John William Elliott, 64, of Davisville,
W.Va., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, at
Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital.
He was born Oct. 25, 1944, in Vienna, a son of
the late Albert W. Elliott Sr. and Beulah
Kimble Elliott West.
John retired from the City of Parkersburg's
Police Department as an Officer with 22 years
of service, he worked as Traffic Officer under
Chief Larry Gibson and prior to that, he was
with the Wood County Sheriff's Department for
five years.
For many years, he worked for Herschel Kimes
at "Skate Country" being in charge of safety
and security and later as manager. At Skate
Country, he was affectionately known by the
name of "Pops."
John was a member of the Cedar Grove United
Methodist Church, where he served in various
capacities. He had served as director for the
West Virginia Torch Run for the Special
Olympics representing Law Enforcement and had
worked with the International Special Olympics
in the Torch Run from California to Nevada.
John was a U.S. Army veteran, having been
inducted on March 26, 1963, and transferred to
the U.S. Army Reserves (Army Corps) on Feb.
18, 1965, where he served until March 25,
1969. He was a member of the Fraternal Order
of Police Lodge 79. He enjoyed woodworking and
carpentry, enjoyed four-wheeling and his
grandchildren.
Surviving is his wife of 44 years, Donna Bond
Elliott; three sons, John William Elliott II
(Kimberly) of Proctorville, Ohio, Parkersburg
Police Officer Scott E. Elliott (Karen) of
Davisville and Parkersburg Police Officer
Justin W. Elliott (Nikki) of Parkersburg;
eight grandchildren, Alexis Elliott of
Roanoke, Va., Brody Elliott of Parkersburg,
Brianna and Kailey Elliott, both of
Davisville, and Tyler, Alexander, Jonathan and
Braxton Elliott, all of Proctorville, Ohio;
three brothers, retired Vienna Police Officer
Charles Elliott of Wheeling, Arthur E. Elliott
of Vienna and David W. Elliott (Jennifer) of
Parkersburg; one sister, Wanda M. Staats
(Blaine) of Williamstown; sisters-in-law,
Barbara Elliott of Vienna and Rebecca Johnson
(Timothy) of Parkersburg; brother-in-law,
Harold McFee of Parkersburg; several nieces,
nephews, great-nieces and nephews; and a host
of friends and other relatives.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in
death by his stepfather, Carl West; three
brothers, Robert S. Elliott, Harry R. Elliott
and Albert W. Elliott Jr.; and a sister, Betty
L. McFee.
The funeral service for John will be conducted
at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Cedar Grove
United Methodist Church on Route 47 east of
Parkersburg. The Rev. Brian Long will
officiate and burial will follow at Evergreen
North Cemetery with participation by the
Parkersburg Police Department's Honor Guard.
The visitation will be from 1-4 and 6-8 p.m.
Friday at Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth
Street, Parkersburg, and one hour prior to the
service Saturday at the church.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the
Cedar Grove United Methodist Church in memory
of John William Elliott.
Geneva Louise (Jenny) Ahart
Parkersburg, WV
Geneva Louise (Jenny) Ahart, 87, of
Parkersburg passed away late Saturday, Oct. 3,
2009, at Worthington Manor Nursing Home
following an extended illness.
She was born Nov. 21, 1921, at Cairo, in
Ritchie County, a daughter of the late Harry
Lee Clayton Sr. and Ethel Merritt Clayton.
Geneva was a member of Stephenson Memorial
United Methodist Church and was retired from
Sears, where she worked for many years and was
last manager of the Drapery Department.
She was a loving wife and mother to her son,
Charles Ahart Jr. of Belpre; three daughters,
Jan Deem of Williamstown, Sue Adams (Joe
Grimm) of Parkersburg and Ethel Blair (and a
very special son-in-law, who she loved and
considered one of her own, Rodney Blair of
Little Hocking); loving grandchildren, Amanda
Blair, Jason Blair, Shelly Galland and William
Kimble Jr.; great-grandchildren, Adrienne,
Madison, Dillon and Kelsey Blair, Josh Galland
and Tyler Kimble; one brother, Harry Lee
Clayton Jr.; and one sister, Mary McClung,
both of Parkersburg.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by her husband, Charles (Charlie)
Ahart Sr.; two sons-in-law, Sam Adams and Ed
Deem; and a brother, Charles L. Clayton, who
was killed in Korea.
The funeral service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at
Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg, with Pastor Rich McClure
officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen
North Cemetery. The visitation will be from
noon until service time Tuesday at the funeral
home.
Eythel M. Hale
Parkersburg, WV
Eythel M. Hale, 89, of Parkersburg, passed
away Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009, at the
Parkersburg Health & Rehabilitation Center,
where she has been a resident for the past six
years.
She was born Oct. 14, 1919, in Parkersburg, a
daughter of the late Edgar E. and Piccolia M.
Owens Morriston.
Eythel was a long time member of Trinity
United Methodist Church and was a homemaker.
She had been a former employee of the American
Viscose, the G.C. Murphy Company and Mountain
State Bank.
Surviving is her son-in-law, Lawrence L.
Thompson of Elizabeth; her daughter-in-law,
Patricia "Pat" Hale of Parkersburg; seven
grandchildren, Rose Marie Coleman, Lawrence L.
Thompson Jr., Bonnie Sue Bell, Richard
Burdette Thompson, Kermit Burdette Hale,
Kenneth Wade Hale and Richelle Lucas; 10 great-
grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by her husband, Wilson B. "Pete"
Hale; her son, Cecil B. Hale; her daughter,
Mary Ann Thompson; her brothers, Edwin
Morriston and her twin, the Rev. Cecil
Morriston; an infant brother; and two sisters,
Martha Spears and Myrtle Lockhart.
The funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday at
Kimes Funeral Home, 521 Fifth St.,
Parkersburg. Pastor Nathan Copen will
officiate and burial will follow at Sunset
Memory Gardens. The visitation will be from 4-
8 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Ruha Rice, known by family and friends as
Ginny, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010 at
her home. She was born in Allens Creek, W.Va.
on Aug. 17, 1930, to Ivan and Lessie
Higgenbottom Carney.
She attended school in Sissonsville. She moved
to Parkersburg in the late '40s to care for an
older sister. She was employed as a waitress
at Broughtons in downtown Parkersburg. It was
here that she met and married Gene Rice.
Together, they raised four children and became
involved in school activities as well as
active members in the South Parkersburg
Baptist Church and later at the Grace Brethren
Church. Children of all ages were her life's
work and passion. Whether it be her own family
or friends and neighbors, she could always be
counted on for support, a friendly hug and a
smile. She was preceded in death by her
parents; brothers, Wink, Delmar and Duke; and
her sisters, Thelma and Lillian. In her later
years she remained especially close to her
brother Frank and talked often.
Her husband of 53 years, Gene, passed away in
2003. She will be missed and remembered by her
four children, Rebecca Varner Leep of Belpre,
Terrie Trent (Smitty) of Coral Gables, Fla.,
her son and caregiver, Leonard Jr., known as
Speedy, and her youngest Tamara Breeden
(Jason) of Parkersburg. She was blessed with
very dear grandchildren as well as their wives
and husbands, and lastly by ten great-
grandchildren.
Viewing for family and friends will be 5-8
p.m. Friday at Kimes Funeral Home, 521 5th
St., Parkersburg.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the
funeral home. Burial will follow in Evergreen
South Cemetery with Dr. Bill Thomas presiding.
A special thank you is extended by the family
to their mother's special caregivers, to Dr.
Loretta Auvil, her lifelong friend and
physician, to Marietta Memorial Hospital staff
and finally to Cathy with Amedisys Hospice
Services.
Mary Geneva Cobb
Vienna, WV
Mary Geneva Cobb, 95, of Pleasant View Towers,
Vienna, passed away Nov. 29, 2010 at Camden-
Clark Memorial Hospital. She was born Aug. 24,
1915 in Roane County, a daughter of the late
Clyde and Della Whited Godbey.
Geneva was a member of Faith Baptist Church,
and she was a foster grandmother at Martin
School. She enjoyed doing ceramics, playing
dominoes and playing cards. She played in the
kitchen band at Pleasant View Towers.
Surviving are three sons, Donald Cobb and Bill
Cobb, both of Denver, Colo., and David (Debra)
Cobb of Venice, Calif.; one daughter, Sharon
(Joe) Wilson of Parkersburg; nine
grandchildren, Melinda Cobb, Eugene Cobb,
Myron Cobb, Lesa Bowley, Dwain Underwood, Lori
Zimmerman, Jeff Cobb, Julie Moran and Jason
Lochary; 13 great-grandchildren; and four
great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by her husband, William Cobb; a son,
Dail Cobb; and a daughter, Eloise Underwood.
The family would like to extend their thanks
and appreciation to Dr. John Beane, Dr. Nik
Shah and the nurses and staff of 5 North at
Camden-Clark Hospital.
Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday
at Kimes Funeral Home, 521 5th St.,
Parkersburg. Pastor Jim Yoak and Evangelist
Hillary Underwood will officiate. Visitation
is 1-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Opal Leota Webb
Parkersburg, WV
Opal Leota Webb, 95, of Parkersburg, passed
away Nov. 29, 2010 at her home.
She was born Sept. 28, 1915 at Reedsville,
Ohio, a daughter of the late Warren C. and
Edna Rose Blake Randolph. Opal was a member of
the St. Paul's United Methodist Church. She
had been an employee of American Viscose and
always attended the Viscose annual picnics.
She worked in food service in various
locations and schools around the area having
first started with Whimpy's Hamburgers in
1937. She was also a member of the Order of
Eastern Star, Parkersburg Chapter 14.
Surviving is her son, John R. (Senta) Webb of
Parkersburg; daughter, Patricia R. (Kenneth)
Malchiodi of North Charleston, S.C.; six
grandchildren, Laura Flowers, Amy Sellers,
Bobby Malchiodi, Douglas Webb, Cynthia Welch
and Senta Provost; 16 great-grandchildren; and
four great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by her husband, John Douglas Webb;
three brothers, Harold R., Clifford "Peck" and
Warren C. Randolph; and three sisters, Lena
Wigal, Helen Stewart and Eloise Lawhon.
Funeral services will be conducted 1 p.m.
Thursday at Kimes Funeral Home, 521 5th St.,
Parkersburg. Pastor Jim Kelly will officiate
and burial will follow at Evergreen North
Cemetery. Visitation is 4-8 p.m. today.
Memorial donations may be sent to the North
Parkersburg Kiwanis Foundation, P.O. Box 4211,
Parkersburg WV 26104.
