Published: May 12, 2008 09:58 pm         

Obituaries - Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Freda D. Blankenship

Freda D. Blankenship, 77, of Parsonage Drive, Daniels, died early Monday morning, May 12, 2008.

Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley. Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and one hour prior to the services on Thursday.

Online condolences may be sent to our guest book at roseandquesenberryfh.net.

Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley.

Preston DeHart

Mr. Preston DeHart, 47, passed away Sunday, May 11, 2008, at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

Arrangements are incomplete.

Farris Funeral Service is serving the family of Mr. DeHart.

Melvin Leon Gadd

ALDERSON — Melvin Leon Gadd, 43, of Alderson, W.Va., died Sunday, May 11, 2008, in Alderson, following a sudden illness.

Arrangements by Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson, W.Va.

Carol Meadows Lilly

Carol Meadows Lilly, of Jarrell Street, Beckley, passed away Sunday, May 11, 2008, in a Beckley hospital, following a long illness. She was 63 years of age.

Carol was born at Princeton, W.Va., on Sept. 20, 1944, the daughter of the late James and Clariece French Meadows. She spent her childhood at Tommy Creek in Raleigh county.

A graduate of Stoco High School and West Virginia State College, she was a teacher for 37 years, having taught at Fairdale and Mabscott elementary schools. Carol was a member of the West Virginia Education Association and the Crab Orchard Baptist Church.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Marvin L. and Charlie D. Meadows.

Carol is survived by her husband of 35 years, Bill R. Lilly. Also surviving are two sisters, Helen (Pat) Kerzic and her husband John of MacArthur and Anita Tierney and her husband Michael of Ashburn, Va.; six sisters-in-law, Mary Meadows of Columbus, Ohio, Patty Meadows of Beckley, Ruth Bennett and her husband Al of Beckley, Ethel Lilly of Tallahassee, Fla., Ann Lilly of Glenville, and Lou Lilly of Oak Hill; brother-in-law, Gene Lilly and his wife Mandy of Staunton, Va.; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be Wednesday, at 1 p.m., at the Melton Mortuary Chapel at 1200 Harper Road, with the Rev. Bill Withers officiating. Burial will follow in the Sunset Memorial Park in Beckley.

Friends may call this evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the mortuary and one hour prior to the services on Wednesday.

Pallbearers will be her brother-in-law, Michael Tierney, and nephews, Brian Meadows, Clifton Smith, Lewis Smith, William Tierney, Michael Lilly, John Lilly, and Jacob Lilly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Raleigh County Humane Society, Salvation Army, or the Beckley Area Foundation, Charles Meadows Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family at melton@wvdsl.net.

Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.

Edith Barber Martin

GARNER, N.C. — Edith Barber Martin, of Garner, N.C., formerly of Orchard, Avenue, the widow of Roy Barber, died in Garner, N.C., following a long illness.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family at melton@wvdsl.net.

Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.

Betty Jo McVey

Betty Jo McVey, 81, of Crab Orchard, went to be with her Lord and Savior on May 10, 2008.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 15, 2008, in the Calfee Funeral Home Chapel. Friends may call at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Online condolences may be left at www.calfeefh.com.

Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley.

Raymond Miller

OCEANA — Raymond Miller, 74, of Oceana, W.Va., went home to be with the Lord on Monday, May 12, 2008, at Raleigh General Hospital, Beckley, W.Va.

E-mail letters of sympathy may be sent at www.staffordfamilyfuneralhome. com.

The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home.

Dillard H. Mills

Traveling on his Earthly journey on Saturday, May 10, 2008, at 12:10 p.m., our dear Dad and Brother, Dillard H. Mills, was called by God, his Heavenly Father, to his heavenly home, where he longed to be and dwell for eternity, following a long illness.

Born Oct. 2, 1935, at Osborn Ridge on Herndon Mountain, he was the son of the late James A. and Charlotte Mills.

In addition to his parents, Dillard was preceded in death by a daughter, Tammy S. O’Neal; seven brothers, Amos, Charlie, Boyd, Denver, Bailey, Graley and Oliver Mills; six sisters, Martha and Tilda Mills, Versie Reed, Velma Morton, Lucy McKinney, and Pauline McKinney; and a half brother, Herbert Mills.

Dillard is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Elizabeth (Betty) Bishop Mills; four daughters, Debra Shrewsbury and husband, Russell, of Itmann, Carol O’Neal and husband, Ronnie, of Mossy, Alice Lambert and husband, Kermit, of Basin, and Rita Lester and husband, Anthony, of Basin; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and four adopted grandchildren.

Dillard was a faithful member of the Herndon Free Will Baptist Church. His presence will be missed by all, especially his family and his church family.

Dillard worked in the coal mines for 33 years, having retired from East Gulf at Maben Energy Mines, and was a member of the UMWA.

Dillard enjoyed spending time with his family and spoiling his grandchildren. In his spare time, when his health permitted, he loved to hunt, fish, and camp.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at the Herndon Free Will Baptist Church, Herndon, with Rev. William O. Tolliver officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley.

Kermit E. Lambert, Ronnie L. O’Neal Jr., Trampus Lambert, Jonathon Hearn, Robbie Whitt, Danny O’Neal, and Stacey Tolliver will be serving as pallbearers.

Friends may gather with the family from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.blueridgefuneralhome.com.

Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, is in charge of the arrangements.

Phyllis J. Smith

PRINCETON — Phyllis J. Smith, 83, of Spruce Drive, Princeton, formerly of Leivasy, died peacefully Saturday evening, May 10, 2008, at the Rocking Chair Residential Care, Lerona.

Born Oct. 15, 1924, in Quinwood, she was the daughter of the late Curtis O’Dell and Leatha McCutcheon O’Dell.

Mrs. Smith was a graduate of Creighton High School. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and was a devoted homemaker. She was an active member of Burke Memorial Baptist Church in Princeton for many years. Mrs. Smith was a former Princeton Community Hospital volunteer. Phyllis enjoyed traveling, cooking, gardening, and sewing.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Guy Smith Jr.; and a brother, Keith O’Dell.

Survivors include two sons and their spouses, Donald L. and Jane Smith of Princeton and Winston and Nancy Smith of Mt. Ulla, N.C.; three granddaughters, Lori Ann Smith of Mooresville, N.C., Christy Dawn Smith of Berea, Ky., and Bridget Victoria Smith of Princeton; and a great-grandson, Caleb Dunbar of Berea, Ky.

A service to celebrate the life of Mrs. Smith will be held 7 p.m. today, May 13, 2008, from the Burns Wornal Chapel of the Memorial Funeral Directory on the Athens Road in Princeton, with Pastors Scott Catron and Ron “Butch” Honaker officiating. A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2008, at 11 a.m., in the Mausoleum Chapel, End of Trail Cemetery near Sam Black.

Friends may visit with the family today from 6 p.m. until the service hour at the funeral home.

Family and friends may share online condolence via www.memorialfd.com.

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

Arthur Trigg

RUPERT — Arthur Trigg, 83, of Rupert, passed away Sunday, May 11, 2008.

Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Rupert Church of God. Friends may call at the church one hour prior to the service from 1 to 2 p.m.

Arrangements by Smathers Funeral Chapel, Rainelle.

Jienell Gilkerson Wall

On Thursday, May 8, 2008, Jienell Gilkerson Wall, of Jasper Drive, died at her home. She was 62 years of age.

Born on March 12, 1946, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Homer Wilmer and Dotsie Gertrude Cole Riffe.

Jienell was a 1964 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. She attended Morris Harvey College and was a graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology. Jienell retired from the Central Office of the Raleigh County Board of Education in June of 2007 after 39 years of service. An accomplished musician, she was of the Christian faith.

Jienell is survived by her beloved husband, Hubert H. Hall.

In keeping with her wishes, Jienell’s services will be private.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family at melton@wvdsl.net.

Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.

James Patrick Weatherford

James Patrick Weatherford, of Melbourne, Fla., and Pipestem, W.Va., passed away Friday, May 9, 2008, following an automobile accident in Longview, Texas.

Arrangements are incomplete at Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlor, Hinton.