Bristol, Virginia, Obituaries: Bristol Herald Courier, January 3, 2004 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 Saturday, January 3, 2004 Martin Van Bates ABINGDON – Mr. Martin Van Bates, 63, of Abingdon, died Wednesday Dec. 31, 2003 at Johnston Memorial Hospital. Mr. Bates was born Feb. 14, 1940 in Jenkins, Ky., to the late Landis D. Bates and Mary L. Hayes Bates. He was a U.S. Army veteran and was stationed in Germany. He was retired from Columbus McKinnon Company after 30 years of service. He was a native of Wise and had lived in Abingdon for over 30 years. He was preceded in death by parents; brothers and sister, Robert Bates, Dewey Bates, John Bates, Franklin Bates and Joyce Bates. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Arline Bates; brothers, Donald Bates and James (Tom) Bates, both of Norton, and Russell Bates of Virginia Beach; sisters, Mary Holcomb of Norton, Jean Hillman of Kingsport, Jackie Hubbard of Martinsburg, W.Va., Dixie Cox of Coal City, W.Va., Ruth Puckett of Channelview, Texas, and Carrie Kilgore of Wise. A graveside funeral service will be held Saturday, January 3, 2004, at 11 a.m. at Forest Hills Memory Gardens. Mr. Donald Milligan will officiate. Pallbearers will be nephews, family and friends. Flowers will be appreciated or donations may be made to the Washington County Animal Shelter, 27252 Porter Lane, Abingdon. A special thank you to Jack Wilson, Virgil Wimmer, Ronald Price, Charlie and Ruth Surber, Jerry and Della Arnold, Helen and Jane Bryant and nieces and nephews, especially thanks to Bernie Bates of Lilburn, Ga,, Larry and Dorothy Ashley, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Barr, Megan and Charlie. "We will miss you Marty." Those wishing to express their condolences online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com Farris Funeral Service is serving the Bates family. Margaret Louise Bell BLUFF CITY – Margaret Louise Bell, 82, died Friday, January 2, 2004, at Bristol Regional Medical Center. She was born in Bristol Tennessee, a daughter of the late Homer and Viola Phillips Bowers, and was a member of Addilynn Memorial United Methodist Church. She was a medical assistant with Dr. J. Q. Early and Dr. Floyd E. Nicely for 32 years. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Pat Earl Bell; a daughter, Sharyon B. McKinney, wife of the late Donald McKinney, of Johnson City; a sister, Joan Lindamood and her husband John of Bluff City; a grandson, Greg Scot McKinney of Tampa, Fla. The funeral service will be conducted at 6 o’clock Sunday evening in the Paul Cook Memorial Chapel of Oakley-Cook Funeral home, with Rev. Steve Brown officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. The committal service and burial will be at 1 o’clock Monday afternoon in Glenwood Cemetery. Those who wish may send memorial contributions to Addilynn Memorial United Methodist Church, 3225 Avoca Road, Bristol, TN 37620. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family by visiting www.oakley-cook.com Mrs. Bell is in the care of Oakley-Cook Funeral Home, 2223 Volunteer Parkway, Bristol, Tenn. Walter H. Boyd FORK RIDGE, Va. – Mr. Walter H. Boyd, age 75, passed away Thursday, January 1, 2004, in a Tazewell hospital following a lengthy illness. Born in Buchanan County, Va., he was the son of the late Charlie and Martha Sisk Boyd. He was a retired coal miner. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean conflict and was a member of the John Ratliff Post 164 of the American Legion. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one daughter, Deborah K. Boyd; and six brothers, Leonard Boyd, Titus Boyd, Dennis Boyd, Elmer Boyd, Delmer Boyd and Orland Boyd. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mable Arms Boyd; four daughters, Carol Absher and husband Larry of Cedar Bluff, Linda Cordill of Baptist Valley, Va., Freda Thomas and husband Don of Bluefield, W.Va., and Shirley Carroll and husband Glenn of Springville, Va.; three sons, Joe Boyd and wife Diana of Shortt Gap, Va., James Boyd and wife Diane of Dandridge, Tenn., and Jerry Boyd and wife Debbie of Hedgeville, W.Va.; one sister, Loya Davis of Shortt Gap, Va.,; one brother, Otis Boyd of Woster, Ohio; 10 grandchildren; and three great- grandchildren also survive. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Sunday, January 4, 2004, at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel in Cedar Bluff, with Rev. Jimmy Richardson officiating. Burial will follow in the Boyd Family Cemetery in Buchanan County, Va. John Ratliff Post 164 will conduct military graveside rites. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Singleton Funeral Service in Cedar Bluff. Online condolences may be sent by going to www.singletonfuneralservice.com In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bible in the Schools, P.O. Box 543, Bluefield, WV 24701. Singleton Funeral Service is serving the Boyd family. Oleta P. Boyle BRISTOL, Tenn. – The funeral service for Oleta P. Boyle will be conducted at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon in the Heritage Chapel of Memories in Glenwood Cemetery. Rev. Fred Dearing and Rev. Nelson Woody will officiate. Entombment will follow. Friends may call at the home of Ken Boyle, 239 Maplehurst Lane, Bluff City. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family by visiting www.oakley-blevins.com Mrs. Boyle, 88, died Wednesday, December 31, 2003, at NHC of Bristol. Mrs. Boyle is in the care of Oakley-Blevins Funeral Home, 417 Lee St., Bristol, Va. Robert H. Branson Jr. BRISTOL, Va. – Funeral services for Robert H. Branson Jr. will be conducted on Saturday, January 3, 2004, at 7 p.m. in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastors Herb Peake, Steve Playl and Dale Wright officiating. Committal services will be held on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Eastern Heights Cemetery. Pallbearers include: former Bristol Virginia firemen: Carl Cunningham, Hoy Vaughn, Charlie James, Don Finley, Walter Ford, Dennis Burnette, Bobby Hobbs and Kerry Haga. Honorary pallbearers include: Bristol Virginia Fire Department, Ronnie Jessee and Bristol Virginia Life Saving Crew. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 4:30-6:45 p.m. prior to the service and other times at 293 Bellehaven Drive, Bristol, VA. Online condolences may be registered at www.weaverfuneralhome.net Mr. Branson, age 59, passed away on January 1, 2004, at Bristol Regional Medical Center. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Odell Carty Odell Carty, age 74, died at Dickenson Community Hospital on Friday, January 2, 2004. Born in Dickenson County, he was a retired truck driver at Pittston Coal Companies Warehouse 6. He as predeceased by his parents, Clark and Cora Stanley Carty, and a brother, Lonza Carty. He is survived by his wife, Margaret Carty, Clintwood; son James Dale Carty, Dublin, Va.; and daughters and sons-in-law, Rebecca and Steve Lester, Salem and Jo Ann and Dennis Kennedy, Clintwood; one brother, Larkin Carty, Coeburn; several half brothers and sisters also survive; along with grandchildren, Dennis Kennedy Jr., Kimberly Tennant and Angela Helvey; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 6, 2004, from the Clintwood Funeral Home, with Ministers Joe Glenn Sluss and Darrell Milgrim officiating. Entombment will follow at the Temple Hill Memorial Park, Castlewood. The family will receive friends after 6:00 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Friends will serve as pallbearers. Clintwood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Virgil G. Chaney The family of Virgil G. Chaney will receive friends from 1 until 1:50 Sunday afternoon at Oakley-Cook Funeral Home, with the funeral service to follow at 2 o’clock. Rev. Steve Playl will officiate. Entombment will follow in the Heritage Chapel of Memories at Glenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Woodlawn Baptist Church, 1400 Southside Ave., Bristol, TN 37620. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family by visiting www.oakley-cook.com Mr. Chaney, 93, died Thursday, January 1, 2004, at Wellmont Hospice House. Arrangements especially for Mr. Chaney have been through Oakley-Cook Funeral Home, 2223 Volunteer Parkway, Bristol, Tenn. Margaret Jane Oliver Davis Range C. Davis BRISTOL, Tenn. – Graveside services for Range C. "Jack" Davis and Margaret Jane Oliver Davis will be conducted 1 p.m. Saturday in Glenwood Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be made at www.weaverfuneralhome.net Mrs. Davis, age 75, died Dec. 30, 2003, in Spartanburg, S.C., from injuries received in an automobile accident. Mr. Davis, age 77, died Dec. 23, 2003, in Spartanburg, S.C., from injuries received in an automobile accident. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mary Helen Doyle BLOUNTVILLE – Mary Helen "Brownie" Doyle, age 71, of 1288 Massengill Rd., passed away Thursday, January 1, 2004, in the Wellmont Hospice House. She was born in Blountville, to the late William Franklin and Virgie R. King Leonard, and lived all of her life in the area. She was a mother and a homemaker and attended the Bethany Bible Church. She was the widow of Ernest "Bug" Doyle. She is survived by: daughter, Amanda "Susie" Stout; son, William "Pete" Doyle and wife Martha; brothers, Russell Leonard, Joe Leonard and Vernon Leonard; grandchildren, Missy Shuttle and husband Marty, Randall Stout, Sarah Stout and Eric Doyle and wife Bridget; step-grandson, Johnny Necessary; special niece, Sharon Shaffer; and special cousin, Faye Adams. She is preceded in death by a sister, Mabel Fleenor. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, January 4, 2004, in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Zane Sutherland officiating. The burial will follow in the Johnson Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday evening at Weaver Funeral Home or any other time at 1288 Massengill Rd., Blountville, TN and 1180 Reedy Creek Rd. Bristol, TN. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.weaverfuneralhome.net Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Cecil Flick BRISTOL, Va. – The family of Cecil Flick will receive friends from 10 o’clock until 11:15 Saturday morning at Oakley-Blevins Funeral Home. The funeral service will be conducted at 11:30 Saturday morning at the graveside in East Hill Cemetery, with Rev. Dale Holcomb officiating. Military graveside rites will be conducted by Highlands Fellowship Veterans Honor Guard. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family by visiting www.oakley- blevins.com Mr. Flick, 86, died Wednesday, December 31, 2003, at Hermitage Health Center, Inc. in Elizabethton, Tenn. Mr. Flick and his family are in the care of Oakley-Blevins Funeral Home, 417 Lee St., Bristol, Va. Hattie Hinkle Hampton CEDAR BLUFF – Funeral services for Mrs. Hattie Hinkle Hampton will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at the Hurst-Scott Funeral Chapel in Richlands, with Rev. Jack Jenkins and Minister Lee Blackburn officiating. Entombment will follow in Greenhills Memory Gardens Mausoleum at Claypool Hill, Va. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers: Danny Bowman, Paul E. Cook, Paul Brewster, Marcus Lowrance, Dr. Ramulo Fajardo, Dr. H. C. Scott, Dr. Joe Adair and men of the Cedar Bluff United Methodist Church. Memorial contributions may be made to the OES Home of Virginia, 3000 Chamberlayne Ave., Richmond, VA 23277. Mrs. Hampton went to be with the Lord December 31, 2003, at a Richlands hospital following a lengthy illness. Hurst-Scott Funeral Home in Richlands is in charge of arrangements. Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so at www.hurstscottfuneralhomes.com Gordon Holbrook CASTLEWOOD – Committal service for Gordon Holbrook will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2004, in Temple Hill Memorial Park, Castlewood. The family will meet at the funeral home and go in procession to the cemetery leaving at 10:30 a.m. Pallbearers will be Fred Yorke, Fred Meade, Jim Hall, Charlie Willis, Chub Flannary and Eddie Horne. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Hobbs, Dr. Duke Holliday, men of the First Baptist Church, Ralph Maples, Wes Ingle, Joe Tomlinson, Jerry Hall and Garland Cox. Online condolences may be sent to the Holbrook family through our Web site at www.castlewoodfuneralhome.com Mr. Holbrook, 67, went to be with the Lord after a long illness Wednesday, December 31, 2003, at his home. Castlewood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Charles A. Johnson BRISTOL, Va. – Charles Auston Johnson, age 78, died Thursday, January 1, 2004. He was a lifelong resident of the Bristol area and was a son of the late George and Leona Saults Johnson. He was retired from United Inter-Mountain Telephone Company and he attended Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Abingdon. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters, Edith Johnson, Thelma L. Salley, Margaret A. Levins and Vivian I. Martinez; and five brothers, William R. Johnson, George F. Johnson, Harris E. Johnson, Wallace S. Johnson and Clem Johnson. He is survived by a sister, Elouise E. Johnson Pless; and nieces and nephews, Theron Johnson, Shelia Whittaker, Jerry Levins, Donald Pless, Patty Jackson, Bobby Walls and Jeff Pless. The funeral service will be conducted at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 3, in the Akard Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Paul Price officiating. The committal service and interment will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, at Glenwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Danny Reed, Jimmy Barker, David Woods, Kenneth Smeltzer, Jamie Johnson, Jason Johnson, Shawn Bright and Matthew Bright. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Saturday prior to the service at Akard Funeral Home. E-mail condolences to the family may be sent to akardfh@peercom.net Akard Funeral Home, 1912 W. State St., Bristol, TN 37620, phone (423) 989-4800, is serving the family of Mr. Johnson. Louis Johnson Funeral services for Louis Johnson will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 3, 2004, in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Sam Haynes, Rev. Dewey Williams and Rev. Darryl Fritts officiating. The burial will follow in the Mountain View Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Bobby Booher, Daryl Booher, Anthony Bays, Bruce Vukodinavich, Garve Taylor, Kenneth Johnson, Cotton Rogers and Claude Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Linford Herndon, Gary McCracken, Gene Baker, Nathan Bledsoe, Danny Whitaker, Glen Eads, all the neighbors in Woodsdale Subdivision and all his bluegrass friends. Memorials may be made to the Belle Meadows Baptist Church, 619 Wagner Rd., Bristol, VA 24201. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.weaverfuneralhome.net Mr. Johnson, age 73, passed from this earth to be with his Lord on Wednesday December 31, 2003, at the Wellmont Hospice House after a brief illness. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Kenneth P. Jones BLOUNTVILLE – Kenneth P. "Dub" Jones, age 62, 468 Ethel Beard Road, died Thursday, January 1, 2004, in Bristol Regional Medical Center. He was a native of Sullivan County, son of the late Fred M. and Anna R. Lawson Jones. He was a well-known farmer and attended Gunnings Baptist Church. He is survived by a son, Kenneth "Kenny" W. Jones, Piney Flats; sister, Hazel Elizabeth Hill, Orange Park, Fla.; brothers, John L. Jones, Bronx, N.Y. Donald G. Jones, Bluff City, Jay E. Jones, Blountville, Fred W. Jones, Blountville, Bruce A. Jones, Bluff City, Larry D. Jones, Blountville and Randall W. Jones, Blountville; grandchildren, Thomas A. Jones and Kendra R. Jones; and special friend, Martha A. Smith. Funeral services will be conducted 9 p.m. Saturday in Weaver Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Johnny Mink officiating. Graveside services will be conducted 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Tri-Cities Memory Gardens. Pallbearers: Wayne Jones, Chris Jones, Kevin Jones, Brian Jones, Darrell Jones, Scott Carrier and Kevin Jones. Honorary pallbearers: Clyde Houser and Jim Bill Harr. The family will recieve friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the funeral Home. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangments. Benny Frank McElyea BRISTOL, Va. – The funeral service for Benny Frank McElyea will be conducted at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon in the Blevins Memorial Chapel of Oakley-Blevins Funeral Home with Rev. Gary Rowlette and Pastor Cass Farrior officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1 until 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon. Honorary pallbearers will be Bruce Baumgardner and Ricky Slagle. Condolences and memories may be sent to the family by visiting www.oakley- blevins.com Mr. McElyea, 64, died Wednesday, December 31, 2003 at his home. Mr. McElyea and his family are in the care of Oakley-Blevins Funeral Home, 417 Lee Street, Bristol, Virginia. Margaret B. Mitchell BRISTOL, Va. – Margaret Brockenborough Mitchell, 102, died Wednesday, December 31, 2003, at NHC of Bristol. She was born on August 13, 1901, at her family home on King Street in Bristol, Virginia, where she lived for 99 years before moving to Broadmore Assisted Living. She was the daughter of the late Joseph D. Mitchell, who came from the "Northern Neck" of Virginia to Bristol in 1882. Beginning as a salesman for a Knoxville hardware company, he became the manager and the president of Mitchell- Powers Hardware Company. Margaret’s mother was Louise Morison of Gate City, a descendant of Jonathan Wood, an early settler of Scott County. Margaret attended Virginia High School where she served as vice-president of the freshman class of 1916. In 1920, she graduated from the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and in 1924, she graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts. She attended Emmanuel Episcopal Church all her life and for many years served on the Alter Guild. Prior to her death, she was the oldest living member of the church. She was a member of the St. Monica and St. Elizabeth Guilds and was a charter member of the 1900 Study Club. She was a 77-year member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, serving as regent of the Sycamore Shoals Chapter and after its disbandment joining the Fort Chiswell Chapter. She was a member of the Ann Carter Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, in which she held offices continuously. Margaret took great delight in attending state, regional and national conventions of both the DAR and the UDC. Her love of animals, especially cats, led her, with Sara Barker, to establish the Bristol Chapter of the Humane Society. Margaret was a talented writer. All her life, she regularly wrote letters to the editor of the Bristol Herald Courier, and, in 1991, her book, "Rectors I Have Known", was published. The funeral service will be conducted at 11 o’clock Saturday morning at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, with Rev. Dr. Paul Hamilton Fuller IV officiating. Burial will follow in Shelby Hills Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Richard Hobbs, Ron Morgan, Mac McElroy, Jack Haga, Lawrence Skeens and Frank Goodpasture III. Honorary pallbearers will be Judge George M. Warren Jr., John Harty, John Booth, V.N. "Bud" Phillips, Lester Taylor and Tony Marion. Condolences and memories may be sent by visiting www.oakley-blevins.com Miss Mitchell is in the care of Oakley-Blevins Funeral Home, 417 Lee Street, Bristol, Va. Dorothy Clark Ratliff LEBANON – The funeral services for Dorothy Clark Ratliff will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2004, in the Combs Funeral Service Chapel, with the Rev. Michael Rhea officiating. Burial will follow in Ketron Memorial Gardens, Lebanon. Nephews and friends will serve as pallbearers. Mrs. Ratliff, 75, died Thursday, January 1, 2004, in the Russell County Medical Center. Combs Funeral Service in Lebanon is serving the family of Mrs. Ratliff. Neta M. Spradlyn BRISTOL, Va. – Funeral services for Neta M. Spradlyn will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2004, in the Mountain View Mausoleum Chapel, with Dr. Austin Cook officiating. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.weaverfuneralhome.net Mrs. Spradlyn, age 93, of 400 Randolph St., passed away Thursday, January 1, 2003, in Grace Health Care. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Mary H. Sproles BRISTOL, Tenn. – Gravesides services for Mary Pearl Hamlet Sproles will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, January 3, 2004, in the Mountain View Mausoleum Chapel, with Minister Ross Dampier and Rev. Stephen Playl officiating. There will be no visitation at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Bristol Public Library, 701 Goode St., Bristol, VA 24201. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.weaverfuneralhome.net Mrs. Sproles, age 83, of 422 High Circle, passed away Thursday, January 1, 2004, in the Bristol Regional Medical Center. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.