Obituaries taken from the Appalachian News-Express Newspaper, Pike Co.

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Transcribed by: Gloria R.  gloriag@iwaynet.net
Date: Jan 1999
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                      January 8, 1999
Jonah Taylor, 73, of Stopover, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999, at his home. He was born 
April 14, 1925, a son of the late Willie and Birdie Murphy Taylor. He was retired from 
Formica Corporation in Cincinnati, and was of the Christian faith. He is survived by 
his wife, Edith Ferrell Taylor; five sons, Randy Carson Taylor of Columbus, Ohio, 
Rodney Blake Taylor, Josh Ray Taylor and James Carter Taylor, all of Cincinnati, David 
Arnold Ferrell of Stopover; three brothers, two sisters and seven grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, at The Lord's House at Phelps 
with burial following in the Robinette Cemetery at Stopover. Arrangements are under 
direction of Phelps Funeral Services of Phelps.


Floretta Casebolt Fleming, 67, of Long Fork Road, Virgie, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999, 
at Pikeville Methodist Hospital. She was born Aug. 27, 1931, a daughter of the late 
Willie J. and Cassie Rosaline Johnson Casebolt. She was a homemaker. She was preceded 
in death by her husband, Roy Fleming. She is survived by one son, Lenville "Peto" 
Fleming of Turkey Pen of Virgie; four daughters, Brenda Faye Elswick of Louisville, 
Glenda Kay Bentley of Etty, Cheryl Ann Johnson and Sue Carol "Susie" Johnson,
both of Speight; and five grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. 
Friday, Jan. 8, in the R.S. Jones & Son Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Brad Taylor and 
others officiating, and burial following in the Floretta Fleming Cemetery at Etty.
Arrangements are under direction of R.S. Jones & Son Funeral Home of Virgie.
 

Brittany Makeisha Dawn Hall, infant daughter of Keith and Jessica Keathley Hall of 
Galveston, died Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999, at Pikeville Methodist Hospital. Besides her 
parents, she is survived by her paternal grandparents, Kenis and Christine Hall of
Galveston; and her maternal grandparents, James and Madge Keathley of Galveston. 
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 8, at the Little Rachel Regular 
Baptist Church in Galveston, with Regular Baptist ministers officiating. Burial will
follow in the Keathley Family Cemetery at Galveston.  Arrangements are under direction 
of Hall Funeral Home of Martin. 

Rosy Tackett Adkins, 80, of Taylor, Mich., died Monday, Jan. 4, 1999, at her home. She 
was born at Chloe Creek, Feb. 9, 1918, a daughter of the late Duvall and Catherine 
Branham Tackett. She was a homemaker. She is survived by her ex-husband, William 
Adkins; two sons, Millard Adkins and Eugene Adkins, both of Pikeville; three 
daughters, Fern Roberts and Faye Morgan, both of Michigan, Patsy Ruth Blair of  
Alabama; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Funeral services will
be held at noon Friday, Jan. 8, in the Lucas & Hall Funeral Home Chapel with Regular 
Baptist ministers officiating. Burial will follow in the Branham Cemetery, Caney 
Highway. Arrangements are under direction of Lucas & Hall Funeral Home of Pikeville.

Jettelene Johnson Beck, 55, of Painesville, Ohio, formerly of Raccoon, died Saturday, 
Jan. 2, 1999, at Lake East Hospital, Lake, Ohio. She was born in Pikeville, Aug. 6, 
1943, a daughter of the late Andrew "Jack" and Emma Bevins Johnson. She was a 
homemaker. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Albert Johnson and Ida 
Johnson Coleman; and her stepgrandfather, J.R. "Bud" Coleman. She is survived by her
husband, Wayne Beck; one son, Vernon Beck of Saltsburg, Pa.; one daughter, Cindy Sims 
of Centerville, Tenn.; four brothers, Elster Johnson of Shelbiana, Dale Johnson of 
Barberton, Ohio, Donnie Johnson and Eddie Johnson, both of Raccoon; and one 
granddaughter, Brittany Sims of Centerville. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. 
Thursday, Jan. 7, in the Justice Funeral Home Chapel with Paul Dean Justice, Pete 
Smith and Herbert Goff officiating. Entombment followed in the York Mausoleum at
Johnson Memorial Park, Pikeville. Arrangements were under direction of Justice Funeral 
Services of Pikeville. 


Patsy Ruth Maynard Ray, 57, of Pikeville, died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at her home. 
She was born in Williamson, W.Va., Oct. 4, 1941, a daughter of Norma Ruth Blackburn 
Maynard and the late Elton Maynard. She was an executive secretary to the chief 
district engineer at the Kentucky State Highway Department and was voted Best 
Secretary in the state government. She is survived by her husband, Richard L. Ray; one 
son, Timothy Dale Anderson of Coal Run Village; one stepson, Richard A. Ray of
Pikeville; one stepdaughter, Karen Chaffin of Union; one grandchild, Ashlee Danielle 
Anderson, and four stepgrandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 9, in the J.W. Call & Son Funeral Home Chapel with Jerry Bliffen and 
E.W. Damron officiating. Entombment will follow in the J.U. Thacker Memorial Mausoleum 
at Annie E. Young Cemetery, East Shelbiana. Arrangements are under direction of
J.W. Call & Son Funeral Home of Pikeville. Special services will be held at 7 p.m. 
Friday. 

Phyllis Robinson Billiter, 56, of Shelby Dry Fork, Shelbiana, died Thursday, Jan. 7, 
1999, at her home. She was born at Dry Fork, Jan. 10, 1942, a daughter of Maudie 
Hopkins Robinson of Dry Fork and the late James Robinson. She was a homemaker and a
member of the Greasy Creek Freewill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her 
husband, Clarence Ray Billiter. Besides her mother, she is survived by two sons, 
Michael Ray Billiter of Betsy Layne and James David Billiter of London; one daughter,
Margaret Ann France of Dry Fork; one brother, Edward Gene Robinson of Dry Fork; two 
sisters, Mary M. Hampton of Dayton, Ohio, Barbara Thacker of Dry Fork; and five 
grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at the
Greasy Creek Freewill Baptist Church with Jimmy Jack Adkins officiating. Burial will 
follow in the Billiter Cemetery at Greasy Creek. Arrangements are under direction of 
Lucas & Hall Funeral Home of Pikeville. Special services will be held at 7 p.m. 
Friday. 

Anis Marie Stanley Corins, 65, of McAndrews, died Thursday, Jan. 7, 1999, at the South 
Williamson Appalachian Regional Hospital. She was born in Pike County, June 5, 1933, a 
daughter of the late Ernest and Mary Smith Stanley. She was a homemaker and a
member of the McAndrews Church of Christ. She is survived by three sons, James Everett 
Stanley of Huddy, Gary Mitchell Stanley and Anthony Blaine Stanley, both of McAndrews; 
two sisters, Ernestine McMillen and Gloria Lee Stanley, both of McAndrews; one 
grandchild and four stepgrandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. 
Saturday, Jan. 9, in the Rogers Funeral Home Chapel with David Parsley officiating and 
burial following in Mountain View Memory Gardens at Huddy. Arrangements are under 
direction of Rogers Funeral Home of Belfry. Special services will be held at 7:30 p.m. 
Friday. 

Nancy J. Elkins Tackett, 63, of Lower Pompey Road, Shelbiana, died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 
1999, at Pikeville Methodist Hospital. She was born in Pikeville, Aug. 12, 1935, a 
daughter of the late Nathaniel and Sarah Hall Coleman. She was a homemaker and a
member of the Wolfpit Community Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her 
husband, Ray Elkins. She is survived by one son, Michael Elkins of Lower Pompey; two 
daughters, Patricia Slone of Mouthcard and Brenda Sussan of Rockhouse; three brothers, 
Robert Coleman of Millard, Sammy Coleman of Lower Pompey, Edsel Coleman of Pen Grove, 
Calif.; and four grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday,
Jan. 10, in the Lucas & Hall Funeral Home Chapel with Dean Powers, Morgan Chapman and 
others officiating. Burial will follow in the Coleman Cemetery at Lower Pompey. 
Arrangements are under direction of Lucas & Hall Funeral Home of Pikeville. Special
services will be held at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Pallbearers are Stacy Hall, 
Christopher Slone, Nathan Sussan and Tony Flanery.
 

James Everett Dean Slone, 40, of Douglas, died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at his home, 
following a brief illness. He was born in Pike County, July 4, 1958, a son of Nell 
Flanary Carnes Slone of Greasy Creek and the late Matt Jackson Slone. He was disabled
from MS. Besides his mother, he is survived by his wife, Nella Thacker Slone; one son, 
James Michael Slone of Raccoon; two daughters, Tamesha Leann Slone of Island Creek and 
Molly Almedia Slone of Raccoon; one stepdaughter, Brenda Hylton of Wolfpit; three 
brothers, Charles Slone of Virgie, Matt Slone of Penny Road, Jim Slone of Feds Creek; 
seven sisters, Carrie Payne of Louisville, Helen Damron and Dorothy Coleman, both of
Shelbiana, Irene Wakeland of Pikeville, Alice Kumler of Logansport, Ind., Stella 
Foyster of Hopkins, S.C., Samantha Slone of Red Creek; and two stepgrandchildren. 
Funeral services will be held at 11 am. Saturday, Jan. 9, in the J.W. Call & Son
Funeral Home chapel with Blake Lane, Bob Damron, Kenneth Frye and Sonny Miracle 
officiating. Burial will follow in the Annie E. Young Cemetery at East Shelbiana. 
Arrangements are under direction of J.W. Call & Son Funeral Home of Pikeville. Special
services will be held at 7 p.m. Friday. Nephews will serve as pallbearers.
 
Dianna Conn, 59, of Dana, died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, at Highlands Regional Medical 
Center in Prestonsburg. She was born at Dana, Sept. 10, 1939, a daughter of Verna Mae 
Samons Conn of Dana and the late Travis Conn. She was a retired postal clerk,
formerly employed at Betsy Layne and Pikeville, and a member of the Little Salem  
Regular Baptist Church. Besides her mother, she is survived by one son, Curtis Dwayne 
Conn of Dana; and four sisters, Christene Bonar of Ypsilanti, Mich., Connie Jean 
Mathena of Springfield, Ohio, Barbara Hall of Martin, Katherine Page of Dana. Funeral 
services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, in the Hall Funeral Home Chapel 
with Regular Baptist ministers officiating and burial following in the Conn Cemetery 
at Dana. Arrangements are under direction of Hall Funeral Home of Martin.

                     January 10, 1999
Rosy Tackett Adkins, 80, of Taylor, Mich., died Monday, Jan. 4, 1999, at her home. She 
was born at Chloe Creek, Feb. 9, 1918, a daughter of the late Duvall and Catherine 
Branham Tackett. She was a homemaker. She is survived by two sons, Millard Adkins and 
Eugene Adkins, both of Pikeville; three daughters, Fern Roberts and Faye Morgan, both 
of Michigan, Patsy Ruth Blair of Alabama; nine grandchildren and seven 
great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held at noon Friday, Jan. 8, in the Lucas & 
Hall Funeral Home Chapel with Regular Baptist ministers officiating. Burial followed 
in the Branham Cemetery, Caney Highway. Arrangements were under direction of Lucas & 
Hall Funeral Home of Pikeville.  

Ample Sifers Belcher, 81, of Elkhorn City, died Thursday, Jan. 7, 1999, at Mountain 
View Health Care Center in Elkhorn City. She was born in Buchanan County, Va., Jan. 
11, 1917, a daughter of the late Johnathan and Lydia Skeens Sifers. She was a 
homemaker and a member of the Freewill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by 
her husband, Gird Belcher. She is survived by three sons, Kinnie Ray Belcher of 
Ashcamp, Paul Winford Belcher and Wendell Lee Belcher, both of Elkhorn City; one 
daughter, Imel Mae O'Quinn of Elkhorn City; one sister, Opal Looney of Feds Creek; 
eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, in the Bailey Funeral Home 
Chapel with Paul O'Quinn, Gary Sutherland and Randall Jackson officiating and burial 
following in the Elkhorn City Cemetery. Arrangements are under direction of Bailey 
Funeral Home of Elkhorn City.  

Helen Lowe, 59, of Seligman, Mo., formerly of Pike County, died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 
1999, at South Barry County Hospital, Cassville, Mo. She was born in Martin County, 
April 15, 1939, a daughter of the late Emmett and Mary Maynard Daniels. She was a 
homemaker and of the Baptist faith. She is survived by her husband, Thomas Lowe; three 
sons, Dwayne Lowe of West Fork, Ark., Douglas Lowe of Chambersburg, Pa., Bobby Lowe
of Seligman; four daughters, Tammy Morrison and Leslie Craig, both of Seligman, Sherri 
Pollock of Beaver Lake, Ark., Michele Pollock of Lincoln, Neb.; two brothers, Bill 
Daniels of Elyria, Ohio, and Odell Daniels of Dearborn, Mich.; two sisters, Grace
Runyons of Elyria and Juanita Piffit of Bay St. Louis, Miss.; and 10 grandchildren. 
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, in the Rogers Funeral Home 
Chapel with Mitchell Webb officiating and burial following in the Reed Family
Cemetery at Turkey Creek. Arrangements are under direction of Rogers Funeral Home of 
Belfry. Pallbearers are David Morrison, Bobby Lowe, Gene Pollock, Dwayne Lowe, Douglas 
Lowe and Ronald De Shields. 


Goldie May May, 70, of McAndrews, died Thursday, Jan. 7, 1999, at the South Williamson 
Appalachian Regional Hospital. She was born at Sidney, Feb. 25, 1928, a daughter of 
the late John Henderson and Nancy Smith May. She was a homemaker and a member of the 
Sharondale Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by one son, Charles Edward May. 
She is survived by her husband, Harold May; one son, David Vero May of Sidney; one 
daughter, Loretta Joan May of McAndrews; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in the Rogers Funeral Home
Chapel with Bob Werntz officiating and burial following in the May Cemetery at Sidney. 
Arrangements are under direction of Rogers Funeral Home of Belfry. Special services 
will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday with Clinton Layne officiating.  


Pearl Lydia Farley, 93, of Belleview, Fla., formerly of McCarr, died Wednesday, Jan. 
6, 1999, at the Munroe Regional Medical Center. She was born at Varney, W.Va., Jan. 
17, 1905, a daughter of the late Jesse and Rosy Browning. She was a homemaker. She was 
preceded in death by her husband, Willie Bill Farley. She is survived by one son, Mack 
Vernon Farley of Belleview; and one grandson, Vernon David Farley. Funeral services 
will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, in the Rogers Funeral Home Chapel with Jimmy 
Fields officiating. Burial will follow in the Farley Cemetery at McCarr. Arrangements 
are under direction of Rogers Funeral Home of Belfry.  

Fae Virginia Helvey Abplanalp, 75, of Charleston, W.Va., died Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1999, 
in Charleston. She was born in Pike County, April 3, 1923, a daughter of the late 
Matthew and Gladys Helvey. She was a graduate of Pikeville Junior College and the 
Louisville General Hospital School of Nursing, an active member of her community, and 
a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Arthur
Abplanalp; one son, Arthur Abplanalp Jr. of Vail, Colo.; and one granddaughter, 
Kaitlin Abplanalp.  


Grace Jean Maynard Fields, 63, of Frozen Creek Road, Raccoon, died Friday, Jan. 8, 
1999, at Pikeville Methodist Hospital. She was born in Pikeville, Feb. 5, 1935, a 
daughter of the late James Andrew and Trixie Lee Scott Maynard. She was a homemaker
and a member of the Old Regular Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her 
husband, Claude William Fields. She is survived by one son, Don Richard Fields of 
Raccoon; one daughter, Lola Jean Coleman of Raccoon; and one granddaughter, Jeana Dawn 
Fields. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, at the Frozen Creek 
Old Regular Baptist Church with Jimmy Dale Sanders, Richard Staton, Herman West, 
Windell Hamilton, Ellis Holbrook and others officiating. Burial will follow in the 
Fields Cemetery at Frozen Creek. Arrangements are under direction of Lucas & Hall
Funeral Home of Pikeville. Special services will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday. 

Gladys Blackburn, 79, of Pikeville, died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Pikeville Methodist 
Hospital. She was born in Pike County, May 9, 1919, a daughter of the late Clinton and 
Jettie Sesco Taylor. She was a homemaker and a member of the Gulnare Freewill
Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, German Blackburn. She is 
survived by two sons, Arnold Blackburn and Gary Blackburn, both of Pikeville; four
daughters, Ruby Pauley of Ironton, Ohio, Jo Ellen Hite of Hazel Park, Mich., Euthania 
Johnson of Troy, Tenn., Lanis Morrison of Pikeville; two brothers, Clinton Taylor Jr. 
of Catlettsburg, Donald Taylor of Prestonsburg; two sisters, Elizabeth McCoy of
Turkey Creek, Angeline Lowe of Pikeville; 12 grandchildren, and 13 
great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in the 
Pike County Chapel, with Melvin Thompson and others officiating. Burial will follow in 
the Blackburn Cemetery, Lower Johns Creek. Arrangements are under direction of Justice 
Funeral Services-Pike County Chapel of Zebulon. Special services will be held Sunday 
at 7 p.m.  

Betty Mae Charles Stacy, 54, of Grundy, Va., died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Buchanan 
General Hospital in Grundy. She was a daughter of the late Bert and Edith Tutor 
Charles. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of God. She is survived by her 
husband, James Otis Stacy; one son, Douglas Stacy of Elkhorn City; one daughter, 
Patricia (Mrs. Eric) Williams of Paynesville, W.Va.; three brothers, Billy Ray Charles 
of Rogers, Ark., Ken Charles of Valley City, Ohio, Bert Charles Jr. of North East, 
Md.; one sister, Christine Delacruz of Lexington, N.C.; and four grandchildren. 
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in the Shortridge-Ramey 
Funeral Home Chapel, with Rick Wright officiating. Burial will follow in the
Cooper Cemetery, Paynesville. Arrangements are under direction of Shortridge-Ramey 
Funeral Home of Grundy. Special services will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday. 

Earl "Butch" Sizemore, 51, of Grapevine Road, died Friday, Jan. 8, 1999, at Central 
Baptist Hospital in Lexington. He was born in Buchanan County, Va., April 1, 1947, a 
son of Carl Sizemore and the late Virginia Repass Sizemore. He was a production 
foreman for a coal preparation plant, a member of the Berean Bible Church, and a 
veteran of the Vietnam Conflict. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis Adams Sizemore; 
four sons, Curtis Sizemore of Millard, Paul Sizemore and Roy Sizemore, both of
Lexington, Carl Sizemore of the home; and three sisters, Carolyn Trabant of Berkley, 
Mich., Barbara Ratliff of Grundy, Va., Mary Jane Dotson of Clarksville, Tenn. Funeral 
services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, in the J.W. Call & Son Funeral Home 
Chapel, with Arnold Adams and David Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in the 
Annie E. Young Cemetery, East Shelbiana. Arrangements are under direction of J.W. Call 
& Son Funeral Home of Pikeville. Special services will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday. 
 

Shannon Newsome, 38, of Topmost, died Saturday, Jan. 9, 1999, at McDowell Appalachian 
Regional Hospital. He was born at Melvin, March 29, 1960, a son of the late Foster and 
Dorthy Mae Hall Newsome. He was disabled. He is survived by six brothers, David 
Newsome of Kite, Jackie Newsome, Darrell Newsome, Dazzie "Bo" Newsome, all of Detroit, 
Bobby Gene Newsome of Melvin, Michael Newsome of Topmost; and four sisters, Carol Sue 
Slone of Letcher County, Bernice Collins of Topmost, Linda Sue Fields and Denise Lynn 
Swiney, both of Pike County. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, 
Jan. 12, in the Topmost Baptist Church, with Eddie Page officiating. Burial will 
follow in the Matthew Tackett Cemetery at Melvin. Arrangements are under direction of 
Nelson-Frazier Funeral Home of Martin.