Michael Edward Booth

He leaves behind a grieving legion of family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and students who will never forget his kindness, humor, intellect and unfailing generosity.

Michael was born in Richmond, Virginia on August 7, 1948 to the late Marion Roshier Booth and Jaquelin Gertrude Griggs Booth Bowles. The second of four children and first son of the bunch, Michael was known as a sweet, rambunctious boy who loved sports, music and the family table, attributes which stayed with him his whole life. Born into a musical family, from earliest days Michael was singing and learning to play instruments with his parents and siblings. He eventually settled on the titanic baritone saxophone as his primary instrument.

In 1964, as a student at John Marshall High School, Mike was a founding member of the band King Edward & the BDs, famous for their R&B, Motown, Beach Music sound. Mike was the original lead singer of the band and played his bari sax in the band’s famously fat horn section. His lead vocals can still be heard on classic songs like “Beg Me” and “MTYLTT”, contributing to the band’s 60’s slogan, “They call us coffee, because we grind so fine.”

Like many sons, he was especially close to his mother, a bond which strengthened after he lost his father in 1966 as a senior in high school, just before his graduation. Foregoing a football scholarship out-of-state, he accepted a music scholarship and pursued his undergraduate degree at Virginia Commonwealth University while helping to run the family monument business, the Booth Memorial Company, which is still owned and run by the Booth family. In his last year of life, Mike even returned to work at the Company on a part time basis to help his son take the helm.

Although his senior year of high school saw the loss of his father, a close friendship with a classmate bloomed into the real thing when Mike fell in love with Phyllis Young. Mike and Phyllis both graduated from John Marshall High in 1966 then dated for four years, by which time Mike graduated from VCU with a Bachelor of Science. Happily, Mike and Phyllis were married on December 26, 1970. The couple have always loved the Christmas season, and through the years the holiday was made all the more special by their anniversary falling only a day after Christmas.

The unusual wedding date was due to Mike’s impending active-duty service during the Vietnam War. He was scheduled to be stationed at Fort Bliss, TX, and the couple hurried to be married before his departure. After a honeymoon trip to historic Williamsburg, they packed up and headed west. At Fort Bliss, Mike was a Nike Missile instructor. Phyllis and Mike have many fond memories of living in El Paso, the wonderful variety of people they met, and traveling over the border into nearby Mexico. Fortunately, Mike was not called to serve overseas, and the couple was able to return to Richmond before the birth of their first daughter, Jessica, in 1972.

The 1970s saw Mike building his family. Before the decade was half over, their second daughter Emily was born in 1974. Their son Ross arrived in 1979, completing the family. Family was paramount to Mike and he was fully involved in his children’s upbringing. His children each have fond memories of their own, but all of them remember their dad tucking them in at night with a prayer and a song. Most nights, he would add wonderful stories to the bedtime line-up and never tired of repeating favorites over and over again.

Throughout the 1980s, Mike continued to work at Booth Memorial Company. However, he always found time to attend every one of his children’s recitals, plays, and athletic events. As a lifelong athlete in baseball, football and track (shot-put state champion), Mike was happy to coach his son’s many Little League teams, becoming a well-loved and sought after coach in the Ashland Little League. He was instrumental in shepherding his son’s teams to many athletic triumphs. Mike was a lifelong sports fan and cheered the loudest for the Washington Nationals MLB team. In recent years, many a date night would find Mike and Phyllis on the family room sofa rooting for their beloved Nats.

A lifelong patriot, Mike also served more than two decades in the United States Army Reserves, retiring as a Sergeant First Class.

After more than twenty years working at the Booth Memorial Company, Mike turned to a new career in teaching. He taught severely and profoundly disabled Special Education students, which was a job uniquely suited to two of Mike’s many strengths - prodigious physical ability and vast compassion. Innumerable students and their families were touched by his competence and positivity.

Scholarship and learning were key values for Mike. He completed his Master of Education (M.Ed.) at VCU and his Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree at the University of Virginia. He reached the pinnacle of his education by earning his Division Superintendent License from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He moved quickly into educational leadership and served as both an assistant principal and principal at the middle and high school levels, finishing his career as principal of Southampton Middle School. His welcoming personality, competent leadership, and genuine interest impacted school-wide communities of students, their families, and his colleagues.

Mike was a man of deep personal faith. He was raised in a Christian household and maintained church membership for the entirety of his life. He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia where he was married. After moving his family to Ashland, Virginia, he became a member of First Baptist Church of Ashland, where he served in Sunday School both as a member and a teacher, on mission trips (most notably to Grenada), and on a multitude of church committees. In recent years he and Phyllis found a church home at Berea Baptist Church of Rockville.

The love of music never left Mike. After retiring from a career in Education, he was a founding member of the Christian men’s chorale Hanover Harmony. No longer a high tenor, but with undiminished vocal strength, he sang baritone in the four-part men’s harmony group. He was delighted to sing in local churches and for various events in the Hanover area. Sunday night rehearsal with the guys became a highlight of his week.

Though he was an educated man, accomplished in his careers, an athlete, coach, and a talented musician, Mike’s favorite role of all was as Daddy to his three children, Jessica, Emily and Ross, as well as Papa to his six grandchildren, whom he affectionately addressed as The Six Pack. Henry (25), Ella (20), Rett (17), Anna Caroline (15), Charlotte (14), and Ivy (11) were the light of his life and his reason to rise every day. He loved to visit and hear news of all the adventures of his grandchildren who grew up around the world as military kids, and was breakfast chef and chauffeur extraordinaire to the ones who lived right next door.

Michael Booth was a good man. He will be missed immeasurably by his wife of more than 54 years, Phyllis Young Booth, his daughters Emily Booth and Jessica Booth Bergstol (Chris), and his son Ross Booth (Kristen Durrett). His grandsons Henry Bergstol and Rett Booth, and granddaughters Ella Bergstol, Anna Caroline Bergstol, Charlotte Booth, and Ivy Booth will always remember the overflowing affection of their beloved Papa. He is also survived by his sister Jacquelin Wray Booth Spears (Bob), and brothers Steven Booth (Janis Grimes) and David Booth.

A memorial celebration of life will be held at First Baptist Church of Richmond on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Hanover Harmony c/o 12301 Deer Crossing Trail, Ashland, Va 23005