U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Ricky Strader Smith
Ricky Strader Smith, 45, of Raven, died Aug. 21, 2005 in a Richlands hospital.
Born in Raven, he was the son of the late Darius McConnell and Josie Beatrice Cordle Smith, both Raven natives.
He was a lifelong resident of the area.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Michael, Timothy and Billy Smith.
Survivors: sisters, Pauline Smith of Richlands, Ruby Rose and husband, Larry, of Shortts Gap; and brother, Grady Smith of Raven.
The funeral will be conducted Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. at the Bibleway Church in Raven with the Rev. Dannie Short officiating.
Interment will follow in the Simmons Family cemetery in Red Root Ridge near Raven.
Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands is in charge of the arrangements.
Ashley Hope Taylor
Ashley Hope Taylor, 20, of Council, died Aug. 19, 2005 in a Grundy hospital.
Born May 25, 1985 in Pike County, KY, she resided in Kentucky before moving to Council three years ago. She was of the Church of Christ faith.
She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Letcher and Geralene Murphy Taylor.
Survivors: daughter, LaSha Hope Barton of the home; mother and step-father, Chantay and Gerald Davidson of Council; father, Perry Dale Taylor of Pikeville, KY; sister, Kayla Taylor of Council; step-brothers, John Davidson of Council, Bradley Davidson of Radford; step-sister, Doris Davidson of Indiana; her fiancé, Josh Barton of Davenport; and maternal grandparents, Harvey and Ruth Endicott of Tazewell.
The funeral will be conducted Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Kyle Ratliff and Rev. Barry Absher officiating.
Interment will follow in the Fletcher Ridge cemetery on Fletchers Ridge.
Cleta June Higgins White
Cleta June Higgins White, 64, died at home and went to be with her Lord, Aug. 16, 2005 in Cedar Bluff.
She was born Nov. 10, 1940 in Bandy to Irene Higgins Mumpower of Cedar Bluff and the late James P. Higgins.
She was a resident of Cedar Bluff a greater part of her life, having lived in Ohio and also California before moving back to Virginia. She worked her whole life before retiring to take care of her grandchildren. She attended Laymans Chapel Church.
In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by one daughter, Rita Kaye White Herald in 1990.
Additional survivors: former husband, Ernest White; grandsons, John E. Herald III and Ernest MacKenzie Herald, both of Pounding Mill; brothers, Raymond Higgins of Cedar Bluff, Gene Higgins of Florida, James Higgins of Georgia; sisters, Nancy Marie Houchins, Thelma Houchins and Juanita Walters, all of Cedar Bluff, Brenda White of Baptist Valley, Linda Boyd of Claypool Hill; and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral was conducted Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with Rev. Daniel Houchins officiating.
Burial followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
Carl “C.H.” Wilson, Jr.
Carl Harvey “C.H.” Wilson, Jr. died July 24, 2005 at his home in Matoca.
He was born in Richlands Nov. 22, 1940. He was a graduate of Richlands High School Class of 1957. For the past 45 years, he was employed as a Funeral Director/Manager for J.T. Morriss Funeral Service of Petersburg. He was an active member of the Oak Grove Methodist Church in Petersburg.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl H. Wilson, Jr. and Mary Kate Turner Wilson; one sister, Mildred Wilson Hankins; one brother-in-law, W. J. Hankins; and one son, Jeffrey Turner Wilson.
Survivors: wife, Sylvia Adams Wilson; sons, Rodney Butler and wife, Lisa, of Hideburg, Germany, Greg Wilson of Hatteras, NC; daughter, Jade Butler Frashure and husband, Bob, of Chester; five grandchildren; sisters, Mary Lou Shortridge of Richlands, Charlene Lacy and husband, Rudy, of Roanoke; nephew, Michael Shortridge and wife, Susie; and nieces, Donna Altizer and husband, Leonard, of Cedar Bluff, Sarah Willis of Powahatan, and Katherine Cleary and husband, Kevin, of Maryland.
The funeral was conducted July 29 at J.T. Morriss Funeral Home Chapel with graveside services and burial at East Matoca cemetery.
Information supplied by Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands.
James W. (Pete) Wright
James Walter (Pete) Wright, 53, of 212 Lonnie Rd., died Aug. 17, 2005 in First Health Moore Regional Hospital, Pinehurst, NC.
He was a native of Tazewell, and had made his home in Carthage, NC.
He was a building contractor and was President of Central Carolina Riders Association.
Survivors: wife, Debbie Marion Wright; sons, Jimmy Wright of Carthage, Bronson Wright of Eagle Springs, NC; daughters, Janet Sheffield of Biscoe, NC, Laurie Wright of Sanford, NC; mother, Phyllis Wright of Tazewell; brothers, Jimmy Wright and Eugene Wright of Tazewell, Larry Wright of Paw Paw, WV, Donald Wright of Greenville, SC; sisters, Rachel Miller of Belleville, MI, Phyllis Clements and Betty Hankins, both of Tazewell, Linda Burkett of Paw Paw, Hattie Null of Baltimore, MD, Virginia Thomas of Robbins, NC; and grandchildren, Duston Wright, Hayley Sheffield, Mackenzie Sheffield, Zachary Wright, and Kaydence Wright.
The funeral was conducted Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. at Community Friends Church, where he attended, with Rev. Todd Brown and Rev. Jimmy Phillips officiating.
Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Kennedy Funeral Home of Robbins was in charge of arrangements.
Information submitted by Hurst-Scott Funeral Home of Tazewell.
Virginia Lake Cordle
Virginia Lake Cordle, 79, of Cedar Bluff, died early Aug. 14, 2005 at her home following a brief illness.
Born in Cedar Bluff, she was a daughter of the late John Wilburn and Nancy Carol Beavers Russell, both Tazewell County natives.
She had made her home in Cedar Bluff all her life.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Iven A. Cordle; two sisters, Alice Hodge and Peggy Dunford; and three brothers, Fred, Emory and Walter Russell.
Survivors: daughter, Carolyn Claypool and husband, Harvey, of Richlands; sons, John Cordle and wife, Ellen, of Roanoke, Iven A. Cordle, Jr. and wife, Janet, of Cedar Bluff; foster daughter, Brenda Horn and husband, Roy, of Baptist Valley; brother, O.H. Russell of Pensacola, FL; special caregiver, Linda Brewster; grandchildren, Teresa Berry, Michelle Darby, Amanda Cordle, Adam Cordle and Andrew Cordle; and great-grandchildren, Kemper Darby and Ryland Darby.
There will be no visitation and burial will be private.
Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands is in charge of the arrangements.
Eugene C. Davis
Eugene C. Davis, 70, of Bluefield, died Aug. 6, 2005 in Ventnor, NJ.
Born in Bluefield, he was the son of the late Herman Lafayette Davis and Ella Mae Neal Davis.
He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and was a self-employed welder. He was a member of the Cumberland Road Church of God, where he was very active in the “All Things in Common” food pantry and was a former member of the Moose Lodge in St. Albans.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Jean Harman Davis; two brothers, Dave Davis and Robert Davis; and two sisters, Dorothy Anderson and Eunice Phillips.
Survivors: nieces, Carolyn Hall of Ohio, Patricia Welsh of Cape May, NJ, Dr. Sandra K. Dalton of Ventnor, with whom he made his home for the past month; nephews, Robert Anderson of S. Charleston, David Davis of Jackson, MI; brother-in-law, William R. Phillips of Ventnor; great nephews, Michael and Tommy Welsh; several other great and great-great nieces and nephews; and friends and neighbors and Christian friends at Cumberland Rd., Bluefield Church of God.
The funeral was held Aug. 12 at 11 a.m. at the Cumberland Rd., Bluefield Church of God in Bluefield with Pastor Danny Scott officiating.
Burial followed in the Grandview Memory Gardens.
Graveside services were conducted by the Bluefield, VA V.F.W. Memorial Post 9696 and the Pocahontas American Legion Post 14.
Donations may be made to the Cumberland Rd. Bluefield Church of God or to the church “All Things in Common” Food Pantry, 3401 Cumberland Rd., Bluefield, WV 24701.
Dudley Memorial Mortuary in Bluefield, VA, was in charge of arrangements.
Claude Thomas Kiser
Claude Thomas Kiser, 81, of Pilgrim Knob, formerly of Iaeger, WV, died Aug. 7, 2005 at his home following a brief illness.
Born in Dante, he was the son of the late Fletcher and Martha Miller Kiser.
He was a WW II U.S. Army Veteran and was Owner and Operator of Iaeger Cab Service in the 70’s.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Carl Kiser and Carter Ray Kiser, and one sister Virginia Kiser.
Survivors: sons, Delbert Kiser of Iaeger, Leonard Kiser and wife, Patty, of Roderfield, WV; daughter, Marie Kiser and fiancé, Ronnie Underwood, of Fletchers Ridge; stepson, Lucas Matney of Iaeger; grandchildren, Thomas Kiser, Drema Kiser, Ollie Kelly, Benny Matney and Bradley Matney; brothers, Charlie Kiser of Pocahontas, Clarence Kiser and wife, Ruth, and Cecil Kiser, all of Iaeger; and sisters, Audrey Miller of North Carolina and Barbara Kennedy of Richlands.
Graveside services were conducted Aug. 13 at 1:30 p.m. at the Russell Memorial cemetery in Lebanon with Pastor Dennis Wimmer officiating.
Buchanan Funeral Service at Keen Mountain was in charge of arrangements.
Ethel C. Keen Matney
Ethel C. Keen Matney, 77, of Grundy, died Aug. 9, 2005 at Buchanan General Hospital in Grundy.
Born in Buchanan County, Aug. 27, 1927, she was the daughter of the late Charlie Hufford Keen and Linnie Horne Keen.
She was of the Christian faith, a homemaker, had been a resident of Heritage Hall Nursing Home of Grundy since 1997, loving mother and grandmother.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her stepmother, Sarah Cathern Keen; husband, Autie Spivey Matney; two sons, Jimmy David Matney, Ricky Darrell Matney; three daughters, Linda Carol Church, Roxie Ann Baker, Emely Jean Stollings; one grandson, Christopher Mark Ward; two sisters, Myrtle Vandyke, Pearl Vandyke; and three brothers, William Keen, Luther Keen and Dewey Ellis Keen.
Survivors: sister, Ruby Meadows of Oakwood; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was conducted Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. at the Antioch Holiness Church in Keen Mountain with Revs. Kenneth Byrd, Jack Ward and Evangelist Michael Trent officiating.
Burial followed in the Esaw Rife cemetery at Keen Mountain.
A service was held at the Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home Chapel Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. and at the church Aug. 11 at 7 p.m.
Herman Mullins
Herman Mullins, 50, of Richlands, died Aug. 12, 2005 at his home following a brief illness.
Born in Buchanan County, he was a son of Della Gross Mullins of Richlands and the late Gilbert Mullins of Richlands.
He was a lifelong resident of the Buchanan and Tazewell County areas. He was a disabled Coal Miner and a member of Souls Harbor Church in Belfast.
In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by one sister, Sandy Deel, and four brothers, Joe, Bobby, Clarence and Harvey Mullins.
Additional survivors: wife, Carmie Kelly Mullins of Whitewood; daughter, Mary Ann Riggsby and husband, Steve, of Harman; son, Leslie Gilbert Mullins and wife, Gelena, of West Liberty, KY; sisters, Peggy Newberry of Doran, Goldie Harman of Phenix City, AL; brothers, Thurman Mullins and Jack Mullins, both of Richlands, Richard Mullins of Raven, Nathan Mullins of Lawrenceville, Jerry Mullins of Indianapolis, IN; and grandson, Austin Ryan Mullins.
The funeral was conducted Aug. 16 at 11 a.m. at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Richlands with the Rev, Jack Keene and Rev. Jack Ward officiating.
Interment followed in the Esau-Rife Family cemetery in Whitewood.
Virginia Marie Popp
Virginia Marie Popp, 89, of Rocky Gap, died Aug. 3, 2005 in a Bastian nursing home.
Born in Christiansburg, she was a daughter of the late Harry Ide and Frances Foalden Ide.
She was of the First Church of God faith.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Popp, Jr.; one son, Joe W. Popp III; and three sisters, Katherine Reynolds, Helena Payne and Deanna Buchman.
Survivors: daughters, Dena Mitchem and husband, Emmett, of Rocky Gap, with whom she made her home, Elizabeth Bednoschek of Los Angles, CA, Ester Joslin and husband, Tom, of Plainfield, IL; son, Stephen G. Popp and wife, Sandra, of Batavia, IL; daughter-in-law, Anita R. Popp of Bluefield, VA; ten grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and dear and faithful friend, Amy Gross.
The funeral was conducted Aug. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Dudley Memorial Chapel in Bluefield, VA, with Jeff Callahan officiating.
Burial followed in the Grandview Memory Gardens.
