Elaine Lewis Mickens departed this life on November 21, 2023. Born on  September 13, 1944, she was the fifth of nine children of the late Edmond R. Mickens, Sr., and Landonia Lewis Mickens. A lifelong resident of Ashland, VA, Elaine was educated in the Hanover County School System and graduated from John M. Gandy High School. She then matriculated at Virginia Union University and earned a bachelor's degree in education. Subsequently, Elaine taught full time for 30-plus years at Mechanicsville Elementary School., followed by close to 20 years as a substitute teacher. Throughout Elaine's career and afterwards, many of her former students made sure to acknowledge her and the impact she made on their education when they saw her in public.

Elaine joined Providence Baptist Church at a young age and, as an adult, served as  Church Financial Secretary, Sunday School Teacher, Church Historian, and member of the Usher Board and Hospitality Committee. She sang in the Young Adults, Gospel, and Sanctuary Choirs, and she was also responsible for the church marquee. But these were not her only contributions to the church, as Elaine could be counted on to lend a hand
with planning and presenting many church programs and other events. An avid reader, Elaine's life was filled with books, many of which she shared with family members and friends alike. Ever the educator, she pointed out exquisite writing and other fascinating aspects of the books she read, and she liked to discuss them in detail.

Elaine also was a big sports fan, and she fiercely rooted for "her" UNC Tarheels men's basketball team and Dallas Cowboys. In addition, she was a huge supporter of her  nieces' and nephews' athletic endeavors and could be seen cheering regularly from little league and school bleachers around Hanover County and beyond. And she enjoyed going to concerts, art exhibits, graduations, and other important events for her nieces and nephews. If she could not attend events, she made sure to recognize the celebrated achievements. Always up for a good laugh, Elaine had a great sense of humor. She especially enjoyed sitting at a table chatting and joking around with her siblings and friends. Many of the conversations lingered in her memory and it was quite common for her to randomly burst into a smile or outright laughter when she recalled something funny that someone else had shared. Of course, those random moments created additional rounds of laughter among the entire group.

In addition to her parents, Elaine was predeceased by her siblings Adele, Edmond, Jr., Jack, Jane, Landonia, Beverly, and Jimmy. She is survived by her sister, Sarah Anderson (Douglas), a host of cousins, nieces and nephews, former colleagues, fellow  church members, neighbors, friends, and many others. Elaine was loved by many, and we will miss her tremendously.