U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Concetto "Cungie" Arena
Concetto "Cungie" Arena, 87, of Richlands, died Oct. 20, 2003 at the Mountain View Retirement Home in Lebanon after a lengthy illness.
Born in Littletown, PA, he was the oldest of ten children. He was the son of the late Luigi and Angelina Allatto Arena.
He lived most of his life in Bartley, WV, Honaker and the Richlands areas. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richlands.
He was a retired coal miner, having worked at Bradshaw No. 6, Bartley No. 3, Bartley No. 1, Beatrice and VP#1 for Island Creek Coal Company. He also worked at Clinchfield Moss No. 3, Channey Creek, Lambert Fork and Seaboard No. 1 and No. 2 for the Pittston Coal Corporation. He retired in 1984 after 52 years in or around the coal industry. He was a member of Local Union #1760 of the United Mine Workers Association. He owned and operated a shoe repair shop and a drive-in restaurant. He was a member of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America Chapter in Princeton, WV.
He was proceeded in death by his wife, Dallas Arena; one son, Ross Arena; one daughter, Carol Sue Wimmer; and three sisters, Jeannie Crites, Josephine Tamborelli and Mary Cook.
Survivors: son and daughter-in-law, Tony L. and Paula M. Arena of Richlands; grandson, TSGT. Michael Concetto Arena and wife, Shelly, of San Antonio, TX; granddaughters Rachel Ann and Theresa Leigh Arena of Cedar Bluff; sisters, Rose Scott of Newbury Park, CA, Phyllis Nichols of Newton, NC, Frances Falcamato of Huntington, WV, Virginia Westfall of Akron, OH, Carmela Finn of Bloomfield, MI; brother, Ross Arena of Romulus, MI; great-grandchildren, Kristina Rose, Antonio Concetto, Ryan Michael and Sean Nicholas Luigi Arena of San Antonio; special friends Mr. and Mrs. Jack Altizer, Mr. and Mrs. Hurley Musick, Mr. and Mrs. Grabern Barton, Mr. and Mrs. Avery Wimmer; and the personnel and staff at the Mountain View Retirement Home.
The funeral was conducted Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with Father Tom Collins officiating.
Burial followed in the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
Oma Mae Hagy
Oma Mae Hagy, 83, of the Baker Hollow section of Doran, died Oct. 27, 2003 at her home following a lengthy illness.
Born in Russell County, she was the daughter of the late George Washington (Doll) and Cara Vance Shelton, both Tazewell County natives.
She had made her home in the Doran area all of her life and was a retired employee of the Tazewell County School System having worked as a cafeteria worker at the Richlands Elementary School. She was a member of the Richlands Tabernacle Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Hagy; one daughter, Wanda Clements; one great-granddaughter, Jenna Peters; four sisters, Viennie and Lennie Shelton, Ancie Riley, and Emma Gene Blanton; and three brothers, Homer, Claudie, and Frazier Shelton.
Survivors: daughter, Bernice Hagy of Doran; son, Charles Earl Hagy and wife, Betty Jo, of Powell, TN; sister, Betty Cole of Richlands; brother, Harold Shelton of Aberdeen, MD; special care givers, Jane Musick and Joyce Taylor; grandchildren, Sherie Webb, J.D. Webb, Zane Hagy, Teresa Morgan, Kim Peters, Bill Arnold, and Junior Arnold; great-grandchildren, John Phipps, Rikki Phipps, Myya Morgan, Zach Morgan, Jessica Peters, and Kayla Peters; and great-great-grandchildren, Hunter Phipps and Drew Phipps.
The funeral will be conducted Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. at the Richlands Tabernacle Church in Richlands with the Rev. Ralph Horton and Rev. Bob Osborne officiating.
Interment will follow at Clinch Valley Memorial cemetery in Richlands.
Friends may call after 6 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands and at the church one hour prior to the service Oct. 30.
Paul G. Hale
Paul G. Hale, 76, of Honaker, died Oct. 21, 2003 in Lebanon hospital.
Born Nov. 7, 1926 in Buchanan County, he was a son of the late Jacob and Ada Arwood Hale.
A lifelong resident of the area, he was of the Free Will Baptist faith. He was a retired coal miner and a member of the UMWA.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Cecil B. Hale and James Buford "Buke" Hale, and one sister, Pauline Hale Owens.
Survivors: special caretaker, Ivanell Tiller of Honaker; brothers, Arnold Hale and wife, Delorise, and Larry Hale, all of Page, Lee Hale and wife, Barbara, and Ronnie Hale, all of Honaker, Frank Hale and wife, Goldie, of Swords Creek; sisters, Ruth McGlothlin and husband, Herman, of Swords Creek, Peggy Hale Whited of Honaker; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was conducted Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel in Honaker with Rev. Arvil Arwood officiating.
Entombment followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens Mausoleum at Claypool Hill.
Josephine "Jody" Horn
Josephine Ann "Jody" Horn, 60, of King, NC, died Oct. 22, 2003 at her home in North Carolina.
Born in Tazewell Co., she was a daughter of Nora Kinder Webb Ward of Jewell Ridge and the late Hally Webb.
She had lived in the Richlands area prior to moving to King in July.
In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her stepfather, Stewart "Red" Ward, and two brothers, James "Jimmy" Webb and Roger Dale Ward.
Additional survivors: daughters, Melissa Keen of Wytheville, Mary Keene of Richlands, Teresa Ball of King; sisters, Connie Stiltner and Helen Christian, both of Jewell Ridge; brothers, Darrell Ward and Harold Benny Ward, both of Jewell Ridge; former husband, Perry Horn of Raven; and grandchildren, Gregory Ball, Anthony Keene, Dwayne Keene, Timothy McGlothlin, Ryan Keen and Rachel Keen.
The funeral was conducted Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel in Honaker with Rev. Joe Horn and Rev. Randy Webb officiating.
Interment followed in the Salyers cemetery on Smith Ridge.
Savannah W. Payne
Savannah Wilson Minton Payne, 89, of the Dry Fork section of Cedar Bluff, died Oct. 23, 2003 at Bastian.
Born in Richlands, she was a daughter of the late Noah Wilson and Cordie Reedy Wilson.
She had made her home in Dry Fork and Falls Mills her entire life. She was a housewife and also a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. She was a member of the Dry Fork Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Roy Minton; second husband, William Edgard Payne; one son, Lonnie Minton; and one brother.
Survivors: daughter-in-law, Jackie Minton of Falls Mills; grandchildren, Dale and Faye Minton of Williamston, NC, Dannie Minton of Pasadena, CA, Terry and Phyllis Minton and Sandy and Johnny Matusevich, all of Falls Mills, Sherry and Bill Sheppard and Vicki and Tom Helton, all of Bluefield, VA, Roby and Becky Minton of Harrisonburg, Craig and Julie Minton of Martinsburg, WV; 11 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel of Tazewell with Pastor Paul Vandyke officiating.
Entombment followed at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, VA.
Kenneth Simmons, Sr.
Kenneth Albert Simmons, Sr., 71, of the Paintlick section of Pounding Mill, died Oct. 22, 2003 at a Richlands hospital.
Born in Red Ash, he was a son of the late Belle Franklin and Mary Jane Hill Simmons, both Tazewell County natives.
He was a life long resident of the Paintlick area and was a retired employee of S & S Corp. at Claypool Hill. He was a World War II U. S. Army veteran, a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richlands, and a member of the Cedar Bluff Lodge #260 A.F. & A.M.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Michael Keith Simmons, and one brother, Andy Elmer Simmons.
Survivors: wife, Maria Wedle Simmons; daughter, Mrs. Freddie (Mary Judy) Boyd of Paintlick; sons, Kenneth A. Simmons, Jr. and wife, Tammie, of Paintlick, Gary J. Simmons and wife, Mary, of Mooresville, NC; sisters, Mrs. Truman (Emily) Perkins of Richlands, Ella Ward of Paintlick, Margaret Simmons Sabato of Paintlick and Norfolk, Carol Simmons Smith of Virginia Beach; brother, George William Simmons of Paintlick; grandchildren, Melani Boyd, Kenneth A. Simmons, III, Jessica Ann Simmons, April Dawn Patterson, Heather Kaitlynn Simmons, Michael Keith Simmons, Jr., and Angela Simmons.
The funeral was conducted Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Richlands with Father Tom Collins officiating.
Interment followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
Members of the Casey-Shortt VFW Post #9640 and Disabled American Veterans Tazewell Co. Chapter #31 conducted military graveside rites.
Patricia W. Surface
Patricia Williams Surface, 78, of Tazewell, died Oct. 24, 2003 at her home after a long courageous battle with cancer.
Born in Columbus, OH, she was the daughter of James Boyd Williams and Annie Laurie Welsh Williams Delp.
She grew up on the William Bourne farm near Fries in Grayson County. She graduated from Fries High School in 1942, Graceland College, Lamoni, IA, in 1944, and the Medical College of Virginia School of Nursing in 1947 and attended the University of Vermont. Her work took her from Richmond to Burlington, VT, Pulaski and, Greensboro, NC, as a Red Cross nurse and Great Falls, MT.
In March 1950, the State Health Department assigned her to Tazewell County, where she worked as a public health nurse for several years. During the polio epidemic in the summer of 1950, she did public health work in Wytheville. She taught a women’s Sunday School class at Tazewell Baptist Church for 20 years and had a particular lifelong interest in civil rights for all citizens.
She was an accomplished genealogist and one of her greatest joys was helping others find connections to their roots. She assisted hundreds of people across the country and the world in this endeavor and contributed to several published family histories.
A founding member of the Tazewell County Historical Society, she was largely responsible for publication of the Society’s six Albums of Tazewell County, preserving the visual record of the county’s history. The Society held a special celebration in her honor in 2001, recognizing her exemplary volunteerism and naming a room in the headquarters house for her.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Margaret Rosamond Williams Boilcau.
Survivors: beloved husband of 52 years, Henry Shelton Surface Jr.; daughter and son-in-law, Laurie and Elliott C. Roberts Jr. and daughter, Julia Fox of Tazewell, and daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Dr. Michael H. Stoker of Wytheville; grandchildren, Lauren and Andrew Fox, Jonathan, Andrei and Marie Stoker; niece, Donna B. Almond of Alexandria; niece and nephew, Linda B. and Frederick L. Dupre of Auburn, MA; and several great-nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be conducted Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. at Summerfield United Methodist Church on Carsonville Road in Grayson County.
In lieu of flowers, she requested that any memorial contributions be made to Tazewell County Historical Society, P.O. Box 916, Tazewell, VA 24651, Tazewell County Public Library, P.O. Box 929, Tazewell, VA 24651 or Tazewell Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 592, Tazewell, VA 24651.
Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home in Tazewell is in charge of arrangements.
Samuel G. Whitt, Jr.
Samuel G. Whitt, Jr., 85, of Steelesburg, died Oct. 27, 2003 at his home following a lengthy illness.
Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands is in charge of arrangements.
Curtis W. Wimmer
Curtis W. Wimmer, 59, of Oak Creek, WI, formerly of Buchanan County, found peace as he passed away in the company of his family, Oct. 21, 2003.
He was a retiree of Maynard Steel and a U. S. Army Vietnam Veteran.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Rufus and Mary Lou Goodman Wimmer, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other loved ones.
He was the beloved husband of 35 years to Margaret (nee Moore) Wimmer; loving father of Shannon (Mark) Behr, Heather (Erich) Roden, and Angie (Brian) Sayeg; cherished grandfather of Colleen Roden and Brianna and Ally Sayeg; dear brother of Kenneth (Carol) Wimmer, Darrell (Theresa) Wimmer and Bonnie (Junior) Baker; and survived by aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, many cousins, family and friends.
The funeral was conducted Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Prasser-Kleczka South Suburban Chapel in Wisconsin.
Burial services were held Oct. 24 at 9:30 a.m. at Forest Hill Memorial Park.
Obituary submitted by the Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands.
Dr. John R. Cox
Dr. John R. Cox, 73, of Lakeview, NY, formerly of Tazewell, died July 30, 2004 in a Buffalo, NY, hospital.
Born in Salinas, KS, he was a son of the late John H. and Dorothy (Lipe) Cox.
He was a graduate of Kansas University, Ball State University and obtained a doctorate degree from Va. Tech.
A retired U.S. Air Force Major, he served as a rescue pilot in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. After retiring from the Air Force he began teaching in Raleigh, NC and also taught at Va. Tech. He retired as Chairman of the Business Division at Southwest Virginia Community College.
Survivors: wife of 17 years, Margaret (Presley) Cox; daughters, Dr. Chris (and husband, Dr. David) Mahvi of Middleton, WI, Cindy (and husband, Dr. Dennis) Sprague of Newport, Cathy (and husband, Jim) Metz of Durango, CO; stepson, Ralph Lovern of Jacksonville, NC; stepdaughter, Joni Lovern of Buffalo; brother, Jerry (and wife, Susan) Cox of Coronado. CA; and grandchildren, Jason (and wife, Heather) Alvarez, Allison, Sasha and Jonathan Mahvi.
A celebration of the life of Dr. John R. Cox will be held Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. at SVCC. All of John's friends and acquaintances are invited to attend.
The family may be reached at the home of Jerry and Barbara Presley, (988-2992) after Aug. 24.
