THE REV. DONALD K. SPANGLER
ROMNEY, W.Va. - The Rev. Donald K. Spangler, 90, of Romney, died Wednesday, March 17, 1999, at Potomac Valley Hospital, Keyser.
Born Jan. 29, 1909, in Wilmore, Pa., he was the son of the late Wesley Hamilton and Margaret Elizabeth (Trabert) Spangler. He also was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Smith Spangler, in February 1984; his second wife, Alice Foy Spangler; one brother; one sister; and three half brothers.
Rev. Spangler grew to adulthood in East Pittsburgh, Pa., and graduated from Turtle Creek High School. He attended Shenandoah College and Davis and Elkins College.
Rev. Spangler was an ordained minister serving in Elm Grove, W.Va., before moving to Romney in 1946. He served as district evangelist for the Hampshire District Christian Churches, as well as being resident pastor for the First Christian Church until 1954. Rev. Spangler then became a pastor for the Pastoral Unity serving churches in Brandywine, Maysville, Hoy, Sandy Ridge and the Mount Olive Church in Hampshire County.
Rev. Spangler was employed by Potomac Edison, and served as treasurer and manager of the Romney Federal Credit Union. He worked on the editorial staff of the Cumberland Times-News for more than 30 years.
After retirement, he was a substitute pastor for churches throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland.
Rev. Spangler was a member of the Grace Memorial Community Church, Cumberland, and was Sunday School Superintendent and Associate Pastor there as well. He was a past member of the Romney Lions Club, member and past president of the Romney Kiwanis, and member and chairman of the Hampshire County Board of Health.
He was a member of the Shenandoah University Alumni Association. He served several years as publicity director and editor of the alumni newspaper, The Portals.
Surviving are one son, Lewis W. Spangler, Winchester, Va., and Slanesville, W.Va.; one daughter, Donna M. Turner, LaVale; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at the Shaffer Funeral Home, Romney, on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.
The funeral will be at the Shaffer Funeral Home on Saturday, March 20, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Frank Meadows officiating.
VERA MARGARET SPEAR
FOLLANSBEE, W.Va. - Vera Margaret Spear, 71, of 401 Rockdale Road, Follansbee, died Saturday, March 13, 1999, at Trinity West Medical Center, Steubenville, Ohio.
Born Oct. 30, 1927, in McHenry, Md., she was a daughter of the late George F. and Edna (Callis) Brant. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph E. Spear, on Jan. 30, 1975; and three brothers, David Brant, Gerald "Jack" Brant, and Keith "Bill" Brant.
Mrs. Spear was a member of Grace Brethren Church, Accident, Md., and was a homemaker.
She is survived by a son, David K. Spear, Wintersville, Ohio; a brother, Raymond Brant, McHenry; four sisters, Shirley Casteel, McCoole, Md., Ruth Meade, Catonsville, Md., Jane Spear, Ocala, Fla., and Jessie Basham, Bird Chimney, Va.
Friends will be received at the Newman Funeral Homes, P.A., McHenry, on Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be conducted in the funeral home on Thursday at 11 a.m. with the Rev. John Lancaster officiating.
Interment will be in Rest Lawn Memorial Gardens, LaVale, Md.
Expressions of sympathy may be directed to the American Diabetes Association.
BERNICE L. STAGGS
KEYSER, W.Va. - Bernice Louise Staggs, 83, of Keyser, formerly of Burlington, W.Va., died Wednesday at the Heartland, Keyser.
Born Jan. 3, 1916, in Headsville, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Joseph W. and Melissa H. (Oates) Leatherman. She was also preceded in death by her husband, George W. Staggs, Sr.; one brother; and one sister.
Surviving are four sons, George W. Staggs, Jr., Manchester, Tenn., Henry L. Staggs, Burlington, W.Va., John E. Staggs, Keyser, W.Va., Harry C. Staggs, Burlington; seven daughters, Mrs. Louise S. Pfiefer, Keyser, Mrs. JoAnn Jones, Warfordsburg, Pa., Evelyn Starkey, Romney, W.Va., Clarice "Teddy" M. Hanlin, Keyser, Virginia "Midge" E. Evans, Keyser, Mrs. Delores W. Smith, Marietta, Ohio, Mrs. Barbara L. Rohrbaugh, Keyser; 19 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at the Shaffer Funeral Home, Romney, on Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be conducted at the Centenary United Methodist Church, Reeses Mill Road, Keyser, on Saturday, Oct. 16, at 11 a.m. The body will be taken to the church at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Dallas Forren, officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Shaffer Funeral Home, Romney.
THE REV. SUMNER D. SAWYERS
KEYSER, W.Va. - The Rev. Sumner D. Sawyers, 80, of 118 C. St., Keyser, died Monday, July 12, 1999, at Potomac Valley Hospital, Keyser.
Born July 16, 1918, in Smoot, W.Va., he was the son of the late Augustus Lee and Susan D. (Matics) Sawyers.
He graduated from Smoot High School, Morris-Harvey College at Charleston, and Westminster Theological Seminary at Westminster, Md., now the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.
Rev. Sawyers had been a member of the West Virginia Conference of what is now the United Methodist Church for 40 1/2 years. He served charges in Springfield, Terra Alta, and New Martinsville before coming to Piedmont, where he served Trinity United Methodist Church from 1961 to 1981 and Walden United Methodist Church from 1971 to 1981.
He was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church and a 50-year-plus member of Clinton Lodge 51 AF & AM, Romney. Rev. Sawyers was an avid fisherman, hunter and outdoorsman, and could be seen most every evening walking through the Keyser neighborhoods.
Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Mildred G. (White) Sawyers; his two sons, Thomas Lee Sawyers and wife Carol S., and Edwin S. Sawyers and wife Nancy L., all of Westernport, Md.; three grandchildren, Thomas Lin Sawyers and wife Tracie, Michael Dean Sawyers and wife Kelley, and Bethany Ann Sawyers; two step-grandchildren, Harry and Tracy Wilhelm; three great-grandchildren, Jennifer, Lacey and Tessa Sawyers; one step-great-granddaughter, Charity Flaskamp; and one step-great-grandson, David Grady.
Friends will be received at the Markwood Funeral Home, Keyser, on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, Piedmont, on Wednesday, July 14, 1999, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Dr. William H. Wilson, the Rev. Sue Culbertson Jarrett, and the Rev. Alvin Guyon officiating.
The body will be taken to the church one hour prior to the services.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Grace United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 40, Keyser, WV 26726, Trinity United Methodist Church, 34 Jones St., Piedmont, WV 26760, or Burlington United Methodist Family Services, P.O. Box 69, Burlington, WV 26710.
JAMES E. STEELE
BURLINGTON, W.Va. - James E. Steele, 73, devoted husband and father, of Route 2, Burlington, died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at his residence.
Born on Feb. 18, 1925, at Sharpsville, Pa., he was a son of the late Martin C. and Ruth B. (Clinedinst) Steele.
Mr. Steele formerly owned and operated a dairy farm on Beaver Run Road, Burlington. He retired in 1986 from Carl Belt Construction Company with 21 years of service.
A 1946 graduate of Keyser High School, Mr. Steele was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was an avid outdoorsman and coin collector, and was a member of the National Rifle Association and Laborers International Union, Local 616, Cumberland, Md.
Surviving are his wife of 40 years, Thelma V. (Walker) Steele; two sons, Edward E. Steele and wife Shirley "Sue" Steele and James F. Steele, both of Burlington; one brother, Robert C. Steele, Romney; two sisters, Theda J. Stachowski, Baltimore, Md., and Deena Barbe, Washington, D.C. Several nieces and nephews and a host of friends also survive.
At Mr. Steele's request there will be no public visitation.
A memorial service will be conducted on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Rotruck-Smith Funeral Home, Keyser, with the Rev. Ed Weaver officiating.
