On Friday, April 21, 2006, Richard Smithson passed away in the Beckley VA Medical Center following a long illness. He was 63 years of age.
Born James Richard Smithson on May 18, 1942 at Metalton, he was the son of the late Harley C. and Virgie Mae Belcher Smithson.
Richard spent his childhood at Metalton. He was a graduate of Trap Hill School. A Marine, he served in the Vietnam conflict. He was a recipient of the Purple Heart. After service he went to barber school and became a licensed barber. He lived in Alabama for a number of years prior to returning to Beckley where he resided on John Street. He was of the Christian faith.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Frances Smithson; a sister, Dollie Stover; and three brothers, Quillie, Ray and Leslie Smithson.
Survivors include a daughter, Renee Donaldson and her husband, Bobby, and their son, Cory, all of Montgomery, Ala.; three sisters, Lava Bowling of Surveyor, Frances Wheeler of Beckley and Dora Massie of Newport News, Va.; and several nieces and nephews, among them, Sandra Canterbury and Karen Daniel, who were his care givers.
Committal service will be 11 a.m. Monday at Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Oak Hill VFW Post 3110 will conduct military rites. Those wishing to attend the graveside service are asked to meet at Melton Mortuary, Beckley, by 10:30 a.m. Monday.
Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at Melton Mortuary.
Pallbearers will be Randy and Joshua Daniel, Jeremy Canterbury, Raymond Massie, Kyle Acord, Larry, Jerry and Brandon Bowling, Danny Akers, and Cecil Williams.
Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
Russell W. ‘Rusty’ Snyder
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Russell Wayne “Rusty” Snyder, formerly of Maxwell Hill, passed away at his home in Myrtle Beach on Friday, April 22, 2006. He was 40 years of age.
Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.
Madeline Harris Gravely Thompson
Madeline Harris Gravely Thompson, 82, of 320 Bair St., Beckley, passed away Thursday, April 20, 2006, at Raleigh General Hospital following a two-year illness.
Born April 29, 1923, at Raleigh, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Arthur Gravely and Carrie Hill Gravely.
Mrs. Thompson was a dietary cook at Beckley Hospital. She was a member of St. Matthew A.M.E. Church. She was also a member of the Raleigh County Branch of NAACP, St. Matthew A.M.E. Senior Choir, Mission and Stewardess.
Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Elgin Gruen Thompson; daughter, Carrie Vanessa Thompson; grandson, Nathan-iel “Lil Ricky” Thompson; and siblings, Willis C. Gravely, Dorothy Barnett, Lucille King, Caroline Mitchell and Josephine Parker.
Survivors include five sons, Lowell Edward Thompson and wife, Ann, of Beckley, Nathaniel Ricardo Thompson and wife, Doreen, of Beckley, Phillip Douglas Thompson of Beckley, Stephen Charles Thompson of Kentucky and stepson Elgin Eugene Edmonds of Euclid, Ohio; four daughters, Lillian Evangeline Christian and husband, Edward, of Anniston, Ala., Eileen Laverne Washington and husband, Clifford, of Beckley, Marquita Vivian Clay of Beckley and Margaret Grandjean of Beckley; a brother-in-law, Joe Thompson of Michigan; four sisters-in-law, Mildred Hash of North Carolina, Elnora Farris of Michigan, Jacqueline Walker of California and Virginia Walker of Beckley; 23 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Matthew A.M.E. Church with the Rev. Abner Wright officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.
Friends may call one hour before service Tuesday at the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Matthew A.M.E. Church, 103 Mills Ave., Beckley, WV 25801.
Services entrusted to Ritchie and Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley.
Royal W. Vint
Royal W. Vint, 73, of Marianna, passed away Monday, Dec. 19, 2005, in a Welch hospital following a long illness.
Calfee Funeral Service of Pineville is serving the Vint family.
Leonard Wood
Leonard Wood, 81, of Odd, went to his heavenly home on Dec. 18, 2005, at home surrounded by family and friends.
Born at Beeson, on Dec. 11, 1924, he was the son of the late Attie and Ed Wood and was the last surviving member of his family.
He worked as a mine electrician and was a retired UMWA member. He was instrumental in organizing the Raleigh County Community Action and the Ghent Area Fire Department. He had a special place in his heart for children and those in need. He was a Christian and member of the Odd Community Church and spent a great deal of time spreading the gospel.
His favorite past times were hunting and riding his four-wheeler.
He was preceded in death by twin sons, Leonard Michael and Teddy Mack; four brothers, Turner, Roy, Howard and Archie Wood; and two sisters, Lucy Mullins and Louella Blevins.
He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Elsie Marie; three sons, Stephen and his wife, Deana, of Flat Top, Larry and his wife, Christine, of Odd, Ronnie and his wife, Diana, of Beckley; two daughters, Barbara Meadows and her husband, David, of Odd, and Judy Wood of Odd; 14 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and was looking forward to the arrival of the sixth. He is also survived by a special friend of the family, Frances Mills of Flat Top.
Service will be 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Rose and Quesenberry Shady Spring Chapel with his son, the Rev. Ron Wood and wife, Diana, officiating. Burial will follow in the Odd cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Shawn Meadows, Jason Campbell, Nathanael Wood, Jonathan Wood, Bob Blankenship and Joey McDaniel.
Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home in Shady Spring.
Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Shady Spring.
Joan Levern Bonds
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — Joan Levern Bonds, 74, passed away on Monday, Dec. 19, 2005.
Funeral service will be 2 p.m., Friday at The St. James United Methodist Church, White Sulphur Springs. The family will receive their friends one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Friday.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to Allen or Gary Bonds, 96 Woodlawn Street, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986.
Shanklin Funeral Home, White Sulphur Springs is in charge of arrangements.
Lola Coomes
LASHMEET — Lola Coomes, 83, of Beeson Road, Lashmeet, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005, at Princeton Community Hospital.
Born March 5, 1922, at Beeson, she was the daughter of the late Lonnie M. and Eva Hylton McKinney.
Mrs. Coomes was a homemaker and a member of the Cooks Chapel at Pinoak. She was a member of the Quilting Club and enjoyed making quilts and pillows. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Howard C. Coomes; son, Keith (Buck) Coomes; two brothers, Basil and Larlyn McKinney; and two sisters, Dessie Shrewsbury and Hessie McKinney.
Survivors include five sons, Jarl “Jimmy” Coomes and wife, Roseanna, of Bluewell, Ronnie Coomes and wife, Hazel, of Covel, Kenneth Coomes and wife, Terri, of Clarksville, Va., Jody Coomes and wife, Donna, of Gray, Tenn.; two daughters, Patsy Arlene Crotty and husband, Dennis Ray, of Ashland City, Tenn., Julie Worley and husband, Darrell, of Mullens; a daughter-in-law, Pam Coomes of Rock; five sisters, Nina Shrewsbury of Beeson, Lena Cole of Beeson, Jewerldine Linkous of Kegley and Hazel Tzerima of Sarendo, Fla.; 28 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, 2005, at the Rowland H. Bailey Funeral Chapel of Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home with Pastor Donald Dawson and Arnold Akers officiating. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Princeton. Grandchildren will serve as pallbearers.
Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton.
Tara Kay Holcomb Crawford
MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — Tara Kay Holcomb Crawford, 30, formerly of Alderson, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005, at her home in Mount Airy.
Service will be 2:30 p.m. Friday at Lobban Funeral Home Chapel, Alderson. Friends may call 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Arrangements by Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson.
Leon N. Bradford
HARVEY — Leon N. Bradford, 91, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at Plateau Medical Center, Oak Hill.
Arrangements by Ritchie and Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley.
John George
John George, 63, of Beckley, died at his residence Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, following a long illness.
Born June 24, 1942, at MacArthur, he was the son of the late David and Laura Eden George.
Mr. George was a disabled coal miner, having last worked for Beckley Coal Co. He was a member of the UMWA and attended the Church of God Family Worship Center. He was a lifetime resident of Raleigh County.
He was preceded in death by a son, Johnny George; grandson, Travis Haley; brother, David George; and two sisters, Elizabeth George and Josephine Rickan.
Survivors include his wife, Kathy Thompson George; two daughters, Taresa Grear and her husband, Renn, of Tarpon Springs, Fla., and Lisa Ahmed and her husband, Mark, of Daytona Beach, Fla.; a son, Jeffrey George and his wife, Tayna, of Las Vegas, Nev.; grandchildren, Dakota and Stevie Grear, Sarah Ahmed, and Chenay, Tosha and Joshua George; and three sisters, Mary Farmer of South Carolina, Angelie Black and her husband, Fred, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, and Lillian Adkins and her husband, Robert, of Beckley.
Service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at the Church of God Family Worship Center, 224 Pinewood Drive, Beckley, with Pastor Mark Schrade officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley.
Friends may call two hours before service Saturday at the church.
Pallbearers will be Mark George, Allen Thompson, Clyde Black, Jackson George, Mark Ahmed, Renn Grear and Don Davis.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fishes and Loaves Food Ministry, c/o Church of God Family Worship Center, 224 Pinewood Drive, Beckley, WV 25801.
Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley.
Thomas C. Hatfield
ROCKHOUSE — Thomas Carroll “Big T” Hatfield, 38, of Rockhouse, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, in Welch Community Hospital from complications of a house fire.
Born May 21, 1967, at Welch, he was the son of Carroll and Virgie Hatfield of Rockhouse.
He was a self-employed truck driver. He enjoyed his family and pets when he wasn’t working.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Elliott and Margie Hatfield; and his maternal grandparents, Carl and Minnie Hatfield.
In addition to his parents, survivors include three sisters, Debbie Bishoff and her husband, Steve, of Bruceton Mills, Donna Hatfield and her husband, Clark, of Rockhouse and Lisa Walls and her husband, Eddie, of North Springs; two nieces, Jessica Bishoff of Bruceton Mills and Sabrina Short of Pineville; and two nephews, Shawn Bishoff of Tunnelton and Robbie Bishoff of Bruceton Mills.
Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Calfee Funeral Service Chapel, Pineville, with the Rev. Tommy Knotts officiating. Burial will follow in Hatfield cemetery, Baileysville.
Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.
Friends may call noon until time of service Saturday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions of sympathy may be made to Carroll and Virgie Hatfield, HC 68, Box 939, Hanover, WV 24839.
Calfee Funeral Service, Pineville, is serving the Hatfield family.
Jeanette Stone Henderson
RICHWOOD — Jeanette Stone Henderson, 87, died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006.
Memorial service will be 4 p.m. today at Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood. Friends may call 3 p.m. until time of service today at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Faith United Methodist Church, West Main Street, Richwood, WV 26261, or Richwood Public Library, 8 White Ave., Richwood, WV 26261.
Arrangements by Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood.
Gladys Lawrence
MATOAKA — Gladys Thomas Bullins Lawrence, 86, of Princeton Health Care Center, formerly of Matoaka, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006.
Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Rowland H. Bailey Funeral Chapel of Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home, Princeton. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Arrangements by Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home, Princeton.