Lora Bledsoe Adkins, 44, of Barboursville, W.Va., passed from this earthly life into the presence of our Lord on Friday, April 2, 2004. Lora was born January 16, 1960, in Huntington W.Va, a daughter of Silas Elmo and Patsy Smith Bledsoe of Barboursville. She graduated from Bridgeport High School in 1978 and was employed by the Cabell County Board of Education as an aide, where she cared for children with special needs. These children held a very special place in her heart. She was a member of Lewis Memorial Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, survivors include her husband, Steve Adkins of Barboursville; a son, Jon T. Wilkes; a stepson, Steve Adkins II; a sister and brother-in-law, Patty and Rick Pauley of Barboursville; a nephew and his wife, Shannon and Tara Cazad of Hurricane; a niece and her husband, Myra and Bryan Bartilson of Scott Depot; a great-nephew, Ben Bartilson, whom she loved dearly; and very special friends, Judy Napier of Barboursville and Josette Braley of Nashville, Tenn. Lora was loved and will be missed by many close relatives and friends. Lora was preceded in death by one sister, Carmen Marie Bledsoe. Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 4, 2004, at the Wallace Funeral Home & Chapel by Pastor David Lemming. Burial in Baylous Cemetery, Salt Rock. The family wishes to thank Hospice for their loving care and request that donations be made to Hospice.
Freda L. Tassen
Freda L. Tassen, 76, of Barboursville died Sunday, April 4, 2004, in St Mary's Medical Center. Funeral services were conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, 2004, at the Wallace Funeral Home and Chapel, Barboursville, by Pastor Bill Davis and Associate Pastor Daniel Beaver. Burial in Forest Memorial Park. She was born Dec. 26, 1927, in Lesage, W Va, a daughter of the late Otis and Grace Clark Blake. She was a member of Antioch Baptist Church and volunteered for the Salvation Army. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard “Pete” Tassen: four brothers, Arvil, Lucien, Paul, and Robert; and two sisters, Lillian Poynter and Ruth Waugh. She is survived by one daughter, Jackie Tassen and her fiancÈe Mike Lunsford of Milton; one son and daughter-in-law, Bernard Rene and Wanda Tassen of Barboursville; one brother and sister-in-law, William E. and Rita Blake of Lesage; two grandchildren, Troy Tassen and Lori White and her husband, Todd; and two great-grandchildren, Shealynn and Kirsten White . Wallace Funeral Home, Barboursville, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Antioch Baptist Church, P.O. Box 64, Ona, WV 25545.
Alfred McKinley “John/Shorty” Morrison
Alfred McKinley “John/Shorty” Morrison, 70, formerly of Huntington went to be with the Lord after a very short battle with cancer, Wednesday, March 31, 2004, at his residence in Hemingway, South Carolina. Funeral services were conducted. at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 4, 2004, at the Wallace Funeral Home, Milton, by Pastor Bill Nida and Clay Hinkley. Burial will be in Culloden Cemetery. He was born August 25, 1933 in Huntington, W.V., a son of the late William McKinley Morrison and Bertha Estep Morrison Bacon. He was also preceded in death by one son, William “Billy” Morrison, three sisters and one brother. He was retired from Houdaille Industries. He is survived by his wife, Ruby Faye Napier Morrison; three daughters, Velma Hearn and her husband Phil, Peggy Adkins and her husband Phillip, all of Sumter, South Carolina, and Alfreda Morrison of Milton, W.Va.; two sisters, Norma Nibert and her husband Jim of Florida, and one in Ohio; one brother in Texas ; four grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Wallace Funeral Home, Milton, was in charge of arrangements.
Fern Rita Black
Fern Rita Black, 84, of Barboursville went home to be with the Lord Thursday, April 1, 2004, in St. Mary's Medical Center. Funeral service were conducted Saturday, April 3, 2004, at Heck Funeral Home, Milton with the Rev. James Jobe officiating. Burial in Chapman Cemetery, Ona. She was born November 15, 1919, in Cabell County, West Virginia, a daughter of the late Herbert and Mary Edwards Chapman. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Matthew Perry Black. She is survived by two daughters, Pamella Dean of Salt Rock and Barbara Dorman of Marshes Siding, Ky.; two sons and daughters-in-law, Roger and Paulette Black of Barboursville and James Herbert and Shirley Black of Culloden; one sister, Winford Weaver of White sworth, Ohio; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Eileen Ann Jacobs
Eileen Ann Jacobs, 82, of Mason, W.Va., formerly of Milton, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, March 28, 2004, in Pleasant Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation. Funeral services were conducted Thursday, April 1, 2004, at Heck Home, Milton, with Pastor Paul Meadows officiating. Burial in Forest Memorial Park, Milton. She was born September 7, 1921, in County Mayo, Ireland, a daughter of the late Patrick and Ann Kilbane. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Robert Paul Jacobs. She was a member of Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church, Ona. She is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Sharon Ann and Chuck Dunavant of Mason; two sons and daughters-in-law, Robert Paul Jr. and Ann Jacobs of Fairfield, Calif., and Gene Patrick and Sue Jacobs of St. Petersburg, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Patricia Summers, Theresa McKinney, Tim Dunavant, Dena Hebbard, Dennis Jacobs, Pam Hansen, Trisha Green and Paula Martin; and 14 great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church Deacons Fund.
Helen Rose Browning
Helen Rose Browning passed away March 27, 2004, at the Woodlands Retirement Community. She was born April 18, 1919, in Hazel Green, Kentucky, the daughter of General Marion and Mattie Rose Center. Helen Rose was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Harry H. Browning. She taught English at Huntington High School from 1960 until 1976. She was a past president of the Azalea Garden Club and served on many committees of the Huntington Woman's Club and was very active in the colonization of Alpha Chi Omega at Marshall University. Mrs. Browning graduated from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and received her master's degree from Marshall University. She is survived by a daughter, Judy Lee Clark; three grandchildren and their spouses, Paul Dusenberry III and Belinda Clark of Huntington, David Howard and Rebecca Clark of Hebron, Kentucky, and Alex J. and Allison Rose Rohrer of Lexington, Kentucky. Helen Rose's great-great-grandchildren are Logan Mackall Clark, Madeline Lee Clark, Margaret Grace Clark, Alexandra Rose Rohrer, Jonathan David Clark, and Abigail Browning Clark. Ascension services were held Wednesday, March 31, 2004 at Enslow Park Presbyterian Church, Huntington, with the Rev. John Niles officiating. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Enslow Park Presbyterian Church, the Huntington Museum of Art, Hospice of Huntington, the Woodlands or the Jake McGuire Savage Foundation, 1700 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 600, Washington DC 20006. Henson Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.
Faye Louise Childers
Faye Louise Childers, 84, formerly of Milton, widow of John C. Childers, died Friday, March 26, 2004 at her Franklin home. She was a homemaker. Private memorial service will be at a later time. Kimble Funeral Home, Franklin, was in charge of arrangements.
Rose V. Spurlock
Mrs. Rose V. “Jenny” Spurlock, 66, of Leon died March 21, 2004, after a long illness.
She owned her business at Milton Flea Market for eight years as “Rose's Crafts.”
Surviving: her husband of 48 years, Albert Spurlock of Leon; sons, Randy and David Spurlock, both of Leon; daughters, Debbie Elswick of Cross Lanes and Patsy Trout of Tornado; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; sisters, Phyllis Bays of Leon and Janice Young of St. Albans.
Service was held Thursday, March 25, 2004, at Gatens Funeral Home, Poca, with the Rev. Ezra Graley officiating. Burial was in Warner Chapel Cemetery, Leon.
Lessie V. Larch
Lessie Virginia Starcher Larch, 103, died Sunday, March 21, 2004, at the home of her daughter, Jodie Keen of Hometown.
She was born May 16, 1900 at Beech, Calhoun County, a daughter of the late Leonard C. and Flora Hackney Starcher. She was a homemaker.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Preston M. “Pat” Larch; sisters, Hetta Eismon, Leafy M. Starcher, Vlema Drake and Ernestine Morris; brothers, Lital, Archibald, Loring, Zollie and Chester Starcher; two great-great-grandsons.
Also surviving: daughter, Bonnie M. Drake of Glenville; grandchildren, Saundra Kelley of Goldsboro, North Carolina, Peggy Easter of St. Albans, Kay Winter of Nitro, Robin Jones of Pt. Pleasant, Harry Drake of Glenville, C.D. Drake of Buckhannon, and Ed Keen of Elenaor; 18 great-grandchildren; 19 great-great-grandchildren; one great-great-great-grandchild; sister, Berta Beckett of Hurricane.
Service was held Wednesday, March 24, 2004, at the John H. Taylor Funeral Home Spencer, with the Rev. Paul Drake officiating. Burial was in Clover Cemetery, Clover.
Alice Jeannine Embree
Alice Jeannine Embree, 75, of Winfield died Sunday, March 21, 2004, at CAMC Memorial Hospital.
She was a member of Winfield Community Church and was a retired executive secretary.
She was born in Vienna, West Virginia and was preceded in death by her parents, the Rev. James H. and Opal Reed, and sisters, Evelyn June Workman and Ica Anabelle Briscoe.
She was a six-year resident of Winfield and formerly of Dayton, Ohio.
Surviving: her husband of 56 years, Roy M. Embree; son, Eric Embree and his wife, Adrianna Moore, of Winfield; brother, Joseph E. Reed of St. Albans; grandchildren, Nathaniel G. Embree and Grace M. Embree, both of Winfield; a host of nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews, especially Linda, Kay Stapp of Fort Worth, Texas , Joyce Fields of Winfield and Jeannie Lemon of Scott Depot.
A private family service was conducted by Pastor Mike Rader. Entombment was in Cunningham Memorial Park Mausoleum, St. Albans. Bartlett-Chapman Funeral Home, St. Albans, was in charge of arrangements.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to Hubbard Hospice House, 1001 Kennawa Drive, Charleston WV 25311; or Winfield Community Church, PO Box 185, Winfield WV 25213.
Mildred V. Hemmings
Mildred Virginia Hemmings, 93, of Hurricane died Sunday, March 21, 2004, at home following an extended illness.
She attended First Baptist Church of St. Albans and formerly attended the Fairlawn Baptist Church in Dunbar. She was a native of the Diamond and Dickinson area, had formerly lived in Dunbar, and lived in Hurricane for the past six years.
Her husband, James Robert Hemmings, preceded her in death.
Surviving: daughters, Iona Virginia Woody of Rio Vista, California and Helen Faye “Jimmie” Thompson of Millwood; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren.
Service was held Wednesday, March 24, 2004, at Fidler & Frame Funeral Home, Belle, with the Rev. Joel Harpold officiating. Burial was in Montgomery Memorial Park, London.
Howard F. Kelley
Howard F. Kelley, 72, of Clendenin, formerly of Rock Branch, died March 22, 2004, in Hubbard Hospice House.
He was a lifelong resident of Kanawha and Putnam Counties, retired from Monsanto Chemical Co., member of Reamer Hill Community Church, Clendenin, and a Army veteran of the
Korean War.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary DeMoss Kelley, parents, Howard Burton “Burt” and Edith Olive Kelley, and brother, Homer “Sammy” Kelley.
Surviving: wife, Myrna Ann Kelley; children, Debra High of Dallss Texas , Jeffrey Kelley of Nitro, Mark Kelley of South Charleston, and Andrea Beth Sharp of St. Albans; sisters, Gloria Kelley of teays Valley and Sonja West of Wifnield; brothers, Gerald Kelley of Poca, Delmer kelley of Bills Creek and Jimm Kelley of Nitro; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; aunts, Nell Jordan of Poca, Frances Eads of Poca and Bonnie Kelley of Charleston.
Service was held Saturday, March 27, 2004, at Gatens Funeral Home, Poca. Burial was in Haven of Rest Memorial Gardens, Red House, with military rights provided by Alum Creek VFW Post 4768.
Memorial donations may be sent to Hubbard Hospice House, 1001 Kennawa Drive, Charleston WV 25311.
Russell L. Fisher
Russell L. Fisher, 74, of Hurricane died March 22, 2004, in Putnam General Hospital after a short illness.
He retired from Pepsi, Nitro, and was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 175. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict and a member of the Church of God, Culloden.
Surviving: son, Randy L. Fisher of Jeffersonvile, Indiana; daughter, Patty L. Jones of Tornado; companion, Shirley Conard; brother, Robert Fisher of Liberty; sister, Electa Ruth Cloxton of Poca; grandchildren, Stephen Jones and Briana Jones.
Service was held Friday, March 26, 2004, at Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar, with the Rev. Ronald Fisher officiating. Burial was in Grandview Memorial Park, Dunbar.
Charles Robert McComas
Charles Robert McComas, 83, formerly of Lesage died Thursday, March 25, 2004 in Dolores, Colo. Burial in Desert Lawn Cemetery, Kennewick, Wash. Wallace Funeral Home, Barboursville, was in charge of arrangements.
