Merle H. “Kewpie” Smith, 84, of Sophia, passed away Friday, Dec. 16, 2005, at Appalachian Regional Hospital after a short illness.
Born Aug. 13, 1921, at Sophia, she was the daughter of the late Elgie Howard Ballard and Edith Mae Gadd Ballard.
Mrs. Smith was a longtime member of Sophia United Methodist Church.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Woodrow “Woodie” Smith; two sisters, Frances Ballard Blackburn and Mona Ballard Hatfield; and a brother, Elbert “Cotton” Ballard.
Survivors include two sons, David B. Smith, and his wife Atholene, of Matthews, N.C., and Dwight D. Smith and wife, Becky Callaway, of Daniels; grandchildren, Ashly D. Smith of Chicago, Ill., and Mark L. Bennett and his wife, Debbie, of Gastonia, N.C.; great-grandchildren, Samantha, Jerry, Joshua and Sarah; a sister, Drema Carol Ballard Sutton of Front Royal, Va., and her husband, John; two brothers, Lannie Ballard and his wife, Loretta, of Natural Bridge, Va., and Larry Ballard and wife, Kathy, of Falls Church Va.; and many loving nieces and nephews.
Service will be 3 p.m. today at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 147 Virginia St., Sophia, with the Rev. Mike Ludle officiating. Visitation begins at 2 p.m.
Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Sophia United Methodist Church.
Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia, is serving the family.
Theresa Kay Walker
OCEANA — Theresa Kay Walker, 45, of Oceana, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2005.
Service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Oceana Freewill Baptist Church. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco.
Arrangements by Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco.
Ora ‘Blakie’ Bean
Ora “Blakie” Bean, 87, went home to be with Our Lord on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005.
Born July 21, 1918, at Basin, she was the daughter of the late George W. and Laura Alice Shrewsberry.
Mrs. Bean was a member of the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church at Basin. She had resided at nursing homes during the last five years. She was a homemaker, and a midwife in the birth of many nieces and nephews, loved quilting, and arts and crafts.
Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 30 years, Robert Bean Jr.; her three sisters, Mabel Meadows, Thelma Goan, and Loma Thompson; three brothers, Gallard Shrewsberry, Covie Shrewsberry, and Bernard Shrewsberry.
She is survived by two sisters, Esther Shrewsberry Taylor of MacArthur and Irene Shrewsberry Hartley and husband, Benny Hartley of Crab Orchard. Although she had no children, she will be sadly missed by numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.
Services will be 3 p.m. Tuesday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley. Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.
Friends may gather with the family one hour prior to the services Tuesday at the funeral home.
Donations of sympathy may be made to the Gideon Bible Memorial Program c/o A.K. Walker, 517 Orchard Ave., Beckley, and the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 102454 Atlanta, GA 30368-2454, in her memory.
Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, is serving the family.
Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, is serving the family.
Sylvia L. Cline
Sylvia L. Cline, age 77, of Daniels, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005, at her home following a short illness.
Born at Killarney, on Oct. 9, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Bill and Flora Byrd Street.
She was a homemaker, a member of the Cool Ridge Freewill Baptist Church. She was a member of the T.O.P.S. Beaver Chapter.
Mrs. Cline was preceded in death by three infant siblings and two grandsons, Larry Head and Scottie Honaker IV.
Surviving are her husband of 57 years, Calvin Cline; a son, Calvin “Danny” Cline of Wytheville, Va.; three daughters, Bonnie Head and husband, Butch, of Glen Burnie, Md., Cathy Barrier and husband, Rocky, of Marion, N.C., Barbie Honaker and husband, Scott, of Damascus, Va.; a brother, Sonny Street and wife, Nina, of Forest Hill, Md.; a sister, Nona Mooney and husband, John, of Baltimore, Md.; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home Shady Spring Chapel with the Rev. David Brooks and the Rev. George Speck officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.
Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Family members will serve as pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Southern WV, P.O. Box 1472, Beckley, WV 25802, in memory of Mrs. Cline.
Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Shady Spring.
Charles Joseph ‘Joe’ Corkrean, Jr.
Charles Joseph “Joe” Corkrean Jr., 76, of Lanark (153 Tinnian Ave., Beckley), died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005, at his home following a sudden illness.
There will be no service or visitation.
Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley.
Harry Finlinson
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Harry Finlinson, 100, formerly of Richwood, went to be with Lord on Friday, Dec. 16, 2005, in Virginia Beach General, Va., after a short illness.
He was a resident of Richwood, for 96 years; he was a self-employed plumber, was a World War II Navy veteran, attended First United Methodist Church, Richwood.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bessie Finlinson, and four siblings.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Randy Hinkle of Virginia Beach, Va.; a stepson, Cecil Robinson of Virginia Beach, Va.; two grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood, with the Rev. Gene Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Richwood cemetery.
Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Arrangements by Simons-Coleman Funeral Home, Richwood.
Benjamin B. Fort
LEWISBURG — Benjamin B. Fort, 86, formerly of Rochester, Ind., died Friday, Dec. 16, 2005.
A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Monday at Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg. The family will receive friends two hours prior to the service today.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Benjamin B. Fort Scholarship Fund, c/o of The Greenbrier Community College Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1360, Lewisburg, WV 24901.
Arrangements by Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home, Lewisburg.
Lena M. Grose
Lena M. Grose, age 84, of Beckley, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Jimmy Adamos of Beckley, after a long illness.
Service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Summersville Baptist Family Life Center. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Waters Funeral Chapel, Summersville.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to: The American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1115, Dunbar, WV 25064.
Arrangements by Waters Funeral Chapel, Summersville.
Fred Lee Law
Fred Lee Law, 88, of Peterstown, passed away Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005, at Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital, Pearisburg, Va.
Born March 26, 1917, at Loverne, W.Va., he was the eldest son of the late Robert and Rachel Ryan Law.
Mr. Law finished his education in Monroe County and went to work at Celanese Fibers. He attended Concord College for two years, majoring in business administration.
Fred served with pride during World War II, being stationed for most of his Army career on the remote Ascension Islands in the South Atlantic. After the war, he returned to work at the Celanese in acetone recovery. He retired in 1984 after 44 years of service. He was a devoted member of the Peterstown Missionary Baptist Church where he served as usher for many years. Since 2002 Fred had been a resident of Springfield Center in Lindside.
Remaining to remember Fred fondly are a son, Dean Law and wife, Cheryl, and granddaughter, Bethany, of Ona; a daughter, Jean Bottorf and husband, Skip, of Peterstown; a sister, Mildred Keaton of Jumping Branch; a brother, Charles Law and wife, Sandra, of Cashmere, W.Va.; a sister-in-law, Ervil Law of Peterstown; 10 nieces and nephews; and six remaining first cousins of 15.
Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Peterstown Baptist Church with the Rev. Jonathan Jennings officiating. Burial will follow in Birchlawn Burial Park, Pearisburg, Va.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, Peterstown, and at the church one hour prior to the services.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Peterstown Missionary Baptist Church Building Fund.
Arrangements by Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, Peterstown.
Dr. James F. Mann Jr.
LEWISBURG — Dr. James F. Mann Jr., 82, passed away Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005, at home.
Dr. Mann was born Dec. 29, 1922, at Renick and was the son of the late J. Forrest Mann Sr. and Cline Christie Mann.
Dr. Mann was a Doctor of Veterinarian Medicine for 55 years from which he retired in 2004. He was WV Veterinarian of the Year in 1990, WV State Board of Veterinary Examiners, was Past President of the WV Veterinary Medical Association, was a member of the (A.V.M.A.) American Veterinary Medical Association, was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, was Director of the American Hampshire Sheep Association, was a life member of the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association, was a member of the American Association of Sheep and Goat Practitioners, was Past President of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association, was a Committee member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and was a member of the WV Sheep Association. He raised and exhibited purebred Hampshire Sheep for over 50 years, raised standard Bred Horses, traveled with Prime Timers Group both nationally and internationally. He was an avid Ohio State University Sports Fan, his favorite colors being scarlet and gray. Veterinary Medicine was his favorite hobby, and passion in life and was proud that his niece, Lynn Beard, daughter, Mary Ann, and son, Bob, followed his footsteps to become Veterinarians. The West Virginia State Fair was a particular passion — he could be seen from dawn until fireworks on any given day and donated his Veterinary services for many years prior to and after becoming a director. His hobbies included his family, Barbershop singing, Bridge Club and Christmas. He was a graduate of Renick High School, WV Tech, and graduated from the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 1949. He was not hampered by a WV Tech football injury which left him disabled with an artificial leg. He particularly enjoyed large animal calls where he could use his lasso. He was a member of the Lewisburg United Methodist Church, Church Chancel Choir, the Men of Greenbrier Barbershop Quartet, Lewisburg Rotary Club where he was the current longest sustaining member, was President of Maplegrove Water Association, was a member of Lewisburg Elks Club, was Director and Treasurer of the State Fair of West Virginia for 25 years and was currently director Emeritus. He was a 4-H All Stars, served on the WV 4-H Foundation Board, the 4-H Judging Team, the Greenbrier Valley Chorale, was FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer, was a member of the Alpha Psi Fraternity, was a member of the Greenbrier County Farm Bureau, and was a Paul Harris Fellow.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Julia Y. Mann; a daughter, Dr. Mary Ann Mann of Lewisburg; a son, Dr. Robert S. Mann and wife, Pamela, of Covington, Va.; a sister, Mary Christie Zinn of Bethesda, Md.; a brother, Samuel B. Mann of Lewisburg; numerous nieces and nephews, many friends, former clients and patients.
Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Lewisburg United Methodist Church with Dr. Joe Kenaston, Dr. Harold T. Elmore and the Rev. Liz Yost.
Graveside rites will be 3 p.m. Wednesday at Rosewood cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home in Lewisburg.
The family invites you to contribute to any of Jim’s Favorite Charities which include the Lewisburg United Methodist Church, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Greenbrier Valley Hospice, the WV Veterinary Medical Foundation, or please contribute by donating blood at the next blood mobile in your area.
Arrangements by Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home, Lewisburg.
