DUKE A. "TONY" WHITMORE
KEYSER, W.Va. - Dr. Duke Anthony "Tony" Whitmore, 58, of 125 State St., Keyser, died Sunday, Aug. 22, 1999 at Memorial Hospital, Cumberland.
Born on June 13, 1941 in Williamson, W.Va. and reared in Baltimore, he was a son of Ruth (Looney) Whitmore, of Keyser and the late Ralph Emerson Whitmore.
Dr. Whitmore was a professor of English and chair of the Division of Arts, Education and Humanities at Potomac State College of West Virginia University. He was named interim president of the college on July 1, 1998 and served as the college's chief executive officer until July 31, 1999. He came to the college in 1967 as an instructor in English and was promoted to assistant professor in 1970, associate professor in 1975 and professor in 1987. He served as division chair from 1988 until his death and also was coordinator of theater from 1967 to 1991, teaching numerous classes in English, literature, poetry, philosophy and theater.
A member of the Keyser Presbyterian Church, he served as adult Sunday School teacher for 20 years.
Dr. Whitmore coached the tennis team at the college and was advisor for the Drama Club, the Potomac Players. Active on campus committees, councils and task forces, he most recently was chair of the Gates Scholarship Committee, the Faculty Assembly Executive Committee, the Faculty Development Council, the President's Council, the Administrative Cabinet and the Board of Visitors. He was a member of the Honors, Faculty Concerns, Financial Aid, president's Development Advisory Council, the Alumni Board of Directors, the Campus Events Council and a committee on Web-based courses.
Dr. Whitmore earned his bachelor's degree at Shepherd College in 1963, his master's degree in English in 1966 and a Ph.D in American Literature in 1990, both at West Virginia University.
Instrumental in the creation of the faculty governance system at Potomac State College, Dr. Whitmore served the Faculty Assembly as its first chair during the 1986-87 academic year. He was again elected chair in 1997-98, was on leave in 1998-99 while he served as interim president, and again assumed the chair, Aug. 1, 1999. He also served the group as faculty secretary.
Prior to his service at Potomac State, he was employed as instructor of English at Concord College during 1966-67, as a graduate assistant at West Virginia University during 1965-66 and as an English teacher at Martinsburg South Junior High School during 1963-64.
Surviving family, in addition to his mother, are his wife, Constance (Mustoe) Whitmore; one son, Gregory Whitmore, of Winona, Minn.; one daughter, Laura Emerson Stickley and husband Jay, of Keyser; one sister, Patricia Davidson, her husband Michael, and their children, Laura and Michael, of Canton Conn.; one grandson, Zachary Jennings Stickley; mother-in-law, Opal E. Mustoe, of Keyser; three sisters-in-law, Beth Dean and husband Arch, of Keyser, Carol Martin and husband Pete, of Thomasville, N.C., Bonnie Baxter and husband Warner, of Manassas, Va.; one brother-in-law, Sam Mustoe and wife Pat, of Richwood, Va.; numerous nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Smith Funeral Home, Keyser, on Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:30 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Funeral services will be conducted at the Keyser Presbyterian Church on Wednesday at 11 a.m. with Rev. Stephen P. Fritz officiating. The body will be taken to the church one hour prior to services.
Interment will be in the Potomac Memorial Gardens, Keyser.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Potomac State College Foundation, earmarked "Whitmore Fund" Att. Alumni Office, 101 Fort Ave., Keyser, W.Va. 26726.
GEORGE S. WIDMYER
LAHMANSVILLE, W.Va. - Rev. George S. Widmyer, 84, of Lahmansville, died Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999, at his home.
Born Nov. 1, 1915, in Berkeley Springs, he was the son of the late Ernest and Daisy (Stottler) Widmyer. He also was preceded in death by his first wife, Lowell Elaine (Bartlett) Widmyer on March 30, 1966; and two brothers, William and Ray Widmyer.
The Rev. Widmyer was a retired Methodist minister having served for 42 years in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. He graduated from Shenandoah College and Bridgewater College. He served the South Branch EUB Charge from 1943-1948, including Lahmansville United Methodist Church where he currently served on the Administrative Board. During his retirement, he filled various pulpits and maintained retirement status with the Virginia United Methodist Conference. He was a member of the Grant County Ministerial Association, past President of the AARP, past Lt. Gov. of WV District 5 Kiwanis International, Patterson Creek Ruritan Club, and remained active with the Burlington United Family Services and American Red Cross Grant County Chapter.
Surviving are his wife, Eva (Parker) Snyder Widmyer whom he married
on Aug. 19, 1979; two sons, George "Fred" Widmyer, Uniontown, Ohio, and Mark L. Widmyer, Cumberland, Md.; two daughters, Sharon P. Dayton, Laurel, Md., and Cynda C. Widmyer, Dallas, Texas; three step-daughters, Barbara Snyder, Lahmansville, Carolyn Goldizen, Lahmansville, and Jo Ann Harman, Lahmansville; 10 grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Thelma Lewter, College Park, Md., and Helen Perry, Chambersburg, Pa.; two brothers, Harry Widmyer, Venus, Fla., and James Widmyer, Stephens City, Va.; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received at the Schaeffer Funeral Home, Petersburg, on Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.
Funeral services will be conducted at the Lahmansville United Methodist Church on Monday at 10 a.m. with Pastor Rebecca L. Bennett, the Rev. Lee B. Sheaffer, and the Rev. Arthur E. Grant officiating.
Additional services will be held in the First United Methodist Church, Berkeley Springs, on Monday at 3 p.m. Visitation will be one hour prior to services.
Burial will be in the Greenway cemetery, Berkeley Springs.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Burlington United Methodist Family Services, 145 Southern Drive, Keyser, WV 26726.
Pallbearers will be grandsons, Derek Dayton, Mark L. Widmyer II, Michael Widmyer, Kent Harman, Brent Harman and Christopher Butcher.
VERONICA M. WILLHIDE
KEYSER, W.Va. - Veronica M. Willhide, 89, a resident of the Heartland of Keyser Nursing Home, formerly of 19 Chestnut St., Keyser, died on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999, at the nursing home.
Born on Dec. 16, 1909, in Susquehanna, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Samuel and Agnes (Zogatta) Zarnesky. She also was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Albert O. Willhide, on June 27, 1994; a sister, Anna; and seven brothers, Frank, Joseph, Michael, Andrew, Bernard, John and Stanley.
Mrs. Willhide was admired for her artistic talent as a seamstress and later in life for beautiful crocheted hats, pocketbooks and afghans. She was employed for almost a quarter of a century by the garment industry in Keyser, first with Perfection Garment Co., and later by the Keyser Garment Co. as an instructor.
She fashioned her daughter's wedding gown in 1959, which also was worn by her daughter-in-law Elizabeth in 1961, and her granddaughter Elizabeth in 1993.
A resident of Keyser for more than 65 years, Mrs. Willhide was widely known to her many friends by the nick name Irene. She was a devoted communicant and member of the Church of the Assumption, Keyser.
Surviving are a daughter, Dolores Nassif and husband John of Madison, Conn.; one son, Joseph W. Willhide and wife Elizabeth of Brookfield, Wisc.; five grandchildren, Frances Tanney and husband Jim of Maple Glen, Pa., John J. Nassif III and wife Robbin of Madison, Conn., Dolores Newton and husband Jon of West Hartford, Conn., Elizabeth Huntington and husband Charles of Wethersfield, Conn., Veronica Nassif of Farmington, Conn.; eight great-grandchildren, John, Kerry and Megan Tanney, Hannah, Sam and Melanie Newton, Emma and Abigail Huntington; and two step-great-grandchildren, David and Justin Kenning.
Friends will be received at the Markwood Funeral Home, Keyser, on Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Church of the Assumption, Keyser, on Monday, Aug. 16, 1999, at 10 a.m. with Father Ivan M. Lebar, T.O.R., as celebrant.
A Christian Wake service will be held at the funeral home on Sunday at 7 p.m.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Church of the Assumption, 34 James St., Keyser, WV 26726 or tot he Alzheimer's Association, North Central West Virginia Chapter, P.O. Box 4543, Morgantown, WV 26504.
THOMAS L. WILLIAMS, SR.
KEYSER, W.Va. - Thomas Leroy Williams, Sr., 76, of 207 "D" St., Keyser, died on Friday, Oct. 8, 1999, at Sacred Heart Hospital, Cumberland.
Born on June 14, 1923, in Bristol, W.Va., he was the son of the late James and Versie (Carder) Williams.
Mr. Williams retired in 1983 as Keyser and Fort Ashby Postmaster. He attended the Clarksburg Business College. He was a member of the Calvary United Methodist Church where he served as Church Treasurer and member of the Board of Trustees. He was a World War II, U.S. Army veteran.
Surviving are his wife, Betty L. (Davis) Williams; two sons, Thomas L. Williams, Jr., and wife, Diane, of Romney, and Robert L. Williams, of Charleston; and two grandchildren, Cynthia D. Williams, and Jeffrey T. Williams.
Friends will be received at the Markwood Funeral Home, on Monday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Funeral services will be conducted at the Markwood Funeral Home, Keyser, on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 1999, at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Jay P. West, Jr., officiating.
Interment will be in Potomac Memorial Gardens, Keyser.
If desired, memorial contributions may be made to the Memorial Maintenance Fund of the Calvary United Methodist Church, 233 South Mineral St., Keyser, W.Va., 26726.
VICTOR O. WILLISON
OAHU, Hawaii - Victor O. Willison, formerly of Keyser, W.Va., and Cumberland, passed away of natural causes on April 6, 1999, at his home in Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii.
Born on Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1918, he was 80 years of age. He was the son of the late Oscar L. Willison and Mabel Cladwell Willison of New Creek, W.Va. He was raised by his aunt, Moleta Willison Barbehenn of Cumberland.
Victor served his country well with 30 years of sea duty. Gaining a rank of Engineering CPO, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1939 to 1960. He was in the Honor Guard when Roosevelt and Churchill met at the Atlantic Conference, the invasion of North Africa at Casablanca, and the invasion of Italy at Anzio. Throughout World War II, he was on convoy duty including two trips to Mermansk, Russia, one of which very few ships got through.
Just before the war in Europe ended, he was transferred to the Pacific Theater. He spent the Korean War on an airplane tender off the coast of that country.
In 1965, he joined the Military Sealift Command under the Department of Defense as an engineering officer. For 10 years, he ferried heavy military equipment from Okinawa into Viet Nam.
Between the tours of duty, he worked at the Hercules plant near Keyser.
Victor is survived by his wife of 15 years, Hiro Ikenura Willison of Ewa Beach.
MARY E. WILSON
KEYSER, W.Va. - Mary E. Wilson, 88, a resident of the Cuppett-Weeks Nursing Home, Oakland, Md., formerly of Keyser, died Wednesday, Feb. 24, 1999, at the nursing home.
Born Aug. 8, 1910, at Old Fields, she was the daughter of the late Gabriel and Bertie (Liller) Evans. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Boyd Wilson, on Feb. 27, 1998; her son, Kenneth B. Siever; one sister; and five brothers.
Mrs. Wilson was the last surviving member of her immediate family.
Surviving are many nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Rotruck-Smith Funeral Home, Keyser, on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.
Services will be conducted at the funeral home on Saturday at 2 p.m. with Pastor Samuel Biser officiating.
Interment will be in the Potomac Memorial Gardens, Keyser.
