Published: January 04, 2008 08:37 pm      

Saturday, January 05, 2008

Deaths

• Susie Payne, 89, of North Tazewell, Va., died Friday, Jan. 4, 2008 at Princeton Community Hospital. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Peery & St.Clair Funeral Home of Tazewell, Va.

• Rebecca A. Walls, 67, of Blue Dove Lane (Lake Bottom), Rock, died Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, at her residence. Arrangements are incomplete at Memorial Funeral Directory & Cremation Center on the Athens Road in Princeton.



Obituaries

Thomas William “Tommy” Blankenship

PRINCETON — Thomas William “Tommy” Blankenship, 47, passed away Friday, December 28, 2007 at the Princeton Community Hospital.

Born August 18, 1960 in Bridgeport, Conn. to the late William Boyd “Bill” Blankenship and Jeannette Keating Blankenship of Princeton. Tommy served in the U.S. Army and had been employed at the Blankenship and Sons sawmill.

Tommy was preceded in death by his father, William, whom he loved dearly.

Survivors: Mother, Jeannette Blankenship; sisters “His Protector”, Laura and husband Don Bowles of Cheesy Creek, Beth Nowlin and companion John Phillips of Bluefield; “Younger” brother, Stephen Blankenship of Princeton; wife, Suzette Blankenship of Bluefield; six nieces and nephews, Christopher Bowles, Kenneth Bowles, Donald Bowles, Rebecca and husband Charlie McFadden, Kayla Blankenship and Ryan Blankenship; one great-niece, Taylor Bowles; four great-nephews, Jordan Bowles, Patrick Bowles, Dakota McFadden and Matthew Bowles. He was loved by all including aunts: Lucille B. Maye and Lorraine Peterson both of Connecticut; uncles, cousins, friends and extended family.

Memorial Services will be held today (Saturday), January 5, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. from the Burns Wornal Chapel of the Memorial Funeral Directory on the Athens Road in Princeton with Pastor Ginger Neely officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to services today (Saturday) at the funeral home.

Family and friends may share messages of love and condolences via www.memorialfd.com

The Blankenship family is being served by the Memorial Funeral Directory & Cremation Center on the Athens Road in Princeton.

Joe A. Cooper

YUKON — Joe A. Cooper, 83, of Yukon, died early Thursday morning, January 3, 2008 at his residence following a long illness.

Mr. Cooper was born January 8, 1924, in Jolo, a son of the late Dave and Martha Horn Cooper, and was a former coal miner.

In addition to his parents, his wife, Lucy Baker Cooper; two sisters, Nancy Rowe and Linda Christian and one brother, Alvis Cooper preceded him in death.

Survivors include his nine children, Sherman Cooper and wife Lilly of Stafford, Va., Shirley Woody, Maxie Burch, Thurman Cooper and wife Eleanor all of Yukon, Ermel Boyce and husband Sid of St. Albans, Josie Woody and husband Donald of Bartley, Ernie Cooper and wife Drema of Cucumber, Jean Cooper and wife Jennifer of War, and Troy Cooper of Yukon; one sister, Armanda Varney of Kentucky; one brother, Harvey Cooper of Smith Ridge, Va.; a special friend, Virgie Bateman of Yukon; 24 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted Monday, January 7, 2008 at 11 o’clock with the Reverend Clarence Herron officiating at the Flatwoods Church of Christ on Compton Mountain, Va. Burial will follow in the Davis and Mullins Cemetery on Compton Mountain. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.

Friends may call at the Chapel of Fanning Funeral Home in War today (Saturday), January 5, 2008, from 6 to 9 p.m. and again Sunday evening, January 6, 2008 at the Flatwoods Church of Christ on Compton Mountain after 4 o’clock.

Arrangements by Fanning Funeral Home in Iaeger.

To leave personal condolences online, visit www.legacy.com

Theodoris Sharon Patterson

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. — Theodoris Sharon (formerly Waterford) Patterson, aka “Ms. Teddy”, born November 5, 1947 at Switchback, fell asleep in the arms of her Lord and Savior on December 27, 2007.

Ms. Patterson had moved from Chicago, Ill., to Sierra Vista, Ariz., in 2006. Ms. Patterson attended Bluefield State College and was a graduate of Elkhorn High School. She was the owner of a successful business (“Exquisite Nails by Teddy”) in Chicago, Ill., for many years prior to health problems. Ms. Patterson has encouraged several people to give their lives to Jesus Christ and to become Christian achievers.

Those of Ms. Patterson's family who fell asleep in the arms of Jesus prior to her included her parents, Sidney and Lizzie Patterson; brothers, William (Reon), Paul and Sidney (Jr.) Patterson; sisters, Gertrude P. Marshall, Clementine P. (Joe) Johnson, Geraldine Patterson, Samentha P. (John Henry) Spencer and Elaine P. Bane; and a dear brother-in-law, Bobby Harper.

Family that remains to celebrate and cherish this life are: Daughter, Nya S. Waterford; sons, Dedrick (Sheba) and Jean-Paul Waterford; grandsons, J.P. and D.J. Waterford; granddaughters, Kiarra and Anya Waterford; sisters, Princecine P. Harper and Lathronea P. Gresham; special sisters-in-law, Annie Patterson and Mabel Hyde; special brothers-in-law, Joe Marshall, Sidney Bane Jr., and John Gresham; many nieces, nephews, cousins, her Pastors and Church Family in Sierra Vista, Ariz.; also several friends in Chicago, Ill., and Sierra Vista.

A Homegoing Celebration will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, January 6, 2008, at the George W. Seaver Chapel of Seaver Funeral Home in Princeton with Minister Jacalyn McCalop and Minister Joan Spencer officiating. Burial will follow in Restlawn Memorial Gardens in Littlesburg. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 10:00 a.m.. until the service hour Sunday.

Seaver Funeral Home in Princeton is serving the Patterson family.

Helen L. Pettrey

PRINCETON — Helen L. Pettrey, 73, of Princeton, died Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at Charleston Area Medical Center. Born September 7, 1934 at McComas, she was the daughter of the late William Grat Browning and Ethel Myra Dills Browning.

Mrs. Pettrey was a homemaker and a member of the Lord Jesus Tabernacle in Bluefield. She was a loving mother and was always happy and smiling.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel C. “Pedie” Pettrey; three brothers, Walter Browning, Johnny Browning and Roy Browning; and five sisters, Mary Ellen Dingus, Hazel Schultz, Lucille Ramos, Lillian Boothe and Aliene Browning.

Survivors include one son, Larry Pettrey of Princeton; two daughters, Debra Thompson and her husband Chris of Athens and Sandy Lucas of Princeton; two brothers, W.G. “Willis” Browning and his wife Nilene of Spanishburg and Junior Browning and his wife Dottie of Mechanicsville, Va.; one sister, Irene Riffe and her husband Everett of Logan; 10 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 6, 2008 at the Rowland H. Bailey Funeral Chapel of the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton with the Rev. Ralph Decker officiating. Interment will follow at the Pettrey Cemetery at Pettrey. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Princeton Health Care Center, 315 Courthouse Rd., Princeton, WV 24740.

Friends may call today from 6-8 p.m. at the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton. To send the family online condolences, please visit www.bailey-kirk.com.

Shelby Wilson

OCEANA — Shelby Wilson, 71, departed this life, Tuesday, January 1, 2008, at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio following a long illness.

Shelby was born Sept. 7, 1936 in Sophia to Fred and Ada Godfrey Brewer.

Shelby graduated from Concord College with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and earned Masters Degrees from COGS and West Virginia University. She was employed by the Wyoming County Board of Education for over 40 years. She is fondly remembered by her former students and fellow teachers as a devoted educator with a love of reading that she instilled in many children. From 1989 to 2000 she served as Assistant Director of the Title I Program and Parent Involvement Coordinator for the Wyoming County School System. Under her leadership, the Parent Involvement Program was very successful and received many commendations from the State of West Virginia.

Shelby was an active member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, and organization for outstanding women educators. She was first initiated into Xi Chapter, Raleigh County, in 1975. As chairman of Xi Chapter’s expansion committee, she helped organize the Alpha Theta Chapter, Wyoming County, in 1978. She became a charter member by transfer, served on several committees and was elected chapter president for 1994 to 1996.

Shelby was very active in the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority International and was active member of several chapter levels. She also maintained several friendships with her classmates from Sophia High School and enjoyed meeting with them regularly.

She was an avid WVU Mountaineer football and basketball fan and rarely missed a game.

She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, teacher and friend with a wonderful sense of humor. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband, David Carter Wilson of Oceana; a son, David C. Wilson Jr. and his wife, Kristie of Charlotte, N.C.; a daughter, Betty Holt and her husband, Jim of Glade Springs; a sister, Virginia Black of Wake Forest, N.C.; three grandchildren, Jay Holt, Katie Holt and Michael Holt all of Glade Springs; several nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

A celebration of Shelby's life will be 1:00 p.m. Sunday, January 6, 2008, at Adam Toler Memorial Chapel with Rev. Jim Hamrick officiating. Shelby will be laid to rest in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.

Casketbearers will be family and friends.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday (today), January 5, 2008, at Adam Toler Memorial Chapel.

Guest book, at adamtolermemorialfuneralhome.com

Services entrusted to Adam Toler Memorial Funeral Home, Oceana.

To leave personal condolences online, visit www.legacy.com



Funerals

Funerals scheduled today include:

• Anne Carroll Bailey: 11 a.m., Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Princeton. Burial will follow in Resthaven Park Cemetery, Princeton.

• William Douglas Barger: 2 p.m., memorial services at George W. Seaver Chapel of Seaver Funeral Home in Princeton. Burial will follow in Oakwood Park Cemetery.

• Lewis Eugene “Gene” Campbell: 1 p.m., Broyles-Shrewsbury Chapel of Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home in Peterstown. Burial will follow at Peterstown Cemetery.

• Victoria Amnesia “Amelia” Del Signore: 10 a.m., graveside and interment services at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery in Bluewell.

• James Scott Herndon: 4 p.m., Forest Hills Chapel of Farris Funeral Service in Abingdon, Va.

• Kenneth Hiatt: 2 p.m., Fanning Funeral Home Chapel in Welch. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park, Bluewell.

• Howard E. “Bo Peep” Mitchell: 2 p.m., Calvary Baptist Church in Taylorsville, N.C. Burial will be in Catawba Memorial Park.

• Clyde K. Perkins: 11 a.m., Fanning Funeral Home Chapel in Welch. Burial will follow in England Cemetery, Hensley.

• Billy Howell (Bill) Rasnake: 11 a.m., Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff, Va. Burial will follow in Greenhills Memory Gardens, Claypool Hill, Va.

• James Marvin Rogers: 1 p.m., Cravens-Shires Funeral Home Chapel in Bluewell. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park, Bluewell.

• Marie S. Sanders: 2 p.m., graveside service at Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Princeton.

• Ralph E. “Gene” Shupe Jr.: 2 p.m., memorial service at Mercer Funeral Home Chapel in Bluefield.

• Robert Franklin “Pooh-Eye” Smith: 11 a.m., Mercer Funeral Home Chapel in Bluefield. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Princeton.

• Edna C. Terry: 11 a.m., interment at Oakvale Cemetery in Oakvale.

• Mrs. Peggy Joyce Hinkle Wilson: 2 p.m., Chapel Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Anniston, Ala. Burial will follow at Anniston Memorial Gardens.