a double lung transplant in September, 2006, and fought long and hard before going to Heaven. She was an active member in the Rich Valley Community, Smyth County Relay for Life and Riverside United Methodist Church. April worked in the Lab at Smyth County Community Hospital where she was well loved and respected. She is survived by one son, Charles "Chaz" Woodson Cassell of Rich Valley, Virginia; her parents, Charles "Mac" and Sharon Buchanan of Rich Valley, Virginia; one sister, Emily Bralley and husband, Chris of Blacksburg, Virginia; one brother, Joshua Buchanan and wife, Brandy of Rich Valley, Virginia and their children, her beloved nephews, Luke and Cole; Chaz's father, David Cassell of Ceres, Virginia; devoted friends, Dot, Betty Jo, Jane, John, Jerry and Cindy Orr; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and special friends also survive. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, August 30, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at the Royal Oak Presbyterian Church. Private burial will be in Rich Valley Presbyterian Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends following the service at Royal Oak Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Chaz Cassell College Fund, Mountain Empire Federal Credit Union, 1413 North Main Street, Marion, Virginia 24354, The LAM Foundation, 4015 Executive Park Drive, Suite 320, Cincinnati, Ohio 45241, The American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 246, Abingdon, Virginia 24212 or to The Alzheimer's Association, 207 North Boone Street, Suite 1050, Johnson City, Tennessee 37604. April would encourage anyone who does not have their drivers' license marked to be a donor to please consider making this gift. Donate Life. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.seaverbrown.com. Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory is serving the Buchanan-Cassell Family. There is an additional slide show of April at http://picasaweb.google.com/AprilBuchananCassell