RANSON, W.Va. - Mary Margaret "Marjie" Prater, 69, of Ranson, died Sunday, July 25, 1999, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital.
Born March 5, 1930, in Montgomery County, Md., she was the daughter of the late Leo L. and Erma A. Reed Swann.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Matthew Prater.
She was a homemaker.
She was of the Catholic faith.
She is survived by a daughter, Judith Hinton of Ranson; a son, William Swann of Laurel, Md.; three sisters, Pauline Hubble of Spindale, N.C., Catherine Gullion of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Barbara A. Brown of Frederick, Md.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Helen Umburger.
Services will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Jefferson Chapel Funeral Home, Ranson. The Rev. James W. Chambly will officiate. Burial will be in Pleasant View Memory Gardens, Martinsburg, W.Va.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
H. Wilbur Jay
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - The Rev. H. Wilbur Jay, 79, of Martinsburg, died Monday, July 26, 1999, at Virginia Medical Center.
Born Nov. 17, 1919, in Clarksburg, W.Va., he was the son of the late Harry W. and Cora Batson Jay.
He served in the Evangelical United Brethren ministry and later the United Methodist Denominations in New York, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. He served the area congregations of the Berkeley-Morgan charge and First United Methodist Church in Berkeley Springs, W.Va.; Blairton-Greensburg charge and Pikeside United Methodist Church in Martinsburg. He retired in 1985 from Mount Zion and Pleasant Walk United Methodist churches in Myersville, Md. In his retirement, he was associated part time with Rosedale Funeral Chapel.
A U.S. Army veteran, he received the Purple Heart for wounds received in France during World War II.
He attended Otterbein United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Iwanda Mae Pettit Jay; a daughter, Deborah Jay Riffee; and two grandsons.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Virginia Jay Hatchet; and two brothers, Charles L. Jay and Forrest D. Jay.
Services will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Pikeside United Methodist Church. The Revs. Daniel Montague and John Yost will officiate.
Burial will be Friday at Stonewall Cemetery in Clarksburg.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at Rosedale Funeral Chapel, 2060 Rosedale Road, Martinsburg.
Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association of Southern West Virginia Chapter, 400 Allen Drive, Suite 20, Charleston, WV 25302.
Anna Bell V. Burkhart
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Anna Bell Virginia Burkhart, 80, of Martinsburg, died Friday, July 23, 1999, at City Hospital, Martinsburg.
Born March 23, 1919, in Bedington, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Frank and Edna Wilhelm.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George W. Burkhart.
She was a member of Shenandoah Bible Baptist Church.
She is survived by six daughters, Ann Jones of Millville, W.Va., Joan Burkhart, Beatrice Hite and Idabell Bohrer, all of Martinsburg, Phyllis Risinger of Upper Marlboro, Md., and Aletha Lee Perkins of Hudson, Fla.; seven sons, George Burkhart of Kearneysville, W.Va., Eugene Burkhart of Hudson, Fla., Freddie Burkhart, Richard Burkhart and Robert Burkhart, all of Martinsburg, Douglas Burkhart of Ranson, W.Va., and Kenneth Burkhart of Belle, W.Va.; one sister, Frances Winters of Harpers Ferry, W.Va.; 28 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at Pleasant View Memory Gardens. The Rev. Michael Bageant will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shenandoah Bible Baptist Church, Route 2, Box 143, Martinsburg, WV 25401 or to Hospice of the Panhandle, Att: Margaret Cogswell, 2015 Boyd Orchard Court, Martinsburg, WV 25401.
Arrangements are by Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg.
Joan M. Boland
HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. - Joan Miller Boland, 68, of Shannondale, died Saturday, July 24, 1999, at her home.
Born July 14, 1931, in Baltimore, she was the daughter of the late Paul and Belle Sopher Miller.
She was retired from ESM Engineering Corp., Baltimore, as a secretary.
She was a graduate of Miss Miller's Finishing School, Baltimore.
She was of non-denominational faith.
She was a member of Shannondale LTD, and Shannondale Women's Club, both of Harpers Ferry.
She is survived by her husband of 35 years, William Joseph Boland; and one sister, Alene Hurwitz of Port Charlotte, Fla.
She was preceded in death by one sister, Florence Miller.
Arrangements are by Melvin T. Strider Colonial Funeral Home, Charles Town, W.Va.
Melvin E. Longerbeam
RANSON, W.Va. - Melvin Emerson Longerbeam, 73, of 402 Cranes Lane, died Sunday, July 25, 1999, at Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Martinsburg, W.Va.
Born Oct. 2, 1925, in Chestnut Hill, W.Va., he was the son of the late John and Elizabeth Turner Longerbeam.
He was retired from Halltown Paperboard Co., Halltown, W.Va., as a forklift operator.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He was of Pentecostal faith.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Virginia Nick Longerbeam; one daughter, Linda Mae Longerbeam Day of Ranson; two sons, Todd Wesley Longerbeam of Sterling, Va., and Bruce Wayne Longerbeam of Ranson; two sisters, Cecelia White of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., and Peggy Renner of Hagerstown; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by four brothers, Arnold Longerbeam, Lester Longerbeam, Wilmer Longerbeam, and Harvey Longerbeam.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Silver Grove United Methodist Church, Chestnut Hill Road, Harpers Ferry. The Rev. Ronald L. Nick will officiate. Burial will be in Pleasant View Memory Gardens, Martinsburg.
The family will receive friends Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Eackles-Spencer Funeral Home, 970 Washington St., Harpers Ferry.
George W. Webber
KEARNEYSVILLE, W.Va. - George W. Webber, 87, of Kearneysville, died Saturday, July 24, 1999, at City Hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va..
Born Aug. 6, 1911, in Berkeley County, W.Va., he was the son of the late Franklin Hamilton and Mary Catherine Alder Webber.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline N. Hesse Webber.
He was retired from Kent Parsons Ford.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II with the 101st Airborne Division in Normandy.
He was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church.
He is survived by two daughters, Juanita F. Burke of Kearneysville and Gail E. Cushwa of Spring Mills, W.Va.; two sisters, Anna Sours and Mary O'Roke, both of Martinsburg; one brother, Henry Webber of Martinsburg; and five grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Catherine Cook, and two brothers, James Webber and Bruce Webber.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Rosedale Cemetery. The Rev. James D. Riley Jr. will officiate.
The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of the Panhandle, 2015 Boyd Orchard Court, Martinsburg, WV 25401.
