Alfred Charles Branham, 74, of South Charleston passed away Friday, March 12, 2010, at home, surrounded by his family.He was a retired truck driver and member of Teamsters and United Mine Workers of America. He was a member and served as an usher at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Nell Branham.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Flo; daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and Jay Marino; son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Tina Branham; son, Greg Branham; grandchildren, Nichole Sweeney, Charles Marino, Cara Branham, Jeffrey Shane Branham, Scott Edward Branham and Emily Branham; and great-grandchildren, Sophia and Coleson Sweeney and Shane and Jacob Branham.
Service will be 1 p.m. Monday, March 15, at Hopewell Baptist Church, located at junction of 119 South and Brounland Road, South Charleston, with Pastors Dwight McClure and James Parsons officiating. Burial will be in Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston.
Friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the church.
The family would like to thank the nurses and staff of the David Lee Cancer Center for their kindness and caring friendship. A special thanks is extended to Dr. Ahmed Khalid.
Arrangements are in the care of Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek.
Mary Louise Buck, 62, of Buffalo passed away on Saturday, March 13, 2010, at the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House in Huntington, surrounded by her family. A 1965 graduate of Buffalo High School, she was employed as a cook by the Putnam County Board of Education.Born June 30, 1947, she was the daughter of the late Oscar “Jink” Holley and the late Myrtle Mash Holley. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by sisters, Pauline Stotler, Garnett Withrow, Ruth Mallett, and Peggy Marcum; and brothers, Homer Holley, James Holley, David Holley, and Tom Holley.
She is survived by her daughters, Kelly (Ronald) Voltin of Bridgewater, Va., and Julie (William) Martin of Buffalo; a brother, Howard Holley of Buffalo; a sister, Pat Buck of Buffalo; a grandson, Cody Voltin; and several loving nieces and nephews.
Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at Raynes Funeral Home in Buffalo with Pastor Sidney Warner officiating. Burial will follow in the Buffalo Memorial Park, Buffalo.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2010, at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be sent to the Buck family and the online guestbook signed by visiting www.raynesfuneralhome.com.
Raynes Funeral Home, 2117 Buffalo Road, Buffalo, is in charge of arrangements.
Thelma “Jean” Craddock, 73, of Hewett, Boone County, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at Hubbard Hospice House, Charleston.Born April 4, 1936, at Missouri Fork of Hewett, she was the daughter of the late Cebert and Gaynell Hager Ellis.
Jean was a faithful member of Meadow Fork Freewill Baptist Church.
Mrs. Craddock was also preceded in death by her loving husband, Jucal Craddock; three brothers, Kenneth, Ivan, and Joey Ellis; and three sisters, Joann Craddock, Edith Spencer, and Becky Hintz.
Survivors include two sons, David (Tina) Craddock of Lake, and Dennis (Donna) Craddock of Hewett; one daughter, Beverly "Bunny" (Ralph) Caudill of Ottawa; one brother, Averal Ellis of Hewett; one sister, Sally MaCrae of Chicago; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
The family would like to send a special thanks to Teddy Craddock and the staff at Hubbard Hospice House.
Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14, at Meadow Fork Freewill Baptist Church with Gary Tomblin and Ralph Caudill officiating. Burial will follow in Epling Cemetery, Hewett.
Visitation will be two hours prior to services.
Collins Funeral Home, Switzer, is in charge of the arrangements.
He was born April 5, 1941, in South Carolina to the late Ammie and Alice Elliott. He was preceded in death by grandson, Michael Anthony; brother, Thomas; and sister, Mammie Smith.
He is survived by wife, Betty Elliott; daughter, Alice Faye and son-in-law, Larry Jones of Georgia; sons, Charles Michael and daughter-in-law, Roberta, of Frametown, Michael Reed and daughter-in-law, Shannon, of Gassaway, Joshua Thomas and daughter-in-law, Kathy, of Florida, and Jacob Ryan and daughter-in-law, Andrea, of Charleston.
He was grandfather to Tiffany Michelle, DottieJo Alice and James Ammie. Beloved great-grandchildren included Hailey, Anthony, Liliana, Zozie, Jaden and Andrew.
He is also survived by brothers, Marion Smith and sister-in-law, Sandy, of Sutton and James “Jimmy” Lamb and sister-in-law, Jane, of Georgia and Luther Elliott of Georgia; and sister, Sarah Payton of Georgia.
Charles was a heavy equipment operator and a member of the New Life Chapel Church. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, observing wildlife and riding ATVs.
A memorial service will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 3, at Richard M. Roach Funeral Home, Gassaway, with Pastor Harold “Shorty” Greenlief officiating.
Friends may call two hours prior to the memorial service at the funeral home.
Benton S. Erskine, 49, of Charleston passed away Thursday, March 11, 2010.He was the owner of Mountain State Athletics.
He was preceded in death by his father, James; and his most beloved maternal grandmother, Beatrice Lorentz.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon; mother, Josie of Atlanta, Ga.; children, Brittany of Charleston and Taylor and Thomas at home; and two sisters, Megan and Lorie Erskine, both of Atlanta, Ga.
Benton loved his children very much and enjoyed coaching Taylor and Thomas on their various soccer teams, as well as being team manager for the WV Chaos.
Funeral service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, March 15, 2010, at Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston, with Pastor Mark Jarrell officiating. Friends may call two hours prior to the service at the funeral home on Monday.
In lieu of flowers, a fund benefiting the Erskine family has been established. Gifts may be sent to Sacred Heart Grade School, 1035 Quarrier Street, Charleston, WV 25301, with checks made payable to the school, with a notation on the memo line to the Erskine family fund.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com.
Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston, has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Dr. Jo Ann Evansgardner, born in Latrobe, Pa., on April 19, 1925, died at Forbes Hospice on February 16, 2010.An ardent feminist, civil rights defender and environmentalist, she was among the founders of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), the Association of Women in Psychology and the National Women's Political Caucus. Dr. Evansgardner received her Ph.D. in psychology in 1965 from the University of Pittsburgh. She and her husband, Dr. Gerald Gardner, a mathematician and geophysicist, were both college professors. They were partners in life and activism for 59 years.
With her husband and other members of Pittsburgh NOW, Dr. Evansgardner co-founded KNOW, a feminist press in Pittsburgh, with the slogan, "Freedom of the press belongs to those who own the press." Together, they were instrumental in the suit filed by Pittsburgh NOW against the Pittsburgh Press about sex-segregated want ads, which they won in the U.S. Supreme Court, changing newspaper practices nationwide. She and her husband also helped organize The Hazelwood Initiative, which successfully stopped a proposed coke plant.
Dr. Evansgardner had many special talents - organizing protest marches, unsparingly confronting those whom she felt abused their power, and quietly assisting less fortunate persons with a place to stay or a loan that might never be repaid. She may be best remembered for her prodding and loving mentoring of young activists, including family members, many of whom she assisted in filing discrimination complaints, becoming professionals in non-traditional fields, and running for and gaining election to political offices.
In addition to her husband, who died July 25, 2009, Dr. Evansgardner was predeceased by her father, Eugene Everly Evans; her mother, Elizabeth Atkinson Evans; her brother, Eugene Van Buren Evans; her sister, Eleanor Fleischauer; and her sister, Barbara Evans Crawford, all of Pittsburgh; and her nephew, Mark Fleischauer of Indianapolis, Ind.
She is survived by seven nieces and nephews, Max Fleischauer, Los Angeles, Calif., Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer, Morgantown, Nancy Fleischauer, Martinez, Calif., Deborah Evans Crawford, Clinton, Pa., Victoria A. Evans-Crawford, Asheville, N.C., Kathy Evans-Palmisano, North Hills, Pa., and Gail Evans-Potter, Forest Hills, Pa.; her sister-in-law, Betty Evans of Forest Hills, Pa.; and numerous grandnephews and grandnieces.
Many community and activist friends visited and cared for JoAnn and Gerry during their final illnesses and the family is particularly grateful for the devotion shown by four special friends, Phyllis Wetherby, Dr. Alison Budd, Jim McCue and Sam Strati.
A memorial service for Dr. Gardner and Dr. Evansgardner is planned for a later date at the Evans family farm in Morgantown.
Donations may be made to Pennsylvania NOW, the Hazlewood Initiative or the Feminist Majority.
He was born in Monroe, W.Va., on May 15, 1933, and had formerly lived in Quincy, W.Va.
Survivors include his daughters, Sandra Huffman of Charleston, Delores Sandy of Clarksburg, and Wanilla Priddy of Elyria, Ohio; six grandchildren; brothers, Charles Farren and James Farren; and sister, Ruby Leadman, all of Charleston.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda Mae; parents, Raymond L. Farren Sr. and Edna D. Farren; brother, Jackie Farren; and sister, Evelyn Higginbothom.
At Mr. Farren's request, cremation has taken place and a graveside service will be held at a later date in Marmet, W.Va.
Arrangements are being handled by Wyers Funeral Chapel of Sheffield Township, Ohio.
Mrs. Phyllis J. Godbey, 68, of Cross Lanes passed away March 13, 2010, at home.Mrs. Godbey was retired from the Kanawha County Board of Education.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rule G. Godbey; and sister, Lorene Smail.
She is survived by her sons, Mark A. and Richard D. Godbey, both of Cross Lanes; sisters, Aidrus Pritt and Linda Bailey, both of Cross Lanes; four grandchildren, Chris, Michelle, Brittny and Justin; and two great-grandchildren, Jesse and David.
A tribute to the life of Mrs. Phyllis J. Godbey will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at Gatens-Harding Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Jeff Arthur officiating. Entombment will follow in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.hardingfamilygroup.com.
Gatens-Harding Funeral Home, 147 Main St., Poca, is serving the Godbey family.
Carrie Hall, beloved mother of Ronald Chandler, Hewlett Hall Jr., Charlene Hall, Reuben Hall, Tawaniki Hall, and Joyce Berry, died March 10, 2010.She was a follower of Christ and will be missed by all.
Viewing will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, March 15, at Strowder's Funeral Home, 822 E 105th St., Cleveland, Ohio.
Funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 16, at First Baptist Church, 3630 Fairmount Blvd., Shaker Hts., Ohio. The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m.
Margaret Rita Hallinan, 88, of Williamsville, N.Y., died Friday in Canterbury Woods Care Center, Williamsville, after a short illness.Born on December 28, 1921, in Lackawanna, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Martin and Mary Holmes Hallinan, formerly of counties Mayo and Sligo, Ireland. She graduated from D'Youville College in 1943 with a bachelor's degree in microbiology. She was a laboratory and medical technologist in private industry and the federal Veterans Administration. After retiring, she enjoyed golfing, dancing and daily attendance at Mass at St. Gregory the Great parish in Williamsville.
She is survived by her brother, Joseph W. Hallinan of Lackawanna, N.Y.; nieces and nephews, Jacqueline A. Hallinan of Charleston; Martin Hallinan, Michael Hallinan, and Mary Alice Hallinan Dietz, all of Orchard Park, N.Y., Joseph B. Hallinan and Kevin Hallinan, both of Lackawanna, N.Y., Mary Patricia Hallinan Mason of Salisbury, N.C., Linda K. Hallinan of Frederick, Md., Maureen Hallinan Martin of Coral Springs, Fla.; and cousins, Marion Lavigne of Williamsville, N.Y., and Mary Hanley of Buffalo, N.Y.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Lackawanna, N.Y. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Gannon Funeral Home, 1075 Ridge Road, Lackawanna, N.Y.
David Lee Hardman Sr., of Charlotte, N.C., went to be with the Lord on March 12, 2010, at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House after a gallant battle with multiple-system atrophy Parkinson's disease.David was born on August 27, 1941, in Charleston. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Rufus Hardman; his brother, Don Hardman; and sister, Deloris Goff.
David was a retired master electrician with IBEW Local 466 with 38 years of service. He loved to travel and spend time with his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed working on building and woodworking projects and his handiwork is visible in all his children's homes, as well as his own home. He was a Baptist, a graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School with the class of 1959, and also served four years with the US Marine Corps. He was loved and will be missed by many.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Beverly Dunbar Hardman; daughter, Natalie Bohnert and her husband, Jim; son, David Hardman Jr. and his wife, Xinia; daughter, Christa Sudipo and her husband, Ketut; and his grandchildren, the joys of his life, Vincent and Brandon Bohnert and Mateo and Kimora Sudipo.
A celebration of his life will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, March 15, at Tyler Mountain Funeral Home and Memory Gardens, 5233 Rocky Fork Road, Cross Lanes. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, South Charleston.
Visitation with the family will be from 4 to 7p.m. Sunday at Tyler Mountain Funeral Home and Memory Gardens.
You may express online condolences at tylermountainfuneralhome.com.
Ernest was a road dispatcher for Smith Transfer Trucking Company for 34 years.
He served in the Army Air Corps, was a volunteer for Kanawha Valley Senior Services for a number of years and was of the Protestant faith.
Ernest was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and will be sadly missed by all.
He is survived by his sons, Ray Henson and his wife, Joanne, of South Charleston, JC Henson and his wife, Linda, of St. Albans and Ernest Jr. Henson and his wife, Charlotte, of Tornado; daughter, Beverly Craft and Tim Burker of St. Albans; grandchildren, Ray Jr., Andrew, Adam, Jamie, Timmy, Mike, Ian, Bethany and Cierra; and great-grandchildren, Cody Craft and Lillian Mae Henson.
A celebration of Ernest's life will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston.
You may send condolences to the family at www.barlowbonsall.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Barlow-Bonsall Funeral Home, Charleston.
Ira Layton, 88, of Malden passed away Friday, March 12, 2010, at Faith Works Assisted Living in St. Albans.Ira was born in Charleston on October 18, 1921, to the late James and Rose Smith Layton. He was a retired conductor for Conrail with 30 years of service and an Army veteran.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Ruth Layton; four sisters; and three brothers.
He is survived by his daughters, Connie (Clark) Dilley and Debra (Keith) Glen, all of Hurricane; son, Dennis (Sue) Layton of St. Albans; sister, Naomi Burke of Virginia; grandchildren, Stephanie Thaxton, Jaime Barnette and DR Layton; and great-grandchild, Lindsay Thaxton.
Funeral service will be held Monday, March 15, 2009, at 1 p.m. at Cunningham Memorial Park Upper Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. David Sneed officiating. Entombment will be in the Memorial Park.
Family and friends may call one hour prior to the service on Monday at the Mausoleum Chapel.
The family would like to send a special thanks to Faith Works Assisted Living for their love and care given to their father.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making a donation to a charity of your choice.
The online guestbook for Mr. Layton may be accessed at www.stevensandgrass.com.
Stevens & Grass Funeral Home, Malden, is in charge of arrangements.
Mabel Lynn Rastle, 72, of Charleston passed away on Thursday, March 11, 2010, at her daughter's residence.She enjoyed traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Mabel was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Preston Shaffer and Syble Lafold Shamblin; her husband, Charles H. Rastle; and son, Charles H. Rastle Jr.
Surviving: daughters, Syble Ann Rastle of Charleston and Ronda Kay Rastle of Pinch; special friend, adopted daughter and caregiver, Cel Stribling; brothers, Norman Shaffer, Charles Preston Shaffer Jr. and Herbert Ray Shaffer; sisters, Ella McGraw and Helen Fay Shaffer; and a grandchild, Shane Haymond Rastle.
Service will be 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14, at the Hafer Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Dana Clay officiating. Burial will follow in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes.
Friends may call one hour prior to the service on Sunday.
Online condolences may be sent at www.haferfuneralhome.net.
Hafer Funeral Home, Elkview, is in charge of the arrangements.
He was born July 2, 1920, the son of the late Grace Sawyers.
He was an Army veteran of World War II, a retired coal miner and a member of the Little Otter United Methodist Church.
Denzil is survived by his sons, John Sawyers of Gassaway and Tom Friend and wife Cindy of Chapel; daughter, Velma Friend Seal and husband Bernard of Exchange; several grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.
Service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 16, at Richard M. Roach Funeral Home, Gassaway, with the Rev. George Hamrick officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Chapel.
Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Rose Marie Kinder Smith, 79, went home to be with the Lord on March 12, 2010, at Dunbar Care and Rehabilitation after a long illness.She was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Scolish; and son, Larry P. Kinder.
Surviving are her daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Jim Smith and Vickie and Brian Hastings, all of South Charleston; daughter-in-law, Judy Kinder of Sissonville; granddaughters, Shelley Williams, Jaime Smith and Kellie Hastings; grandsons, Roger Campbell, Bradley Campbell and Matthew Hastings; and great-grandson, Brady Williams.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar, with Pastors David and Jeane Chrest officiating. Burial will follow in Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston.
Friends may call at Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar, one hour prior to the service on Monday.
The family wishes to express many thanks to the employees of Dunbar Care and Rehabilitation for their care and compassion during her illness.
With his very last ounce of energy, Gerald L. “Jerry” Whittington, 75, of St. Albans fought a courageous battle with lung cancer, only to succumb on Thursday, March 11, 2010, surrounded by his family, in Thomas Memorial Hospital.He was born June 19, 1934, in Buffalo. He moved to Columbus, Ohio, after graduation in 1952. He worked at Lustreware Plastics for 27 years as a machine operator. He played banjo with several local bluegrass groups, rubbing elbows and playing with some of the biggest name stars, including his idol, Earl Scruggs, from whom he had personally bought his banjo in 1957. He was an avid crossword puzzler, as well as a writer of poems, short stories and songs. He and his band even had a # 1 record on the charts in the middle 1960s. He was a Mr. Fix-it and a real jack-of-all-trades. He moved back to West Virginia in 1985 and worked 13 years for the city of Dunbar before retiring. After a short while, he came out of retirement to work as a security guard for Tri-State Gaming Center, looking after his beloved puppies and making friends with the deer, until he became too ill to work in November, 2009. He was a wonderful husband, son, brother, poppaw and friend, but of all his accomplishments, being a dad was his best.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Florence Whittington of Buffalo; one brother and five sisters; a son-in-law, Ed Taylor; and his “sweetie,” Peaches.
Survivors include his wife, Karen Toppins Whittington of St. Albans; children, Jeani Whittington-Leighton and husband, Bob, of Nitro, Earl Whittington and Marlene Fisher of St. Albans, Diane Whittington-Santamaria and husband, José of Nitro, Shelly Douglass and fiancé, Matt Ellis and Stephanie Lemley and fiancé, Adam Hudson, of Cross Lanes; brother, Bob Whittington of Apache Junction, Ariz.; sisters, Ada Cain and Macel Jividen of Eleanor and Reba Phillips of Nitro; 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; former wife, Violet Whittington; and his special “little buddy,” Kipper.
Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14, at Raynes Funeral Home, Buffalo, with the Rev. Wayne Burch officiating. Burial will follow in the Whittington family cemetery, Buffalo.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
The family would also like to acknowledge the wonderful care given to him by his doctors, Dr. Sheth, Dr. Shah, and Dr. Kayi, and the ICU nursing staff at Thomas Memorial Hospital.
Online condolences may be sent to the Whittington family and the online guestbook signed by visiting www.raynesfuneralhome.com.
Raynes Funeral Home, 2117 Buffalo Road, Buffalo, is in charge of arrangements.
Mike Eugene Whittington, 89, of Cleveland, Ohio, formerly of South Charleston, W.Va., passed away March 10, 2010.He was the son of the late Michael W. and Ora E. Whittington.
Mike was retired from Union Carbide. He was a World War II veteran with the U.S. Navy, where he was a gunner on the ship.
Mike is survived by his wife, Deloris Whittington; his daughters, Sandra K. Marker of Sod, W.Va., and Sherri Cielma of Cleveland, Ohio; brother, Jack Whittington of Teays Valley, W.Va.; sister, Virginia Barnett of Deerborn, Mich.; and many grandchildren.
A funeral service memorial will be held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, Grafton, Ohio, on March 20, 2010.
ATOM