Gilbert was a retired cook at the Veterans Administration Medical Center.
He was of Primitive Baptist faith and attended Flat Top Primitive Baptist Church.
In addition to his parents, Gilbert was preceded in death by an infant brother; two brothers, Frank Mills and Jasper Mills; and two sisters, Florence Mills and Helen McBride.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Bonnie Mills; a brother, Neuton Mills; and six nieces and nephews, Kim Holley, Ronnie Mills, Wilma, Wanda Greces, Faye Shumate and Dillard Mills.
In honor of his wishes, there will be graveside service Saturday with burial to follow.
Arrangements entrusted to Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley.
Earl Edward Smith Sr.
AMWELL — Earl Edward Smith Sr., 78, passed away Monday, May 7, 2007, at his home following a long illness.
Born June 17, 1928, at Mabscott, he was the last member of the late Floyd and Ory Smith family.
Earl was retired from Westmoreland Coal Co. and a member of McRoss Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers and three sisters; a stepson, Dennis Taylor; and a step grandson, Jeff Taylor.
Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Lucille V. Taylor Smith; two sons, Earl Smith Jr. and wife, Joyce, of Amwell and Eddie Smith of Rainelle; two daughters, Carolyn Crookshanks and husband, Richard, of Rainelle and Sandy Smith of Beckley; two stepsons, John Taylor and wife, Cheryl, of Rainelle and Steve Taylor and wife, Becky, of Rupert; a step daughter-in-law, Karen Taylor of Orient Hill; a brother-in-law, Emmett Hayes of New York; three sisters-in-law, Madeline Forman and husband, Robert and Myrtle Milks and husband, Doug, both of New York, and Sylvia Hayes of Florida; 14 grandchildren, Cody and Justin Smith, Keith Young, Melissa and Ritchie Crookshanks, Justin and Dana Taylor, Josh and Heather Taylor, Jaclyn and Jason Taylor, Chad Aldridge, Christa and Casey Butler; eight great-grandchildren, Ire, Caleb and Samantha Crookshanks, Jaycee Taylor, Hannah, Hunter and Zach Taylor and Elizabeth Butler; niece, Brenda Brown; and nephews, Kurt and Wayne Hayes, all of Florida.
Service will be 1 p.m. Friday at Smathers Funeral Chapel, Rainelle, with Kathleen Shelton officiating.
Burial will follow in Greenbrier Memorial Gardens, Lewisburg.
Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations of sympathy be made to McRoss Baptist Church Building Fund, c/o Louise Copen, 202 Glade St., Rainelle, W.Va. 25962.
Arrangements by Smathers Funeral Chapel, Rainelle.
Katheryne Lusk Snyder
COWEN — Katheryne Lusk Snyder went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, May 8, 2007.
Service will be 3 p.m. Friday at Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood.
Friends may call 1 to 3 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Arrangements by Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood.
Louise Souder
H. Louise Souder, of Sophia, passed away Monday, May 7, 2007, of natural causes at the age of 93.
Mrs. Souder was a resident of the Ansted Nursing Center at the time of her death.
Born March 18, 1914, in Tazewell, Va., Louise was the daughter of Joseph and Sarah Gillespie Hagy.
She was a member of the 1932 graduating class of Tazewell High School.
Together they owned and operated Souder’s Grocery for 27 years.
Louise’s specialty was her ham salad, which was known far and wide.
Her recipe remains a secret to this day.
She had been a resident of Sophia for 71 years.
Louise was a charter member of Sophia United Methodist Church and a member of the United Methodist Women for more than 60 years.
Louise was well known as a wonderful cook and homemaker.
She contributed many well known dishes for many church dinners.
Louise also had a great talent for growing beautiful flowers.
She was very proud of her home and yard.
Mrs. Souder retired from the Raleigh County Board of Education where she was a cook for Soak Creek Grade School.
Mrs. Souder is survived by two children, Clyde Larry Souder and wife, Brenda, of Culpeper, Va., and Sheron Louise Souder Evans of Oak Hill. She was the proud grandmother of four granddaughters, Tiffany Souder Moore of Douglasville, Ga., Tammy Souder of Culpeper, Lee Andrea Lucas Knapp of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and Laine Tarver Johnson of Beaufort, N.C. She was the proud great-grandmother of five great granddaughters and two great-grandsons.
Louise was preceded in death by four brothers and five sisters.
She is survived by a sister, Edith Hagy and husband, Roy McJilton, of Bel Air, Md.; a brother, Dick and wife, Ann Hagy, of Pinetown, N.C.; and many nieces and nephews.
Service will be 2 p.m. Friday, May 11, at Sophia United Methodist Church.
Family and friends may gather for the viewing one hour before service.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Sophia United Methodist Church.
Burial will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.
Arrangement made by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley.
Cecil Ward
GILBERT — Cecil Ward, 81, died Monday, May 7, 2007.
Per his request, he will be cremated.
Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at Mounts Funeral Home Chapel, Gilbert.
