Donna Jean Harvey
Parkersburg, WV
Donna Jean Harvey, 75, of Parkersburg passed
away Dec. 8, 2007, at her home.
She was born Jan. 24, 1932, in Reedsville,
Ohio, a daughter of the late Ernest Ruth and
Blanche Beatrice Boring Ruth. Donna was a
member of the Lynn Street Church of Christ.
She retired from Black and White Cab Co. as
dispatcher and was a homemaker.
Surviving are four sons, Vincent Michael
Harvey, William Lee (Billy) Harvey Jr. and
Steven Petty, all of Belpre, and Charles Lee
Harvey of Parkersburg; three daughters, Penny
Shutts of Belpre, Diane Smearman of Mineral
Wells and Molly Dougherty of Parkersburg; 22
grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and two
brothers, James Ruth of Mineral Wells and
George Ruth of Hudson, Mass.
She was preceded in death by her husband,
William Lee Harvey Sr., in 1976, and a
daughter, Audry Leasure Swisher.
The funeral service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday
at Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg, with Evangelist Teddy Tackett
officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen
South Cemetery. The visitation will be from 2-
4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday.
Opal Ann Silvia
Williamstown, WV
Opal Ann Silvia, 64, of Williamstown, passed
away Dec. 7, 2007, at her home following an
extended illness.
She was born Nov. 28, 1943, in Wirt County, a
daughter of the late Carl Richard Tanner and
Hazel Bailey Tanner.
Opal was of the Protestant faith and had been
employed with Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital
in patient accounts and billing.
Surviving is her husband of 43 years, Richard
Dennis Silvia; her son, Thomas Silvia and his
wife, Amber, of Parkersburg; two
grandchildren, Lakretia and Zachary Silvia;
two brothers, Lonnie Tanner and his wife,
Barb, of Williamstown and Carl Tanner of
Vienna; one sister, Wanda Jett and her
husband, Steve, of Parkersburg; and several
nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by a brother, Jimmy Tanner; and a
grandson, Bradley Silvia.
The funeral service will be 3 p.m. today at
Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg, with Pastor Richard Smith
officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen
North Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 p.m.
until service time today at the funeral home.
Ella Nemattie Meeks
Parkersburg, WV
Ella Nemattie Meeks, 80, of Parkersburg passed
away Dec. 1, 2007, at the Willows Nursing
Center.
She was born July 18, 1927, in Parkersburg, a
daughter of the late Raymond Emanuel and
Margaret Ellen Morris Beall. Ella was a member
of the Pine Grove Baptist Church. She had been
employed with St. Joseph’s Hospital as a
dietary aide and she enjoyed bowling at
Emerson Lanes.
Surviving is her husband, Everett B. Meeks;
one son, Leland H. Beall and his wife, Kay, of
Parkersburg; two daughters, Gloria Sams and
her fiance, Cecil Barnes, of Parkersburg and
Terry Lynn Fluharty and her husband, Dan, of
Davisville; a former daughter-in-law, Mona
Beall; four grandchildren, Kristina Martin,
Robert Beall, Melvin Starcher Jr. and Heather
Johns; three great-grandchildren, Jared
Martin, Alexis Martin and Avery Johns; a
sister, Margie Varner of Parkersburg; and
several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by a son, Melvin F. Starcher; a
grandson, James D. Bowles; five brothers,
Virgil, Robert, Orville, Bob and Denver Beall;
and four sisters, Fonda Newhouse, Ollie
Lauderman, Mary Phares and Audra Rice.
The funeral service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at
Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg, with Pastor Chuck Ferrell
officiating. Burial will follow at Parkersburg
Memorial Gardens. There will be visitation
from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. today.
Hazel Dailey Conger
Parkersburg, WV
Hazel Dailey Conger, 92, of Parkersburg passed
away Nov. 27, 2007, at the Willows Nursing
Facility, where she had been a resident for
the past two years.
Hazel was born Jan. 19, 1915, at Rolla, N.D.,
a daughter of the late Luther Allen Dailey and
Lucy Belle McKitrick Dailey Nesselrotte and
moved to Parkersburg when she was five years
old.
She was a charter member of the New Hope
Baptist Church and was a former longtime
member of the Walnut Street Church of Christ
in Belpre. She retired from Corning Glass
Works with several years of service.
Surviving is her daughter, Blanche Wentzel of
Parkersburg; a special daughter-in-law,
Ernestine Conger; and brothers, Orville and
Daniel Nesselrotte. Hazel was known
as “Granny” to seven grandchildren, Michael,
Mitchell and Richard Wentzel, Lisa Roy, Linda
Howard, Mark Conger and Diane Harris. Also
surviving are 13 great-grandchildren and six
great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by her husband of 62 years, William
Edward Conger; her son, Kenneth Conger; two
infant sons, Donald and Jackie; one sister,
Ruby; two brothers, Gale and Alfred Dailey; a
half-sister, Frances Collins; and two half-
brothers, Floyd and Carriel Nesselrotte.
The funeral service will be 1 p.m. Friday at
Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg, with Pastor David Easter
officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen
North Cemetery. There will be visitation from
2-4 and 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Jo Ann Thoma
Parkersburg, WV
Jo Ann Thoma, 88, of Parkersburg and a former
resident of Zanesville, Ohio, passed away Nov.
27, 2007, at the Arbors Nursing Facility in
Marietta.
She was born Sept. 18, 1919, at Sidney, Ohio,
a daughter of the late Fred and Kathryn
Griffis. Jo Ann was of the Catholic faith and
had been employed as a receptionist with
Marbon (Borg-Warner Chemicals). She was a
former member of the Parkersburg Woman’s Club
and the Lambda Chi Omega Sorority.
Surviving is her daughter, Cathi See Cummins
of Williamstown; two grandchildren, Mary Jo
Eddy and David Eddy, both of Tampa, Fla.; and
a brother, Fred Griffis of Damerascotta, Maine.
Preceding her in death in 1969 was her
husband, Mr. Louis A. Thoma, owner of Thoma’s
Jewelers.
There will be a private family graveside
service at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Parkersburg.
There will be no visitation.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the
Humane Society of Parkersburg, 29th and Poplar
streets in Parkersburg.
Cremation services are being provided by Kimes
Funeral Home & Cremation Services of
Parkersburg.
