HINTON — Services for Gloria Ford, 51, of Hinton, will be held Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005, at 2 p.m. at Pivont Funeral Home in Hinton. Burial will follow in Esquire cemetery, near Hinton.
Estle Harrison, 80, of Old Lester Highway, Lester, died Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, in a Beckley hospital following an extended illness.
Born Feb. 18, 1925, at Worth, W.Va., he was the son of the late Kent and Ruth Wilson Harrison.
Mr. Harrison was a retired coal miner with over 38 years of service, the last 33 at Eastern Association Coal’s Keystone No. 2 Mine at Herndon. He was also a veteran of World War II.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Harrison; and three sisters, Nancy Johnson, Delphie Johnson and Louise Angelo.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Zane Harrison; children, Ronnie Estle Harrison of Winston Salem, N.C., Judy Gail Milam of Alpoca, Linda Gearlene O’Dell of Eccles, Lana Jean Dunn of Bud and Larry Wayne Harrison of Lester; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; three brothers, James Harrison of Kimball, Willard Harrison of Salem, Va., and Kenneth Harrison of Princeton; and a sister, Ruth Sadler of South Carolina.
Services will be 3 p.m. Monday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.
Friends may call after 1:30 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home.
Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
Betty Harvey
SUN HILL — Betty Harvey, 69, departed this life Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, at her residence following a long illness.
A celebration of Betty’s life will be noon Tuesday at the Adam Toler Memorial Chapel. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Services entrusted to the Adam Toler Memorial Funeral Home, Oceana.
Kenneth Goff Jones III
GREEN BANK — Kenneth Goff Jones III, 44, died Friday, Dec. 23, 2005, at his home.
Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home, Arbovale. Graveside committal service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Springhill cemetery at Joseph Mills, W.Va. Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home in Arbovale.
Arrangements by Wallace & Wallace, Arbovale.
Janice McCormick
JENKINJONES — Janice McCormick, 76, died Friday, Dec. 23, 2005.
Graveside service will be 11 a.m. Monday at Woodlawn Memorial Park, Bluewell. Friends and family attending the service are asked to meet at the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home by 10:30 a.m. Friends may call from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home, Princeton.
Arrangements by Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home, Princeton.
Barbara J. Peyton
Barbara J. Peyton answered the call of her Lord on Dec. 6, 2005. She was born 66 years ago in Beckley, W.Va., but spent most of her life in San Diego, Calif.
She is reluctantly leaving her husband of 48 years, Eric M. Peyton of San Diego; her beloved daughters, Lafonda Ryaled and Anita Peyton of San Diego; her cherished sons, Eric Peyton Jr. of Temecula, Calif., and Andre Peyton of San Diego, Calif.; and brother-in-law, Clifford; her precious granddaughters, Ericka Ryales of Atlanta, Ga., Teneya Peyton of San Diego and Dominique and Moniqye Peyton of San Diego; distant but loved grandsons, Trey and Dreeick Peyton of Pasadena, Calif. Barbara was a quiet, unpretentious, fun-loving child of God who was totally devoted to her family whom she loved unequivocally.
Willing to give all and ask little made her a rare and distinctly beautiful wife and mother who has left an immense and excruciating void in the lives of those who knew her.
Submitted by Ritchie and Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley.
Rose Marie Teel
Rose Marie Teel, 70, died Saturday, Dec. 24, 2005, at the Fayette Continuous Care Center in Fayetteville.
Josh Vest
Josh Vest, 82, of Shady Spring, with his family by his side, died Thursday, Dec. 22, 2005, at the Raleigh General Hospital in Beckley following a short illness.
Born at Jumping Branch, on Feb. 26, 1923, he was the son of the late Joe and Izola Furrow Vest.
Mr. Vest was a retired coal miner and was of the Baptist faith. He finished his career with Westmoreland Coal Co., at the Riffe’s Branch Division as an electrician. Josh served his country during World War II.
He was a simple man who lived a simple life while working to improve the lives of his family. Josh was a jack-of-all-trades, and the community handyman. He never turned away a person needing a helping hand. His passion of fabricating homemade inventions in his workshop never ceased, even after losing his eyesight.
Josh was a good husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family.
He was preceded in death by brothers Earl, Andy, Omer, Jack, and Hubert Kesler Vest, and his sisters Georgia and Mabel Vest, his beloved son-in-law Christie Meadows and his loyal companion and best friend Trixie.
Survivors include his wife Hulda Smith Vest; a son, Howard Vest and wife Karen of Beckley; and daughter Ruth Vest Meadows of Shady Spring. Also grandchildren Christy Ann Meadows Harvey and husband Tommy of Summers County; Amanda Lynn Meadows and James Joshua “J.J.” Meadows of Shady Spring. Surviving stepgrandchildren include Lisa Withrow and husband Keith of Prosperity; Brittany Pachuta of Beckley; and stepgreat-grandchildren, Ellie Withrow of Prosperity, and numerous friends and neighbors.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Shady Spring Chapel, with the Rev. Paul Blizard officiating. Burial will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens at Prosperity.
Friends may call at the funeral home from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday.
Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Vest’s memory to the Christie B. Meadows Memorial Scholarship, in care of Shady Spring High School, 300 Hinton Road, Shady Spring, WV 25918.
Pallbearers will be Paul Prince, Fred Moye, C.H. Mitchell, Jerry Skaggs, Alvin Farley, and T.J. Morgan.
Honorary pallbearers will be Roger Coalson, Wilcie Skaggs, Ed Lilly, Sonny Smith, Tim Smith, Tom Smith, and Leslie Vest.
Arrangements by Rose & Quesenberry Funeral Home at Shady Spring.
Harry C. ‘Brownie’ Brown
MADISON — Harry C. “Brownie” Brown, 84, died Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005, at home after a long illness.
He was born Sept. 1, 1921, in New Castle, Pa., the son of the late Harry M. and Hazel Baker Brown of New Castle, Pa.
Mr. Brown was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Marvene L. Brown, and his brothers, Kenzie and Earl Brown. He is survived by two brothers, Gerald Brown of Colombia, S.C., and Ray Brown of New Castle.
In addition to being a loving son, husband and brother, Brownie was a devoted father and grandfather. He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Mickey and Eunice Brown of Madison; a son and daughter-in-law, Pat and Peggy Brown of Lewisburg; a son, Gary Brown of Madison; a son and daughter-in-law, Jim Bob and Teresa Brown of Peytona; and a daughter, Mary Brown of Madison. He was a proud Papa to three grandchildren, Shelby Brown of Ann Arbor, Mich., Beth Jordan of South Charleston and Alex Brown of Morgantown; three stepgrandchildren, Gary Sanders of Fort Benning, Ga., Tara Sanders of Madison and Brittany Kirk of Peytona; and great-grandchildren, Maddy and Ella Jordan of South Charleston.
Brownie was an active member of the Madison community for many years. He was the owner of Brownie’s Ashland for 20 years and retired from Omar Mining Co. He was a loyal member of Madison United Methodist Church, VFW Daniel Boone Post No. 5578, O’Dell Masonic Lodge No. 79 and the Beni Kedem Shriners. Brownie proudly served in the United States Navy for two years in the South Pacific during World War II.
Service will be 11 a.m. Friday at Handley Funeral Home, Danville, with Dr. Frank Frye officiating. Burial will follow at Boone Memorial Park, Madison, with military graveside rites by VFW Daniel Boone Post No. 5578, Madison.
Friends may call 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
The family wishes to extend special thanks to Mabel Morgan, Barbara Jarrell and Kanawha Hospice for their loving care and support over the past several years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Harry C. Brown at Madison United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 216, Madison, WV 25130.
Arrangements by Handley Funeral Home, Danville.
Roy Ned Cook
BRENTON — Roy Ned Cook, 73, of Brenton, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005, at Princeton Community Hospital.
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. — Harry Joseph Donahue Jr., 76, died at his home Saturday, Dec. 24, 2005.
He was retired from the U.S. Army with a rank of sergeant major, and served during World War II, the Korean War and two tours in Vietnam. He served in the Special Forces, Screaming Eagles, 101st Airborne and 186th Airborne. He received many awards and decorations, including two Purple Hearts, three Bronze Stars and a U.S. Presidential Unit Citation. A member of the American Legion and the Elks Club, he retired from Air Products in Calvert City, Ky. He was of the Catholic faith.
Survivors include two daughters, Carolyn (Donahue) Sears of Boiling Springs, N.C., and Cindy Donahue of New Cumberland, Pa.; a brother, Joseph Donahue of Florida; a sister, Dolores Erwin of Canaan, Conn.; four grandchildren, Jason Lindsey and Sarah Lindsey, both of Camp Hill, Pa., and Jessica Sears and Casey Sears, both of Boiling Springs; and a great-grandchild, Alyssa Sears of Boiling Springs.
He was preceded in death by his father, Harry Joseph Donahue Sr.; mother, Nellie Josephine Donahue; and wife, JoAnn Donahue.
Military graveside service will be 4 p.m. Friday at Maple Lawn cemetery, Paducah, Ky., with a military chaplain officiating.
Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today at Collier Funeral Home, Benton, Ky.
Arrangements by Collier Funeral Home, Benton.
Louis Gonzalez
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — Louis Gonzalez, 92, formerly of Raleigh County and Florida, died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005, in a Hendersonville care center.
Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
Naomi F. Green
PINEVILLE — Naomi F. Green, 81, of Pineville, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005, in Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Calfee Funeral Service, Pineville, is serving the Green family.
Della Mae Groves
NOVA, Ohio — Della Mae Groves, 93, formerly of Nicholas County, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2005.
Service will be 11 a.m. today at Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood.
Arrangements by Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood.
Rev. Aaron Hairston Jr.
The Rev. Aaron Hairston Jr., son of the late Aaron Hairston Sr. and Lahoma Hairston, went home to be with the Lord on Dec. 22, 2005, at the tender age of 59.
The Rev. Hairston was a native of Beckley, where he attended public school, and later graduated from Stratton High School in 1964. He went on to earn his bachelor of science degree in business administration from Bluefield State College in 1970.
In 2004, after 30 years, he retired from the Small Business Administration as an economic development specialist. The Rev. Hairston was a devoted pastor for over 19 years until his retirement in 2005. He pastored at Shiloh Baptist Church in Carolina for seven years and later went on to pastor at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Charleston for 12 years. In 2005, the Rev. Hairston later moved his membership from Metropolitan Baptist Church to St. John Baptist Church of Montgomery.
The Rev. Hairston was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son and friend. He was preceded in death by his father, Aaron Hairston Sr. of Beckley, and sister, Patsy Hairston Jenkins of Columbus, Ohio.
He is survived by his loving wife, Elsie Hairston; his mother, Lahoma Hairston of Beckley; three sons, Rodney Hairston of Charleston, Jonathan (Kim) Hairston of Laurel, Md., and Franklin (Jennifer) Hairston of Evansville, Ind.; a daughter, Taneisha Hairston of Charleston; eight grandchildren; an uncle; three brothers, William (Wendy) Hairston of Washington, D.C., James (Gloria) Hairston of Beckley and Thomas Hairston of Beckley; two sisters, Holteen (Paul) Mitchell and Edith (Kennedy) Stewart, both of Beckley; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
Service will be 1 p.m. today at Central Baptist Church, Beckley.
Viewing will be noon to 1 p.m. today at the funeral home.
The Rev. Hairston will be sadly missed.
Preston Funeral Home, Charleston, is in charge of arrangements.