CLEAR FORK — Carol Belcher Thompson Craig departed this life Friday, Jan. 27, 2006, at the age of 59 years, three months and seven days in Raleigh General Hospital following a courageous battle with cancer.
Born Oct. 20, 1946, at Welch, she was the daughter of the late Raymond and Juanita Dunn Belcher.
Carol was a member of Clear Fork Independent Church of God, and a lifelong resident of Clear Fork. Carol will always be known for her kindness in the community and brought joy to all who knew her. She will be dearly missed.
In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by two husbands, Darrell Thompson and Donald Craig; one brother, James David Belcher.
Those left to cherish her wonderful memory are four sons, Donald Eric Craig and his wife, Jennifer, of North Carolina, Darrell Thompson and his companion, Becky Cline, of Clear Fork, David Thompson and his fiancee, Amanda Lusk, of Beckley and Dewayne Craig and his companion, Terry, of Bolt; a daughter, Donna Auten and her husband, Greg, of Georgia; two brothers, Raymond Belcher Jr. and his wife, Marcia, of Ohio and Dewayne Belcher and his wife, Debra, of Clear Fork; a granddaughter, Megan Elswick of Clear Fork; several nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
A celebration of Carol’s life will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2006, at Clear Fork Independent Church of God with the Rev. Hannibal Blankenship officiating. Burial will follow in Craig Family cemetery, Clear Fork.
Casketbearers will be family and friends.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the Adam Toler Memorial Chapel.
Services entrusted to Adam Toler Memorial Funeral Home, Oceana.
Mark Arnold Sr.
CHARMCO — Mark Arnold Sr., 37, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006.
Service will be 11 a.m. today at Wallace & Wallace Chapel, Rainelle, with visitation one hour before service.
Arrangements by Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle.
Junior Beverage
MARLINTON — Junior Beverage, 66, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006.
Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Arrangements by VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton.
Georgia Lilly Blackburn
Georgia Lilly Blackburn, formerly of Sunrise Avenue, Beckley, died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006, in a Beckley care center following a long illness. She was 85 years of age.
Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
Gracie Carter
LAUREL BRANCH — Gracie Carter, 79, passed away Monday, Feb. 6, 2006, at her home after a long battle with cancer.
She was born Oct. 21, 1926, at Accoville, a daughter of the late Charlie and Artha Belcher.
She was a homemaker and had been a resident of Laurel Branch for the last 19 years.
Her husband, Plese Carter, also preceded her in death, along with two brothers, Hobert Belcher and Hubert Belcher.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda Adkins and husband, James, and Brenda Clark and husband, Charles, all of Laurel Branch; two sons, Thomas Carter and wife, Shelia, and Danny Carter and wife, Sara, all of Laurel Branch; a grandson, Scotty Laxton; two sisters, Inez Harvey and Ocie Belcher, both of Sunhill; a brother, Bill Belcher of North Carolina; and a host of other loving family and friends.
Gracie will be cremated at her request and laid to rest beside her loving husband.
There will be no visitation.
The family is being served by Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco.
Jane Duncan
HILLSBORO — Jane Duncan, 78, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006.
Service will be 2 p.m. Sunday at VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Arrangements by VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton.
Vada J. Hall
Vada J. Hall, 83, of Beckley, went to be with the Lord at Charleston Area Medical Center, General Hospital, in the arms of her beloved granddaughter, Terri Hall Bobbitt, at 11 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, following a long illness.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Claude R. Hall, and her beloved granddaughter, Erica Layne Hall of Bristol, Tenn.
Vada was a homemaker and is lovingly survived by four sons, Roger Hall of Oak Hill, Cecil R. Hall and wife, Patricia, of Sterling, Va., Randall J. Hall and wife, Barbara, of Fairdale and Barry Lane Hall of Bristol, Tenn.; two sisters, Mildred Moorehead and Billie Little, and a brother, Jack Kestner, of Baltimore, Md.
Vada was blessed with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
She was a member of Bolt Church of God.
Memorial service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Bolt Church of God with Randall Puch officiating.
Cards and condolences may be sent to Barry L. Hall, Route 4, Box 44, Fayetteville, WV 25840.
Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, is serving the family.
Thomas Ray Hamilton
RICHLANDTOWN, Pa. — Thomas Ray Hamilton, 51, formerly of Oak Hill, died Monday, Feb. 6, 2006.
Arrangements by High Lawn Funeral Home Chapel, Oak Hill.
Mildred ‘Smitty’ Johnson
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. — Mildred Smith “Smitty” Johnson, 79, of 1025 Richmond Ave., Clifton Forge, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, at her residence.
Born Sept. 19, 1926, in Rainelle, Mildred was the daughter of the late George Washington Smith and Carrie Elizabeth Gilkeson Smith.
She was a graduate of the Chesapeake and Ohio School of Nursing, and was employed by C&O Hospital as well as Alleghany Regional Hospital as an emergency room nurse before retiring after 37 years. She was a member of the Retired C&O Nurses Association, Senior Friends and Central United Methodist Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Clay Johnson Sr., in January 2005; three brothers, Charles Smith, Gene Gayol Smith and Patrick Earnest Smith; and two sisters, Elsie Madeline Smith and Melda S. Legg.
She is survived by two daughters, Katana L. “Kandi” Johnson and fiancé, Gary Nair, and Ann J. Vess and husband, Mitch, and a son, Ernest Clay Johnson Jr., and fiancee, Kimlee Reid, all of Clifton Forge; a sister, Nancy S. Myers and husband, David, of Billings, Mont.; two grandchildren, Matthew James Vess and Patrick Ernest Vess of Clifton Forge; an aunt, Madge Haynes of Piquay, Ohio; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday in the chapel of Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, with the Rev. Jim Grogan officiating. Interment will follow in Alleghany Memorial Park, Low Moor, Va.
Pallbearers will be Patrick Vess, Matthew Vess, Joe Rumfelt, Tim Rumfelt, Wayne Rumfelt and Kemper Murray. Dwayne Rumfelt will be an alternate pallbearer.
The family will receive friends 7 to 8:30 p.m. today at the funeral home and other times at the residence on Richmond Avenue.
The family suggests memorial tributes take the form of contributions to the Clifton Forge Volunteers Fireman’s Association, 701 Church St., Clifton Forge, VA 24422.
Arrangements by Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge.
Service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Morgan Funeral Home, Lewisburg. Family will receive friends noon until time of service Saturday at the funeral home.
Arrangements by Morgan Funeral Home, Lewisburg.
Emogene E. Lickliter
Emogene E. Lickliter, 77, of Beaver, died at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006, at her sister’s residence in Marietta, Ohio.
She was born Nov. 1, 1928, in Fayette County to Roy and Vergie Davidson Hilbert.
She attended Beckley schools. Emogene owned and operated the L&B Super Market for 28 years and was employed by Kroger in Beckley for 13 years and retired in 1994.
She is survived by her son, Steve Lickliter of Beckley; daughter-in-law, Diana Lickliter of Charleston; two granddaughters, Amy Sloan (Dewie) of Charleston and Lisa Rittenhouse (Dan) of Charleston; a great-granddaughter, Hunter Sloan; her sister, Ruth Ewing of Marietta, with whom she had resided for the last two years; and two nieces, Louise Gwinn (Sam) of Marietta and Betty Lively (Jim) of Lancaster, Ohio.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Earnest Lickliter Jr., whom she married Aug. 31, 1946; a son, Ronald Lickliter; and a sister, Marcella Miller.
Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley, with Brother Johnny McGee officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley.
Friends may call one hour before service Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Home Nursing Service and Hospice, 210 N. Seventh St., Marietta, OH 45750.
Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Hime, Beckley.
Paul C. Lipford
GLASGOW — Paul C. Lipford, 86, of Glasgow, formerly of Whitesville, husband of Ida Hamrick Lipford, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006.
Friends may call noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at Cooke Funeral Home Chapel, Cedar Grove, where service will be 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Lipford Memorial Fund, c/o Cooke Funeral Home, P.O. Box C, Cedar Grove, WV 25039.
Arrangements by Cooke Funeral Home, Cedar Grove.
Patricia ‘Patty’ Long
SUTTON — Patricia A. “Patty” Long, 69, a lifelong resident of Sutton, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, in Braxton County Memorial Hospital, Gassaway.
She was born Oct. 11, 1936, in Sutton, the daughter of the late Evert I. and Ella Dodrill Collins.
She was a member of Christ Church United Methodist, Sutton, the West Virginia Library Association and was retired librarian of Sutton Public Library.
Also preceding her in death was a brother, Robert Collins.
She is survived by her husband, Jerry E. Long; a son, David E. Long and wife, Phyllis, of Tesla; a daughter, the Rev. Susan Rector and husband, the Rev. Stephen, of Shady Spring; two grandsons, A.J. and Nick Long of Tesla; and an aunt, Beulah Woods of Parkersburg.
Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Christ Church United Methodist, Sutton, with the Rev. Thom Malcolm officiating. A private family burial will be held at a later date.
Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at Greene-Robertson Funeral Home, Sutton.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sutton Public Library, Fourth Street, Sutton, WV 26601.
Arrangements by Greene-Robertson Funeral Home, Sutton.