Violet Lucas, a long-time resident of Beckley, and more recently of St. Albans, passed away on April 30, 2006, after a short illness. She was 86 years old at the time of her passing. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ned and Gertrude Brierley; her husband, James; her brother, Jim; and her youngest son, Clark.
Violet was beloved by her family and friends and she will be greatly missed. Her enjoyment of life and the love she held for her family was the hallmark of a truly remarkable life. Violet was a daughter of immigrants who came to this country to seek out and live the American Dream. She had a long and vibrant life that was interrupted in 1973 by the untimely passing of her husband and in 1996 by the untimely passing of her youngest son.
Her dedication as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and mother-in-law endured through the years. Her presence in the family was always comforting and her passing leaves a void in the hearts of her family and friends that will take some time to heal.
Violet enjoyed an active social life, having held memberships in a number of social clubs and fraternal organizations, primarily in Beckley. She enjoyed playing bingo, bowling and shopping — she loved life! In her passing, we celebrate her spirit and joy for life and offer her up to Heaven for everlasting life with those who preceded her in death and with God!
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, J.A. and Pat of St. Albans; her granddaughter, Sherry of St. Albans; her grandson, Jim, of Atlanta, her grandson and his wife, Shawn, and Wendi, of Hurricane; her daughter-in-law, Brenda, of St. Albans; her grandson and his wife, Clark and Krista, of St. Albans; her granddaughter, Heather, of St. Albans; and her nephew, Jeb Brierley of Beckley. She is also survived by six great-grandchildren, Anthony, Brooke, Lillian, Clay, Kylie and Ciarrah.
A memorial service honoring and remembering Violet’s life will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum A with the Pastor Loretta Isaiah of the St. Andrews United Methodist Church of St. Albans officiating. Friends may call 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Melton Mortuary, 1200 Harper Rd., Beckley. Those wishing to attend the committal service are asked to meet at the mortuary by 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
Elsie Rae Smith Reed
Surrounded by her loving family, Elsie Rae Smith Reed, 92, of Coal City, went home to be with her Lord and loved ones on Sunday, April 30, 2006, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law.
Born Jan. 20, 1914, she was the daughter of the late John Will Smith and Leia Willis Smith.
Mrs. Reed was a homemaker. She was a member of the Coal City Community Baptist Church, where she served as treasurer for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Jennings Reed; and daughter, Mary Reed Bevins; two grandsons; eight brothers and four sisters.
Survivors include daughters, Wilma Keffer and husband, Eugene, of Coal City, and Wanda Matherly and husband, Michael, of Sullivan Road; three sons, Dallas Reed and wife, Barbara, of Coal City, Roger Reed and wife, Linda, of Sophia, and Bill Reed and wife, Kathy, of Coal City; two sisters, Marie Atkinson of MacArthur, and Evelyn Hosey of Crab Orchard; 17 grandchildren; four step grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; nine step great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a step great-great-grandchild; a host of family and friends; and her special pet, Daisy.
Service will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Rose and Quesenberry Peace Chapel with the Rev. Gary Hosey and Pastor Darle Young officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.
Friends may call two hours prior to the service Wednesday at the funeral home.
Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Special thanks to Dr. Golden, Dr. Seangio, ARH Home Halthcare and nurses at Raleigh General Hospital.
Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry, Beckley.
Myrtle Mamie Thompson
BAISDEN — Myrtle Mamie Thompson, died Monday, May 1, 2006.
Service will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Rosa Regular Baptist Church. Friends may call at her home today and Wednesday.
Arrangements by Mounts Funeral Home, Gilbert.
Taylor Marie Watson
Taylor Marie Watson, 4, of Fairmont, earned her wings and went to be with Jesus on Saturday, April 29, 2006, following a long illness.
She was born Aug. 15, 2001, in Fairmont, the daughter of John Paul Watson Jr. of Fairmont and Angela Cheryl Bradley Watson formerly of Beckley.
Service will be 10 a.m. today at Ford Funeral Home, 201 Columbia St., Fairmont, with Evangelist Randy Cook officiating.
Local visitation will be 5 to 9 p.m. today at Blue Ridge Memorial Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley. A celebration of her short life will be 10 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home with the Rev. Craig Stevens officiating. Entombment will follow at the Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens in Beckley.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 332 North Lauderdale Street, Memphis, TN 38105-2794.
Arrangements by Ford Funeral Home, Fairmont.
Elbert Henry ‘Cotton’ Ballard
Elbert Ballard, 81, of Sophia, died Friday, Nov. 4, 2005, at Pinecrest Hospital.
Born March 13, 1924, at Sophia, he was the son of the late Elgie Howard Ballard and Edith Mae Gadd Ballard.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Francis Ballard Blackburn and Mona Ballard Hatfield.
Survivors include his two sisters, Mrs. Woodrow (Merle “Kewpie”) Smith of Sophia and Mrs. John (Drema) Sutton of Front Royal, Va.; two brothers, Lannie Ballard and his wife Loretta of Natural Bridge, Va., and Larry Ballard and his wife Cathy of Falls Church, Va.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Service will be 3 p.m. Tuesday at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia, with Rev. Mike Ludle officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley.
Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia, is serving the Ballard family.
Lolen L. ‘Toby’ Blevins
PRINCETON — Lolen L. “Toby” Blevins, 90, of 4007 W. Main St., Princeton, formerly of Jonben and Whitby, died Sunday, Nov. 6, 2005, at Princeton Community Hospital in Princeton.
Born Oct. 23, 1915, at Beeson, he was the son of the late Ahart Blevins and Fran-ces Farmer Blev-ins.
Mr. Blevins was a member of the Grace Primitive Church at Shady Spring. He was a retired coal miner and a member of the U.M.W.A. He was a fisherman and took more naps in a fishing boat than most people do in their recliner. He was a member of the Appalachian Highlands Music Association and was frequently seen at Little Opry. His favorite pastime at home was singing and playing his guitar. He loved to share the produce from his ever-expanding garden. He was a man of few words, a gentle giant, his sneaky grin spoke volumes.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Gilmer Mills Blevins; two sisters, Maria Mills and Beulah Blevins; three brothers, Ana Blevins, Earl Blevins, and Paris Blevins; and one granddaughter, Annette Eskins.
Survivors include three daughters, Hilda Walker and her husband Cody of Dublin, Va., Frances Bailey and her husband Bobby, and Alice Eskins and her husband Larry, all of Princeton; one son, Vinnie Blevins and his wife Joyce of Christiansburg, Va.; one sister, Doris Mills of Barksdale; four brothers, Eddie Blevins of Sophia, Oakley Blevins of Hinton, Blane Blevins of Jefferson, Ind., and George Blevins of Dobson, N.C.; eight grandchildren, Jeanne Cline, Renee Lineberry, Jim Canterbury, Larry G. Eskins, Dean Walker, Robyn Patterson, Beth Tickle, and Vincent Blevins; and several great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Rowland H. Bailey Funeral Chapel of the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton, with the Elder Keith Mills officiating. Interment will follow at Blue Ridge Memory Gardens in Beckley.
Grandsons and great-grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Friends may call today from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Arrangements by Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home, Princeton.
Drema Diana Bowman
Drema Diana Bowman, 54, of MacArthur, went home to be with her Heavenly Father carried by angels with her family by her side, in the peacefulness of her home.
Drema was preceded in death by her first husband, Thomas A. Norris, Sr.; and her sister, Tammy Louise Short.
Those left to cherish her memories are her husband, Gary; her parents, Billy and Clarice Short of Beckley; a son, Thomas A. Short, Jr., of Beckley; a daughter, Rhonda Kirby of Georgia; a stepson, Adam Bowman and his wife Keri of Beckley; a stepdaughter, Chasity Bowman of North Carolina; her sisters, Mary Canaday and her husband Dennis of Beckley and Jacqueline Short of North Carolina; her brothers, Billy Short, Jr., and Victor Short, both of Beckley; mother-in-law, Jacqueline B. Richmond of Beckley; sister-in-law, Tammy Miller and her husband John of Beckley; brother-in-law, Larry Bowman and his wife Teresa of Fairdale; her grandchildren, which she loved so very much, Kristen and Thomas Norris of Beckley; several nieces and nephews, all who loved her and will miss her so very much; several aunts and uncles, all who are left to cherish their memories of Drema; and a very special friend of Drema’s, Linda Mays of Beckley.
Drema was a member of the Cranberry Baptist Church where she served and came to know the Lord with her loving husband, Gary, by her side.
Services will be at the Cranberry Baptist Church on Tuesday at 1 p.m. with an hour of visitation prior to the services; visitation will be today from 6 until 9 p.m. at the church, with the Rev. Roger Pauley officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in Drema’s memory of how she fought hard to the end to try to overcome the illness.
Men of Cranberry Baptist Church will serve as pallbearers.
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, when he reaches down his hand and takes me to that promise land and forever I shall be with the one who died for me what a day glorious day that will be.
Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley.
Anise Virginia Hamm Brown
Anise Virginia Hamm Brown, 58, passed from this life into eternal rest Nov. 6, 2005, from her home in Crab Orchard, after a long bout with cancer.
Anise was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Belva (Lilly) Hamm; and a brother, Roy Junior Hamm.
She is survived by her husband of 40 years, William L. Brown; one son, Lee Brown and wife Carol of Coal City; a daughter, Stephanie Pack and husband Dickie Pack of Daniels; four grandchildren, Courtney and Nena Brown, and Levi and Isabella Pack; five sisters, Nellie Jo Covington and Louis Hill of Richmond, Va., Frances (and Bennie) Horton of Barboursville, Margaret (and Jan) Riffe of Dawson, and Ada (and Steve) Maynor of Uneeda.
Anise was a 1964 graduate of Trap Hill High School and was formerly employed at the Crab Orchard Pharmacy as a Pharmacy Technician.
Visitation will be held Tuesday at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia, from 6 until 9 p.m.
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 1 p.m. by Pastor Mel Jamison at the Sunset Hills Missionary Baptist Church in Coal City, where Anise was a member. Burial will follow in Crews-Lilly cemetery, Nimitz.
Family members and friends will serve as pallbearers.
Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia, is serving the family.
Harry R. Cooke, Sr.
LYNN HAVEN, Fla. — Harry R. Cooke, Sr., 92, of Lynn Haven, Fla., formerly of Naples, Fla., and Beckley, passed away Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005, in Panama city, Fla. He was a resident of Community Health Nursing Home in Panama City, Fla., for the past several months.
Born March 23, 1913, in Helen, he was one of two sons of the late Thomas Raymond Cooke and Stella Cooke of Beckley.
He attended Concord College in Athens, and was a longtime resident of Beckley and member of the United Methodist Temple church. He worked with Westmoreland Coal Company for more than 40 years, and included the positions of Office Manager and Treasurer. He was a lifetime member of the Beckley Masonic Lodge.
Mr. Cooke’s wife of 70 years, the late Ina Ring Cooke, preceded him in death April 3, 2003. He is survived by his sons, Harry R. Cooke, Jr., of Salisbury, N.C., and Tommie D. Cooke of Lynn Haven, Fla.; eight grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at Melton Mortuary, Beckley, this evening, from 7 until 8:30 p.m. Interment services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Beckley with Rev. Daniel Johnson officiating.
Honorary pallbearers will be grandchildren, Bruce Randolph Cooke, Caren Cooke Hendren, Thomas McWhorter Cooke, Ina Marie Cooke Hale, Daina Lynn Cooke-Weaver, David Lane Cooke, Merritt Anne Cooke Corso, and Kay Carol Cooke Kelly.
The family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Lynn Haven United Methodist Church, 108 E. Ninth St., Lynn Haven, FL 32444, or the United Methodist Temple church, 3871 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, WV 25801.
Calfee Funeral Service of Pineville is serving the Ellison family.
John Roger Johnson
SUMMERSVILLE — John Roger Johnson, 52, of Summersville, died Friday, Nov. 4, 2005, in a motorcycle accident on Rt. 119, near Marlinton.
He was the son of Lula Marie Hammonds Johnson-Brouse of Summersville, and the late Merlin Hayes Johnson, and was born at Upper Glade on July 15, 1953.
He was a former coal mine electrician, a HOG member, local motorcycle activist and owner of the Pioneer Inn at Glade Creek with his wife.
Other than his mother, survivors include his wife, Brenda Lane Johnson; son, John Pat Johnson of Canvas; daughter, Jamie Ann Johnson of Canvas; stepson, J.R. Chidester of Summersville; four brothers, Bill Johnson of Virginia Beach, Va., Dave Johnson, Kevin Johnson, and Randall Johnson, all of Summersville; and three sisters, Shirley Grose, Jeanie Johnson, and Anne Johnson, all of Summersville.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Nazarene Tabernacle located at the Nazarene Camp in Summersville, with Ed Barker officiating. Burial will follow in the Johnson City cemetery at Glade Creek.
Friends may call at the Waters Funeral Chapel in Summersville from 6 until 8 p.m. this evening.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Pioneer Inn Christmas Fund, 910 Lower Glade Creek Road, Summersville, WV 26651. Donations will go for Christmas gifts for underprivileged children and nursing home patients.
Arrangements by Waters Funeral Chapel, Summersville.
