Published: July 21, 2008 09:53 pm         

Obituaries - Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Merle Conley Bailey

PARKERSBURG — Merle Conley Bailey, 75, formerly of Beckley, died Monday, July 14, 2008, at the Cedar Grove Personal Care Home.

She was born at Chloe, W.Va., the daughter of the late Samuel B. and Monnie Burns Conley.

She had worked as secretary and manager at Harrison’s Kitchen Sales in Logan, W.Va. She was a member of the Joseph’s Baptist Church in Oceana, and attended Hope Freewill Baptist Church at Winding Road.

She is survived by her sister, Leona Sears of Chloe, W.Va.; her brother, Robert Lee Conley of Chloe, W.Va.; her niece and honorary daughter, Dottie Bailey of Parkersburg.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles M. “Jack” Bailey; a sister, Norma Sears; and a brother, Harlan Ray Conley.

A memorial graveside service will be Saturday, July 26, 2008, at 1 p.m. at the Cooper Cemetery at Chloe.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.leavittfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements entrusted to the Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg.

James Lloyd ‘Jim’ Blackburn

OCEANA — James Lloyd “Jim” Blackburn, 65, of Oceana, passed away Saturday, July 19, 2008, at Raleigh General Hospital, Beckley.

He was born Dec. 6, 1942, in Kopperston, W.Va., a son of the late Lloyd and Nina Bailey Blackburn.

James was a retired coal miner having worked for Eastern Associated Coal and Peabody Coal Companies for 30 years. Jim served three years in the U.S. Army with 13 months served in Vietnam, receiving two bronze stars, good conduct and expert rifleman medals along with several other honors. He served eight years on the Oceana City Council, was a member and Commander of VFW Post 8364, member of DAV Wyoming-McDowell Chapter 56 and Commander of the Wyoming County Honor Guard.

James was of the Baptist faith and attended the Oceana First Baptist Church.

Along with his parents, his father-in-law Harold C. Durbin also preceded him in death.

Survivors include his loving wife and best friend Linda Durbin Blackburn; a son Brian Blackburn and wife Melissa of Ravencliff; two daughters Karen Blackburn of Cool Ridge and Ka-thy Jo Cook and husband Chris of Oceana. Jim was “PaPa” to five grandchildren whom he loved dearly, Maddie and Casey Cook, Darian, Carleigh and Gillian Blackburn. He is also survived by his mother-in-law Kathleen Durbin of Oceana; two sisters Betty Martin and husband Jerry of Crouches Farm and Rhennetta Bennett and husband Dennis of Clendenin; brother-in-law Bill Durbin of Ripley; four nieces, two nephews and his little Pomeranian dog “LuLu.” He will also be remembered by best friends Tom Evans, Jeff Laxton, Jesse Womack, Eddie Robinson, Steve Stone and his Vietnam buddy Richard Harwood of Tennessee.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at the Oceana First Baptist Church with Pastor Jerry Cook officiating. Jim will be laid to rest in Palm Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Matheny. The Wyoming County Honor Guard will conduct Military Rites at the cemetery.

Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. today, Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at the church.

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

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

Jeremy Paul Fitch

PINEVILLE — Jeremy Paul Fitch, 31, of Pineville, passed away Friday, July 18, 2008.

Born Oct. 14, 1976, in Beckley, he is the son of Paul J. and Patricia Mckinney Fitch.

Jeremy was of the Baptist faith. He was employed by Green Tree Consulting in Welch. Jeremy enjoyed fishing, computers, and being with family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Paul J. and Elsie Goodman Fitch, and his maternal grandfather Kesley Paul McKinney.

In addition to his parents, Jeremy is survived by a brother, Joshua Fitch of Pineville, and his maternal grandmother Jewell McKinney Davis of Pineville.

Services will be private.

Online guest book may be signed at www.calfeefuneralservice.com or e-mail condolences to the Fitch family at calfeefuneralservice@stei.com.

Calfee Funeral Service of Pineville is serving the Fitch family.

Louise Sisk Kester

Louise Sisk Kester, age 81, of Beckley, passed away Saturday, July 19, 2008, surrounded by her children and beloved grandson Matthew at the Ansted Nursing Center in Ansted, following a long illness.

A wonderful mother, grandmother, and wife who spent her entire life dedicated to her children, she loved, and was loved, by countless youth she influenced and encouraged through church, school, athletic activities, and friendship. Louise lived in Beckley almost her entire life, excluding a short stay in California. She was a waitress for many years at The Char, where she cared for, loved and considered family the many people she came to know throughout her career.

She was born Jane Louise Rufus on March 7, 1927, at Caloric, W.Va., to James Anthony and Rose Etta Rose Rufus. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Wayne A. Sisk Sr., her second husband, Basil B. Kester, her brothers Carl and Guy Rufus, and her sister Shirley Rufus Hill.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters Sharon Branson (Terry) of Austin, Texas, and Delcie Young of Beckley, W.Va., and her son Roy Sisk (Jill) of Danese, W.Va.; grandchildren Melissa Branson Bailey (Clayton) of Rockwall, Texas, Laura Branson Romero (Richie) of Austin, Texas, Amelia Louise Young of Addison, Texas, and Sara R. Sisk of Danese, W.Va.; Matthew T. Young of Beckley, and Chad P. Sisk of Danese, W.Va.; great-grandchildren Julia and Samuel Bailey of Rockwall, Texas, Brooklyn and Cameron Romero of Austin, Texas, and Haley Sisk of Danese, W.Va.; and a number of nieces and nephews; three brothers, Robert “Bob” Rufus, James “Mickey” Rufus, and Jimmy Lee Rufus; and four sisters, Violet Rufus Smith, Ruby Rufus Boyd, Bessie Rufus Wellington, and Betty “Jack-ie” Rufus Edwards.

The many acquaintances she made during her lifetime will surely join in her remembrance and mourn the loss of a “one-of-a-kind” individual of outstanding character and unparalleled generosity.

Services will be at 1 p.m. today, Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, W.Va., with the Rev. Allen Donaldson officiating. Friends may call from 12 to 1 p.m. today, Tuesday, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery, Beckley, W.Va.

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

Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley.

Eula Sharp Moore

MARLINTON — Eula Sharp Moore, 85, died Sunday, July 20, 2008.

Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, July 24, 2008, at 11 a.m. at VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Arrangements by VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton.

Samuel Parker Morrison

BUCKEYE — Samuel Parker Morrison, 44, of Buckeye, died Friday, July 18, 2008.

Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Arrangements by VanReenen Funeral Home, Marlinton.

Karen K. Mullens

BARBOURSVILLE — Karen K. Mullens, 58, passed away Monday, July 21, 2008, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Huntington.

Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley.

Richard ‘Paul’ Murrmann, Ph.D.

Richard “Paul” Murrmann, Ph.D., was born in South Bend, Ind., on Aug. 3, 1940. He passed away at the UVA Medical Center, Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday, July 19, 2008, following a long illness.

Murrmann graduated from LaPaz High School in LaPaz, Ind., in 1958. He went on to Purdue University to receive a B.S. in Agriculture. He was also commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army though the Purdue ROTC program. Next he attended Cornell University where he earned the M.S. and Ph.D. Degrees in Agricultural Chemistry. He subsequently served in the Army and was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1968. Murrmann was then employed as a research chemist by the Army Corps of Engineers Research Laboratory in Hanover, N.H. He and the research team he led investigated numerous problems related to environmental issues and topics of military interest. In 1974, he was employed as a research manager by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) where he spent the remainder of his career. He had several assignments in offices located in Mississippi, California, Texas, and in Beckley, where he retired in 1995 as Director of the USDA Appalachian Soil and Water Conservation Research Laboratory.

During his career he was a member of the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, and Sigma Xi. He was a member of the Beckley Rotary Club until after his retirement. He was a Member of Post 32 of the American League. He remained an active member of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

Murrmann was preceded by his stepfather, Burnas “B.B.” Murrmann; his maternal grandparents, Vernon and Edith Bachtel; his father, Richard Kuehn; and his paternal grandmother, Maude Kuehn, all of South Bend, Ind. Paul lost his son, Robert E. Murrmann of Walnut Creek, Calif., to cancer in 1997.

Murrmann is survived by his best friend and wife, Judy Elkins Murrmann, of Beckley; his mother, Virginia Miller of Mesa, Ariz.; his daughter Nancy Heller and husband Leonard, and Paul’s two grandchildren, Joe and Katie of Danville, Calif. His very special stepdaughter, Wendy Kaczenski and husband Michael, and Paul’s two grandsons, Shawn and Seth of Bristol, Conn. He is also survived by one stepson, Bernie Wheeler of Virginia Beach, Va., and another stepdaughter, Shawn Wheeler of Vero Beach, Fla. His brothers and sisters are Kent Murrmann and wife Sue of Blacksburg, Va., George Murrmann and wife Margaret of Indianapolis, Ind., Don Murrmann and wife Marilyn of Kerrville, Texas, Kathy Swanson and husband Bob of Mesa, Ariz., and JoEllen DePaepe and husband Bob of South Bend Ind. He is also survived by his favorite sister-in-law, Connie Baisden of Neibert, W.Va.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects at Blue Ridge Funeral Home from 6:30 to 8 p.m. today, Tuesday, July 22, in Beckley. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, with Pastor Donnie Wells officiating. A military interment at Sunset Memorial Park will be held immediately following the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the National Cancer Society in the name of Paul’s son Robert Edward Murrmann.

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

Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley.

Gerry W. Walker

Gerry William Walker, beloved son of the late Lendo and Wilda Walker Sr., passed away Monday, July 21, 2008, in a Beckley hospital. He was 48 years of age.

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

Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.