Clay “Corey” Childs | Obituaries | Page Valley News

60 years old, Berryville, Virginia.

Clay “Corey” Childs, 60, of Berryville, Virginia, went home to be with his Lord on Saturday, August 31, 2024, surrounded by his family.

Corey was born on September 4, 1963 in Berryville, Virginia, the son of David Clay Childs and Connie Ann Jackson Wilson.

A lifelong resident of Clarke County, he graduated from Clarke County High School in 1981. He earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and agricultural education from Virginia Tech in 1985.

His passionate interest in showing, raising and promoting sheep, as well as 4-H, began during his adolescence. He served as a Northern District 4-H cabinet member, State 4-H vice president and was a Virginia State 4-H all-star. He represented Virginia on the State 4-H Livestock Judging Team in 1979. He competed in competitions throughout the country such as KILE and the National Contest held at NAILE in Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1988, he and his wife Janet purchased a group of purebred Suffolk sheep and founded Cornerstone Suffolks, now Cornerstone Club Lambs.

In 1990, Corey began his career with Virginia Cooperative Extension. He worked with Gary Hornbaker and helped organize and serve on the board of the Old Dominion Livestock Producers Association. He continued his career with Extension, where his most recent position was Unit Coordinator and Extension Agent for Animal Science Extension in Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren counties. He has trained over 1,000 children in best practices for project animal management through the YQCA program.

In 2002, Corey received the Outstanding Virginia Shepherd Award. He was appointed to the Virginia Sheep Industry Board by Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, where he served until 2010.

Corey has competed in the Virginia State Fair Youth Livestock Week for the past 34 consecutive years. He has served as Assistant Sheep Superintendent for 10 years. He will be inducted into the Virginia Livestock Hall of Fame on October 25, 2024.

He was an active member of the American Suffolk Association, the American Southdown Association and the American Hampshire Sheep Association.

He was a member of Fellowship Bible Church in Winchester, Virginia.

He married Janet Marie Stiles on August 6, 1988, in Damascus, Maryland.

He and his wife are survived by his mother, Connie, and her husband, Hazen, of Berryville, Virginia; his father, David, of Berryville, Virginia; his children, Brett C. Childs, of Winchester, Virginia; Kayla B. Gant-Ratliff, and her husband, Brandon, of Berryville, Virginia; Jordan Dooley, and her husband, Michael, of Stephens City, Virginia; and Brady C. Childs, and his wife, Gracie, of Berryville, Virginia; his sister, Cari Sheetz, and her husband, Daniel, of Berryville, Virginia; his brother, Casey Childs, and his wife, Kathy, of Berryville, Virginia; seven grandchildren, Braylon Jones, Torynn Jones, Blair Reidenbach, Dulaney Gant-Ratliff, Rowdy Childs, Rhyatt Childs, and Silas Dooley; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at Berryville Baptist Church with Pastor Mark Carey and Pastor Tyler Phillips officiating. The burial will be private.

The family of the deceased will receive guests from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at the Enders & Shirley Funeral Home in Berryville.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Livestock Judging Program at Virginia Tech by making a check payable to Virginia Tech Foundation and sending it to 902 Prices Fork Rd, Blacksburg, VA 24061. In the memo, please add “In Memory of Corey Childs.” If you would like to make an online donation to the Corey Childs Memorial Endowment.