Published: July 19, 2008 09:27 pm         

Obituaries - Sunday, July 20, 2008

James Lloyd Blackburn

OCEANA — James Lloyd Blackburn, 65, of Oceana, W.Va., passed away Saturday, July 19, 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, Lynco, W.Va.

Nancy Swartz Bonner

On Wednesday, July 16, 2008, Nancy Swartz Bonner, of 1114 Harper Road (Pagoda Motel), passed away. She was 61 years of age.

Born Nancy Lee Swartz on Feb. 8, 1947, at Hollygrove, W.Va., she was the 10th of 11 children born to the late Frank and Viola Hill Swartz.

Her brothers, Paul and John, preceded her in death.

She has been a resident of Beckley since this past November. Nancy’s life has been one of great struggle. Her children hope she now has “that peace that passeth all understanding.” They would like to publicly acknowledge her special friend, Freda, and the staff and management of Pagoda Motel who all were so kind to her.

In addition to her family, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Bonner.

Nancy was the mother of Holly Justine Wickine and her fiance William Miller of Fredericksburg, Va., and Jerry Bonner Jr. of Minnatonka, Minn.; the grandmother of Leon Tynes Jr. and Aden Miller; and the sister of Freda Wacker, Pauline Keesee, Mary Lokey, Viola Knight, Anna Lou Bateman, Mitchell Swartz, James Swartz, and Dennis Swartz.

In keeping with her wishes, Nancy was cremated. Her ashes are to be interred in her parents’ graves at Hollygrove.

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

Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.

Okey Woodrow Boyce

LEWISBURG — Okey Woodrow Boyce, 92, of Lewisburg, passed away Saturday, July 19, 2008, at Greenbrier Manor Nursing Home.

Born March 23, 1916, at Jacox, W.Va., he was a son of the late John H. and Elizabeth Workman Boyce.

Okey was a member of Clifton Presbyterian Church and was a past member of Union Masonic Lodge. He was a farmer and retired as a heavy equipment operator with the West Virginia Department of Highways.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, and four brothers.

Survivors include his loving wife of 70 years, Gladys R. Williams Boyce; daughters, Linda Moore and husband Kermit of Lewisburg, W.Va., Gaye Forren and husband Jim of Catawba, Va., and Carol Flanagan and husband Jimmie of LaVale, Md.; a son, Kenneth Boyce and wife Amy of Sunnyvale, Calif.; grandchildren, Kermit Alan Moore, Steve Forren, Elizabeth Forren Patterson, Jacque Beckett Jones, Jeff Beckett, David Boyce, Chris Boyce, Kendra Boyce, and Renee Waddell; 16 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at Clifton Presbyterian Church at Maxwelton, W.Va., with the Rev. Janice Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery at Keenan, W.Va.

Friends may call Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home in Lewisburg.

Memorial gifts may be made in Mr. Boyce’s memory to the Clifton Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund.

Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg is in charge of arrangements.

Howard E. Janney

OAK HILL — Mr. Howard E. Janney, age 80, of Oak Hill, died on Friday, July 18, 2008, at his residence.

Born Nov. 9, 1927, at Pax, he was the son of the late John W. and Mollie Lou Souder Janney.

Howard served in public service for 35 years in Fay-ette County. Among his many jobs held in public service were: in 1952 - youngest Deputy Sheriff ever appointed; in 1953 - youngest Chief of Police in Oak Hill for 10 years; in 1960 - one of the founding members to open Oak Hill Swim Club; in 1963 - Blackburn-Janney Ford Car Lot was started; in 1970 - founder of Jan-Care Ambulance - first private ambulance service started in W.Va.; in 1972 - appointed to Sheriff’s Office as Chief Deputy, also served as Civil Defense Director of Fayette County; and in 1976 - elected and served 14 years as the County Clerk of Fayette County. After that time, he was nominated as Fayette County Democrat of the Year where he was personally recognized by Sen. Robert Byrd in Charleston - along with many others.

Howard was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Jean Bannister Janney, on July 26, 2005.

Survivors include his daughter, Paige Kerby and her husband Fred of Fredericksburg, Va.; his son, John G. “Jap” Janney and wife Diana of Oak Hill; his four grandchildren, Erin Kerby Bowling and husband Adam, Tiffany Kerby, Katie Janney, and Jeffrey Janney; a great-grandchild, Parker Bowling; a brother, O.D. Janney of Crab Orchard; a sister, Athylene Bergendahl of Beckley; and two sisters-in-law, Jane Lawson of Oak Hill and Eunice Janney of Conway, S.C.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, July 21, 2008, at the Tyree Funeral Home Chapel, Oak Hill, with Pastor Jerry Bush officiating. Burial will follow in High Lawn Memorial Park, Oak Hill.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 12 noon until the service hour of 2 p.m.

Pallbearers will be Timmy Richardson, Bill Hannabass, Dickie Rogers, Jack McClung, Steve Kessler, and Mike Whisman.

Online condolences may be sent to tyreefh@tyreefuneralhome.com.

Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Howard E. Janney to Hospice of Southern W.Va., P.O. Box 1472, Beckley, WV 25801.

Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill.

Arta F. Loudermilk

RAINELLE — Arta F. Loudermilk, 85, of Rainelle, passed away peacefully in his sleep of natural causes the evening of July 17, 2008, in Rupert.

Born Aug. 5, 1922, in Clintonville, he was a son of the late Richard Dee and Orinoca Rebecca Gilkeson Loudermilk.

He attended a one-room schoolhouse in Clintonville. Arta worked for C & O Railroad for 40 years, retiring in 1984. He and his wife, Maxine, would have celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary on Oct. 9, 2008.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Alma Loudermilk and Arletha Gilse.

Survivors include his wife, Maxine V. Loudermilk; two sisters, Irene Humphries of Rochester, N.Y., and Madeline Tincher of Rainelle; mother-in-law, Roxie Judy of Rainelle; Dale Sr. and Corena Young of Rupert, Brian and Debbie Foley of Newport News, Va., Dale Jr. and Debbie Young, Kitty Metz of Lewisburg, and Nancy and Ron Hall of Sutton; as well as scores of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, nephews, and friends from Ohio, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia. Arta, you are loved and honored by many.

Graveside services will at 12:30 p.m. Monday, July 21, 2008, at the Church of Christ Cemetery on Loudermilk Road in Clintonville, with Rev. Deborah Foley officiating. Burial will follow.

Friends may call at the Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home from 11 a.m. until 12 noon on the same day.

There will be no evening visitation.

Arrangements by Wallace & Wallace Inc. of Rainelle.

Wellington Ray Murdock Jr.

OAK HILL — Wellington Ray Murdock Jr., 84, of Oak Hill, passed away Friday, July 18, 2008, at the Bowers Hospice House in Beckley.

Born Sept. 15, 1923, at Scarbro, the son of the late Wellington Ray Murdock Sr. and Elizabeth Honaker Murdock.

Ray was co-founder of W.R. Murdock and Sons Inc. Hydraulic Service in Oak Hill, having retired from his family-owned firm at the age of 80.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Oak Hill. He was a former chairman of the board and was a charter member of the Oak Hill/ Collins High School Alumni Association. He was a former member of the Fayette County React with the handle of “T-Patch.”

Ray was a World War II Army veteran with the rank of Staff Sergeant in the 141st Infantry Company B, having served from 1943 to 1945 in Africa, France, Italy, Austria, and Germany. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct, Victory in Europe, and Euro-African Campaign Medals. He was also a lifetime member of the Gauley Bridge V.F.W. Post 8366.

Ray was preceded in death by a brother, James A. Murdock Sr., and a son-in-law, Rick D. Stover.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 53 years, Jane Audrey Steskla Murdock; his loving children, Susan Jane Murdock Stover, Wellington Ray Murdock III and wife Paula, and Margaret Elizabeth “Beth” Richards and husband John; grandchildren, Stacy Renee and Lesley Dawn Richards, Travis Dean Stover, Audrey Elaine Murdock, Saylor and husband Damien, and Wellington Ray Murdock IV; and a brother, Richard A. Murdock.

His remains rest at the High Lawn Funeral Home Chapel, 1435 E. Main St., Oak Hill, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. today and where the funeral service will be held 1 p.m. Monday, with the Rev. David Richardson officiating. Burial will follow in High Lawn Memorial Park.

Military graveside service will be conducted by the Oak Hill V.F.W. Post # 3110.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bowers Hospice House of Beckley, 454 Cranberry Drive, Beckley, WV 25801.

Arrangements by High Lawn Funeral Home Chapel, Oak Hill.

Dallas C. Pack

JUMPING BRANCH — Dallas C. Pack, 74, of Jumping Branch, W.Va., died Saturday morning, July 19, 2008, at his home, following a courageous battle with cancer.

Arrangements are incomplete at Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors of Hinton.

Helen L. Rowe

OAK HILL — Mrs. Helen L. Rowe, age 76, of Oak Hill, passed away on Friday, July 18, 2008, at Bowers Hospice House.

Graveside services with burial to follow will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at Huse Memorial Park, Fayetteville. There will be no visitation.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Southern W.Va., P.O. Box 1472, Beckley, WV (255-6404), or American Cancer Society W.Va. Division, 301 RHL Blvd. - Station 6 & 7, Charleston, WV 25331.

Online condolences may be sent to tyreefh@tyreefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Goldie Cox Lilly Tolliver

HILLDALE — Goldie Cox Lilly Tolliver, 99, of Hilldale, departed this life and entered her heavenly home on July 17, 2008, at the Summers Co. Nursing and Rehab Center, following a long illness.

Born Feb. 17, 1909, in Lilly, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Joseph Henry and Mary A. Mann Cox.

A native of Jumping Branch, she had been a resident of Summers Nursing and Rehab Center for several years. Goldie was a faithful member of Little Bluestone Primitive Baptist Church, Jumping Branch, for many years. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend and will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Leslie Dallas Lilly, and daughter-in-law, Mary Mills Lilly; her first husband, Lowie D. Lilly; second husband, James G. “Jim” Tolliver; eight brothers, Olive, Arthur, Elliott, Leslie, Earnie, Basil, Carley, and Arvil; and three sisters, Faye, Sylvia, and Thelma.

Those left to cherish her memory include a sister, Stella and husband Elder Kenna Lilly of Beckley; daughter-in-law, Jane Lilly of Nimitz; grandsons, Ernie Lilly and wife Barbara of Nimitz, Melvin Lilly and wife Kathy of Hopewell, Va., and Leslie Lilly and fiancée Gretchen Hug of Syracuse, N.Y.; three great-grandchildren, Kasie and Kody Lilly, and Kim Phillips; two great-great-grandchildren, Mallory and Gavin Phillips; and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside service and burial will be held 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at the Cox Family Cemetery, with Elder James Boothe officiating.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

Condolences may be sent to the family at info@ronaldmeadowsfp.com.

Arrangements are by the Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors of Hinton.