ASHLAND, Ky. - Tony E. Cumbo, 70, formerly of Winding Gulf, died Friday, Jan. 19, 2001. Service will be 3 p.m. Monday at Rose Hill Burial Park Mausoleum. Friendsmay call one hour before service Monday at the mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Community Hospice, 1538 Central Ave., Ashland, KY 41101. Arrangements by Marshall Steen Funeral Home, Ashland.
Joan Givens, 58, of Woodlawn Avenue, Beckley, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2001, at her home following a short illness. Born Nov. 4, 1942, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Albert Chapman and Sybil Bobbett Givens. Ms. Givens spent her childhood in Beckley and was a 1960 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. She was a registered nurse and worked in the medical field for several years. For the past 15 years she had been in the real estate business in Beckley. She operated the Givens School of Real Estate and for the past five years had been the state's leading instructor for the licensing of real estate agents. For the past several years she had been a member of the Million Dollar Club for Real Estate, and she was a member of the Beckley Board of Realtors. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Albert Chapman "Bill" Givens and Parker Augustus Givens; and a sister, Eloise Givens Craddock. She was a loving mother to a daughter, Laura Simpson of Beckley; two sons, Dave Heatherly and his wife, Adriane, of Columbus, Ohio, and Matt Heatherly of West Lafayette, Ind.; and two grandchildren, Stephanie Simpson and Jordan Heatherly. Other survivors include three sisters, Marjorie Givens Jackson of New Port Richey, Fla., Warrene "Sugar" Beard of Beckley and twin June Givens Mynhier of Kingsport, Tenn. Friends may call after 6 p.m. today at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley, with the funeral service at 8 p.m. with Pastor John K. Jordan officiating. Committal service and burial will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Donations of sympathy may be made to the American Cancer Society, Raleigh County Unit, P.O. Box 2157, Beckley, WV 25802-2157. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
FAYETTEVILLE - Louise "Lou" Runnion Johnson Smith, 96, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001, at Hidden Valley Health Care Center, Oak Hill, following a brief illness. Mrs. Smith was born July 22, 1904, in Tyler City, Tyler County. She was the daughter of the late Ernest and Lillian Ankrom Runnion. Mrs. Smith was a member of the Fayetteville Presbyterian Church, the Vandalia Garden Club, the Fayetteville Woman's Club, the Arrowhead WVU Extension Club, the Fayette County Retired Teachers' Association, the Southern Cross Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy, and the Borderland Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mrs. Smith was a retired teacher, having begun her career at Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley. For several years she taught English and French at Fayetteville High School. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from West Virginia University, and did graduate work at the University of Cincinnati, and at L'Universite de Montreal in Canada. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Roy H. "Jack" Johnson, with whom she was associated in publishing The Fayette Tribune for many years; she was the widow of Gilbert Smith of Fayetteville; and her sister, Mrs. Lenore Bussey Bookman of Clarksburg, also preceded her in death. Survivors include a son, Roy Hamlin Johnson Jr. of College Park, Md.; two grandsons, Roy H. Johnson III of Laurel, Md., and Nathan Johnson of Bowie, Md.; two great-grandchildren; and a niece, Mrs. Martha Lou Bussey Martin of Clarksburg. A graveside service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Huse Memorial Park, Fayetteville, with the Rev. Adrian Pratt officiating. Burial will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions made to the Fayetteville Presbyterian Church, 401 W. Maple Ave., Fayetteville. Arrangements by Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home, Fayetteville.
Betty Looney Walker, 73, of Beckley, died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2001, in a Beckley area hospital following a long illness. Born March 3, 1927, at Marytown, she was the daughter of the late Clyde Clayton Looney and Mable Young Looney Reeder. Mrs. Walker was of the Protestant faith. She was a resident of Beckley. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1945. She worked as a teller for the Bank of Raleigh for 32 years. She was preceded in death by a grandson, Roy Crouse; a sister, Mary Helen Bishop; and a brother, Bob Looney. Survivors include her husband, Lowell "Lolly" Walker of Beckley; a son, Gerald "Jerry" Maxwell and wife, Vicki, of Charleston; two daughters, Carolyn Charles and husband, Steven, of Sanford, N.C., and Vivian Crouse and husband, Roy, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a sister, Agnes Keatley and husband, Kenneth "Bunk," of Shady Spring; two sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Baker and husband, Bill, of Beckley, and Betty Walker of Roanoke, Va.; six grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum with Virgil Cook officiating. Burial will follow. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley. In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy may be made to the organization of your choice. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley.
Frances Rappold, 83, of Beckley died June 30, 1997, in a local nursing home after a long illness. She was a member of St. Francis deSales Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters of America, Beckley Woman's Club and Primrose Garden Club and a graduate of Beckley High School. Surviving: sons, Walter Jr. of Raleigh, N.C., Robert and Richard, both of Beckley, Tom of Roanoke, Va.; 13 grandchildren. Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Francis deSales Catholic Church with the Rev. Bill Matheny and deacon Don Wise officiating. Burial will be in St. Sebastian Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. today at Calfee Funeral Home, where there will be a rosary service at 8:30. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Francis deSales School, 614 S. Oakwood Ave., Beckley, W.Va. 25801.
Mary Phillips Loflin, 92, of Beckley died March 19, 2000, at home after a long illness. She was a homemaker, a graduate of Beckley High School, had attended the Beckley Normal School and was a member of First Baptist Church, Beckley. Surviving: son, Lyle of Charleston; daughters, Mary Katheryn Carper of Derry, N.H., LaRene Jennings of Atlanta, Susan Loflin of Beckley; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren. Service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley, with the Rev. James Jennings officiating. Burial will be in Beaver Cemetery. Friends may call one hour prior to service at the funeral home.
Justine G. Sterne Nickels, 83, formerly of Rural Acres Drive, Beckley, died Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001, in a Princeton hospital following a long illness. Born Dec. 4, 1917, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Harry G. and Mary Zelda Daugherty Sterne. Mrs. Nickels was a 1934 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, where she was an accomplished violinist representing the school in the All-State orchestra. She was the manager of the WWHS Cafeteria for several years and was supervisor of the Dietary Department of Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital for five years. She was active in the Beckley Woman's Club in its early years, founder and president of the Rural Acres Garden Club, member of the Senior Friends at Raleigh General Hospital and a member of the Christian Women's Club at Glade Springs. A member of First Christian Church at Courthouse Square in Beckley for more than 80 years, she served as recording secretary of the Women's Fellowship, president of the Friendship Class, and a circle leader for many years. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Oscar M. Nickels, in 1991; and two sisters, Juanita and Elaine. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Survivors include a son, Tom Nickels and his wife, Joan, of Greenlawn, N.Y.; three grandchildren, Lynn Nickels of Hartford, Conn., Lt. Col. David Nickels and his wife, Shannon, of Rapid City, S.D., and Doug Nickels of Richmond, Va.; five great-grandchildren, David Jr., Christopher, Chardae, Bailey and Daniel, all of South Dakota; and a sister-in-law, Thelma McMillion of Wayne, Mich. Service will be 11 a.m. Monday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Russell F. Smith officiating. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call one hour before service Monday at the chapel. Pallbearers will be Buford Crouch, John Rogar, Robert Malcolm, Robert Hollands-worth, Lloyd Sweeney and Don Cook. Donations of sympathy may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 N.W. Ninth Ave., Miami, FL 33136-1494. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
CHARLESTON, S.C. - Dona Richmond McBride, 48, of 101 St. Charles Court, died Monday, Jan. 15, 2001, from a 10-year bout with breast cancer. Survivors include her parents, Edward Lee Richmond and Joan Coleman Richmond of Holly Hill Farm, Mount Hope; a sister, Ellen Richmond Toney of Mount Hope; two nephews, Tass E. Toney and Dane A. Toney of Mount Hope; and a longtime friend and caretaker, Edward W. Peeples of Box 30484, Charleston, SC 29407. She was born Feb. 5, 1952, at Beckley, and was a 1971 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. Dona graduated from Raleigh County Vo-Tech Center in 1973 with an LPN degree, Southern WV Community College (RN with honors) in 1982 and Marshall University (BSN magna cum laude) in 1985. She had worked at the Appalachian Regional Hospital in Beckley, Riverside Hospital in Newport News, Va., and Huntington Psych Hospital in Huntington. She had been employed by the Medical University of South Carolina and South Carolina Mobile Crisis since 1985. She last worked for the Mental Health Department at the Rittenberg Clinic. Dona was a member of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 96 Folly Road, Charleston, S.C., and former member of the United Methodist Temple, Beckley. She belonged to the Charleston Civic Club, Sierra Club and various nursing organizations. Her hobbies were dancing and travel. A service was held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Temple, Beckley, with the Revs. Dan Johnson and Ellen File officiating. She requested that in lieu of flowers, remembrances be made in her name to the American Cancer Society and the American Red Cross. Arrangements by McAlister Funeral Home, Charleston, S.C.
TUCKER, Ga. - Danny D. Williams, 61, formerly of Beckley, died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2000, in Tucker after losing a two-year battle to pancreatic cancer. Born June 21, 1939, in Beckley, he was the son of the late James Ira and June Webb Williams and the grandson of the late Ernest L. and Ova Hawley Webb of Beckley and the late Jack Williams of Coal River. Mr. Williams was a member of Tucker First Baptist Church. He retired from Novartis Pharmaceutical Co. and lived in Tucker, a suburb of Atlanta. He was an outstanding quarterback for Woodrow Wilson High School, graduating in 1957, then quarterbacked for West Virginia University for four years. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed riding his Harley-Davidson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan, in 1995. Survivors include three sons, Danny II of Buckhannon and David L. and Cary L., both of Tucker; two daughters, Theresa Knight and her husband, Fred, of Buckhannon and Shannon of Huntington Beach, Calif.; two grandchildren, Matthew and Aimee Knight of Buckhannon; a brother, Jack E. Williams and his wife, Sara, of Beckley; a caregiver and friend, Cindy Johnson of Macon, Ga.; an aunt, Eleanor Webb of Beckley; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, including a close cousin, Thomas N. Webb of Hallandale, Fla. Service was 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, at Bill Head Funeral Home, Tucker. Burial followed in Melwood Cemetery, Stone Mountain, Ga.
Mary Elizabeth Meadows Belcher, 55, of C&O Dam Road, Daniels, died Friday, Jan. 12, 2001, in a Princeton hospital following a long illness. Born Jan. 28, 1945, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Earl W. "Fuzzy" Meadows and Arlene Wiley Meadows Pachuta. Mrs. Belcher spent her childhood in East Beckley. She was a 1963 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and a resident of Daniels the past 30 years. She was of the Christian faith. She was preceded in death by a brother, Jerry Meadows; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. E.W. Meadows; maternal grandparents, Beecher and Charity Wiley; an uncle, Ernest Meadows; and her stepfather, Joe John Pachuta. Survivors include a son, Jerry Belcher of Daniels; two nephews, Earl Meadows and Richard Goodson; two nieces, Kelly and Terry Meadows; a close friend, James Toney; her maternal aunts, Dorothy Williams and Rosalie Shumate; and a stepbrother, Jim D. Pachuta and his wife, Ruth, and their children. Service will be 2 p.m. Monday at Melton Mortuary Cha-pel, Beckley, with Brother Luther Hairston officiating. Burial will follow in Beaver Cemetery, Little Vine Road. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Earl Meadows, James Toney, Doug Meadows, Bob Lilly, Hershell Goddard and Jeff Scarabrough. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley
Lois Withrow, of 716 Johnstown Road, Beckley, died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2001, in Marietta, Ga., at the home of her nephew, Jay Dixon, following a long illness. She was born in Raleigh County, the daughter of the late Herbert and Carrie Walker Biggs. Mrs. Withrow was a longtime employee of Beckley Newspapers, where she was one of the first woman linotype operators. She was a lifelong resident of Raleigh County, a Woodrow Wilson High School graduate, and a member of the Beckley Presbyterian Church and Raleigh County Historical Society. She was a longtime member of the Beckley Woman's Club, served on numerous civic organizations and helped organize and was a charter member of the Pink Ladies Auxiliary at Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital. She was also on the Board of Directors of Theatre West Virginia. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard Withrow, in December 1961, who was co-founder of BJW; three brothers, Robert, Earl and Gene Biggs; and four sisters, Opal, Thelma, Mildred and Verla. Survivors include many nieces and nephews. Graveside rites and burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley, with the Rev. Robin Debnam officiating. There will be no visitation. Pallbearers will be John Howard, Shane Zickefoose, Leon Neal, J.W. Dixon IV, Paul Dixon and Jerry Rose. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley.
Okey Mills, 85, of Crab Orchard, died Friday, Jan. 5, 2001, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born March 7, 1915, in Sweeneysburg, he was a son of the late Rufus C. and Zona Cook Mills. Mr. Mills was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and Beckley College. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed hunting, fishing and golf. He played on the first American Legion softball team in 1930, also played semi-pro ball for several leagues and was chosen for the All-Sport Greatest in the West Virginia Bicentennial. During World War II he served three years in the 508th Parachute Infantry that was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division. He was a veteran of the Normandy and Holland invasions, later served in Frankfurt, Germany, and his unit served as Gen. Eisenhower's honor guard. Mr. Mills first worked in law enforcement in 1933 as assistant jailer. He also served as jailer in 1935-36. He was the first man in West Virginia to serve five terms as sheriff, starting in 1948. He was also elected in 1956, 1964, 1972 and 1976. During the years he did not hold elected office he served as sergeant-at-arms in the House of Delegates, 1953-54, was a safety instructor for the Department of Mines, 1955-56, worked as the business manager for Pinecrest Hospital, 1961-63, and was a former partner in Mountain State Hearing. He was the past president and a life member of the West Virginia Sheriffs Association, past president and member of the County Officials Association, and chairman of the Raleigh County Democratic Executive Committee. Active in civic affairs, he was a member of the American Legion, VFW, DAV, FOP and the Elks and Moose lodges. He was a charter member and past president of the MacArthur-Crab Orchard Lions Club, a past chairman of District N, Lions Club International, past president and an active member of the 508th Paratroopers Association, and a charter member of the Raleigh County All Wars Veterans Museum. Mr. Mills was an active member of Crab Orchard Baptist Church, where he served on numerous committees. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Orphus and Ordie Mills; and two sisters, Vera O. Jamison and Orpha Winwood. Survivors include his wife of more than 49 years, Lettie Neely Mills; nephews and nieces, Donna J. Buydos of Ohio, Melvin Jamison of Beckley, Arthur Mills of Skelton and Vera Skiles of Bradley; and several great-nephews and great-nieces. Service will be 3 p.m. Monday at Crab Orchard Baptist Church with the Revs. Phil Shields and Melvin Jamison officiating. Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at Melton Mortuary, Beckley, and one hour before service Monday at the church. Pallbearers will be John David Riffe, Gene Deck, Ellis Riffe, Dick Cook, Tracey Riffe, Mel Hancock, Jack Roop, Bob Johnson, Ray Yates and George Sparks. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the 508th Paratroopers Association, the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department, men of Crab Orchard Baptist Church and members of the Raleigh County All Wars Veterans Museum. Donations of sympathy may be made to the MacArthur-Crab Orchard Lions Club, Crab Orchard Baptist Church or Raleigh County All Wars Veterans Museum. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Robert "Bobby" Kamuela-Li Hasimura, 25, formerly of Beckley, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000. Born July 16, 1975, in Beckley, he was the son of Wanda Edwards and her husband, Walter "Dave" Edwards, and Jonathan Hashimura, all of Beckley. Bobby spent his childhood and most of his life in Beckley, then moved to Colorado where he worked as a chef at a local restaurant. He also worked as a chef in Knoxville, Tenn. He was a 1994 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, where he was active in soccer, football and wrestling. Bobby was one of the team members of the 1991 Governor's Cup champions, three-time wrestling champion, the national regional champions at Park Junior High and three-time wrestling champion, two-time All-State soccer and the national regional champions at Park Junior High. He was a member of the Cub Scouts and Cranberry Baptist Church. In his leisure time he enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing and hunting. He was of the Baptist faith. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandmother, Nora Hasimura; his maternal grandparents, Charles and Helen Abbott; and his stepgrandfather, Ervin Wilson Edwards. Other survivors include his wife, Monica Lytle Hashimura; a son, Myles; his paternal grandfather, Tsugil Hashimura of Lahaina Maui, Hawaii; a step-grandmother, Ethel Edwards of Daniels; two brothers, Andrew James Hashimura, a student at Marshall University, and Ian Hashimura of Mabscott; a sister, Tori Hashimura of Mabscott; a stepsister, Amy Joe Edwards, and a stepbrother, David Jeffery Edwards, both of Shady Spring. Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley, with Pastor Robert Barley officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Bobby's soccer mates will be pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bobby's Memorial Fund, 119 Munson Drive, Beckley, WV 25801. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
George Ted Starr, 77, of Beckley, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000, at his home following a long illness. Born Oct. 30, 1923, in Beckley, he was the son of the late Harve Starr and Lema Kessinger Starr. Mr. Starr was retired after 23 years of service with the Beckley Police Department. Following retirement, he was sergeant-at-arms for the House of Delegates. He was a 1942 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, serving in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He was a member of Beckley Masonic Lodge No. 95 AF and AM, the Fraternal Order of Police, Beni Kedem, Brother of Scottish Rites and Shriners. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Bernard and Hollie Starr; and a sister, Mary Watson. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Oneida Munsy Starr; a son, George T. Starr Jr. of Vero Beach, Fla.; a daughter, Donna K. Elkins of Beckley; a brother, Ray Starr of Pineville, Ky.; seven grandchildren, George T. Starr III of Daytona Beach, Fla., Shannon Earl Starr of Portland, Ore., Sally Massey of Beckley, Stacie Lacy of Sophia and Tammy, Jimmie and J.T. Elkins, all of Beckley; and five great-grandchildren. Service will be 1 p.m. Friday at Rose and Quesenberry Peace Chapel, Beckley, where Black Diamond Lodge No. 81, Fraternal Order of Police, will conduct the service and serve as pallbearers. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum, Beckley, where Beckley Masonic Lodge No. 95 AF and AM will conduct graveside rites. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to your favorite charity or to the World War II Memorial. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley.
Sterling, Va. - Virginia Wallace Wiley, 81, formerly of Mabscott, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, in a Reston, Va., hospital. Born Nov. 11, 1919, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Judith V. Thomas Wallace. Mrs. Wiley had been a resident of 508 Quarry St. in Mabscott for 44 years, having moved to Sterling, Va., in 1996 to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne and Bill O'Dell. She was a member of First Baptist Church, Beckley, and a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. Mrs. Wiley retired from the Bank of Raleigh in 1983 after working in the banking industry for several years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; a son, Steve; and two brothers, Benjamin and Thomas. Other survivors include a daughter, Kennett Wiley of Sterling; three grandchildren, Renee Salama and her husband, Gabe, of Ashburn, Va., Kiska Mattingly and her husband, Ted, of Leesburg, Va., and Joseph O'Dell of Fairfax, Va.; and three great-grandchildren, Aaron Salama and Tyler and Kailyn Mattingly. Service will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley, with the Rev. Edward E. Garten officiating. Burial will follow. Friends may call 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Melton Mortuary, Beckley. Those wishing to attend the service are asked to meet at the funeral home by 12:30 p.m. The family requests that expressions of sympathy be made to the Special Olympics. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
Edith Rae McKinney Heaberlin, 77, of Orchard Avenue, Beckley, died Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1998, in a Hill Top care center following a long illness. Born Oct. 26, 1920, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Isaac and Bertha Lilly McKinney. Mrs. Heaberlin spent her childhood in Beckley and was a 1938 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School where she played the violin in the school orchestra. She attended Beckley College and served as a tutor for the college. Mrs. Heaberlin worked for 30 years as the Company Clerk for the West Virginia State Police Company "D" Headquarters in Beckley. She was a member of the First Christian Church, Courthouse Square, Beckley. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald F. Heaberlin on June 8, 1982 and a son, Gary Wayne Heaberlin on March 1, 1992. Survivors include two sons, Donald F. Heaberlin and wife, Karen of Lebanon, Ohio and William A. Heaberlin and wife, Deborah of Huntington; two daughters, Mrs. Shirley VanHorne and husband, Allen of Beckley and Mrs. Katy Jo Gross of Alexandria, Va.; three grandchildren, Katherine Lynn VanHorne and Russell L. Gross III, both of Alexandria, Va. and Michael Matthew Heaberlin of Huntington; a great-grandson, Brandon Garrett Heaberlin of Huntington; a brother, Robert E. McKinney and wife, Thelma of Madisonville, Ky. and two sisters, Alma Woods and Dorothy Young, both of Beckley. Services will be 3 p.m. Saturday at the Melton Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Russell F. Smith Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be members of the family.
Robert W. Maples, 93, of 115 W. C St., Beckley, died at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2000, at 904 S. Kanawha St., Beckley, of a heart attack. Born Feb. 8, 1907, at Stonewall on Piney Creek, near Stanaford, he was the son of John Crampton Maples (1866-1957) and Addie Jane Bair Maples (1868-1950), who were part of the early pioneers of Raleigh County and were involved in timber and autos, and came from Tennessee in the 1900s. Mr. Maples was retired but still working from many fields. He was first retired as a steamboat captain of the Scioto with the Corps of Engineers operating on the Ohio River and Mississippi River where he operated steam engines with perhaps 20,000 horsepower. He was a steam engineer with the Beckley Veterans Administration Hospital, a cattle rancher in Roswell and Datil, N.M., and involved in uranium mining near Grants, N.M. He was a carpenter, farmer and an employee of Beckley Manufacturing Co.'s two facilities, a restoration of old home contractors, the last one being 904 S. Kanawha St., which his father, he and relatives rebuilt following a fire in 1912. The home is still in the family and owned by his daughter, Joan, and her husband, Ralph L. Beckett. His hobby and love of orchids lasted for 40-plus years, and at one time he had 5,000 small orchids in his greenhouse. What a comparison to a 20,000-horsepower steam engine he operated. Mr. Maples was educated in the Beckley public school system on Johnstown Road and Beckley High School on South Kanawha Street and was in the Class of 1925. He ran away from home before he was 18 to join the Army and fly planes as a pilot under Gen. Billy Mitchell, but this did not occur. He became a pilot of a steam boat; he followed his dream. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Hallie Coy Maples, in 1944; his second wife, Evelyn Mitchell Maples, in 1985; three brothers, Mack, Cecil and Creve Maples; and five sisters, Lora Mellen, Juanita Roberts, Mary Rose, Faye Martin and Lector Robertson. Mr. Maples was of the Presbyterian faith and was the last surviving member of his immediate family. Survivors in addition to his daughter, Joan, and her husband, Ralph L. Beckett, of Beckley, include a son, James W. Maples of Goshen, Ky.; five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Service will be 2 p.m. today at Calfee Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Robert W. Debnam officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call one hour before the service today at the funeral home. Friends will serve as pallbearers. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley.
Henry "Hank" Herring, 80, of Dry Hill Road, Beckley, died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2000, in a Beckley hospital following a sudden illness. Born Feb. 26, 1920, in Tomahawk, N.C., he was the son of the late Norman James and Margaret Beauty Herring. Mr. Herring spent his early childhood in eastern North Carolina, and his family moved to Beckley when he was 13 years old. He was a 1938 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. In the 1930s he was the owner and operator of Henry's Shoes on Main Street; he later worked for the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C. He entered the Army Air Corps during World War II serving as a pilot with the rank of captain; he flew a B-26 Marauder, flying 60 night bombing missions over Germany. After his service he lived in Kingston, N.C., working as a flight instructor. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he invented and patented controlled atmosphere chambers and co-founded the Vacuum Atmosphere Creations Co. This very successful business is now in its 40th year, working with such entities as NASA. He settled back in Beckley in 1997; he was a member of the Beckley Presbyterian Church. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Margaret Jones Herring; two sisters, Rachel Lamm and Margaret Adams; and a brother, James Herring. Survivors include his wife, Phoebe Bleeds Tieche Herring; three daughters, Peg Pierce of Albuquerque, N.M., Linda Devours and her husband, Gene, of Visalia, Calif., and Barbara Newsom and her husband, Michael, of Atascadero, Calif.; a son, Michael Shilub of Los Angeles, Calif.; a stepdaughter, Nancy Tieche of Beckley; three stepsons, Albert M. Tieche Jr. and his wife, Natalia, of Beckley, Albert U. Tieche II and his wife, Jennifer, of Nashville and David B. Tieche of Beckley; 12 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a sister, Betty Ellison of Los Vegas, Nev.; and a half sister, Jean Miller and her husband, Robert, of Union. Service will be 2 p.m. Wed-nesday at the Beckley Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Robin Debnam officiating. Additional service will be Saturday, Dec. 23, at the Chapel of the Roses, Atascadero, Calif., with burial to follow in the Atascadero District Cemetery. Friends may call 1 p.m. until time of the service Wednesday at the church. Pallbearers will be James Caldwell, Paul Smith, Jim Word, Bill Turner, Gene Foster, Harry Gus Shaffer, Ed Bigg, and John Daniel. Donations of sympathy may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 12110, Charleston, WV 25302. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
MULLENS - Nellie Irene Bakke, 85, died at 6:26 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000, in Raleigh General Hospital, Beckley, following a short illness. Born Oct. 11, 1915, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Ezra Daniel and Agnes Dickens Daniel. Mrs. Bakke was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and worked in the nursing profession in Mullens and Minneapolis for many years. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Clarence Hamby of Mullens; her second husband, Wallace Bakke of Minneapolis; and a daughter, Louise Hamby. Survivors include three sons, Charles Hamby and his wife, Jean, of Mullens, Jerry Hamby of Mullens and James Hamby and his wife, Shirley, of Minneapolis; five daughters, Shirley Rothrock and her husband, Gary, of Clemmons, N.C., Phyllis Redden of Mullens, Brenda Savoy and her husband, Bill, of Oviedo, Fla., Sandra Turrisi and her husband, Charlie, of Mullens and Linda Crumbacker of Upper Marlboro, Md.; 13 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren. Service will be 1 p.m. today at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. James Milam officiating. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call one hour before services today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley.
Gary L. Evans, 65, of Grandview, went to be with our Lord on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000. Born Oct. 25, 1935, in Beckley, he was the son of Vaden E. and Juanita A. Moses Evans. Mr. Evans graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1953. He was a well known and respected businessman in Beckley. He was co-owner of Day and Nite Garage along with his father, mother and brother, until 1975. He and his son owned Evans Motor Sales from 1975 until the present. He was of the Christian faith and a member of St. Mary's United Methodist Church, and attended services at Grandview Christian, Crow Christian and Lester Church of Christ. He was an avid golfer, a member of Grandview Country Club and a fan of NASCAR. He was a member of the armed forces, serving in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960, and served in the Army Reserves, attaining the rank of sergeant. He loved spending time with his family and enjoyed spending last winter in Florida with his wife and riding his motorcycle. There are too many things to list that made him a wonderful husband, father and friend. Those who knew him feel blessed. He will be missed. He was preceded in death by an infant son in 1957; and his beloved brother, Earl Evans, in 1974. Survivors include his wife of 44 1/2 years, Fern Sizemore Evans; two sons, Gary Wayne Evans and his wife, Belinda, of Flat Top Lake and Eric G. Evans and his wife, Patti, of Shady Spring; two grandchildren, Tyler Wayne Evans and Sydni Elyse Evans; his mother-in-law, Mossie Sizemore of Tams Mountain; nieces and nephews, Deb Evans of Beckley, Kevin Evans and his wife, Robin, of Cool Ridge, Steve and Chris Woodie and Kelli Lane of Charleston, S.C., Stephanie, Tara and Timothy Sizemore of Sophia and Craig Dorsey of MacArthur; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jean and Bill Drumheller of Beckley, Polly Woodie of Charleston, S.C., Sue and Karnis Halsey of Tams Mountain, James and Linda Sizemore of Sophia, Mark and Kathy Sizemore of Midway; great-nieces and nephews, Zachary, Katelyn and Tazwell Armentrout of Beckley, Seth and Nathan Evans of Cool Ridge, and Jamie and Elizabeth Woodie 1 of Charleston, S.C.; and many beloved aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. A celebration of his life will be 2 p.m. Friday at St. Mary's United Methodist Church, Beckley, with the Rev. Jim Reed, Pastor Ronnie Abshire and the Rev. Luther Hairston officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the church. Pallbearers will be James Sizemore, Guy Shelton, David Bodertcher, Bill Drumheller, Brian Wall and Mark Sizemore. Honorary pallbearer will be his grandson, Tyler Wayne Evans. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley.
ALDERSON - Frances Warden Patton, 88, formerly of Beckley, died Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000, at Arthur B. Hodges Center, Charleston, following a long illness. Born Jan. 6, 1912, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late William Anderson and Dollie L. Hunt Warden. Mrs. Patton was a correctional officer, having retired from the federal Bureau of Prisons, Alderson, after 20 years of service. She was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley, and a member of Alderson Presbyterian Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Patton; three brothers, Russell Warden, William Warden and Robert Warden; three sisters, Emma Aliff, Anna Lee Farley and Helen Amick, and a special nephew, Gilter Gilbert. Survivors include a sister, Sue Nell Beery of Midland, Mich.; and several nieces and nephews. Graveside service will be 1 p.m. today at Alderson Cemetery with the Rev. Deana Armstrong officiating. Burial will follow. Friends may call 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today at Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson. Those wishing to attend graveside service are asked to meet at the funeral home by 12:30 p.m. Pallbearers will be Jim Farley, Dennis Ellison, Bill Estes, Bones Baker, Jimmy Johnson, Robert Warden, Charles Lobban III and Jason Lobban. In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy may be made to Alderson Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 126, Alderson, WV 24910. Arrangements by Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson.