U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Edith S. Ball Payne
Edith S. Ball Payne, 46, of Rocky Gap, died May 22, 2004 at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Born at Wytheville, she was a daughter of the late Glen Arthur Ball and Pansy Sarver Ball.
She was a U.S. Air Force Veteran. She was a Nurse’s Aid and was employed at Kegley Manor at Bastian before she became disabled.
Survivors: husband, Larry D. Payne; son, Brian Eugene Payne of Charlottesville; sisters, Pat Nelson and husband, Junior, of Rocky Gap, Phyllis Umbarger and husband, Randy, of Bland, Sherri Clinkenbeard and husband, David, of Texas; brothers, Billy Ball and Larry Ball and wife, Barbara, all of Rocky Gap, Randy Ball of Iowa; and grandchildren, Aaron Payne and Kaylee Payne.
The funeral will be conducted May 26 at 2 p.m. at Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home Chapel in Tazewell with the Rev. Mike Moulder officiating.
Burial will follow in Payne cemetery at Rocky Gap.
Thelma L. Rife
Thelma Lucas Rife, 90, of Grundy, died May 19, 2004 at Heritage Hall in Grundy following an extended illness.
Born in Marietta, OH, she was a retired cook at Lafayette Hotel, a homemaker and was of the Baptist faith.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Rife on Sept. 21, 1990.
Survivors: stepdaughters, Pearl Rife of Roseann, Joan Matney of Parma, OH, Peggy Tremble of Dover, DE; and stepsons, Ernest Rife and Tobe Rife, both of Grundy, Clarence Rife of Roseann, and Cleveland Rife of Falls Mills.
Graveside services were conducted May 22 at 4 p.m. at the Justus cemetery on Peeled Poplar Hollow with Evg. Mike Rife officiating.
Burial followed in Justus cemetery.
Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy was in charge of arrangements.
Joe Allen Sparks
Joe Allen Sparks, 59, of Bandy, died May 23 at a Charlottesville hospital following a brief illness.
Born in Tazewell County, he was the son of Eliza Bandy Sparks of Bandy and the late Willart Sparks.
He was a U.S. Army Veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a machinist formerly employed by S & S Machinery and Long Airdox. He attended the Bandy Freewill Baptist Church.
Additional survivors: wife, Ruby Carol Webb Sparks; daughter, Kimberly Wildman and husband, Shawn, of Christiansburg; brothers, Willart Ray Sparks and wife, Joan, and John Sparks, all of Bandy; sisters, Loretta Kay and husband, Bill, and Patty Cochran and husband, John, all of Bandy; and granddaughter, Lauren Wildman.
The funeral will be conducted May 26 at 1 p.m. at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with Rev. Samuel N. Altizer and Brother Marvin Nipper officiating.
Burial will follow in the Sparks Family cemetery at Bandy.
Charlie G. Street
Charlie G. Street, 55, of Raven, died May 21, 2004 at a Richlands hospital following an apparent heart attack.
Born in Buchanan County, he was the son of the late Arthur Lee (Porchy) and Gracie Blankenship Street.
He was of the Pentecostal faith.
Survivors: his companion, Maxie Boyd of Raven; brothers, Chester Street and wife, Patty, of Lebanon, Alvie Street and wife, Cathern, of Stafford, Jerry Street and wife, Betty, of Richlands; sisters, Lilly Jane Cooper and husband, Sherman, of Stafford, Brenda Mitchell and husband, Laymon, of Jewell Ridge; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The funeral was conducted May 24 at 1 p.m. at the Buchanan Funeral Service Chapel at Keen Mountain with Rev. Don Smith and Rev. Ancil Childress officiating.
Burial followed in the Street Family cemetery at Rowe.
Dorothy V. Wright
Dorothy Virginia Wright, 79, of the Mudfork area of North Tazewell, died May 20, 2004 at Smyth County Community Hospital in Marion.
Born in St.Paul, she was a daughter of the late Samuel Dale, Sr. and Martha Bradley Dale Patton.
She was a member of the Stoney Ridge Assembly of God Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, George Leonard Wright; one infant daughter, Annie Louise Wright; two brothers, Walter and Eugene Dale; one daughter-in-law, Debbie Wright; two half-brothers, Fred Patton and Tommy Patton; and one step-sister, Geneva Keene.
Survivors: daughters, Linda Turner and husband, Clyde, of the Mudfork area of North Tazewell, Ruby Blevins, and husband, Ronnie, and Juanita Rutherford, all of Marion; son, Dean Wright of Hiddenite, NC; sisters, Juanita Johnson of Mount Airy, NC, Reva Perry of Geneva, OH; brothers, Willard Dale of Jefferson, OH, Sam Dale, Jr. of Eustis, FL, Crockett Dale of Deland, FL, Ronnie Dale of Ashtabula, OH; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a very special nurse, Tammy Gross.
A funeral service was held May 22 at 8 p.m. at Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home with Ministers Johnny Johnson and Arthur Mitchell officiating.
Graveside services were conducted at 1 p.m. May 23 at Browns Chapel cemetery at Mudfork.
Doris "Took" Yost
Doris Jean "Took" Yost, 66, of the Gratton area in Tazewell, died May 23, 2004 at her home.
Born in Bland County, she was a daughter of the late Carl B. and Mary Jane Wiley Steele.
She attended the Tazewell Family Worship Center and was the manager of Hardees Restaurant in Tazewell prior to her retirement.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Crockett Eugene Yost.
Survivors: daughter, Gina Yost Neilly of Pittsburgh, PA; sisters, Peggy Pruitt and husband, Jim, of Tazewell, Shirley Harless and husband, Luther, of Clearfork; brothers, John Steele and wife, Carolyn, and Mack Steele and wife, Mamie, all of Clearfork; grandchild, Christian Neilly; and her best friend, Pat Billips.
Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m. May 26 at Grandview Memory Gardens Mausoleum in Bluefield, VA with the Rev. Eddie Nash and the Rev. Larry Ramey officiating.
Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home of Tazewell is serving the Yost Family.
Those attending the graveside service are asked to meet at the funeral home by 10:30 a.m. Wed., May 26.
There will be no visitation at the funeral home.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, 1808 Jefferson St., Bluefield, WV 24701.
Pearl Mae Youngs
Pearl Mae Clendenen Youngs, 86, of Heritage Hall of Tazewell, and formerly from Falls Mills, died May 22, 2004 in Tazewell Community Hospital.
Born in Falls Mills, she was a daughter of the late Robert and Viola Clendenen.
She was a member of the Falls Mills Christian Church and years ago operated a Tourist home in Triangle.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Dayton D. Youngs; one son, Dale L. Youngs and four brothers, Oscar Clendenen, Wilburn Clendenen, Jimmy Clendenen and Vernon Clendenen. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.
Survivors: daughter-in-law, Annette M. Youngs of Falls Mills; grandchildren, Michele Buchanan and husband, Robert, and their sons, Zachary and Tyler of Falls Mills, Dale L. Youngs Jr. and wife, Melinda, and their son, Jesse, of Bluefield, VA, Melissa Youngs and her daughters, Kayla and Autumn Pennington of Falls Mills, April Grant and husband, Larry, and her children, Coty, Samantha and Tori; nieces, Pat McClanahan and husband, Doug, of Falls Mills, Janice Jackson and husband, James, of Bluefield; nephews, Robert Clendenen and wife, Shelby, of Bluefield, VA, Carl Plegar and wife, Bonnie, of Florida.
The funeral was conducted May 24 at 2 p.m. at the Dudley Memorial Chapel in Bluefield, VA, with the Rev. James Mooney officiating.
Entombment followed in the Woodlawn Mausoleum in Bluewell.
Freeman A. Barton
Freeman Arnold Barton, 54, of Honaker, died May 15, 2004 in James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Hospital at Mountain Home, TN.
Born in Honaker, he was a son of the late Rev. Francis M. Barton and Hazel Jackson Barton.
A United States Army veteran, he had served in the Vietnam War and obtained a purple heart while serving his country. He was a lifelong resident of the area and member of the Disabled American Veterans.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Francis Barton, Jr.; one sister, Loretta McGlothlin; two brothers-in-law, Claude Stinson and James Miller; and one niece, Dorothy Inman.
Survivors: wife of 25 years, Connie Barton; daughter, Jessica Barton O’Quinn of Lebanon; granddaughter, Jada O’Quinn of Lebanon; brothers, Henry Barton of Vansant, Marvin Barton of Yorktown, J. C. Barton of Woodbridge, Mitchell Barton of Honaker; sisters, Mary Catherine Inman of Bristol, VA, Irene Stinson of Virginia Beach, Ruth Tiller of Rowe, Martha Sheppard of Brookneal, Virgilee Johnson of Scottsdale; eight sisters-in-law; eight brothers-in-law; uncle, Lawrence Jackson; aunt, Jenny Stilwell; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was conducted May 18 at 2 p.m. in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel in Honaker with Elder Howard Denton Murphy, Elder Phil Hines, Elder Bill Conley and all of the Sulpher Springs Old Regular Baptist Church officiating.
Interment followed in Ketron Memorial Gardens at Lebanon.
Military graveside honors were conducted by Highlands Fellowship Veterans Honor Color Guard of Bristol, VA.
Goldie P. Compton
Goldie Pearl Lowe Compton, 85, of Raven, died May 16, 2004 at her home following a long illness.
Born in Buchanan Co., she was the daughter of the late Ben and Mary Brown Stilwell.
She was a member of the United Pentecostal Church and had made her home with her daughter, Bonnie Whited.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Ernest Lowe; her second husband, Auty Compton; three brothers, Roy, Jim and Vess Stilwell; and three sisters Ceclia Ratliff, Lucy Hurley and Mary Smith. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family in her generation.
Survivors: daughters, Delores Joyce and husband, Ralph, of Jewell Ridge, Beulah Bailey and husband, Carl, of Oakwood, Bonnie Whited and husband, Hurley, and Nell Ball and husband, Bobby, all of Raven, Emma Arnold and husband, Boots, of Claypool Hill, Lola Stacy and husband, Aubrey, and Judy Stiltner, all of Abingdon; sons, Hassel Lowe and wife, Hattie, of Council, Bobby Lowe and wife, Brenda, of Red Ash, Grady Lowe and wife, Bessie, and Dave Lowe and wife, Ruth, all of Short Gap; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be conducted May 19 at 2 p.m. in the Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with Revs. Farley Junior Christian, David Lowe and Rufus Gilbert officiating.
Burial will follow in the Clinch Valley Memorial cemetery at Richlands.
A song service was held May 17 and 18 at 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ella M. Griffith
Ella Marie Brooks Griffith, 104, of North Tazewell, left this earth to join her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 15, 2004.
Born Feb. 14, 1900 in Tazewell County, she was a daughter of the late Jim and Mary Magdalene Brooks.
She was of the Pentecostal faith and a member of the Huff Memorial Missionary Church at North Tazewell.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Henry Griffith; two brothers, Raymond Brooks and Bobby Brooks; one sister, Ollie Mae Wingate; seven children, Robert Henry Griffith, Jr., Virginia Mae Defore, James William Griffith, Glenn Allen Griffith, Rosa Lee Griffith, Billy Griffith, and Roy Lee Griffith; one son-in-law, Glenn Kitts; and two daughters-in-law, Lola Mae Griffith and Rosalee Tabor Griffith.
Survivors: children, John H. Griffith of Fredericksburg, Helen Louise Lowe and husband, Bill, of Concord, Michael Edward Griffith and wife, Kathryn, Joseph Carl Griffith, and Buddy Roger Griffith and friend, Ruby Perdue, all of North Tazewell, Mary Ellen Kitts of the home, Bobby Howard Griffith and wife, Phyllis, of Tazewell, Elizabeth Marie Robins and husband, Ray, of Springville; 44 grandchildren; 58 great-grandchildren; 17 great-great-grandchildren; and daughters-in-law, Dollie Mae Griffith of Fredericksburg, and Hilda Marie Griffith of Richlands.
The funeral was conducted May 18 at 11 a.m. at Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home Chapel in Tazewell with the Rev. Leon O’Quinn officiating.
Burial followed at Maplewood cemetery in Tazewell.
