Bristol, Virginia, Obituaries: Bristol Herald Courier, October 30, 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, Oct. 30, 2004 Today's Deaths Lantie Cline, 76, formerly of Buchanan County Donald Melvin Dowell Sr., 64, Bristol Virginia Richard Lynn Fleming, 44 Effie T. Jessee, 68, Bristol Virginia Maxie Mullins Linkous, 93, Clintwood Everett Eugene Messer, 62, Norton Jack M. Beverly BLOUNTVILLE – Calling hours for Jack M. Beverly will be Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, from 5-7 p.m. at East Lawn Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004, at Cassidy United Methodist Church, with Reverend Jim Jenkins officiating. Graveside services will follow in East Lawn Memorial Park. Those wishing may make memorial contributions to Cassidy United Methodist Church, 5801 Memorial Blvd., Kingsport, TN 37664. Please visit our Web site at www.mem.com to place a condolence to the Beverly family. Jack M. Beverly, age 65, went home to be with the Lord at 2:20 a.m. Thursday at Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center. East Lawn Funeral Home is serving the Beverly family. Lantie Cline NORTHFORK, W.Va. – Lantie Cline, 76 years of age, formerly of Buchanan County, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, in Princeton Community Hospital, Princeton, W.Va., following an extended illness. Born in Mingo County, W.Va., he was a son of the late Kenna and Cora Allen Cline. He was a resident of the Hurley, Va., area several years and was a member of the Freewill Baptist Church. He was a retired coal miner and a member of the United Mine Workers of America. Mr. Cline was preceded in death by his wife, Dora Dotson Cline. Surviving are one daughter, Nancy Sullivan and husband, Earl May, Hurley; one son, Eugene and wife, Linda Cline, Hurley; four sisters, Rhoda Chapman, Princeton, Virgie Hunt, Gilbert, W.Va., Lexie Harvey, Spanishburg, W.Va., and Magalene Conkle, Hurley; one brother, Virgil Cline, Whitewood, Va. Also surviving are two granddaughters, Desiree Baker and Brittany Cline; two grandsons, Chris Cline and Jason Sullivan; and one great-granddaughter, Adrianna Cline. He was preceded in death by five sisters, and three brothers. Funeral services for Lantie Cline will be conducted Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004, at 1 p.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Donnie Prater, Rev. Tommy Conn and Rev. Larry Rife officiating, with burial to follow in the Rife Cemetery on Left Fork of Guesses Fork, near Hurley. Friends may call at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel Friday evening at 6 p.m., with services Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. Active pallbearers will be family and friends. Honorary pallbearers will be Doug Coleman, Kenneth Stacy, Rick Stacy and Clifford Coleman. Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy is in charge of all arrangements. Linda Crumley PINEY FLATS – Graveside service for Linda Crumley will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in the Hines Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.weaverfuneralhome.net. Linda Crumley, age 58, of 196 Huffman Hollow Road, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, in the Bristol Regional Medical Center. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Danny L. Dickenson ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. – Funeral services for Brother Danny L. Dickenson will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, at Castlewood Funeral Home Chapel, Castlewood, with Brother Richard Minton and Brother Terry Arney officiating. Committal services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004, in Highland Cemetery, Rogersville. Family and friends will meet at the cemetery. Pallbearers will be Everette Minton, Josh Minton, Terry Allen Powers, Barry Young, Jimmy Alley and Kevin Hale. Honorary pallbearers will be Alan Mullins, Jamie Sexton, Mark Dingus and Kevin Armstrong. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, at Castlewood Funeral Home, Castlewood. Online condolences may be sent to the Dickenson family through our Web site at www.castlewoodfuneralhome.com. Brother Danny L. Dickenson, 52, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at Bristol Regional Medical Center, Bristol Tennessee. Castlewood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Donald Dowell Sr. BRISTOL, Va. – Donald Melvin Dowell Sr., age 64, of 513 Meadowcrest Drive, passed away Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, in the Wellmont Hospice House. Mr. Dowell was born on Sept. 5, 1940, in Bristol Virginia, to Melvin Dowell and Ella Mae Jackson Childress. He attended school in the Wallace community. Mr. Dowell was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving for 14 years. Mr. Dowell served in the Vietnam War, where he received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for being wounded in the Vietnam War. He also received the National Defense Service medal, Vietnam Service medal, Vietnam Campaign medal, Air medal, Army Commendation medal, Bronze Star medal and the Good Conduct medal. Mr. Dowell was a truck driver for over 30 years, prior to his illness, and made many friends throughout his time on the road. Mr. Dowell was preceded in death by his father, his first wife, Doris Lunsford Dowell, and one infant twin daughter, Donna Lee Dowell. Mr. Dowell is survived by his mother, Ella Mae Jackson Childress of Bristol Virginia; his wife of 18 years, Judy Ann Dowell; one son, Donald M. Dowell Jr. and wife Rula of Piney Flats; four daughters, Sonya Eller and husband Roger of Emory, Va., Vickie Byrge and husband Joe of Jacksboro, Tenn., Sherrie Clark and husband Jackie of Bristol Virginia and Robin Hayden and husband Will of Bristol Virginia; one brother, Robert "Bob" Dowell and wife Linda of Bristol Virginia; one sister, Judy Houser and husband George of Bristol Virginia; several grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; many children who he and Judy cared for through the years; several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles; special friends, Robert Roark and Randall Brooks; and many extended family. Funeral service will be held Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004, at 2 p.m. in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Todd Crusenberry and Rev. Kenneth Widner officiating. Burial will follow in the Mountain View Cemetery, with military honors to be presented by the Patton-Crosswhite VFW Post 6975. Honorary pallbearers will be Rev. Doug McCracken and Jackie Clark. The family would like to say a special thanks to the Wellmont Hospice House staff and to the staff of the Cancer Center at Bristol Regional Medical Center. In lieu of flowers, contributions or food may be made to the Wellmont Hospice House, 280 Steele’s Road Bristol, TN 37620. The family will receive friends Saturday evening from 6 until 9 p.m. in the Weaver Funeral Home. Online condolences may be sent at www.weaverfuneralhome.net. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Richard Fleming Richard Lynn "Rick" Fleming, 44, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004, at St. Mary’s Hospital. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Norton. His parents, Cecil and June Hughes Fleming, brothers, Cecil Fleming Jr. (C.J.) and Danny Mack Fleming, preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Dana Collier Fleming, Norton; four daughters, Hannah Fleming and Sydney Fleming of the home, Tiffany Fleming, Kingsport, and Annabelle and John Pannell, Clintwood; son, Colby Fleming, Big Stone Gap; foster parents, Lewis and Peggy Fleming, Clintwood; sisters, Diane and Benny Pat Mullins and Cora June Fleming, all of Clintwood; brothers, Roger Lee Fleming, McLean, Va., Gary Wayne Fleming, Eaton Rapids, Mich., Michael Wade and Marietta Fleming, Bristol Virginia; his wife’s parents, Pedie and Lynda Poston, Big Stone Gap; sisters-in-law, Jan and Dave Tester, Fishers, Ind., Cindy Collier, Wise, and Rebecca and Chad Williams, Wise; five nieces and six nephews. The family will receive friends from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Norton. Funeral services will be conducted 7:30 p.m. in the church, with Rev. John Ellington officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 499, Norton, VA 24273. Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home of Norton is serving the Fleming family. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.hagyfawbush.com. Kenneth Hankla NORTON – Graveside committal services for Kenneth Hankla will be conducted 11 a.m. Saturday in the Powell Valley Memorial Gardens. Those wishing to go in procession to the cemetery are asked to meet at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.hagyfawbush.com. Kenneth Hankla, 70, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, in Wellmont Holston Valley Hospital, after a brief illness. Parlee E. Heath GLADE SPRING – Mrs. Parlee Evelyn Heath, age 79, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004, at the Specialty Select Hospital in Bristol Tennessee. Born on March 21, 1925, in Watauga County, N.C., she was a daughter of the late Jessee Yarber and Mae Waters Yarber. She was also preceded in death by her sister, Ruby Smith. Mrs. Heath was a member of the Mount Carmel Christian Church in Meadowview and loved growing her many varieties of flowers, as well as taking care of her flower gardens at her home. She was an avid bird watcher and enjoyed feeding them also. She is survived by her husband, James D. Heath; two daughters, Joyce H. Eller and husband Steve of Chilhowie and Janet Campbell of Glade Spring; one brother, Junior B. Yarber of Meadowview; a sister, Goldie Salyer of Meadowview; two grandchildren, Ryan Eller of Chilhowie and Leann Nunley of Abingdon. A graveside funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, at Forest Hills Memory Gardens, with Rev. David Mumpower officiating. Interment will follow in the cemetery. The family will receive friends at the graveside Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the service at the graveside, or any time at the home of her daughters, Janet Campbell, 31208 Old Stage Road, Glade Spring; or Joyce Eller 528 Haynes Ave., Chilhowie. Those wishing to send memories or messages of sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrisfuneralservice.com. The Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral Service, 427 E. Main St., Abingdon, is serving the family of Mrs. Parlee Evelyn Heath. Effie T. Jessee BRISTOL, Va. – Effie T. Jessee, age 68, went to be with the Lord Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, in Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center. She was a native of Buchanan County, Va., and was a military wife for eight years, lived in Washington, D.C., area for 32 years and retired to Bristol in 1991. She was a member of Victory Baptist Church. Mrs. Jessee was preceded in death by her father, Fieldon Thompson, mother, Margaret Stevens, her stepfather, Robert Stevens, and one son, Gary F. Jessee. Survivors include her husband of 48 years, Frank R. Jessee; two sons, Wesley L. Jessee and wife Betty of Meadowview and Frank R. Jessee II and fiancée Angel of Bristol Tennessee; six sisters, Mary Ann Crabtree and Carnell Rasnake, both of Cleveland, Va., Nadine Houser of Bristol Virginia, Ethel Powers of Manassas, Va., Viola Crabtree of Lebanon and Dorothy Osborne of Cleveland, Va.; and three brothers, Ned Stevens of Honaker, Edgar Stevens of Tannersville, Va., and Claude Stevens of Northeast, Md. Also surviving are three grandchildren, Jason Jessee of Fort Campbell, Ky., Sarah Jessee of Honaker and Matthew Lassiter of Bristol Tennessee. The funeral service will be conducted at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, at Akard Funeral Home Chapel, with Dr. Austin Cook officiating. The committal service and entombment will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004, at Mount View Mausoleum. The family will receive friends from 6 until 7:45 p.m. Saturday at Akard Funeral Home, prior to the service. Those who wish may send memorials to American Cancer Society, c/o Jack Mallin, 57 Fairway Drive, Bristol, TN 37620. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting our Web site at www.akardfuneralhome.com. Akard Funeral Home, 1912 West State St., Bristol, TN 37620, (423) 989-4800, is serving the family of Mrs. Jessee. Maxie M. Linkous CLINTWOOD – Maxie Mullins Linkous, age 93, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2004, at Dickenson Community Hospital. She was born in Dickenson County on Aug. 28, 1911. Preceding her in death were her loving husband, John E. "Blue" Linkous, and son, John D. Linkous, previously of Charlottesville. She dedicated her whole life to being a beloved wife, mother and grandmother. Her survivors include daughter, Bobbie Linkous Ferguson of Williamsburg, Va.; sons, Tom Linkous and wife Rhea of Ruckersville, Va., and Freddie Linkous and wife Leta of Clintwood; daughter-in-law, Shirley Linkous of Charlottesville; sister, Jessie Mullins of Abingdon; special sister-in-law, Margaret Baker of Clintwood; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins that were all very close. Graveside services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at the Thornspring Methodist Church Cemetery in Pulaski, Va., with Jim Linkous officiating. Friends and family will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, in the Mullins Funeral Home Chapel, where a song service will be conducted at 6 p.m., with Bill Cahill and Kenneth Childress officiating. Mullins Funeral Home is serving the Linkous family. Everette E. Messer NORTON – Everett Eugene "Buddy" Messer, 62, passed away Friday, Oct. 29, 2004, at St. Mary’s Hospital. Buddy was an employee of Pepsi-Cola in Norton for over 40 years. His parents, John and Grace Messer, and brothers, John, Ray and Darrell, preceded him in death. Surviving are his wife, Sandra DePriest Messer, Norton; daughter, Kimberly Messer and husband Jim Stratton, Palm Coast, Fla.; son, Paul Ramey, Pennington Gap, Va.; stepchildren, Cindy Marks, Janie Bateman, Mark Coomer and Kelli Salyers; sisters, Ruby Williams and husband Lee, Knoxville, Helen Thacker and husband Lucian, Wise, Billie Jean Cook, Norton, and Betty Sturgill and husband Percy, Norton; brother, Glen (Pop) Messer and wife Faye, Norton; two grandchildren; eight stepgrandchildren and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 6-9 p.m. Saturday at the Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home chapel, with Rev. Roy Kyle Dean officiating. Burial will follow in the White Oak Gap Cemetery. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.hagyfawbush.com. Claudine V. Mutter BRISTOL, Tenn. – Funeral services for Claudine Virginia Mutter will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, in the Weaver Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Allen McCullough officiating. The burial will follow in the Glenwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Roland Ramirez, Greg Hinson, Mark Michaels, Erin Melendez, Jeremy Ratliff and Eric Vance. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.weaverfuneralhome.net. Claudine Virginia Mutter, age 72, of 301 Sinking Springs Road, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at her home. Jeffrey Ratigan GRUNDY – Jeffrey Ratigan, age 42, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy. He was a son of the late Henry L. Ratigan. In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by is grandparents, William E. and Lucille Ratigan and Fletcher and Faye Powers Davis. Survivors include his mother, Thanna Davis, and stepfather, C.W. Kelly, of Roanoke; one sister, Jennifer Ratigan Hutton of Rocky Mount, Va.; stepmother, Helen Ratigan; four stepbrothers, Bruce, Brian, Brad and Barry Kelly; a stepsister, Regina Dudley; and several uncles and aunts. Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, at Haysi Funeral Home, with Elders Joe Edwards and Darrell Davis officiating. Burial will follow in the Jackson-Owens Cemetery, Haysi. Haysi Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Edward A. Robinson BRISTOL, Tenn. – Burial for Edward A. (Ed) Robinson will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, in the Russell Memorial Cemetery. Those attending should meet at the funeral home by 10:30 a.m. to go in procession to the cemetery. Family members will serve as pallbearers. Edward A. (Ed) Robinson, age 76, died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004, at his home. Combs Funeral Service is serving the family of Mr. Robinson. Tammy I. Robinson PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. – Tammy I. Robinson, 40, died Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, at her home. She was a three-year survivor of breast cancer. A memorial service will be held 4 p.m. Sunday at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Marion. Litchfield Pawleys Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Pawleys Island is serving the family. Memorials may be made to Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group at All Saints Church, 3560 Kings River Road, Pawleys Island, SC 29585. Clare Williams HIGH POINT, N.C. – Funeral services for Clare M. "Jackie" White Williams will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004, in the Mountain View Mausoleum Chapel, with Rev. Cass Farrior officiating. Burial will be in the Mountain View Cemetery. Online condolences may be registered at www.weaverfuneralhome.net. The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at Mountain View Cemetery Mausoleum Chapel. Clare M. "Jackie" White Williams, age 65, of 3024 English Road, went to be with the Lord Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, at her home. Weaver Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.