Bristol, Virginia, Obituaries: Bristol Herald Courier, April 8, 2003 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bristol Herald Courier http://www.bristolnews.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=TRI/Page/TRI_FrontPage ==================================================================== Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ==================================================================== Bristol Herald Courier Tuesday, April 8, 2003 Regina Barr MARION -- Regina Ann Turley Barr, 45, died Sunday, April 6, 2003, at the Russell County Medical Center in Lebanon. She was a native of Rich Valley and was preceded in death by her mother, Margie Stevenson Turley. Survivors include: father, William C. Turley, Marion; five brothers: Bill Turley, Glade Spring; Kenny Turley, Chilhowie; Frankie Turley, Marion; Michael Turley, Dante, Ohio; and Ben Turley, Marion; five sisters: Christine Mills, Saltville;, Hilda Turley, Abingdon; Betty Owens, Damascus; Nancy Harris, Rural Retreat; and Teresa Wilson, Bluff City; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 9, 2003, at 11 a.m. from the Bradley's Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Dennis Turley officiating. Burial will follow in the Sunset Cemetery in Ceres. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Bradley's Funeral Home, Marion, is serving the family of Ms. Barr. Jeanette Bolling NORTON -- Jeanette Bolling, 85, died Sunday, April 6, 2003, in Johnson City Medical Center after a lengthy illness. She was a lifelong resident of the Bear Creek community of Norton. She was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Janet Ruth Bolling; and her husband, Delbert Bolling. Surviving: daughter and son-in-law, Shirley and Tag Davidson, Norton; son and daughter-in-law, Elmer and Ann Bolling, Norton; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday at the Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home, Norton. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home chapel with Mark Robinson officiating. Burial will follow in the Wise Cemetery. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.hagyfawbush.com. Ferne Comer Funeral services for Ferne Geagley Comer will be conducted 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2003, in Mountain View Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel with Dr. Ross H. Dampier officiating. E-mail condolences may be sent to the family at akardfh@peer-com.net. Mrs. Comer, age 101, of Bristol Tennessee, died Saturday, April 5, 2003, at the home of her daughter. Akard Funeral Home is serving the family of Mrs. Comer. Pearl Grise MARION -- Pearl Grise died Monday, April 7, 2003, in Hammond, Ind. Survivors and funeral arrangements will be announced later by Bradley's Funeral Home, Marion. Chaffin R. McCall ABINGDON -- Mrs. Chaffin Roseberry McCall, 68, passed away Sunday, April 6, 2003, at her home. A native of Pulaski, Va., Mrs. McCall had lived in Abingdon for 56 years. She graduated from William King High School and was a retired receptionist, having worked at Abingdon Medical Group and French H. Moore Jr. and French H. Moore III Dental Group. Mrs. McCall was a member of Abingdon Bible Church. She was a member of Johnston Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and Red Hat Society. She is survived by her husband of 48 years, William H. "Bill" McCall; one son, Dr. Gary W. McCall and wife Jimmie Lynn of Luling, La.; one daughter, Judy McCall Lutzo and husband Ray of Abingdon; four sisters: Jane Williams of Knoxville; Margaret Wood of Logan, Ala.; Edna Becker of Asheville, N.C.; and Susan Carpenter of Lake Charles, La.; and five grandchildren: Wes McCall, Will McCall, Walt McCall, Nicholas Lutzo and Brittany Lutzo. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2003, at Abingdon Bible Church followed by a funeral service at 8 p.m. Rev. Paul J. Bufford will officiate. A committal service will be held Wednesday, April 9, 2003, at 10 a.m. at Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Bill Felty, Willis Blevins, Jack Taylor, Bob Mitchell, Jim Hardwick and Malcolm Sprinkle. Honorary pallbearers will be her nephews and members of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class of Abingdon Bible Church. A special thanks to Virginia Hospice Service, especially Naomi Barrett, Beverly Henley and Paige DeBord. Those wishing to express their condolences online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com. Farris Funeral Service is serving the McCall family. Thomas M. McMurray Thomas Marshall McMurray, 83, of 416 Sioux Road, Bristol, Va., went to be with the Lord Monday, April 7, 2003, in the Bristol Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Weaver Funeral Home. Arthur W. Morrell Funeral services for Arthur Woodrow Morrell will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2003, in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel with Niles Kitzmiller officiating. Burial will follow in Shipley Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Wayne Smithson, Mike Morrell, Jeffery Morrell, Bob Parker, David Campbell, Thomas Campbell, Finley Witcher and David Cox. Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Bennett Cowan Jr., David Witcher, Max Ollis, Ronald Carrier, Larry Pierce, John Snead, Bobby Meadows, Judson Mottern, H.M. Denton Sr., Robert Wilson, Benny Hyler, Wayne Morrell and Steve Kelly. Those desiring may make memorials to Wellmont Hospice House, 280 Steele's Road, Bristol, TN. E-mail condolences may be sent online at www.weaverfuneralhome.net. Mr. Morrell, 75, of 216 Morrell Town Road, Bristol, Tenn., went to be with the Lord Saturday, April 5, 2003, at Wellmont Hospice House. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Gracie Alice Mullins CLINTWOOD --Funeral services for Gracie Alice Mullins will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2003, from the Clintwood Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Frank Hall officiating. Burial will follow in the Mullins Cemetery on Pound River. Pallbearers will be John Henry Mullins, Jeremy John Chase, James Teddy Mullins, Gregory Lee Mullins, Kenny Ray Mullins and Joshua Perry Price. Gracie Alice Mullins, 82, went home to be with the Lord at Wellmont Lonesome Pine Hospital on Saturday, April 5, 2003. Grace Myers Mrs. Grace Blankenship Myers, 96, of Jolo, W.Va., and Lebanon, Va., passed away peacefully Monday morning, April 7, 2003, at Russell County Medical Center. Born Oct. 1, 1906, in Pennington Gap, Va., she was the daughter of the late Silas Rivers and Minnie Pennington Rivers. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Bill Herron, Carlos Blankenship and Woodrow Myers; one son, Bill Herron Jr.; two daughters-in-law, Bertha Herron and Margaret Herron; grandson, Damon Rumley; five brothers; and four sisters. She is survived by two sons: Harold Herron, of Jolo; and Clarence Herron and wife Lola of Rosedale, Va.; grandchildren: Stanley and Barbara Herron; Larry and Sally Herron; Jerry and Mary Herron; Bonnie Rumley; DeEtta and Mike Ratliff; Tommy Adkins; and Robert Adkins; great-grandchildren: Eddie, Matt, Dwayne and Sarah Herron; John (Wes) Rumley and Elizabeth (Beth) Brown; great-great- grandchildren: Nicholas and Katie Grace Herron; step-great-great-grandchildren: Kathy Gilbert and John Combs; and step-great-great-great-grandchildren: Brittany, Ashley and Madison Gilbert. A special thank you to Dr. Ulrich, Dr. Squires and to the staff of Mountain View Nursing Home at Lebanon. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, April 9, 2003, at 1 p.m. at Flatwood Church of Christ at Compton Mountain, Va., with Evangelist Michael Trent and Brother Arthur Mullins officiating. Burial will follow at Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill, Va. Pallbearers will be Eddie Herron, Matt Herron, Dwayne Herron, John (Wes) Rumley, Shane Coleman and Andrew Brown. Friends may call after 6 p.m. at Flatwoods Church of Christ at Compton Mountain Tuesday. Email condolences may be sent at singleton@netscope.net. Singleton Funeral Service is serving the Myers family. Jane W. Sandefur ABINGDON -- Interment and committal services for Jane Wright Sandefur will be held at noon Tuesday, April 8, 2003, at the Baptist Cemetery in Glade Spring. The family will meet at the funeral home at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday to go in procession to the cemetery. Casket bearers will be her nephews, Douglas Wright, Bobby Hammond, Jim Hammond, Craig Hammond, friends, Reelia Ryan Watson and Don Wood. Honorary casket bearers will be her grandsons, Ryan Sandefur and Taylor Sandefur, Howard Sandefur, Scott Shearin, John Menzies, Charles Bartlett, Bill Gotham, Todd King and David Roche. Flowers will be accepted or memorial donations can be made to the Discretionary Fund of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 124 E. Main St., Abingdon, VA 24210. Those wishing to send messages of sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com. Mrs. Sandefur, 78, formerly of Glade Spring, passed away Saturday, April 5, 2003, at the Brian Center in Weber City, Va. Farris Funeral Service, 427 E. Main St., Abingdon, is serving the family of Mrs. Jane Wright Sandefur. Jack Kermit Sykes LEBANON -- Jack Kermit Sykes, 59, passed away on Monday, April 7, 2003, in Russell County Medical Center after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He had made his home in Lebanon for most of his life where he worked as an independent contractor and was a member of Reeds Valley Baptist Church. Since about the age of five, he had spent his life playing bluegrass music. Although he mastered all the string instruments, he was known for his exceptional talent on the five-string banjo and the fiddle. He and his brother, Ollie, began their own band, The Sykes Brothers & Bluegrass Drifters, in the late 60s and began traveling and recording their music. He has played with and been friends with such bluegrass greats as Kenny Baker and Josh Graves. During his life he has performed with many musicians in the area recording bluegrass and gospel music. As well as playing musical instruments, he also had a talent to make these instruments. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lona Johnson Sykes and Leonard Sykes; and four brothers, Robert, Carlton, Harold and Fred Sykes. Survivors include his wife, Judy Vencill Sykes; one son, Tim Vencill and his wife Ann of Belfast, Va.; three daughters: Shelia J. Stoots and her husband Greg of Lebanon; Kay Mullins and husband Bobby of Abingdon; and Frances Witt and her husband Jim of Cedar Bluff; six grandchildren: Ashton Stoots, Bobbie Danielle Mullins, Lori Witt, Chelsea Vencill, Josh Witt and Andy Stoots; six sisters: Lucille Buckles of Lebanon; Verda Sykes of Cleveland, Va.; Jean Keith of Martinsburg, W.Va.; Katherine Keller of Durham, N.C.; Clara Buckles of Cleveland, Va.; and Virginia Matney of Lebanon; two brothers: Jay Sykes of Lebanon; and Ollie Sykes of Abingdon; and numerous nieces and nephews also survive. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, April 9, 2003, at 2 p.m. at Owens Funeral Service Chapel with Rev. Doug Blankenship, Rev. Duane Musick, Rev. Guy Harris and Rev. Jim Huffman officiating. Interment will follow at Ketron Memorial Gardens, Lebanon. Pallbearers will be Jackie Ray, Freddie Sutherland, Phil Vencill, Melvin Tweet, Boyd Tweet, Richard Vencill, Larry Sykes and Dave Edwards. Honorary pallbearers will be Randy Dutton, Hoyt Kiser, Don Ray, Harold Dutton, Cecil Woods, Dallas Breedlove, Ethin Roop, Joe Clark, Don Barrett, Giles Gibson and James "Mousie" Duty. The family would like to thank Dr. Dwight Bailey and the third-floor nurses at Russell County Medical Center. The family will receive friends on Tuesday after 6 p.m. at the funeral home. Owens Funeral Service, Lebanon, is in charge of arrangements. Dewey M. Vanover CLINTWOOD -- Dewey McKinley Vanover, 66, died at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Sunday, April 6, 2003. Born in Dickenson County, Va.,. he was the son of the late Ezra and Emma Ratliff Vanover. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and of the Baptist faith. Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers Charles Henry and Orville Ray Vanover; and sisters Lily Mae Farmer and Opal Jean Mullins. Surviving are two brothers: Creed Vanover, Clintwood; and Richard Vanover and wife Pat, Ohio; three sisters: Martha Bowens, Indiana; and Lina Pearl Mullins and husband Darrell, and Pina Baker and husband Junior, both of Clintwood; and several nephews and nieces. Funeral services will be conducted at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, 2003, from the Clintwood Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Lester Mullins officiating. Burial will follow at the National Cemetery, Mountain Home, Tenn. The family will receive friends after 6 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Military graveside services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday by Kingsport VFW Post 3382. Pallbearers will be family and friends. The family will meet at the funeral home Wednesday at 10 a.m. for the procession to the cemetery. Clintwood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Delbert Vires Delbert Vires, 91, of Bristol Virginia, died Saturday, April 5, 2003, in Heritage Hall Health Center, Big Stone Gap, Va. He was a son of the late Monty and Mary Ellen Collins Vires and was also preceded in death by brothers Barney, Hurlan, Albert and Fred. Mr. Vires was of the Baptist faith. Survivors include two sisters: Stella Wilder and husband Roscoe of Kiser, Ore.; and Daisy Lynn of Blountville; two brothers: Edward Vires and wife Irene of Greeneville, Tenn., and Howard Vires and wife Margaret of Detroit; one sister- in-law, Peggy Vires of Bristol Virginia; and several nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Mountain View Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel with the Rev. Bill Rosenbalm officiating. The family will receive friends in the Mausoleum Chapel prior to the service from 12:30-1 p.m. Wednesday. E-mail condolences to the family may be sent at akardfh@peercom.net. Akard Funeral Home is serving the family of Mr. Vires.