Bristol, Virginia, Obituaries: Bristol Herald Courier, September 17, 2003 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bristol Herald Courier http://www.bristolnews.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=TRI/Page/TRI_FrontPage ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities, when written permission is obtained from the contributor, so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bristol Herald Courier Wednesday, September 17, 2003 Today's Deaths Nora Smith Blackburn, 90, Grundy Rollie Deel, 69, Vansant Ernestine Elizabeth Hodge, 89, Piney Flats Malcolm Monroe, Gate City Brett Selfe, 20, Abingdon Glenda Sue Shupe, 46, Atkins, Va. Nell Virginia Steele, 78, Bristol Virginia Grady Stevens, 99, Buchanan County, Va. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nora S. Blackburn GRUNDY -- Nora Smith Blackburn, 90 years of age, passed away Monday, Sept. 15, 2003, at Clinch Valley Medical Center, Richlands, following an extended illness. Born in Buchanan County, she was a daughter of the late Alfred C. and Lucy Rife Smith. She was a life-long resident of Buchanan County, was of the Baptist faith and was the last surviving member of her immediate family. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother. Mrs. Blackburn was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, William Riley Blackburn, in 1973. She was also preceded in death by four sisters, Thelma Lester, Bessie Lester, Dora Justus and Ruth Powitzky, and three brothers, Arthur, Lee and Earl Smith. She is survived by five daughters, Alpha and husband Burton "Gene" Potter, Vansant, Estie Acord, Grundy, Betty Blackburn, Grundy, Lucille and husband Richard Bailey, Beckley, W.Va., and Edith and husband Ronald Moore, Oakwood, Va., and two sons, Burlin and wife Hazel Blackburn, Big Rock, Va., and Richard and wife, Patsy Collins, Grundy. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Nora Smith Blackburn will be conducted Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, at 1 p.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel, with Elders Brian Moore, Jimmy Smith, Elmer Brown, Garnell Gilbert, Paul Varney and others officiating, with burial to follow in Mountain Valley Memorial Park, Big Rock. Friends may call at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m., with a song service at 7 p.m. and regular service Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. Active pallbearers will be Anthony Robert Bailey, Harold Aaron Bailey, William Carnell, Billy Honaker, Steve Vandyke, Bobby Yates, Jerry Bell, Anthony Stiltner, Randy Keen, Dale Dye, Brian Moore, Matthew Moore, Nathan Blackburn, Jerome Blackburn, Richard Andrew Bailey and Richard Christopher Bailey. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Larry Mitchell, Preferred Health Care nurses, staff of Clinch Valley Medical Center, Dismal River Rescue Squad, Mercy Ambulance Service, Richard D. Bailey, Ronald Moore, Michael Banks, Abingdon Volunteer Fire Department and Burton "Gene" Potter. Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy is in charge of all arrangements. Rollie Deel VANSANT -- Rollie Deel, 69 years of age, passed away Monday, Sept. 15, 2003, at Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy, following an extended illness. Born in Buchanan County, he was a son of the late Ezra and Gertha Lester Deel. He was a life-long resident of Buchanan County and a member of the Regular Baptist Church. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict and was a disabled coal miner. Mr. Deel is survived by one daughter, Teresa Lynn Yates, Port Saint Lucie, Fla.; one son, Rickey Lee Deel, Paynesville, W.Va.; one sister, Dollie OQuinn, Birchleaf, Va.; three half sisters, Lavonne Ratliff, Bristol Virginia, Ann Howard, Bristol Virginia, and Thelma Deel, Florida; also three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by two sisters, one son and two half brothers, Jonah and Edgar Deel. Funeral services for Rollie Deel will be conducted Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, at 11 a.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel, with Elders David OQuinn, Jerry Newsome and Dan Yates officiating, with burial to follow in the Bentley Cemetery on 6 and 20 Mile Branch, near Grundy. Friends may call at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m., with services at 7 p.m. Active pallbearers will be relatives and friends. Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy is in charge of all arrangements. Ernestine E. Hodge PINEY FLATS -- Ernestine Elizabeth Hodge, age 89, 320 Piney Ave., died Monday, Sept. 15, 2003, at the NHC Healthcare. Mrs. Hodge was a Greene County native who had lived in Piney Flats for over 40 years. She was the daughter of Henry Metcalf. She was a homemaker. Mrs. Hodge was a member of the Piney Flats United Methodist Church. She was a former president of the United Methodist Women and the Wesley Bible Class. Mrs. Hodge also started the church's first Crismon tree. Her husband, Lawrence Clyde Hodge, preceded her in death. Survivors include two sons, Bill Hodge, Piney Flats, and Richard Hodge, Ooltewah; three daughters, Jane Curd, Piney Flats, Peggy Denton, Glen Burnie, Md., and Carolyn Haire, San Diego; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Piney Flats United Methodist Church. Following the visitation, graveside services will be conducted in the Shell Cemetery. Rev. Laura Rasor and Rev. Mack Houston will officiate. Pallbearers will be Joe Begley, Bryan Curd, Brett Hodge, Stephen Powell, Doug Hodge, Ed Torbett, Johnny McKamey and Sam Baird. Honorary pallbearers will be Michael Haire, Austin Box, Chris Townsend, Darryl Wilhoit and Lewis Cross. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Piney Flats United Methodist Church Building Fund, 225 Methodist Church Road, Piney Flats, TN 37686. Condolences may be sent to the family at condolence@morrisbaker.com. Morris-Baker Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 2001 Oakland Ave., Johnson City, is serving the family. (423) 282-1521. Robert Burns Miller BRISTOL, Va. -- Funeral services for Mr. Robert Burns Miller will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003, at 1 p.m. at the branch facility of Farris Funeral Service located on the grounds of Forest Hills Memory Gardens, 19145 Lee Highway Abingdon. Pastor Darrell Harmon will officiate. Mr. Miller's son, Bob Miller, will deliver a eulogy. Interment will follow in Forest Hills Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Pallbearers will be Ross Miller, Michael Miller, Thomas Asbury, Butch Bishop, Bruce Howard, Robby Miller, Casey Miller and Leon Harrell. Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Pugh, Harold Stapleton, Ron Harrington and Joe Breeding. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 246, Abingdon, VA 24212 or to Wellmont Hospice House, 280 Steele's Road, Bristol, TN 37620. Those wishing to express their condolences online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com. Mr. Miller, 81, died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2003, at his home. Farris Funeral Service of Abingdon is serving the Miller family. Malcolm Monroe GATE CITY -- Malcolm Monroe departed this life Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2003, at Hospice House in Bristol. Survivors and arrangements will be announced later by Scott County Funeral Home, Weber City. Melanie Ann Owens CLINTWOOD -- Funeral services for Melanie Ann Owens will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Clintwood Baptist Church, with Pastor Allen Bonnell officiating. Burial will be in the Lambert Family Cemetery, Hatchett Section, Nora. Active pallbearers will be friends and family, Larkin Turner, Charles Hay, Jason Hicks, Shane Hicks, Jason Nichols and Johnny Nichols. Ms. Owens, age 36, went to be with the Lord Sunday, Sept. 14, 2003. Mullins Funeral Home is serving the family. Brett Selfe ABINGDON -- Brett Selfe, age 20, died Monday, Sept. 15, 2003, in Abingdon. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by the branch facility of Farris Funeral Service located on the grounds of Forest Hills Memory Gardens, 19415 Lee Highway, Abingdon. Glenda Sue Shupe ATKINS, Va. -- Glenda Sue Shupe, age 46, died Monday, Sept. 15, 2003, at her home in Atkins. She is survived by her husband, Larry Shupe of Atkins; one daughter, Serena Sue Shupe of Marion; two sons, Willard Monroe Shupe of Atkins and Eric Dean Shupe of Marion; seven sisters, Gracie Kimbrough and Kathy Smith, both of Virginia Beach, Va., Juanita Bailey, Molly Shupe and Opal Fay Ellison, all of Mooresville, N.C., Polly Ellison of West Virginia and Mary Ann Hammons of Texas; five brothers, Alfred Ellison of Atkins and Ira James Ellison, John Ellison, Sam Ellison and Richard Ellison, all of West Virginia, and two grandchildren, Jacob Ty Addison and Cedrick Monroe Shupe. Funeral services will be Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, at 11 a.m. at Seaver-Brown Chapel, with Rev. Mike Sage officiating. There will be no visitation at the funeral home. Seaver-Brown Funeral Service is serving the Shupe Family. Nell Virginia Steele BRISTOL, Va. -- Nell Virginia Steele, age 78, 100 Moore St., died Friday, Sept. 12, 2003, at Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, Radford, Va. A native of Washington County, Va., she was the daughter of the late Eugene and Barbara Jessee Steele. Miss Steele was an active member of Virginia Avenue United Methodist Church, Bristol Tennessee, where she taught Sunday School and led Bible studies. She was a graduate of Lebanon High School and attended Hiawasee College and Radford College. In addition to her parents, Miss Steele was preceded in death by two brothers, Bernard Steele and Vance Steele, and four sisters, Nancy Stetler, Dorothy Fields, Ruth Steele and Mary Asbury. Survivors include an aunt, Christine Jackson of Stuart, Va., a brother, John Steele of Baltimore, and several cousins, nieces and nephews. The memorial service for Nell Virginia Steele will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003, at the Virginia Avenue United Methodist Church. Courtesy of Tetrick Funeral & Cremation Services, 3001 Peoples St., Johnson City, TN 37604 (423-610-7171). Grady Stevens BUCHANAN COUNTY, Va. -- Mr. Grady Stevens, age 99, of the Sandy Ridge section, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2003, at his home. Born Jan. 23, 1904, in Buchanan County, he was a son of the last Isaac Floyd and Mary Rasnake Stevens. He was a life-long resident of the Sandy Ridge section and was a farmer. He was a member of the Clinch View Free Will Baptist Church on Sandy Ridge. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Bertha Stevens, one son, Jerry Edward Stevens, one brother, Lacy Stevens, and one grandson. Survivors include two daughters, Freeda Dotson of the home and Virginia Lois Murphy and her husband Sammy of Honaker; three sons, Kenneth Stevens and his wife Larnell of Cleveland, Dwain Stevens and his wife Norma of Honaker and J.C. Stevens and his wife Carolyn of Honaker; several half-brothers and half-sisters; 14 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren also survive. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel, Honaker, with Rev. Roy Lee Wilson and Rev. Don Sullivan officiating. Interment will follow in the Stevens Cemetery on Sandy Ridge. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Cleveland Lifesaving Crew. Friends may call at the Honaker Funeral Home after 6 p.m. Wednesday.