Thomas V. Bryant {WWHS 1956} passed away March 3, 2006 at the age of 67. He resided in Baltimore, Md., retired from Bethlehem Steel Corp. in 1997, was predeceased by wife of 39 years Ruby, and survived by his 3 daughters and 4 grand children
Ruby "Crickett" Petrey Canaday, 80, of MacArthur, passed away Tuesday, March 7, 2006, at her home with her family.She was born Aug. 23, 1925, in Blue Jay, the daughter of the late James and Alice Waddell Petrey. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by four sisters, Twila Smith, Norma Somogyi, Sally Young and Mary Eva Petrey; and a brother, James Petrey. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Orville "Jack" Canaday; her daughters, Jennifer Stump and husband, Eugene, Susan Kiblinger and husband, Robert, and Jean Dunkle and husband, Randy, all of Beckley; grandchildren, Bobby Kiblinger, Cindy Kiblinger, Debbie Vaught, Eugene "Rocky" Stump Jr., Heather Allen and Jessica Branham; great-grandchildren, her namesake Madison Ruby Branham, Brooklyn Branham, Ryan Vaught, Cooper Vaught and Benji Kiblinger; and a sister, Juanita Ward of Cool Ridge. Mrs. Canaday retired from the Raleigh County Board of Education following 20 years as a cook at Hollywood Elementary. She was a member of Oak Grove Christian Church for many years, and she recently rededicated her life on Feb. 7, 2006. Crickett was loved and cherished by family and friends. Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, with the Revs. Ken Overdorf, Rich Absher and Sheldon Cosma officiating. Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Mausoleum of Hope, Beckley. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Oak Grove Christian Church Youth Ministries, 273 Oak Grove Road, Beckley, WV 25801.Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, is in charge of arrangements.
STILES, Janet Lee (Nee Mills) {WWHS 1954}Age 69 of Lebanon, OH died March 6, 2006. Visitation March 9, 6-8PM with funeral March 10 at 2:30 PM, all at Oswald Hoskins Funeral Home, Lebanon. Published in The Middletown Journal on 3/8/2006
HAAS, Christopher Stephen age 40 of Dayton, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Monday, February 27, 2006 after a three year battle with ALS (Lou Gehring's Disease) at Hospice of Dayton. He was a graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelors Degree in both Mechanical Engineering Technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technology. Christopher was a licensed minister and a member of Community Harvest Church in Germantown. He thoroughly enjoyed working in the nursing home ministry, helping out with the youth group, feeding the homeless, and donating his time to wherever he was needed. He always had a smile to share with everyone. He was preceded in death by his grandfather Harold Stephens and his brother Toby Haas. He is survived by Tammy Haas (Bowyer), his loving wife of 10 years, his mother Gail and husband Fred Bussard, his father Edward Haas and brother David Haas; grandmother Thisba Stephens; aunt Aris Stephens; nephews Chad, Craig, Daniel and Jeffrey Haas; nieces Krysten Haas and Erica Bowyer; mother-in-law and father-in-law JoAnn Pittman '56 and Carlos Bowyer; brother-in-law Daniel and wife Christine Bowyer; and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be 11:00 am Saturday, March 4, 2006 at Community Harvest Church 6970 Weaver Road, Germantown, with Pastor Duane Harney and Pastor Gordon Victorson officiating. Family will receive friends from 5-8 pm Friday at Newcomer Funeral Home 3940 Kettering Blvd. Interment at Miami Valley Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to ALS Association, Western Ohio Chapter. To leave a special message for the family, visit www.newcomerfamily.com Published in the Dayton Daily News on 3/1/2006.
VICTOR — Denver C. Petitt, retired Raleigh County school bus driver, passed away on Feb. 18, 2006, after a short illness with lung cancer, at his residence in Victor. He drove the Harper Road, Crescent Road bus route for 25 years. Denver was 71. Denver was born Jan. 19, 1935, at Winona, the son of the late Denver V. and Bertie Petitt. He was a very devoted Christian, having been a member of the Mabscott Christian Baptist Church for approximately 30 years. Denver liked to hunt, fish, and camp at his Moncove Lake camp, as well as spend time with his family at the farm on Sunday Road, Fayette County. He had just recently moved from Beckley.
Denver loved his family very much and will be missed by his wife, Helen Mills Petitt, {WWHS 1955} to whom he had been married for 49 years, on Jan. 25, 2006. He is also survived by his son, Michael, and daughter-in-law, Ceresa Petitt, of Victor; two grandsons, Richard and his wife Ashley Petitt of Oak Hill and Rodney Petitt of Sunday Road, Victor, who were the “apples of his eye”; great-granddaughter, Ashton Petitt of Oak Hill, to whom he was very devoted; three brothers, Grant Petitt of Hinton, Ronald Petitt of Lakeland, Fla., and Carl Petitt of Danese; three sisters, Gracie Smith of Ansted, Frances Conner of Mabscott, and Vivian Sweeney Atwood of Tennessee; friends, Rick, Ricky Dale, and Brent Moye, and Vicki Turner; nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-neph-ews; and his church family. Graveside services and burial will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday from the Mills Cemetery at Egeria, with Pastors Harmon Davis and Doug Holly officiating. Nephews and grandsons will serve as casketbearers. There will be no public visitation. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in memory of Denver Petitt to Hospice of Southern WV, P.O. Box 1472, Beckley, WV 25801, or to Gideon International Bible Program, C/O A.K. Walker, 517 Orchard Ave., Beckley, WV 25801. An online guest book may be signed at www.calfeefh.com. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley.
LORAIN, Ohio — Karen L. Molina, {WWHS 1968} 55, (nee Foster) of Lorain, died Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006, at Community Health Partners and Surgical Center unexpectedly. Mrs. Molina was born in Glen Rogers on Sept. 12, 1950. After high school she attended Beckley and Concord College for two years. She was a para-professional employed by the Lorain City School Board. She enjoyed shopping, volunteering, traveling, reading and crafts.Mrs. Molina is survived by her husband, William Molina {WWHS 1961}; daughter, Ashley Lawson of Lorain ; sons, Jason Molina of Chicago, Ill., and Aaron Molina of Cranston, R.I.; and brothers, Raymond Foster Jr. and Greg Foster, both of Beckley; a sister, Brenda Laws of Beckley. She was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Daisey (Fanning) Foster. Service will be 7 p.m. Friday at Schwartz, Spence, Boyer & Cool Home For Funerals, 1124 W. Fifth St., Lorain, with the Rev. James E. Smucker, pastor of Heritage Presbyterian Church, officiating. Friends may call 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Online condolences at www.boyer-cool.com.Arrangements by Schwartz, Spence, Boyer & Cool Home For Funerals, Lorain.
HUNTINGTON — Following a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease, lasting many years, death is gracious, kind and gentle as it returns a beautiful spirit to Our God. Everett L. Halstead, 91, of Huntington, entered eternal rest surrounded by his family on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, at Community Hospice Care Center in Ashland, Ky. Everett was born at Stanaford, the son of the late Charles and Mamie Sophia (Davis) Halstead. He was developer and sales manager for Associated Cemeteries Inc., and a former affiliate manager with Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens in Beckley. He also developed and managed cemeteries in Harrisonburg, Va., Elkins and Weston, as well as memorial gardens in Springfield, Newark, Chillicothe and Medina, Ohio. While Mr. Halstead enjoyed the challenge of developing new cemeteries, he felt his true calling was to assist families with compassion in their time of greatest need. During World War II, Mr. Halstead served his country as an electrician on U.S. battleships docked in California and Oregon. He enjoyed recalling events such as spending days at sea restoring radar and power to disabled ships, enabling their return to port for repair. Mr. Halstead and his wife, Margaret, were charter members of The Church in The Valley at Milton. The church family held a very special place in both their hearts. Mr. Halstead was a generous, outgoing person who never met a stranger. He truly believed a smile was a person’s greatest asset and was well known for his sense of humor and contagious laugh. He genuinely loved people and was happiest when he had the opportunity of greeting those he met with his special smile, warm handshake and encouraging words. In addition to his parents and two infant sisters, Mr. Halstead was preceded in death by his loving and beautiful wife of 62 years, Margaret (Walters) Halstead; sisters, Margaret Keesee, Nina Honaker and Ada Luther; and brothers, Lester, Ed, John, Aubrey and Clinton Halstead. His grandson-in-law, Jonathan A. Ferguson, also preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving and devoted daughter and son-in-law, Jo Ann {WWHS 1956}and Kyle Cook '56 of Huntington, with whom he made his home; granddaughter, Dr. Cheryl Cook of Ashland, Ky.; special nephews, K.H. Keesee of Elkins and Gene Young of Cross Lanes, and their beautiful families.
Service will be 2 p.m. Friday at Beard’s Mortuary, 3001 Third Ave., Huntington, with Dr. Stan Maynard, the Rev. David Ashworth and the Rev. Dwight McCormick officiating. The family will receive visitors one hour before service. Interment will follow at Tyler Mountain Memorial Gardens, Cross Lanes. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Community Hospice Care Center, 2330 Pollard Road, Ashland, KY 41101. The loving kindness and expertise of their staff has been so greatly appreciated. They truly "light the way home.
Iris G. George, 94, {WWHS 1961}-Iris George later in life returned to WWHS to get her degree.} of Beckley, died Friday, in a local health care center following a long illness. Born July 1, 1912, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Bernice Souder Griffith. Mrs. George was a homemaker and a member of the Beckley First Baptist Church. She had been a lifetime resident of Beckley. She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard George; and two brothers, Earl and Noel Griffith. Survivors include a sister, Rose Davis of Altamonte Springs, Fla.; a niece, Susan Coleman and her husband, Ronnie, of Shady Spring; two nephews, Robert Davis and his wife, Martha, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., and Tom Griffith and his wife, Betty, of Eugene, Oreg.; two great- nieces, Tonya and Nicole Coleman and Rosemarie Davis; and great- nephews, Perry and Charles Davis and Tom Griffith Jr. Service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Calfee Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Gary Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call one hour prior to the service
John George, {WWHS 1960} 63, of Beckley, died at his residence Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, following a long illness.Born June 24, 1942, at MacArthur, he was the son of the late David and Laura Eden George. Mr. George was a disabled coal miner, having last worked for Beckley Coal Co. He was a member of the UMWA and attended the Church of God Family Worship Center. He was a lifetime resident of Raleigh County. He was preceded in death by a son, Johnny George; grandson, Travis Haley; brother, David George; and two sisters, Elizabeth George and Josephine Rickan. Survivors include his wife, Kathy Thompson George; two daughters, Taresa Grear and her husband, Renn, of Tarpon Springs, Fla., and Lisa Ahmed and her husband, Mark, of Daytona Beach, Fla.; a son, Jeffrey George and his wife, Tayna, of Las Vegas, Nev.; grandchildren, Dakota and Stevie Grear, Sarah Ahmed, and Chenay, Tosha and Joshua George; and three sisters, Mary Farmer of South Carolina, Angelie Black and her husband, Fred, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, and Lillian Adkins and her husband, Robert, of Beckley. Service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at the Church of God Family Worship Center, 224 Pinewood Drive, Beckley, with Pastor Mark Schrade officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call two hours before service Saturday at the church. Pallbearers will be Mark George, Allen Thompson, Clyde Black, Jackson George, Mark Ahmed, Renn Grear and Don Davis. Memorial contributions may be made to Fishes and Loaves Food Ministry, c/o Church of God Family Worship Center, 224 Pinewood Drive, Beckley, WV 25801. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley.
Thomas Hunter Matheny, 58, of Beckley, died at home Thursday, Dec. 29, 2005, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Tom was the son of the late Ethel Mae O’Brien Matheny and Robert Roy Matheny. He was born Feb. 5, 1947, in Richwood, where he resided most of his life. Mr. Matheny graduated from Richwood High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from West Virginia University. He was employed in West Virginia state government for 35 years and 5 months. He had recently retired from the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Mining and Reclamation, Region 3 Office in Oak Hill, where he had been the environmental inspector supervisor of Nicholas and Greenbrier counties.
Tom enjoyed many hobbies, including fly-fishing, tying his own flies and auctioning items on eBay. He also enjoyed listening to classic rock and roll music and watching old movies. In addition to his parents, a son, Brian Hopkins, preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Susan Cassell '64 Matheny; three sons, Stephen Hopkins of MacArthur, Emil Bailey Jr. of Alexandria, Va., and Jeremy Bailey of Cary, N.C.; a granddaughter, Stephanie Hopkins of Beckley; two grandsons, Idir Emil Thomas Bailey of Alexandria and Steven Trail of Ghent; his mother-in-law, Julia Cassell of Alkol; several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Antoinette and Ron Hatcher of Shady Spring, Irene and John Cantley of Beckley, Pat and John Hall of Columbus, Ohio, Larry and Carole Cassell of Strongsville, Ohio, Judy Cassell of Cleveland, Ohio, Virginia Adkins of Alkol and Cathy and Jim Bair of Brunswick, Ohio; several cousins; and his friends and fellow workers at DEP, whom he considered part of his family. Tom will sadly missed by all of us who loved him very much, including his three cats, Luke, Furball and Monkey Cat.
The Matheny family would like to send a special thank you to Dottie and Darlene, and everyone at Hospice of Southern West Virginia. Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.blueridgefuneralhome.com. Service will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, with the Rev. Robert Keaton officiating. Burial will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Pallbearers will be his three sons, Steve, Emil and Jeremy, and Russell Keaton, Bill Little and Cam Ford. Visitation will be 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, is serving the family.
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