Becky Lynn French, 43, of Rt. 1 (Mudfork), Bluefield, VA, died May 18, 2004 at Bristol Regional Medical Center in Bristol, TN.
Born June 19, 1960 at Bluefield, WV, she was a daughter of Helen Billips of Bluefield, VA and the late Charles Vaughn.
She was of the Baptist Faith and a member of the Mt. Grove Baptist Church at Montcalm, WV.
Additional survivors: husband, Ralph L. French; son, Joshua French of Bluefield, VA; daughter, Robin Lambert and husband, Michael, of Bluefield, VA; brother, Barney Ross Vaughn and wife, Ruth, of North Wilkesboro, NC; and sisters, Bonnie Hundley and husband, John, of Manassas, Sue Billips and husband, Buddy, of Fort Mill, SC, Betty Carter of Guston, KY, Jean Judkins and husband, Bruce, of Lebanon, and Ann Vaughn of Falls Mills.
The funeral was conducted at 11 a.m. May 21 at Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home Chapel in Tazewell with Johnny Elmore and the Rev. Ralph E. French officiating.
Burial followed at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, VA.
Lula C. Pyles
Lula C. Pyles, 85, of Kirby, WV, died May 17, 2004 at her residence.
Born May 25, 1918 at Kirby, she was a daughter of the late Roy Haines and Beulah Saville Haines.
She was a homemaker and a member of Hott’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Kirby.
She was preceded in death by one son; one brother, Byron Haines; and one sister, Hilda Haines.
Survivors: husband, Junior F. Pyles; sons, Jerry Pyles of Kempner, TX, Glenn Pyles of Augusta, WV, Roger Pyles of Three Churches, WV, Harold Pyles of Richlands, Gerald Pyles and Jack Pyles, both of Kirby; daughters, Frances Haines, and Linda "Tom" Barnes, both of Kirby, Stella Parrill of Cross Junction, Edna Smallwood and Loretta Kibler, both of Winchester, Wanda Carpenter of Gore; sisters, Orpha Hott of Gore, Dorothea Kilmer and Cris Bean, both of Romney, WV, Janice McDonald of Augusta, Zanna Bean of Shanks, WV, Una Lupton of Kirby; brothers, Bill Haines of Clearbrook, Roy Haines and Paul Haines, both of Shanks; 19 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; and one step-great-great-grandchild.
The funeral will be conducted May 20 at 11 a.m. in the McKee Funeral Home Chapel in Augusta with Rev. William Fout officiating.
The family will receive friends May 19 from 6-9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Clara V. Taylor
Clara Virginia Taylor, 90, of the Dry Fork community of North Tazewell, VA, died May 11, 2004 at Eastview Adult Care in Bluefield, VA.
Born in McDowell County, WV, she was a daughter of the late Howard and Ruth Spence Whitt.
She was a member of the Adria Advent Christian Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Sherman Taylor; one daughter, Juanita Taylor Pruett; two brothers, Alan Whitt and Sherman Whitt; and two sisters, Gladys Shaughnessy and Sylvia Graham.
Survivors: son, Ray Taylor and wife, Sue, of Mooresville, NC; brothers, Garnett Whitt and wife, Erbie, and Wade Whitt and wife, Betty, all of North Tazewell; sisters, Elsie Graham of North Tazewell, Shirley Morgan of Painesville, OH, Hazel Tuck and husband, Floyd, of Cleveland, OH; grandchildren, Barbara Kincer and husband, Henry, of Tazewell, Tim Taylor and wife, Kristen, of Troutman, NC, Sally Hinton and husband, Joseph, of Cary, NC; and great-grandchildren, Matthew Kincer and Laura Kincer, both of Tazewell, and Brandon Hinton and Mallory Hinton, both of Cary.
Graveside services were conducted at 11 a.m. May 13 at Maplewood cemetery in Tazewell with the Rev. J.C. Steele officiating
Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home in Tazewell was in charge of arrangements.
Michael E. White
Michael Edward White, 57, of Church Hill, TN, went to be with the Lord on May 11, 2004 at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center.
Born in Kimball, WV, he grew up in Swords Creek and attended Honaker High School at Honaker. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and was wounded during his service in Vietnam.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Imogene Mabry Wyatt.
Survivors: wife, Rhonda Lynn Aesque White; stepsons, Joshua Nathaniel Bellamy of Carlisle, OH, John Brian Womack of Circle View, OH, Robert Miller Ellis of Kingsport, TN; step-daughter, Jessica Hope Lane of Kingsport; sister, Wanda Sue Wyatt Robinette and husband, Jim Robinette, of Cedar Bluff; niece, Jamie Robinette of Pounding Mill; nephew, Mark Robinette and wife, Sherry, of Pounding Mill; and great-nephew, Wyatt Lee Robinette of Pounding Mill; and a host of friends.
Graveside services were conducted May 13 at 1 p.m. at National cemetery, Mountain Home, TN, with the American Legion Hammond Post #3 and Gate City Post #265, in charge of services.
Carter-Trent Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Joseph W. Justice
Joseph W. Justice, 100, of the Golden Age Retirement Center of Claypool Hill, died April 27, 2004 at Clinch Valley Medical Center in Richlands following a short illness.
Born in Mingo Co., WV, he was a son of the late Morgan and Jane Oosley Justice.
He was a resident of Buchanan County several years and a member of the Old Regular Baptist Church. He was a member of Sandy Valley Lodge No. 17 AF & AM of Grundy, a former member of Grundy IOOF Lodge No. 17 and a former coal miner. He was a retired employee of Norfolk and Western Railway as an engineer and conductor with 41 years of service and a member of Railroad Brotherhood.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bertha Payne Justice, March 9, 1999; one daughter, Alice Justice; and four sons, Dale, Clinton, Joe, and Roger Justice.
Survivors: daughters, Thelma Vandyke of Cedar Bluff, Eleanor Newberry of Sugar Grove, Margaret Skeens of Sarasota, FL, Betty Smith of Vacaville, CA, Bonnie Windham of Center, TX; sons, Thomas Justice of Lynchburg, Wayne Justice of Princeton, WV; 32 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted May 1 at 1 p.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with Elders Elmer Church and Bob Fields officiating.
Burial followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
Masonic rites were conducted at the funeral home April 30 at 7 p.m. followed by services.
Joseph W. Justice
Joseph W. Justice, 100, of the Golden Age Retirement Center of Claypool Hill, died April 27, 2004 at Clinch Valley Medical Center in Richlands following a short illness.
Born in Mingo Co., WV, he was a son of the late Morgan and Jane Oosley Justice.
He was a resident of Buchanan County several years and a member of the Old Regular Baptist Church. He was a member of Sandy Valley Lodge No. 17 AF & AM of Grundy, a former member of Grundy IOOF Lodge No. 17 and a former coal miner. He was a retired employee of Norfolk and Western Railway as an engineer and conductor with 41 years of service and a member of Railroad Brotherhood.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bertha Payne Justice, March 9, 1999; one daughter, Alice Justice; and four sons, Dale, Clinton, Joe, and Roger Justice.
Survivors: daughters, Thelma Vandyke of Cedar Bluff, Eleanor Newberry of Sugar Grove, Margaret Skeens of Sarasota, FL, Betty Smith of Vacaville, CA, Bonnie Windham of Center, TX; sons, Thomas Justice of Lynchburg, Wayne Justice of Princeton, WV; 32 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted May 1 at 1 p.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with Elders Elmer Church and Bob Fields officiating.
Burial followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
Masonic rites were conducted at the funeral home April 30 at 7 p.m. followed by services.
Billy Lockhart
Billy Lockhart, 72, of Ashland, OH, died April 18, 2004 at his home, after an extended illness.
Born in Iaeger, WV, he was the son of Troy and Ethel Mae (Deskins) Lockhart.
He grew up in Richlands. He married
Haroldine (Cidie) Taylor on June 20, 1959. She survives.
He was an independent contractor for United Telephone – Sprint for 22 years, retiring in 1991. He attended First Baptist Church, Ashland, and was a member of the Eagles and Moose, both in Virginia. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving during the Korean War.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Frankie Dye; two brothers, Buddy and Morris Lockhart; and one sister, Natalie Gross.
Additional survivors: daughters, Dreama Lockhart of Columbus, OH, Melissa Green of Ashland; nine grandchildren; one great-grandson; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Barbara and John Thompson of Gates City and Rita and Ron Fuller, of Dublin.
Services will be conducted April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Roberts Funeral Home, Ashland Chapel, 1058 U.S. 250 North, Ashland, with Pastor Don Thompson officiating.
Military rites will be conducted by the Ashland Veterans Honor Guard following the service.
James W. Dinkins
James Wright Dinkins, 75, of Thompson Valley, VA, died April 5, 2004 at his home.
Born in Thorpe, WV, he was a son of the late Joseph and Prudence Price Dinkins.
He was a retired miner from Consolidation Coal Company.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Lillian Dinkins, and two brothers, John Dinkins and Sheffy Dinkins.
Survivors: wife of 54 years, Norma Williby Dinkins; daughter, Marcia Thompson and husband, Bud, of Thompson Valley; special nephew, Doug Dillon of Burkes Garden; sister, Ann Reynolds of Roanoke; brother, Charles Dinkins of Owosso, MI; grandsons, Robert Thompson and Joseph Thompson and wife, Kim; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was conducted April 8 at 11 a.m. at Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home Chapel in Tazewell with the Rev. Dale Reynolds officiating.
Burial followed at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton, WV.
Mary A. Montgomery
Mary Anne Whitt Montgomery, 61, of Fullerton, CA, previously of the Canebrake, WV, area crossed over to the other side to be with the Lord April 7, 2004 with her husband and two daughters at her bedside.
She lived life to its fullest and she fought a brave seven year battle with cancer.
She was the daughter of the late Charlie and Louise Brinkley Hankins Whitt, both Canebrake natives.
She grew up in the Canebrake, Berwind and Hartwell Communities. Her education was obtained at Hartwell, Amonate, Berwind and Big Creek and graduated from Big Creek High School in 1961.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by four brothers, Claude Jr., Douglas, Bobby Joe and 1st Sargent Jimmy Hankins, and three sisters, Margaret Ruth, Maxine and Brenda Sue Hankins.
Survivors, loving and caring family: husband of 40 years, Eddie Montgomery; daughters, Edie Poole and husband, Scott, and Marla Gerger and husband, Rob; stepchildren, Mike Montgomery, Melissa Auensen and Sue Graham; brothers, Ted Hankins and Eddie Whitt; granddaughter, Little Miss Kylie Gerger; step-granddaughter, Ashley Poole; her childhood friend, Velma Barron Gibson; and many, many cousins and friends.
As per her request, she was cremated and a memorial service will be held April 18 at 14801 Beach Blvd., Westminster, CA.
Another memorial service will be held at the 2005 Berwind Reunion and her ashes will be divided and buried at her parents grave in Hartwell cemetery and on Ratcliffe Mountain in Pearisburg.
Obituary information submitted by Hurst-Scott Funeral Home.
Noah Mullins
Noah Mullins, 71, of Lindside, WV, died April 6, 2004 at his home after a long illness.
Born in Iaegar, WV, he was the son of the late Wyatt and Okie Thornsbury Mullins.
He was a disabled coal miner and attended the Old Regular Baptist Church.
Survivors: wife, Opal M. Lester Mullins; daughters, Connie Lester of Iaegar, Linda Ledbetter of Paynesville, WV, Ann Click of North Carolina; son, Brandon Lester of Lindside; brothers, Ira Mullins of San Angelo, TX, Wyatt Mullins of Bishop, Burley Mullins of Lebanon; sisters, Laura Workman of Bluefield, WV, Christine Lester of North Carolina; and nine grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted April 10 at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Zion Old Regular Baptist Church at Mohawk, WV, with the Elders Danny Hurley, Hurshell Hurley, Roscoe Crouse, Curtis Crouse and Phillip Estep officiating.
Burial followed in the Mullins cemetery on Coon Branch near Iaegar.
An evening service was held April 9 at 7 p.m. at the church.
Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy was in charge of arrangements.
