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Franklin D. Conley, 72, of Chloe, died Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009 at Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston.
He was a son of the late Earl and Mattie Conley. He was a Christian and a member of Minnora United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Dorma Conley; two brothers, Earl Conley Jr. of Orma and Shirley Conley of Chloe; a grandson and two great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Duane Conley; four brothers; four sisters; and a granddaughter.
Service was Sunday at Minnora Cemetery with Rev. Tim Hickman officiating. Stump Funeral Home, Arnoldsburg, was in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to Minnora United Methodist Church.
Betty Louise Roberts Davis, 82, of Spencer, died Monday, Dec. 28, 2009 at Roane General Hospital.
She was born in Spencer, a daughter of the late Burl and Flaurel Lupardus Roberts Garred. She was a 1945 graduate of Spencer High School and a 1947 graduate of the Cadet Nursing School at Morris Harvey College, Charleston. Her interests included attending church, farming, interior decorating, dolls and reading.
She is survived by two sisters, Burldena Epling of Spencer and Barbara Seaman of Tucson, Ariz.; several nieces, including Katherine Seaman Keen, with whom she made her home, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William E. Davis; and her stepfather, Owen “Pete” Garred II.
Service is today (Thursday) at 1 p.m. at Taylor-Vandale Funeral Home, with Rev. James Epling officiating. Burial will be in Eventide Cemetery. Visitation is one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Oleta M. Dye, 90, of Spencer, died Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009 at her home.
She was born in Calhoun County, a daughter of the late Wattie A. and Bertha Frederick Burrows. She was a retired employee of Spencer State Hospital with 20 years of service. She was a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church of Spencer and a member of the Rebecca Lodge of Spencer, where she served as chaplain and was a past Worthy Grand Matron.
She is survived by two sons, Robert Dye of Bridgeport and Richard Dye of Cairo; four daughters, Melba Starcher and Karen Nichols, both of Spencer, Phyllis Deel of Washington and Patricia Starcher of Parkersburg; a brother, Myrul Burrows of Cochranton, Pa.; two sisters, Juanita Hefler of Parkersburg and Reva Hanshaw of Hinton; 14 grandchildren, including her caregiver, Margie Starcher, 23 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Dale Dye; five brothers, Thurl, Burl, Clifford, Gerald and Earl; and three sisters, Virginia, Geneva and Leota.
Service was Tuesday at Stump Funeral Home, Arnoldsburg, with Rev. Barry Miller officiating. Burial was in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Grantsville.
Mayford Lee Kelley, 83, of Spencer, died Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009 at Roane General Hospital.
He was a retired employee of Kellwood Company and a farmer. He was a Methodist and a Navy veteran.
He is survived by a son, Luke F. Kelley of Spencer; a daughter, Doris Darlene Workman of Spencer; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris Jean Kelley; and a grandson.
There was no visitation. Burial will be in Eventide Cemetery. John H. Taylor Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
William W. “Bill” Murray, 80, of Spencer, formerly of Philadelphia, died Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009 at Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston.
He was born in Philadelphia, a son of the late Vance and Inez Murray. He served in the U.S. Army in Korea and later attended Penn State University, where he worked toward a horticultural degree. He retired as an examiner from the U.S. Postal Service, where he served as clerk and provided civil service examinations. He was a Master Gardener and a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Spencer. His interests included horticulture, landscaping and hiking in the woods near his home.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Dawson Murray; three sons, Lynn Blanchard Murray of Philadelphia, Michael Jason Murray of Spencer and David Ellis Murray of Charleston; a sister, Mabel Miles of Spencer; two brothers, Clifton Murray of Delaware and Vance “Sonny” Murray Jr. of Spencer; and two granddaughters.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Charles and Melvin Murray; and two sisters, Elaine and Doris.
There is no visitation and the service will take place later. Taylor-Vandale Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Hurshal A. Nida, 91, of Walton, died Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009 at Roane General Hospital.
He was a son of the late Lewis and Hattie Ann White Nida. He was retired from Chemical Tanklines after 38 years of service. He attended Walton Union Church and was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
He is survived by his wife, Levina Young Nida; a daughter, Carolyn McCroskey of Walton; a son, Richard Nida of Martins Ferry, Ohio; seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Hattie Ann Nida; and two sons, Paul and Lewis Nida.
Service, with graveside military rites, was Tuesday at Curtis Cemetery on Vineyard Ridge, with Rev. Jerry Board officiating.
Teresa J. Orosco, 56, of Davisville, died Monday, Dec. 28, 2009 at her home.
She was born in Spencer, a daughter of the late Edward A. “Ted” and Elmajean Y. Phillips Miller. She was a graduate of Mountain State College and was a Pentecostal. She retired from the Bureau of Public Debt in 2008, after 36 years of service. Her interests included gardening, growing flowers and spending time with her co-workers.
She is survived by a daughter, Carmelita Y. Orosco of Parkersburg; a sister, Carmen Reynolds of Spencer; a brother, Alan Miller of Clarksburg; and a granddaughter.
Service is today (Thursday) at 2 p.m. at Vaughan Funeral Home, Parkersburg. Burial will be in Parkersburg Memorial Gardens. Friends may call at the funeral home from noon until time of service. Online condolences may be made at vaughanfh.com. Contributions to defray funeral expenses are being accepted.
Betty L. Perry, 80, of Spencer, died Friday, Dec. 25, 2009 at Roane General Hospital.
She was born in Kentucky, a daughter of the late Lemuel Francis and Georgie Starcher Anderson. She was a retired nurse’s aid and a Christian.
She is survived by four children, David Boggs of Phoenix, Wanda Boggs of Spencer, Chester Lee Boggs of Buena Park, Calif., and Kay Anderson of Ripley; a brother, Lemuel Anderson Jr. of Tampa, Fla.; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Walter Lee Perry.
There is no visitation. Burial will be in Liberty Hill Cemetery, Leatherbark. John H. Taylor Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Orva Mary Foster Short, 95, of Elyria, Ohio, died Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 at Center Ridge Nursing Home in North Ridgeville, Ohio.
She was born in Spencer, a daughter of the late Francis Clay and Dorcas Bartlett Foster. She retired from the accounts payable division of Sears. She attended Grace Baptist Church in Brunswick, Ohio.
She is survived by four children, Mary Lou Pursley Withrow and Donald Eugene, both of Florida, Hershel Short and Allen Short of Cleveland; a sister, Evelyn Stutler of Spencer; 13 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Harley Short; two children, Ray Short and Carol Evans; four brothers, Frank, Eugene, Harley and James; and two sisters, Jessie West and Gladys Chowning.
Service was Dec. 4 at Waite and Son Funeral Home, Brunswick Chapel, Brunswick, with two grandsons, Rev. David Short and Rev. Scott Pursley, officiating. Burial was in East Lawn Memory Gardens, Brunswick. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 525 N. Broad St., Canfield OH 44406.
Don D. Starcher, 71, of Walton, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009.
He was born in Spencer, a son of the late Stafford and Della Mae Nichols Starcher. He was a 1958 graduate of Walton High School. He retired from the Roane County School system after 23 years of service. He worked at Spencer Newspapers for 21 years and for Carl Smith and Eureka Pipelines. His interests included sports, the outdoors, hunting with family and friends, ATV riding and watching the Roane Raiders and Walton Tigers.
He was recently recognized in the first Roane County High School Sports Hall of Fame for volunteer work on County Stadium. He was a former chief of Walton Volunteer Fire Department and past president of the Walton Civic Club. He was active with Walton High School Athletic Boosters and Walton Middle School Athletic Boosters. He was instrumental in building the Walton Alumni field house and Walton Fire Department.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Leona Faye Paxton Starcher; daughter, Cathy Parsons and son, Roger, both of Walton; a brother, Kenny of Spencer; three sisters, Betty Buchanan of Akron, Ohio, Wanda Whited of St. Albans and Ruth Gandee of Nitro; and three grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Stafford Jr., Joseph Guy and Eugene; and a sister, Chlora Mae.
Service will be 11 a.m., Friday at Taylor-Vandale Funeral Home, with Rev. Jerry Board officiating. Burial will be in Droddy-Canterbury Cemetery, Walton. Visitation is today (Thursday) from 6-9 p.m.
Victor D. Starcher, 90, of Roane County, died Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009 at his home.
He was born in Spencer, a son of the late Andrew and Reta Sturms Starcher. He was a tool dresser and driller in the oil fields and a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II.
He is survived by his nephew, H. Doyle Starcher of Spencer.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Starcher; and three brothers, Denver, Earline and Doyle Starcher.
Burial was in Eventide Cemetery. Taylor-Vandale Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Carl Sherman Thomas, 88, of Charleston, died Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009 at Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston.
He was born in Monongalia County, a son of the late Lindsay Sherman and Kizziah “Kizzie” Jane Watson Thomas. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree in agricultural education at West Virginia University. He taught vocational agriculture and shop in high schools, including Spencer High School, where he taught 17 years.
While at Spencer High, he led the Future Farmers of America chapter to many state and national honors and guided students to become state and national FFA officers. He earned national recognition for being “Teacher of Teachers.” He went to the W.Va. State Dept. of Education and later became the State Supervisor of Vocational Agriculture in high schools and was the state advisor for the FFA. He later became assistant director of Postsecondary and Adult Education.
He helped develop Cedar Lakes Conference Center at Ripley and was an interim supervisor in the 1960s. He helped start the Mountain State Art and Craft Fair at Cedar Lakes and served on the fair’s board of trustees.
He was a former president of Roane County Classroom Teachers Association, Roane County Education Association, Spencer Jaycees, W.Va. Vo-Ag Teachers Association and the W.Va. Farm and Home Electrification Council. He was a former director of the WVU College of Agriculture and Forestry Alumni Association. He was active with the W.Va. Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame as a member of the executive board, board of directors, secretary and chairman of the Museum Committee. He was enshrined in the Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame.
He was a former secretary-treasurer of the Governor’s Food and Agriculture Exhibition. He received the Southern States Cooperative Agriculture Leadership award. He was the Atlantic Region Vice President of the National Association of Supervisors of Vocational Agriculture. He received the Honorary American Farmer Degree from the National Association of the FFA.
He was active in the Masons, having served as Junior Warden and Worshipful Master of the Moriah Lodge in Spencer, District Deputy Grand Master of the Fourth Masonic District of W.Va., Deputy Grand Lecturer of the Masonic Lodge of W.Va., and Grand Representative of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi near the Grand Lodge of W.Va.
He served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during World War II, with extended stays in China and Japan. He was a member of the Methodist Church and attended First Presbyterian Church of South Charleston for more than 20 years with his second wife, Anita.
He is survived by a son, David Thomas; a stepson, Ed Kuhn; three step-grandchildren, two step-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Carol Elaine Thomas; a brother and five sisters, Ralph Thomas, Edna Bean, Fern White, Lois Dallison, Bessie Cowell and Jean Thomas; his first wife, Pansy Howard Thomas; and his second wife, Anita Jane Vermilyea Kuhn Thomas.
Service was Wednesday at Owen-Neely Funeral Home, Blacksville, with Rev. Gary McGrew and Rev. Mike King officiating. Burial was in Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens, Westover. Memorial donations may be made to W.Va. FFA Foundation, Rt. 1 Box 21P, Ravenswood WV 26164 or Kanawha Hospice Care Inc., 1606 Kanawha Blvd. West, Charleston WV 25312.
