Marion Bratton

I have been at home in Roanoke for the past 87 years. Hired as the first married woman by Appalachian Power Company during World War II; I worked there for nearly 15 years before joining the Virginia Western Community College staff as bookstore manager. Nineteen years later, I retired from the bookstore and began working part-time at the Towers Mall Heironimus until its closing in 2000. Today, my favorite Roanoke pastimes include shopping at Florabella, Present Thyme, Fink’s, and RSVP, and dining out at local restaurants like the Roanoker, Grace’s Place Pizza, and Carlos. Due in large part to the medical professionals at Carilion and Vistar Eye Center, I have also successfully undergone a hip replacement and corrective eye surgery, both of which make it possible for me to enjoy time with family and friends, and participate in activities such as the annual Roanoke Home & Garden Tour and the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market.