Woman dies after falling off Ice Rock

A Roanoke, Va. woman was killed in a fall from Ice Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway, according to a report by District Ranger Brent Pennington.

Killed in the fall was Karen Deans Stoneburner, 52, who was pronounced dead at the scene on the authority of Medical Examiner Dr. Jim Holleman. Stoneburner fell about 100 feet prior to landing on the rocks below the cliff.

"It was a pretty straight drop from the rock wall to where her body was found," Pennington said.

A funeral was held Tuesday in Roanoke for Mrs. Stoneburner, Pennington said. Pennington said that he was about 35 miles away when he was dispatched to the scene.

"Members of the Alleghany County Rescue Squad had already got down there and found the body and realized that the victim was dead," Pennington said.

In an interview Tuesday, Pennington said the incident is being investigated. "I'm not prepared to draw any conclusions at this time," Pennington said. "It was an unwitnessed death and we have to treat it very carefully. I am still looking at the situation and doing some follow-up work."

According to a statement from Stoneburner's husband, 54-year-old Dennis Rae Stoneburner, he and his wife were taking a weekend trip from their home to Blowing Rock, utilizing the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Stoneburner said that one of his wife's hobbies was sketching and that she thought the view from Ice Rock was one she would like to draw, Pennington reported.

"Her husband said she had out her sketch pad and was planning to sketch the scene at Ice Rock," Pennington said.

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