U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
James P. Russell
James P. Russell, 76, of Tazewell, went to be with his Lord Feb. 12, 2006 in a Tazewell hospital.
Born July 29, 1929, in Cedar Bluff, he was the son of the late Marvin and Nannie Puckett Russell and grew up in Wardell.
He served his country in the United States Army and was formerly employed as a miner, working at the Whitewood Mine. At an early age, a mining accident left him disable. In his later life, it was his Christian faith and constant reading of the Bible that gave him strength to face many long sleepless nights.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Joseph A. Russell, and one sister, Evelyn Russell Price.
Survivors: nieces, Judy Forbes of Bluefield, VA, Carol Asbury of Bradshaw, WV, Nancy Ferguson of Boomer, NC, Donna Maxwell of Honaker, Shelia Broyhill of Traphill, NC, Shelby Price of Martinsville, Ruth Mitchem of Thomasville, NC; nephews, Joe Russell of Bluefield, VA, Danny Russell of Bluefield, WV, Jimmy, Ray and Jeffery Price of Paynesville, WV, Joe Price of Pounding Mill, Tracy Price of Sevierville, TN; sister-in-law, Pansy Russell Wright of Springville; special cousin, Alfred Russell of Bandy; and numerous other cousins, great nieces and great nephews.
In keeping with his wishes, his body has been cremated.
The family will have a private memorial service at a later date.
Condolences to his family may be sent to the home of Gary and Judy Forbes, 1950 Virginia Ave., Bluefield, VA 24605, 276-326-2072.
Dudley Memorial Mortuary served the family.
Massie Short
Massie Short, 69, of Bassett, died Feb. 18, 2006 at Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County.
He was born June 6, 1936, in Buchanan to the late Walter Short and the late Edith Osborne.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one infant son.
Survivors: wife, Trula Short; son, Raymond Short of Bassett; daughters, Rhonda Garland of Callands, Robin Goard of Bassett; three grandchildren; seven step grandchildren; four step great grandchildren; and brothers, Estil Hurt and James Davis, both of Richlands, and Jessie Osborne and Danie Osborne, both of Patrick Co.
The funeral will be conducted Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at Bassett Funeral Service Chapel, in Bassett, with Rev. Bobby Lawson and Rev. Tommy Rutherford officiating.
Interment will be in the Boyd/Keen Family cemetery.
Maude Gladys Snead
Maude Gladys Snead, 92, of Bristol, VA, died Feb. 18, 2006 in Bristol Hospice House.
Born Dec. 13, 1913 in Russell County, she was a daughter of the late John H. and Mary Stump Hess.
She had lived in Bristol for the past 15 years, moving there from Honaker. She was a retired inspector at Honaker Mills. She attended Valley View Free Will Baptist Church in Honaker and Beulah Land Church in Bristol, VA.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her step-father, William T. Russ; her husband, Henry Snead; one son, Lee Snead; two sisters, Gracie Maxfield and Freda Owens; one great-grandchild, Krista Snead; and one special friend, Odessa Musick. In her generation, she was the last surviving member of her immediate family.
Survivors: daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Mike Addison of Bristol, VA; daughter-in-law, Shelby Snead of Honaker; grandchildren, Michael Honaker of the home, Terry Snead and Alicia McGlothlin and husband, Scott, all of Honaker; three great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and special friends, Doris Rasnake, Barbara Presley, and Martha Smith.
The funeral was conducted Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel, Honaker, with Rev. Walter Statzer, Rev. Jerry Russell, and Rev. Harless Hess officiating.
Interment followed in Russell Memorial cemetery at Lebanon.
Harold Stacy
Harold Stacy, 74, of Pounding Mill, formerly of Pilgrims Knob, died Feb. 18, 2006 in a Bristol, TN, hospital following a brief illness.
Born July 31, 1931 in Buchanan County, he was the son of the late William Edward and Maggie Keen Stacy.
He was a United States Army Veteran. He was a retired coal miner and a member of UMWA.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Matt Stacy, Sr. and Bob Stacy.
Survivors: wife of 51 years, Hazel Byrd Stacy; daughter, Rita Fay Ramey and husband, Randall, of Pounding Mill; son, Glenn Stacy of Huntsville, AL; brother, Nelson Stacy of Ypsilanti, MI; sisters, Ada Dunford of Claypool Hill, Evelyn Rife and husband, Elmer, of Pilgrims Knob; brother-in-law, Edward Byrd of Pounding Mill; granddaughter, Julie Meadows; step-granddaughters, Rebecca Watson and Jessica Ramey; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends and neighbors.
The funeral will be conducted Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. at Buchanan Funeral Service Chapel in Keen Mountain with Rev. Ancil Childress and Rev. Jack Ward officiating.
Burial will follow in the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
Military graveside rites will be conducted by John Ratliff Post 164.
A service was held Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Charles Curtis Stiltner
Charles Curtis Stiltner, 66, of Rt. 1, Grundy, died Feb. 14, 2006 at the Buchanan General Hospital following an extended illness.
Born in Buchanan County, he was a son of the late William Kendrick and Minnie Foster Stiltner.
He was a lifelong resident of Buchanan County. He was of the Baptist faith and was a disabled coal miner.
He was preceded in death by one stepdaughter, Kimberly Blankenship.
Survivors: wife, Nancy Nickels Stiltner of Grundy; daughters, Tina Herndon, Karen Orfield and Laura Robinette, all of Abingdon, Tracy George of Fresno, CA, Selena Peck of Grundy, Sabrina Raab of Sevierville, TN; sons, Rodney Daugherty of the U.S. Army, Charles Curtis Stiltner, Jr. of Sevierville; stepdaughter, Debra Vanover of Richlands; stepsons, Michael Hurley of Richlands, Bobby Lee Justus of Grundy; brothers, Bill Stiltner of Myrtle Beach, SC, Bobby Stiltner of Byron, OH; sister, Shirley Viers of Bristol, VA; stepsister, Lisa Stiltner of Hurley; stepbrothers, Tony Stiltner, Robbie Stiltner and Bryan Stiltner, all of Grundy; stepmother, Jean Varney of Grundy; stepfather, Roland Rife of Abingdon; 16 grandchildren; two step-grandsons; and two step-granddaughters.
The funeral was conducted Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. at the Bethlehem Old Regular Baptist Church #2 on Poplar Creek, Rt. 2, Grundy, with Elders Toy Looney and Roger Coleman officiating.
Burial followed in the Stiltner cemetery near the church on Poplar Creek, Rt. 2, Grundy.
Services were held at the church Feb. 15 and 16 at 7 p.m.
Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy was in charge of arrangements.
Alma Gay Taylor
Alma Gay Taylor, of Farragut, TN, died Feb. 13, 2006 in Park West Hospital in Knoxville, TN.
Born Mar. 29 in Lynn Springs, she was a daughter of the late Harvey and Etta Perkins Miller.
She had spent her early life in the Swords Creek area before moving to Bristol in 1975 and then to Farragut in May 2005. She was a member of the Victory Baptist Church in Bristol, VA.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Ralph Edward Miller and Lester Miller. In her generation, she was the last surviving member of her immediate family.
Survivors: husband, Garland Taylor; daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Mike Pyle of Farragut; son and daughter-in-law, Fred and Wanda Taylor of Wichita, KS; grandchildren, Brianna Taylor Smith and husband, Kevin, Michael Goodson, Rob Taylor, and Chad Pyle; step granddaughters, Amy McCracken and husband, Chad, and Tiffany Taylor and husband, Robert; and step-great-grandchildren, Riley McCracken, Bronte Taylor and Cash Taylor.
The funeral was conducted Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel in Honaker with Rev. Austin Cook and Rev. Ken Hilliard officiating.
Graveside services were conducted Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. at Greenhills Memory Gardens Mausoleum at Claypool Hill, where entombment followed.
Clara E. Anderson
Clara Ellis Anderson, 91, went to be with the Lord Feb. 7, 2006 in a Richlands hospital.
Born at Jewell Ridge, she was the daughter of the late Mathes M. and Belle Burke.
She was a devoted Christian her entire life having taught the children’s Sunday school for over 30 years and she loved to sing Christian hymns. Most recently she was a member of the Claypool Hill Church of Christ. She was a graduate of Richlands High School. She lived most of her adult life as a homemaker in Bartley, WV and Bluefield, WV and had lived at the Golden Age Nursing Home for the last four years. She had worked for West Virginia University as a nutrition aide in McDowell County.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, M. Earl Ellis; her second husband, Jesse Anderson; two brothers, Earl Burke and Ira Burke; and one sister, Naomi Burdette.
Survivors: son, Charles Ellis and wife, Sherrin, of Richlands; granddaughter, Amanda Bohon and husband, Chuck, of Richlands; grandson, Brent Ellis of Blacksburg; sisters, Dorothy Cook of Richlands, Ruth Dotson and husband, Robert, of Eleanor, WV; and brother, David Burke and wife, Eva, of Aiken, SC.
The funeral was held Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands with Pastors Bob Smith and Allen Jessee officiating.
Interment followed at the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill with the Rev. Bill Keene officiating the committal service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mountain Mission School, 1 Hurley Street, Grundy, VA 24614 or to the Good Samaritan Food Pantry, 106 Veterans Drive, Richlands, VA 24641.
Clarence E. Ball, Sr.
Clarence Edward Ball, Sr., 62, of Seaboard, died Feb. 7, 2006 in a Tazewell hospital.
Born Mar. 15, 1943 in Tazewell County, he was a son of the late James and Nora Wright Ball.
A lifelong resident of the area, he was a member of Drill Freewill Baptist Church and was a disabled coal miner.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Juanita Smith, one brother, Bo Ball, and several half-brothers.
Survivors: wife, Emily Stevens Ball; daughter, Nannie "Susie" Meadows and husband, Rodney, of Lebanon; sons, Roy Ball and wife, Crystal, and Clarence "Pete" Ball, Jr. and wife, Crystal, all of Elkton; step-daughters, Judy Dye of Seaboard, Melissa Boyd of Trinity, NC, Sharon Robinette of Swords Creek; grandchildren, Kristy Meadows, Tiffany Meadows, Heather Ball, Melanie Ball, Travis Ball and Megan Ball; several step-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ralph Dye and Rev. Rodney Meadows officiating.
Interment followed in the Frank Smith cemetery on Big A Mountain.
Rev. Rufus E. Barrett
Rev. Rufus Everette Barrett, 82, of Salem, formerly of Bandy, died Feb. 10, 2006 at Salem, following a long illness.
Born at Bandy, he was the son of the late Rufus Everett and Lisa Vinnie Dunford Barrett.
He was a minister for several years with the Free Pentecostal Church of God faith.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Martha Celia Salyers Barrett; two brothers, Erby Barrett and Willie Barrett; and three sisters, Elvie Barrett, Ellen Barrett and Cora Allie Salyers. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family in his generation.
Survivors: daughter, Myrtle Ann Johnson and husband, Herbert, of Salem; son, William Thomas Barrett and wife, Wilma, of Goodview; five grandchildren; three great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral was conducted Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. in the Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with Rev. Max Linkous officiating.
Burial followed in the Barrett Family cemetery on Whitaker Ridge at Bandy.
Jackie Lee Blankenship
Jackie Lee Blankenship, 64, of Red Root Ridge, died Feb. 12, 2006 at his home, following a brief illness.
Born in Coaldan, he was the son of the late Elbert and Pearl Short Blankenship, both Jewell Ridge natives.
He had retired from being a barber after serving the Richlands area for 40 years. He was a former member of the Richlands Masonic Lodge.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Herman Mose Blankenship.
Survivors: loving wife of 29½ years, Myrtle Blankenship; daughter, Michelle Stillwood; son, Stevie Blankenship of Texas; step-daughters, Barbara Dennis and husband, Allen, of Kingsport, TN, Diane Hess and husband, Kenneth, and Connie Dye, all of Doran; step-sons, Sidney Sparks and wife, Carlena, of Raven, Benny Sparks and wife, Diedra, of Road Ridge, Dennis Sparks and wife, Eva, of Raven; brothers, Dempsey Blankenship and wife, Juanita, and Gary Blankenship and wife, Linda, all of South Carolina; sister, Judy Bradford of South Carolina; four grandchildren; ten step-grandchildren; and 12 step-great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be conducted Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Richlands with the Rev. Rick Whitt and Rev. Paul Vandyke officiating.
Interment will follow at the Greenhills Memorial cemetery located at Claypool Hill.
Ellis Donald Cole, Sr.
Ellis Donald Cole, Sr., 77, of Pounding Mill, died Feb. 8, 2006 at Clinch Valley Medical Center in Richlands.
Born May 2, 1928 in Buchanan County, he was raised in the Florence Cole family.
He was a member of the Cedar Bluff Community Church; he loved his church and many friends. He was a United States Navy Veteran of World War II, and was a member of the Casey-Shortt VFW Post #9640 in Richlands.
He was a retired taxi driver, school bus driver and carpenter. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was a member of UMWA and was a very active member of the Democrat party in Tazewell County. He loved his auctions especially at the Rev. Rick Whitt’s auction house.
He was preceded in death by his adoptive parent, Florence "Grandma" Cole; his first wife, Beulah Houchins Cole; one son, Claude Ervin Cole; and one grandson, Jeremy Adam Cole.
Survivors: wife of 25 years, Jeanette Stillwell Cole; daughter, Betty S. Christian and husband, Curtis, of Collinsville; sons, Ellis D. Cole, Jr. and wife, Dawn, and Steve E. Cole and wife, Patty, all of Pounding Mill, Rick G. Cole and wife, Diane, and Tommy Boardwine and wife, Martha, all of Belfast, Jimmy Boardwine and wife, Connie, of Springville; one sister; several brothers; ten grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; many special friends and special friends, Roberta Ritchie and Arizona Cook.
The funeral was conducted at 11 a.m. Feb. 11 at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff with the Rev. Joshua Cole, the Rev. Chris White and the Rev. Richard Smith officiating.
Burial followed in the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
Military graveside rites were conducted by the American Veterans Honor Guard Association, Inc.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Good Samaritan Food Pantry, PO Box 454, Richlands, VA 24641.
