Billie Claire Rappold, 78, of Hurricane died April 12, 2004, at the home of her daughter following a long illness.
She was born June 23, 1925 to the late Ira C. and May Wolfe White . She grew up in Culloden, graduated from Milton High School in 1942 at the age of 16, and lived the majority of her life as a resident of Hurricane. She retired from the City of Hurricane in 1991, and was a member of the Main Street Church of Christ, Hurricane.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Donald B. Rappold, sister, Arguerite Handley, and brother, Glen White .
Surviving: son, Stephen Rappold and his wife, Lorraine, of Hurricane; daughter, Deborah Stricklin and her husband, Ray, of Hurricane; brothers, Ira C. “Clifford” White of Culloden and Robert “Bob” White of Denton, Texas ; sisters, Emma Hall of Huntington, Donna “Rose” Forsythe of Temple Hills, Maryland, Phyllis “Chilk” Sabree of Huntington, and Pauline “Pooch” Sunderland of Hurricane; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren.
Service was held Thursday, April 15, 2004, at Main Street Church of Christ with Ministers Doug Minton and George Erwin officiating. Burial was in Valley View Memorial Park, Hurricane. Allen Funeral Home, Hurricane, was in charge of arrangements.
Special thanks to Hospice of Kanawha Valley, her nurse, Karen Grove, and Shawn O'Brien, who always brought a ray of sunshine.
Sharon Snyder
Sharon Snyder, 65, of Hurricane died April 13, 2004.
Service was held Friday, April 16, 2004 at the family Cemetery, Hurricane. Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, was in charge of arrangements.
Robert Lee Gibson
Robert Lee Gibson, 64, of Culloden died April 12 2004, at home.
He was a retired truck driver for 36 years and was employed with UPS for the last 15 years. He was a 32-year member of Teamsters Local 135, Charleston, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, a member of Putnam Masonic Lodge No. 139 A.F. & A.M., Hurricane, Charleston Scottish Rite Bodies and Beni Kedem Shrine. He was a 32-year resident of Culloden.
Surviving: wife, Rebecca Jane Parker Bison; daughter, Kelly Jo Gibson Carroll and husband, Shawn, of Culloden; son, John Robert Gibson and wife, Kathy, of Scott Depot; mother, Vessie Webb Gibson of Friendswood, Texas ; sister, Martha Ann Mills of Friendswood; brother, Willie Joe Gibson of Village Mills, Texas ; granddaughter, Chelsea Jo Carroll of Culloden; grandsons, Michael Shawn Carroll of Culloden, John Travis Gibson of Scott Depot, and Cody Michael Gibson of Scott Depot; several nieces and nephews.
Graveside service was held Friday, April 16, 2003, at Valley View Memorial Park, Hurricane, with military rites conducted by Bennie Padilla VFW Post 4768, Alum Creek, and Masonic Rites conducted by Putnam Masonic Lodge No. 139 A.F. & A.M. The Rev. Lawrence Dailey officiated the service. Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley, was in charge of arrangements.
Special thanks from the family to Dr. James Akins, Alice Conway and Kanawha Hospice Care and a host of friends for their special care.
Memorial donations may be made to Shriners Crippled Children's Hospital or Shriners Children's Hospital Burn Unit, c/o Beni Kedem Shriners, PO Box 2589, Charleston WV 25329, or Kanawha Hospice Care, Inc., 1143 Dunbar Avenue, Dunbar WV 25064.
Oshel O. Blevins
Oshel O. Blevins, 78, of Buffalo died April 15, 2004, in Putnam General Hospital.
Surviving: son, Timothy Blevins, at home; daughters, Gail Howard of St. Albans and Sarah MacLean of Muncie, Indiana; special friend, Vickie Vassar of Nitro; sister, Margie Parsons of Red House; mother of his children, Judy Blevins of Muncie, Indiana; grandchildren, Jennifer, Toni and Bobbi; great-granddaughter, Krystal.
Service was held Sunday, April 18, 2004, at Gatens Funeral Home Chapel, Poca, with Paul Arthur officiating. Burial was in Grandview Cemetery, Red House.
Melva D. Robinson
Melva Dell Robinson, 88, of Scott Depot died April 16, 2004, in St. Mary's Medical Center, Huntington.
She was a member of St. Andrew United Methodist Church, St. Albans.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sylvanus and Alice McCartney, a great-grandchild, Evan Starghill, sisters, Opal Roberts, Dessel Stump, Ella Wilson, Fanny Jo Stump, Tink Mahaney, Mabe Mahaney, Myrtha Morris, and Kits Engle, brothers, Heldon, Mack and Loren.
Surviving: husband, Leroy Robinson; daughter, Alice Ann VanPelt and her husband, Ben; son, Edward Lee Robinson and his wife, Jeanette, of Charleston; sisters, Marb Smith of Grantsville, Myrtle Roberts, Mary Bowe, both of Stumptown, and Parge Kent and her husband, Richard of Virginia; brothers, Sull McCartney of Glenville, Hunter Pell McCartney and wife, Betty of Morgantown, Donald McCartney and wife, Ann, of Stumptown; grandchildren, David Scott VanPelt and wife, Cookie, Gregory Aaron VanPelt, Brooke Nicole Robinson-Starghill and husband, Eric, and Summer Beth Robinson; great-grandchildren, Chad Cecil, Shana Cecil Pratte, Troy VanPelt, Alissa VanPelt, and Michael VanPelt; great-great-grandchild, Conor Pratte.
Service was held Sunday, April 18, 2004, at St. Andrew United Methodist Church with the Rev. Loretta Isaiah officiating. Burial was in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes. Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley, was in charge of arrangements.
Cecil D. Cash Sr.
Cecil D. Cash Sr., 85, of Poca died Thursday, April 15, 2004, at home after an extended illness.
Born September 14, 1918 in St. Albans, he was the son of the late James Jefferson and Fannie Catherine Harper Cash.
He was a former employee of Ohio Apex, Monsanto and FMC. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of the American Legion. He was an avid outdoorsman before becoming homebound by his illness.
Surviving: his wife of 56 years, Ruby Mae Westfall Cash; children, Carolyn Hess and Sandra Kay Myers, both of Erie, Pennsylvania , Mary and Dale Means of Nitro, Linda and Hubert Sutphin of Winfield, Diane and Andy Kent of Nitro, Cecil “Dale” Cash Jr. and Robin of St. Albans, Cathy and Danny Lewis of Poca, James and Missy Cash of Poca; sister, Virginia of St. Albans; 22 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren.
Service was held Monday, April 19, 2004, at Gatens Funeral Home Chapel, Poca, with Dr. Boyd Purcell officiating. Burial was in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes.
Special thanks to Geraldine Wilfong, loving caregiver and family friend.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to Alzheimer's Association, Kanawha County Special Olympics or Kanawha Hospice Care.
John W. Estes Sr.
John W. “Jay” Estes Sr., 63, of Hurricane died April 15, 2004, in Putnam General Hospital.
He was born January 23, 1941, a son of the later Homer Lee and Ruby Wyant Estes. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Bob and Gordon Estes.
He was a lifelong resident of Putnam County and was an electrician by trade, owning and operating Estes Electric. He and his father built many of the homes in the Putnam County area.
Surviving: wife, Peggy Young Estes; sons, John Mark Estes and wife, Lisa, of Hurricane, and Randy Lee Estes of Ona; grandchildren, Morgan and Jarrett Estes.
Service was held Sunday, April 18, 2004, at Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley, with the Rev. Charles V. Williams officiating. Burial was in Mount Vernon Cemetery, Hurricane.
Arnold O. O'Dell
Arnold O. O'Dell, 91, of Hurricane died Thursday, April 15, 2004, at home.
He was born October 23, 1912 at Laurel Creek to the late Vernon O'Dell and Ella Myers. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Georgia Workman O'Dell in 1999.
He was retired from Union Carbide's Institute Plant and was a member of Dunbar Church of the Nazarene.
Surviving: daughters, Mary Dixon of Charleston, Ruth Rose of Washington , North Carolina, and Dolores Stollings of Hurricane; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren.
Service was held Monday, April 19, 2004, at Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar, with the Rev. Philip Bowles officiating. Burial was in Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans.
Eula Bessie Koontz
Eula Bessie Koontz, 86, of Hurricane died April 17, 2004, at Beverly Health Care Center, Glasgow, after a long illness.
She was born September 15, 1917 in Hurricane, a daughter of the late James Howard and Hulda Alice Meadows Kinder. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Robert Herman Koontz, brother, William P. Kinder, and grandson, Kenneth Russell Bird Jr.
She was a lifelong resident of Hurricane and a member of the Hurricane Church of Christ.
Surviving: daughter, Eloise O. Bird and her husband, Kenneth Russell Bird, of Hurricane; sister, Alice Collins of Coal Grove, Ohio; brother, Henry Benton Kinder of Hurricane; grandchildren, Diana Toley and her companion, Jay Boggess of Eleanor, Vicki Young and her husband, Steve, of Eleanor, Lisa King and her husband, Tony, of Red House, Kevin Bird and his wife, Brenda, of Scott Depot; 10 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchild.
Service was held Chapman Funeral Home, Teays Valley, with Minister George Erwin officiating. Burial was in Valley View Memorial Park, Hurricane.
Freda Gail Curry
Freda Gail Curry, 61, of West Hamlin, wife of Michael Curry, died Saturday, April 17, 2004, at home. She was born April 13, 1943, in Huntington, a daughter of the late Aubrey and Virginia Tackett Stutler. She was a teacher's aide for 30 years at Ona Elementary. Also surviving are a daughter and son-in-law. Angela Andrew Footo of Barboursville; a granddaughter, Kristen Footo of Barboursville; two sisters, Louise Chapman of Ona, and Dorothy McCallister of Ashland; and one brother, Larry Stutler of West Hamlin. Funeral services were held 2 pm Monday. April 19, 2004, at Henson Mortuary, with the Rev Eugene officiating; burial in Forest Memorial Park, Milton. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.timeformemory.com/ henson.
Della Mildred Woodard Gibson Luker
Della Mildred Woodard Gibson Luker, 58, of Huntington passed away in Cabell Huntington Hospital on Tuesday, April 13, 2004. She was born on March 8, 1946, in Cabell County and was the daughter of the late M. Eugene and Clarissia Davis Woodard. She was a former Cabell County school bus driver. She is survived by her children, Clarissa Gibson and her friend Dana Bailey of Huntington, Virginia and Patrick Harvey of Ona, Clyde Gibson Jr. of West Rockhill, Pa., T. Eugene Gibson of Crown City, Ohio, and one stepdaughter, Donna Baker of Greenwood, Ind. Also surviving are her sisters, Mary Fowler of Florida, Verna and Jack Childress of Prestonsburg, Ky., Helen Linville of Huntington and Phyllis and Willard Collins of Point Pleasant, and her brother, Wayne and Ann Woodard of Florida. She was preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law, L. Earl and Joann Woodard. Also surviving are her grandchildren Stephen, Caleb, Clyde III, Dillon, Britany, Tiffany, Thomas, Zachary, Dakota, Chelcy and Winsten, along with a host of family and friends. Services were held Saturday, April 17, 2004, at Henson Mortuary with Rev. Kim Stone officiating. Burial in Arthur Cemetery, Ona.
Roscoe Clark
Roscoe Clark, 85, of Huntington passed away Wednesday, April 14, 2004. Funeral services were conducted Friday, April 16, 2004, at the Wallace Home & Chapel by Rev. Craig Coster. Burial in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. He was born June 1, 1918, in Lincoln County, a son of the late Noah and Tilda Clark. He was a veteran of WWII serving in the U.S. Army. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lelia Ledford Clark; three sons, Billy Joe Clark, Jimmy Dale Clark, and Michael Allen Clark, all of Huntington; one sister, Vangeline Clay of Laredo, W.Va.; one brother, Sesco Clark of Barboursville; two special granddaughters whom he raised, Stacy and Carl Clark; 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Jake Merritt
Jake Merritt, 81, of Lesage, W.Va., passed away Monday, April 12, 2004, in St. Mary's Medical Center. Funeral services were conducted Thursday, April 15, 2004, at Chapman's Mortuary, Huntington, with Pastor Bob Hale officiating. Burial in Greenbottom Memorial Park. He was born March 4, 1923, in Cabell County, W.Va., a son of the late Harry and Carrie Jeffers Merritt. He was also preceded in death by a son, Jimmy Dale Merritt; his first wife, Doris Nottingtham Merritt; and two brothers, Casey Merritt and Asie Merritt. He worked as a greens keeper at Riviera Country Club. Survivors include his wife, Connie Dolin Merritt; three daughters and a son-in-law, Carrie Merritt at home, Doris and Mike Dolin of Glenwood, W.Va., and Melissa Arnold of Huntington; two sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Vickie Merritt of Huntington and Roger and Phyllis Merritt of Barboursville, W.Va.; a brother and sister-in-law, Junior and Annetta Merritt of Lesage; six grandchildren, Timmy Merritt, Cathy Moffett, Joanna Merritt, Vanessa Hale, Owen Arnold, and Bobby Caldwell; seven great-grandchildren; and a stepgrandson, Derrick Adams.
Mona Lea “Peg” Carson
Mona Lea “Peg” Carson, 77, of Glenwood, widow of Herbert William “Bill” Carson, died Monday, April 12, 2004, in St. Mary's Medical Center after a short illness. Funeral service were conducted Thursday, April 15, 2004, at Heck Funeral Home, Milton, with the Rev. Lee Kendrick officiating. Burial in Union Ridge Cemetery, Glenwood. She was retired from Green Acres Regional Center. She was a lifelong member of Sunrise United Methodist Church. She was born Feb. 1, 1927, in Cabell County W.Va., a daughter of the late Arbie and Lillian Bryan Gebhardt. She is survived by three daughters, Dawn Delene Price and husband, Wally of Huntington, Aynessa Taylor and husband, Jim of Winfield, W.Va., and Ms. Lyndall “Lynn” Carson Lowry of Atlanta, Ga.; two grandsons, Jeremy Foster and wife, Kristi of Bossier City, La., and Chris Wooten and wife, Laureen of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; four great-grandchildren, Kyle and Ethan Foster and Cole and Olivia Wooten; and two very special and dear people in her life, Doris and Mike Dolin. She loved her neighbors and community, spent most of her life sewing, quilting and dairy farming; and watching and feeding the wild animals and birds that came to her back porch daily. She loved her children and family without question or reserve - as her children loved her.
Thurman L. Harshbarger Sr.
Thurman L. Harshbarger Sr., 82, of Ironton, Ohio, passed away Monday, April 12, 2004. The Logan, WV native, was born June 3, 1921, the son of the late Homer Harshbarger & Nellie Nicholas Harshbarger. Mr. Harshbarger was a retired engineer for C&O Railroad, and attended Milton, WV schools and lived in Lawrence County, Ohio since 1943. He is survived by his wife, Geneva Pauline Johnson Harshbarger, whom he married in 1956. He is also survived by three sons and a daughter-in-law, T.L. Harshbarger Jr. of Ironton, Ohio, Homer Benton Harshbarger of Carthage, Tx., and Jackie Lee & Beverly Harshbarger of Sarasota, Florida; one step-son, Michael and his wife, Dora Willis of Richmond, Ky.; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Pamela S. & David Lambert of Ironton, OH, Paula Louise Harshbarger of Boyton Beach, Fla., Carol Ann & Jim Thompson of Burlington, Ohio; a brother, Billy Harshbarger of Redkey, Ind.; a sister, Edna Morrison of Wilmington, Ohio; 11 grandchildren; and many great grandchildren. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a sister, Imogene Sandstone and a brother, Homer Harshbarger. Funeral services were conducted Thursday, April 15, 2004 at Phillips Funeral Home, Ironton, Ohio, with Rev. Glen Carmon officiating. Burial in Highland Memorial Gardens in South Point, Ohio. Please make contributions to the American Heart Association, 1544 Winchester Ave., Suite 805, Ashland, Ky. 41101.
