KILSYTH - Charles Lee Bennett Jr., 68, died Sunday, Feb. 6, 2000, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness.
Born April 9, 1932, at Pemberton, he was the son of Hattie Williams Bennett of Kilsyth and the late Charles Lee Bennett Sr.
Mr. Bennett was of the Protestant faith and was a disabled Army veteran, having served during the Korean conflict.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Lewis Bennett.
Other survivors include three sons, Charles Lee Bennett, Steven Bennett and Larry Bennett, all of the Pax area; five brothers, Tracy Bennett of Columbus, Ohio, Marvin Bennett of Bladensburg, Md., Frank Bennett of Columbus, Ohio, Robert Bennett of Glen Burnie, Md., and Danny Bennett of Eccles; and two sisters, Deloris Shrewsbury of Cool Ridge and Carol Varney of Prosperity.
Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope, with the Rev. Bill Bennett officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Military graveside rites will be conducted by Post 3110 of Oak Hill.
Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Pallbearers will be Joe Criss, Gary Pack, Wayne Daniels, Tom Almond, Brian Bennett, David McMillion and Billy Joe Johnson.
Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope.
Lewis Bennett
MAZOMAINE, Wis. - Lewis "Lew" Bennett, 58, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000, at his home surrounded by his family, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Born May 16, 1941, at Mill Creek, he was the son of Hattie Williams Bennett of Kilsyth and the late Charles Lee Bennett Sr.
Mr. Lewis retired in 1997 after 31 years of service as a member of the Madison Police Department. He enjoyed traveling, camping and most of all spending time with his family.
Other survivors include his wife, Mary Jane Langeland Bennett; three children, Daniel of Sun Prairie, Kristin McArdle and her husband, Michael, of Madison, and Erik at home; six brothers, Charles of Mount Hope, Tracy of Columbus, Ohio, Marvin and his wife, Riva, of Bladensburg, Md., Franklin and his wife, Diane, of Columbus, Ohio, Robert and his wife, Barbara, of Glen Burnie, Md., and Danny and his wife, Cynthia, of Eccles; two sisters, Deloris Shrewsbury and her husband, Darel, of Cool Ridge, and Carol Varney of Prosperity; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services were Wednesday, Feb. 2, at Midvale Lutheran Church, 4329 Tokay Blvd. Burial followed in Forest Hill cemetery.
Friends called 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road.
In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy may be made to HospiceCare, Inc., 2802 Coho St., No. 100, Madison, WI 53713.
Arrangements by Cress Funeral Home, Madison, Wis.
This information was submitted by Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope.
Jess W. Blankenship
ALPOCA - Jess W. Blankenship, 82, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, in a Beckley care center following a long illness.
Born May 2, 1917, at Rhodell, he was the son of the late George Nelson and Victoria Graham Blankenship.
Mr. Blankenship was a 27-year resident of Alpoca and had been a member of the Mullens Church of God since he was 16 years old.
He was a U.S. Army veteran, with four years as staff sergeant.
He was employed by Slab Fork Coal Co. and was a delivery driver for Service Drycleaning.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Vernie R. Blankenship, on Jan. 8, 2000; three sisters, Etta Onks, Grace Lusk, and Letha Reed; and four brothers, Herbert, George, Fred and Carl Blankenship.
Survivors include a sister, Irene Lusk of Lashmeet.
Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Mullens Church of God on Black Eagle Road, with the Rev. J.L. Riffe officiating. Burial will follow in Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Princeton.
Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the church and one hour before the services Wednesday at the church.
Pallbearers will be friends and nephews.
Arrangements by Tankersley Funeral Home, Mullens.
Hortense Collawn
OAK HILL - Miss Hortense Collawn died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, in the Hidden Valley Health Care Center, Oak Hill, following a long illness.
Born in Michigan, Fayette County, she was the daughter of the late Harvey A. and Margaret Hall Collawn.
Miss Collawn had lived all her life in Fayette County and was retired from the Fayette County Board of Education. She taught English and was a guidance counselor for Oak Hill High School and Collins High School from 1935 to 1973. She received a B.A. from Berea College and an M.A. from West Virginia University.
She was a member of the Oak Hill Baptist Church, Hylbert Stickler Circle, Oak Hill Order of the Eastern Star No. 105, West Virginia Association of Retired School Employees and Fayette County Association of Retired School Employees and the Oak Hill Civic League.
Survivors include a niece, Frances C. Rickard of Glastonbury, Conn.; a nephew, Thomas H. Collawn of Charlotte, N.C.; and 11 grandnieces and grandnephews.
There will be no visitation.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill, with the Rev. James Patton officiating. The cremains will be interred at Jeannette cemetery, Lookout.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations of sympathy to be made to the charity of your choice.
Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill.
Terry L. Combs
CLARKSBURG - Terry L. Combs, 37, formerly of Oceana, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, at his home following a short illness.
Arrangements by Evans and Evans Funeral Directors, Oceana.
Jesse Daniels
MCGRAWS - Jesse Daniels, 55, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000, in a Beckley hospital following a short illness.
Arrangements by Evans and Evans Funeral Directors, Oceana.
Thelma E. Frye
OAK HILL - Thelma Evelyn Frye, 91, of 133 Baker Drive, died Sunday, Feb. 6, 2000, in a Beckley hospital.
Born March 6, 1908, at Wingrove, she was the daughter of the late Eldon Jones and Virginia Weeise.
Mrs. Frye was a member of the Oak Hill Baptist Church, the Eastern Star, Pythians Sisters, White Shrine and was worthy matron of Eastern Star.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Frye.
Survivors include three children, Connie L. Scott of Orlean, Va., Mary J. Mounts of Akron, Ohio, and Billy W. Frye of Oak Hill; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and a sister, Rena Keaton of Shady Spring.
Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at High Lawn Funeral Home Chapel, Oak Hill, with the Rev. C.W. Jack Barker officiating. Burial will follow in High Lawn Memorial Park.
Friends may call 10:30 a.m. until time of the services Wednesday at the funeral home.
Arrangements by High Lawn Funeral Home, Oak Hill.
Alma Ayers Gentry
MAPLEWOOD - Alma Louise Ayers Gentry, 79, returned home to be with her Lord on Friday, Feb. 4, 2000.
Born Nov. 8, 1920, at Layland, she was the daughter of the late Beury Albert and Trecie Margaretta Fitzpatrick Ayers.
She was a homemaker and a lifetime resident of Maplewood.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cletis E. Gentry; three sisters, Louella Bika, Isabelle Berry and Lorene "Shorty" Taylor; and a brother, Clarence Ayers.
Survivors include two daughters, Linda H. Gentry of Maplewood and Brenda McDaniel of Piney View; three sons, Jim Gentry of Sierra Vista, Ariz., Roger Ayers of Layland and Franklin Ayers of Maplewood; a sister, Patricia Mays of Raleigh; a brother, Beury "Bunk" Ayers Jr. of Danese; 19 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
Services were 1 p.m. Monday at the Maplewood United Methodist Church of Maplewood with the Revs. Daniel Legg and Allen Whitt officiating. Burial followed in the Anderson cemetery at Maplewood.
Friends called 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home Chapel in Rainelle.
Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle.
Merlin H. Greene
ITMANN - Merlin H. Greene, 76, died Saturday, Feb. 5, 2000, at his home following a long illness.
Born Dec. 21, 1923, at Itmann, he was the son of the late Huey and Rebecca Jane Pendry Blankenship Greene.
Mr. Greene was a retired chief diesel mechanic from Consolidated Coal Co.
He was a member of the Itmann United Methodist Church, where he had taught the Adult Sunday School Class for 22 years. He was also a lay speaker for the Methodist Church.
Mr. Greene was a lifelong resident of Wyoming County and was a member of the Mullens Masonic Lodge No. 151.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah E. Greene, on March 3, 1999; five half brothers, Henry, Jess, Morgan, Hile and Dave Blankenship; and six sisters, Lois, Dana, Gay, Issie, Essie and Ireldia.
Survivors include a daughter, Merlina Dare Greene of Itmann; two grandsons, Dewayne Dur-ham of Flat Top and Gene Durham and his wife, Tish, of Beckley; great-grandchildren, Morgan and Taylor Durham and Sebastian, Christopher, Nicholas and Sean Durham; a special friend, Jean Stone of Tazewell, Va.; a brother, Paul Greene of Fairdale; a sister, Dicie Woods of Baltimore, Md.; six brothers-in-law, Wilson Cook and his wife, Claudia, of Jesse, Ronald C. Cook and his wife, Carolyn, of Oceana, Thomas L. Cook and his wife, Jeannie, of Jesse, Coy Ray Cook and his wife, Betty, of Jesse, Larry V. Cook and his wife, Barbara, of Pineville, and Charles W. Cook of Jesse; and two sisters-in-law, Virginia Sue Cook Reed of Jesse and Peggy J. Casteel of Rockview.
Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Itmann United Methodist Church with the Revs. Lewis Arnold and Ralph D. Reedy officiating. Entombment will follow in Palm Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Matheny.
Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the church. Graveside Masonic services will be conducted by the Mullens Masonic Lodge No. 151.
Pallbearers will be members of the Mullens Masonic Lodge.
Arrangements by Evans and Evans Funeral Directors, Oceana.
