Don Carroll Metz, 56, entered into eternal
rest on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006, in Luzerne
County, Pa.
He had a natural love and passion for
providing for his family and his fellow co-
workers. He was quite the husband, father and
grandfather. He is noted by all for his
integrity and possessing the strongest work
ethics imaginable. Don was recently recognized
for his outstanding performance and promoted
to the position he worked so hard to attain.
He died while away from home providing for his
family. Everyone who came to know Don, knew
him as a kind and gentle man. He was always
interested in and collected antiques and loved
attending antique auctions, as well as fishing
locally. He is employed by the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania as a Human Service Program
Specialist in Harrisburg and was an honorably
discharged veteran from the U.S. Navy.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Stephan
Metz.
Don bids farewell to his ever loving wife and
soul mate, Virginia L. Metz, with whom he
lived; his beloved son, Patrick B. Metz and
his wife, Lisa M., of Hummelstown, Pa.; his
parents, Donald and Dwindola Metz of
Parkersburg; two brothers, Bruce Metz and his
wife, Marcia, of Belpre and Barry Metz and his
wife, Lori, of Danbury, Conn.; two sisters,
Blossom Davis and her husband, George, and
Robbin Wilson and her husband, Brian, all of
Virginia Beach, Va.; and two treasured
grandchildren, Bryan and Adam Metz of
Hummelstown, Pa.
Funeral services celebrating the life of Don
will be 11:30 a.m. Monday at the Jorich
Funeral Home at Main and Pine Streets,
Middletown, Pa., with the Rev. John Schaefer
of the Grace United Methodist Church in
Hummelstown officiating. Don will receive
military honors at his final resting place,
The Indiantown Gap National Cemetery,
Annville, Pa.
The family will receive friends and relatives
for a visitation from 7-9 p.m. Sunday and from
10:30 a.m. until time of services Monday at
the funeral home. There will be no viewing.
The family wishes to express their
appreciation for all the phone calls, prayers
and concerns through such a tragic time.
Professional arrangements have been entrusted
to the comfort of the Christopher L. Jorich
Funeral Home, Middletown, Pa.
Local obituary information has been submitted
by Kimes Funeral Home & Cremation Services of
Parkersburg.
Mary Marie Wright, 73, of Parkersburg died Jan. 2, 2006, at Camden-Clark Memorial
Hospital.
She was born Dec. 22, 1932, in Wood County, a
daughter of the late Wetzel Conaway and
Virginia Lowers Conaway. She was retired from
St. Joseph's Hospital and was a Baptist by
faith.
Survivors include her husband, Henry L.
Wright; two daughters, Sharon Kay Wells and
Carolyn Farnsworth and companion, Gary Shutts,
all of Parkersburg; two brothers, Charles
Conaway of Vienna and John Harvey Conaway of
Widamare, Calif.; two sisters, Ruth Deberry of
Parkersburg and Peggy Moore of Akron, Ohio;
and four grandchildren, David Farnsworth, Matt
Farnsworth, Missy Javins and Brian Wells.
She was preceded in death by one daughter,
Diana Welsch; and one brother, William Conaway.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at
Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg, with Pastor Michael Lamb
officiating. Burial will follow at the
Evergreen South Cemetery. The family will
receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. today at
the funeral home.
Kerry G. Smith, 60, formerly of Parkersburg,
died Dec. 31, 2005, at Joel Pomerene Memorial
Hospital, Millersburg, Ohio.
He was born in August 1945 at Parkersburg, a
son of the late George D. Smith and Jessie
Rutter Smith.
He is survived by three sisters, Dorothea
Teter of Parkersburg, Marion Wilson of
Sacramento, Calif., and Mary Jackson of
Freemont, N.C.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in
death by a brother, Shirley Smith and a
sister, Myrtle Smith.
At the request of his family there will be no
services.
C. Dianne Cockerham, 57, of Boaz passed away on her birthday, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005, at her
home.
She was born Dec. 18, 1948, in Parkersburg, a
daughter of Esther Lee Wineman of Belpre and
the late Donald Wineman. Dianne was a member
of the Riverside Church of Christ in
Williamstown. She was the branch manager of
Personnel Temporary Services in Parkersburg.
She has served graciously for over 10 years as
a member, past president and current vice
president of the Parkersburg Boys and Girls
Club, she had stepped down as president last
month due to declining health. She had been
elected to the Wood County Republican
Executive Committee, where she served many
years and served as committee women for
district B-3. She also served four years as
president of the Wood County Republican Women
and had served on various committees through
her many years of service. She has served as
president and second vice president of the
West Virginia Federation of Republican Women,
was a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
the Mid-Ohio Valley Chamber of Commerce for 15
years, being past chairperson and member of
the commercial development, special events and
state government committees and was also a
member of the Marietta Chamber of Commerce.
She was a member and past president of the
Parkersburg-Wood County Rotary Club. She was
past president of the Job Service Employers
Committee, vice president of the West Virginia
Employers Advisory Committee and had served on
the Joint Commission for Higher Education. She
was chairperson for Performance Measures
Committee-Region 4 WIA Board and board member.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by
her husband of 38 years, Kenneth C. Cockerham;
three sons, Richard of Piqua, Ohio, Jason of
Boaz and Kendall of Parkersburg; four
grandchildren, Kenneth Paul, Kaitlynne, Kelsey
and Elizabeth Cockerham; one stepgrandson,
Alex Barnes; three sisters, Sharon Woomer of
Belpre, Kay Gault of Charlotte, N.C., and
Olive Forshey of Parkersburg; and several
nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday
at Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg, with Ministers Bill Bowen and
G.K. Pennington officiating. Burial will
follow at Evergreen South Cemetery. The family
will be receiving friends from 1-5 and 6-9
p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the
Parkersburg Boys and Girls Club, 1200 Mary
Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101.