U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Homer Lester
Homer Lester, 65, of North Tazewell, died March 6, 2004 at his home.
Born at Grundy, he was a son of the late Frank and Cosby Lester.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Mabel Davis and Gracie Ratliff, and one brother, Riddle Lester.
Survivors: daughters, whom he loved very much, Brenda Patterson and husband, Bill, of Coats, NC, Linda Sparks and husband, Eddie, of North Tazewell; sisters, Josephine Charles of Big Rock, Rose Jean Green of Harmon; brother, Roy Lester of Big Rock; and special niece, Sheliah Charles of Big Rock.
Graveside services were conducted at 11 a.m. March 9 at Maplewood cemetery in Tazewell with the Rev. Willard Grizzle officiating.
Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home of Tazewell was in charge of arrangements.
Harvey G. Morris
Harvey G. Morris, 73, of Tazewell, died March 2, 2004 at Tazewell Community Hospital.
Born in Tazewell County, he was a son of the late Charlie George Morris and Sarah Watkins Morris.
He was a member of the Midway Church of Christ in Tazewell and was a US Army Veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors: brother, Joseph W. Morris of Johnson City, TN; sisters, Sarah Frances Morris of Maryland, Nancy L. Peery of North Tazewell; uncle, Benjamin Watkins, Jr. of North Tazewell; god-daughter, Dorothy (Dee Dee) Mitchell of Tazewell; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was conducted March 6 at 11 a.m. in Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home Chapel in Tazewell with the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Browning officiating.
Burial was private at Maplewood cemetery.
Ollie M. Mullins
Ollie Mullins Fuller Mullins, 93, of Grundy, died March 4, 2004 at Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy, following an extended illness.
Born in Dickenson County, she was a daughter of the late Tivis and Didema Willis Mullins.
She was a resident of Dickenson and Buchanan Counties most of her life. She was a member of the Old Regular Baptist Church of Bartlick and a homemaker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kemper Mullins, March 23, 2001; first husband, Grover Fuller; sons, Frank Fuller and Paul Mullins; daughter, Martha Mullins; sisters, Rena Woods and Vivian Owens; and two brothers, Calvin and Charlie Mullins.
Survivors: daughters, Imogene Mullins of Richlands, Ruth Viers of Prater, Marie Jennings of Detroit, MI; sons, James Fuller and wife, Rusha, of Vansant, Carter Mullins of Richlands, Howard Mullins and wife, Ann, of Corbin, KY, Clyde Mullins and wife, Mary, of Fowlerville, MI; daughter-in-law, Louise Fuller of Nags Head, NC; sisters, Crissie Vandyke of Vansant, Bonnie Mullins of Abingdon, Beulah Mullins of Breaks, Betty Lepage of Santee, CA, Shirley Ramey of St. Paul; brother, T. C. Mullins Jr. of Grundy; 27 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted March 8 at 11 a.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with Elders Freddie Ramey, Buster Mullins, Ralph Mullins, Jerry Matney and Charlie Church officiating.
Burial followed in the Hill and Bartley cemetery on Big Ridge near Haysi.
Services were conducted March 6 and 7 at 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Samie Murphy
Samie Murphy, 75, of the Big A Mountain section of Honaker, went to be with his Lord on March 8, 2004 in a Lebanon hospital.
Born in Buchanan County, he was a son of the late Jim and Gertie Ball Murphy.
He was a lifelong resident of the area and attended Mountain View Free Will Baptist Church. He was a retired coal miner, having been employed with Clinchfield Coal Company.
Survivors: wife, of 54 years, Virginia Lois Stevens Murphy; daughters, Ivadene Hughes and husband, Donald, Betty Puckett and husband, Freddie, Trish Stinson and husband, Larry, all of Honaker; sons, Larry Murphy and Rick Murphy and wife, Denise, all of Honaker, Bobby Murphy and wife, Regina, of Council; brother, James Murphy of Finney; sisters, Norma Stevens of Honaker, Ollie Kiser of Clinchco; grandchildren, Donita Street, Amanda Hughes, Susan Hale, Greg Stinson, Heather Stinson, Blake Stinson, Myra Murphy, Megan Murphy, Amy Murphy, Derrick Murphy and Matthew Murphy; great-grandchildren, Canaan Street, Noah Hale and Isaac Hale; special friends, Earl and Imogene Thompson; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be conducted March 10 at 2 p.m. at the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel in Honaker with Rev. Giles Wilson and Rev. Vonley Pruitt officiating.
Interment will follow in Ketron Memorial Gardens at Lebanon.
Olive B. Quesenberry
Olive Bertha Lambert Quesenberry, 80, of Richlands, died March 6, 2004 in a Richlands hospital following a lengthy illness.
Born in Viers, she was the daughter of the late Arnold and Gracie Arrington Lambert, both Dickenson County natives.
She had made her home in the Richlands area most of her life and had worked in the automotive factories in Detroit, MI, and was a former employee of Barnett, Inc. of Richlands. She was a member of the Richlands First Christian Church.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Gratt A. Quesenberry; one granddaughter, Sidney Michelle Harman; and three brothers, Ernest Lambert, Ray Lambert and Virgil Lambert.
Survivors: daughter, Rita L. Harman and husband, Darrell, of Pounding Mill; son, David Quesenberry of Richlands; sister, Esta Owens of Rochester, MI; brothers, Stallard Lambert and wife, Jean, of Abingdon, Alfred Lambert and wife, Ruth, of Cleveland; sisters-in-law, Mayola Day of Ocala, FL, Joyce Lambert of Tennessee, Katherine Quesenberry of Ocala, FL; grandson, Darren S. Harman; and many nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were conducted March 8 at 1 p.m. at the Greenhills Memory Gardens Mausoleum at Claypool Hill with the Rev. David Brannock officiating.
Interment followed.
Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands was in charge of arrangements.
Judith C. Roberts
Judith Carol Hager Roberts, 46, of Rt. 1 (Mudfork) Bluefield, VA, departed this world March 7, 2004 at her home.
Born in Tazewell, she was a daughter of Robert and Mary Abel Hager of Tazewell.
Additional survivors: husband, Elisha Roberts, Jr.; son, Shannon Melvin and wife, Christy, of Tazewell; daughter, Amanda Melvin of Fairfax; stepdaughter, Kelly Bandy and husband, Brian, of Tip Top; brothers, Bobby Hager and wife, Arleen, of Tazewell, Mike Hager and wife, Sue, of Charleston, WV; sister, Lesa Dillon and husband, James, of Abbs Valley; mother-in-law, Magaline Roberts of Mudfork; four grandchildren; 14 nieces and nephews; and four sisters-in-law.
The funeral will be conducted March 10 at 2 p.m. at Peery & St. Clair Funeral Home Chapel in Tazewell with the Rev. Whitley Pruett and Rev. Barry Absher officiating.
Burial will follow at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, VA.
Arthur (Aud) Smith
Arthur (Aud) Lee Smith, 76, of Richlands, died March 3, 2004 at his home following a lengthy illness.
Born in Smith Ridge, he was the son of the late James W. and Margie Lee Kinder Smith.
He was a U.S. Army Veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite of Ohio, the Aladdin Shrine Temple and the Odd Fellows Lodge of Caledonia, OH.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers.
Survivors: wife of 51 years, Marie Parks Smith; daughter, Nancy Jane Keller and husband, Kevin, of Knoxville, TN; son, Michael Smith and wife, Barbette Patton, of Richlands; grandchildren, Emily Keller Cruz and husband, Chris, of Knoxville, TN, Lee-Michael Keller and Rachael Keller Hamby and husband, Michael, all of Maryville, TN, Jackson Patton-Smith of Richlands; great-grandchildren, Cody Cruz, Kevin Cruz and Blake Hamby; brothers, Otis Smith of Ft. Pierce, FL, Walter Dale (Tommy) Smith of Richlands, David Smith of Maryville; sisters, Faye Martin of Richlands, Mrs. Ray (Betty) Compton of Norton, Mary Ruth Davis of Claypool Hill; special friends, Virgie Smith, Darrell Wyatt, Joe Blankenship, Billy Blankenship and Harold Shrader; and care givers, Dr. J. Sahyouni, Jennifer Watson, Terri Viney and Jean Compton.
A memorial service was held March 6 at 4 p.m. at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with Rev. Mark Sexton, Rev. Lawrence Hayes and Rev. Barry Absher officiating.
Masonic rites were conducted at 3:45 p.m. March 6.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1808 Jefferson Street, Bluefield, WV 24701.
Charlotte K. Smith
Charlotte Katherine Smith, 68, of Bluefield, died Feb. 25, 2004 in Princeton Community Hospital.
Born in Bluefield, she was a daughter of the late William I. Mills and Charlotte Wingo Mills.
She was a member of the First Christian Church in Bluefield and was a former employee for G T E, Southside Pharmacy and was a former crossing guard.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Jimmy Mills and Billy Mills.
Survivors: sons, Bobby Joe Smith Jr. and wife, Penny, of Tazewell, William Christopher Smith and fiancée, Linda Farmer, and Jeffrey Scott Smith and wife, Robin, all of Bluefield; daughter, Brenda Sue Baena, of Atlanta, GA; sister, Jerry Ann Myles of Bluefield; and grandchildren, Tori Smith, Katie Farmer, Chrissy Farmer, Heather Farmer, Desary Ann Baena, Brandon Baena and Juston Conley Smith.
The funeral was conducted March 6 at 2 p.m. at the Dudley Memorial Chapel in Bluefield, VA, with the Rev. Michael Cunningham officiating.
Burial followed in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton.
Donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, One Morton Dr., Suite 106, Charlottesville, VA 22903.
Tony D. Smith
Tony Douglas Smith, 33, of Rural Retreat, formerly of Richlands, died March 6, 2004 in the Wythe Co. Community Hospital.
He was preceded in death by his father, Hersel Smith, and one brother, Tommy Lowe.
Survivors: wife, Robin Dale Smith; son, Mark Anthony Smith of Tazewell County; stepchildren, Danny Keith Griffith of Tazewell County, Michael Damon Fugate, of Tazewell, Melissa Ann Leister of West Virginia, Faith Lynn Laforce of Richlands, Adam Jordan Fugate of Pocahontas; mother, Ruth Cook Smith of Richlands; sisters, Susie Lowe of Roanoke, Carol Elswick of North Carolina, Sharon Robinette of Red Root Ridge; and brothers, Roger Elswick of Rowe, Dale Lowe of North Carolina, James Smith and Sidney Smith, both of Richlands.
The funeral was conducted March 9 at 2 p.m. at the Lindsey Funeral Home Chapel in Rural Retreat with the Rev. Roger Crigger officiating.
Ralph C. Strawn
Ralph Clinton Strawn, 77, of Bluefield, VA, died March 5, 2004 in a Bluefield hospital.
Born in Martinsville, he was a son of the late Oliver Peery Strawn and Nancy Main Strawn.
He was a member of the Virginia Avenue United Methodist Church in Bluefield, VA, and retired in 1992 from the Tazewell County Health Dept. after 42 years of service. Prior to that he had worked for the State Health Dept. in Fauquier Co. for ten years. He was a graduate of Virginia Tech, having graduated in 1950 with a Biology degree. He was a member of the Methodist Men’s Club, and was a former member of the Tazewell Lions Club and served in the Air Force during WWII.
Survivors: wife, Dorothy Lee Epperson Strawn; daughter, Jenny, of Orlando, FL; brother, Oliver Perry Strawn, Jr. of Blacksburg; stepdaughters, Mendy Carol Singer of Roanoke, Sandra G. Parks and Lorrie Lee Parks, both of Charlotte, NC, Tiffany Caruso of New York, Candy and Mike, both of Texas; stepson, Scott Williams of Bluefield, WV; grandchildren, Jim O’Neal, Jennifer Marie and Kayleigh O’Neal; and great-grandchildren, Hunter and Tierney Lee.
The funeral was conducted March 8 at 2 p.m. at the Dudley Memorial Chapel in Bluefield, VA, with the Rev. Larry Murphy officiating.
Burial will follow at a later date in the Roselawn Burial Park in Martinsville.
Mary (Susie) Adkins
Mary Elizabeth (Susie) Adkins, 54, of Raven, died Oct. 9, 2005 in a Richlands hospital.
Born in Tazewell County, she was a daughter of the late Gaines and Sarah Simmons Osborne.
She was of the Pentecostal Holiness Faith.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Debbie Osborne and Doris Osborne, and two brothers, Curtis Osborne and Pete Osborne.
Survivors: husband of 39 years, Jim Adkins; son, John Adkins and wife, Kathy, of Cedar Bluff; daughters, Linda (Baby) Adkins of Dry Fork, Angela Brown and husband, Denver, of the home; sisters, Linda Adkins and husband, Bobby, of Cedar Bluff, Betty Davis and husband, Buster, of Swords Creek, Madiline Davis and husband, Lewis, and Patty Sue Osborne, all of Richmond; brothers, James Osborne, Tommy Osborne and Johnny Osborne, all of Richmond; and grandchildren, Kim Smith, Kayla Smith, Leigha Adkins, James Montainge, Deligha Montainge, Joseph William Woods, Lana Davis and Dee Brown.
The funeral will be conducted Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with Pastor Barry Absher officiating.
Burial will follow in the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
