Mrs. Essie Mae Johnson, 88, of Cross Lanes, formerly of Poca, died December 2, 2004, at home.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Johnson, granddaughter, Susan Lett, and parents, Georgia and Dave Cains.
Surviving: children, Linda Cooper and her companion, Gary Kelley of Cross Lanes, Roberta and husband, Shirley Lett of Poca, Sue and husband, Gary King of Poca, Bobby and wife, Connie Johnson of Poca, Brenda and husband, Charles King of Poca, Danny and wife, Shirley Johnson of Galax, Virginia; sisters, Betty Harmon of Columbus, Ohio and Patsy Anderson of Florida; brothers, Frank and Allen Cains, both of Hitchens, Kentucky; 13 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren.
Service was held Saturday, December 4, 2004, at Gatens-Harding Funeral Home, Poca, with the Rev. Franklin Lett officiating. Burial was in Haven of Rest Memorial Gardens, Red House.
Warren G. Casto
Warren G. Casto, 83, of Cross Lanes, formerly of Scott Depot, died December 2, 2004, in CAMC Memorial Hospital, surrounded by family.
He is a retired warehouse director from the WV ABC Commission, a former employee of Goodrich Gulf, a member of Cross Lanes United Methodist Church where he was also a member of the Methodist men and the seniors club. He was a member of the Nitro Masonic Lodge and the Beni Kedem Shrine.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Casto, his parents, Alva and Lura Casto, and sisters, Tressie and Gracie Casto and Gaynell Hoffman.
Surviving: daughters, Barbara Harrison, Karen and husband, Bill Cobb, Patty and husband, Butch Morgan, all of Cross Lanes; sister, Lola Mae Pennington of Red House; brother, Cecil Casto of Red House; six grandchildren, Greg and Todd Harrison, Scott and Chad Cobb, Phillip Morgan and Kara Morton; five great-grandchildren, Trevor Harrison, Aaron, Katie and Lindsey Cobb and Tessleigh Morton.
Service was held Sunday, December 5, 2004, at Cross Lanes United Methodist Church with the Rev. Greg Hayes and George Webb officiating. Burial was in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens. Gatens-Harding Funeral Home, Poca, was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made to Cross Lanes United Methodist Church of the TM/CL Community Services, 5320 Frontier Drive, Cross Lanes WV 25313.
Vivian E. Allinder
Vivian E. Whittington Allinder, 87, formerly of Buffalo, died December 3, 2004, at Riverside Nursing Home, following a long illness.
She was a retired meat cutter from Buffalo Shopping Center, and a past member of Farm Women's Club of Buffalo. She was well known throughout the community for her quilting and crocheting ability.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Earl R Whittington Sr. and Florence Johnson Whittington, her husband, Perry Allinder, a daughter, Sharon Flannigan, and three sisters.
Surviving: two children; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a stepson, William R. “Bill” Allinder of Gibsonburg, Ohio; three sisters, Reba M. Phillips of Nitro, Macil Jividen and Ada Cain, both of Eleanor; three brothers, Earl R. Whittington Jr. of Mesa, Arizona, Gerald L. Higginbotham of St. Albans and Arliss V. Whittington of Buffalo; a grandchild by choice, Emma “Little Britches” Nazarewycz of Buffalo.
Service was held Monday, December 6, 2004, at Raynes Funeral Home, Buffalo, with the Rev. Wayne Burch officiating. Burial was in Whittington Family Cemetery, Buffalo.
Sean M. Harris
Sean M. Harris, 14, died Friday, December 3, 2004, at Children's Hospital, Pittsburgh, following a short illness.
He was born January 15, 1990 at Stuart, Florida, the son of Chris J. and Teresa R. Raines Harris of Hurricane. He was a resident of Hurricane for six years. He was a student at Hurricane Middle School, a member of the school band and the basketball league, and a volunteer for the WV Horse Rescue Association, Red House.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his paternal grandparents, Joe and Doris Harris, and his maternal grandparents, Charles K. “Duke” and Jeanni Raines, all of Hurricane; special aunt and uncle, Scott and Wendy Harris of Columbus, Ohio; and his cousins.
Service was held Tuesday, December 7, 2004, at First Baptist Church of Hurricane with Pastor Jeff Ransom officiating. Burial was in Valley View Memorial Park, Hurricane. Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley, was in charge of arrangements.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to the WV Horse Center, Inc., Horse Rescue Services in care of Jenni Kovich, 751 Crown Hill Ridge Road, Leon WV 25123.
Nancy P. McNeil
Nancy P. McNeil, 76, of Hurricane, formerly of Summerville, South Carolina, died December 3, 2004, at her brother's home following a long illness.
Born May 14, 1928 in Charleston, she was the daughter of Brown and Margaret Miller. She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Charles T. McNeil, and her brother, Russell.
She attended Stonewall Jackson High School, retired from the Handlemen Co. as a sales representative. She was a homemaker and mother and attended the Teays Valley Missionary Baptist Church.
Surviving: daughters, Sherry Ann Clendenin of South Charleston and Diana Kay Smith of Leland, North Carolina; sisters, Wanda Cavender and Gertrude Miller of Belle, and Helen Jean Mustgrave of St. Albans; brother, Joseph Miller and wife, Denise, of Hurricane; two sisters-in-law, Ora Gay James and Maxine Robertson of Charleston; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren.
A Christian Memorial Service was held Monday, December 6, 2004, at Teays Valley Missionary Baptist Church with Dr. John Smith officiating. Her body was cremated and burial will be at sea off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina at a later date. Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley, was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made to Teays Valley Missionary Baptist Church, 3926 Teays Valley Road, Hurricane WV 25526; or Kanawha Hospice Care, 1143 Dunbar Avenue, Dunbar WV 25064.
Clara Frances McCormick
Mrs. Clara Frances Joy McCormick, 87, of Scott Depot died December 3, 2004, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Sally and Ivan Meadows of Nitro.
Born August 16, 1918 in Thurman, Iowa, she was the daughter of the late Charles David and Lucy Ellen Perry Joy.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Ralph McCormick, sister, Mae Joy Lacy Club, brothers, Everett, Lloyd, Ted, John and Ellis Joy, granddaughter, Tracy Ann Meadows.
She was the last surviving charter member of Scary Creek Church of God, Scott Depot.
Also surviving: daughters and sons-in-law, Ellen and Bob Walker of Scott Depot, Martha and the Rev. Gary Bennett of Myrtle Beach, Melissa and Rod Roe of Hamilton, Ohio; son and daughter-in-law, the Rev. David and Diana McCormick of Charleston; brother, Harry Joy of Moses Lake, Washington ; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren.
Service was held Tuesday, December 7, 2004, at Bartlett-Chapman Funeral Home, St. Albans, with the Rev. Gary Bennett and Rod Roe officiating. Burial was in Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to Scary Creek Church of God Building Fund, 340 Scary Road, Scott Depot; or Kanawha Hospice Care, 1143 Dunbar Avenue, Dunbar WV 25064.
Margaret S. Ralston
Margaret S. Ralston died December 5, 2004, at Putnam General Hospital.
She was born May 8, 1920 in Charleston and was a 1938 graduate of Charleston High School. She also attended West Virginia State College. She was retired from the West Virginia State Medical Licensing Board, and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Dunbar. She was a member of John D. Henson Senior Center, Hurricane, and enjoyed playing bridge with her friends at Sleepy Hollow Golf Club.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Ralston, son, Roy Sherman Ralston, mother, Georgia Shaffer, granddaughter, Lisa Marie Ralston, and a special aunt who helped raise her, Gladys Shibler.
Surviving: children, Ann Reynolds of Dunbar and her children, Bill Reynolds of Metland, Florida and his daughter, Chauna of Canton, Ohio; 1st Sgt. Jonathan Reynolds, MP, and his wife, Peggy, of Hurricane, his daughter, Sandra Reynolds of Dunbar and her children, Brandon, Christa, Jordan and Brittany, all at home; her son, retired Major Frank Ralston, USMC, and his wife, Evelyn, of Poca, and their son, Frank II, at home; Sue Ralston of Cross Lanes and her children, Randy Davis and his wife, LaDawn, of Institute and his children, Coty Long of Gary, Dennis Long of Dunbar, and JaLisa at home, Denise Sutton and her husband, Earl, of Detroit, and their daughters, Anisa and Alisa, both at home; daughter, Alice Whitt and her husband, John Stephen, of Ashville, Ohio, and their sons, Sgt. John Whitt II, USMC, currently serving in Iraq, and 2nd Class Chief Petty Officer Jason Whitt, serving with the U.S. Navy in Pensacola.
Service was held Wednesday, December 8, 2004, at Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley. Burial was in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes.
Charles W. Sowards
Charles Wayne Sowards, 78, of Hurricane died December 5, 2004, at Putnam General Hospital.
Born April 4, 1926 in Hurricane, he was the last of six children born to Rufus and Anna Hayes Sowards.
He was retired from UMWA District 17, Charleston, having worked for Omar Mining Co., Madison. He served during World War II with the U.S. Army.
Surviving: wife, Essie Joan Hodges Sowards; son, John Wayne Sowards of Hurricane.
Service was held Wednesday, December 8, 2004, at Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley. Burial was in Valley View Memorial Park, Hurricane.
Patricia Thornton
Patricia “Patty” Smith Thornton, 67, of Eleanor died Friday, December 3, 2004, at Hubbard Hospice House, Charleston, following a long illness.
She was born June 17, 1937 at Leon, was a graduate of Buffalo High School and marshall University. She was a retired teacher and current member of the Putnam County Board of Education.
Surviving: son, Steve Thornton of Winfield; mother, Charlotte Smith of Eleanor; sister, Priscilla Clevenger of Hurricane; brother, Roy Smith of Milton.
A private graveside service was held at Leon Cemetery with Jack McGhee officiating. Raynes Funeral Home, Buffalo, was in charge of arrangements.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to Hospice Care, 1143 Dunbar Avenue, Dunbar WV 25064.