Register Herald Obituaries for April 16, 2000 William H. Bowles SANDSTONE - William Howard Bowles, 80, of Lockbridge Road, died Friday morning, April 14, 2000, at his home following an apparent heart attack. Born Jan. 23, 1920, in Sandstone, he was the son of the late Edgar E. and Verna Vance Bowles. Mr. Bowles was a retired employee of Blue Valley Lumber Co. Meadow Bridge, and was a lifelong resident of the Sandstone area. He was an avid outdoorsman, having enjoyed working in his garden and hunting ginseng, and was a follower of bluegrass music. He also was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was preceded in death by a brother, Jesse Bowles. Survivors include his wife of nearly 44 years, Helen Maxine Gunter Bowles; a daughter, Gayla Gwinn of Lockbridge; a son, William E. "Bill" Bowles and his wife, Debbie, of Beckley; two brothers, Earl Bowles and his wife, Ruth, of Lockbridge Road, Sandstone, and Albert Ray Bowles and his wife, Gwen, of Paradise, Pa.; five grandchildren, Michelle Harless, Melinda Harrah, Eric Gwinn, Rachel Stover and Tara Hepburn; and five great-grandchildren, Shane Harless, Halee Harrah, Dakota Harrah, Sheyla Harless and Luke Stover. Services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Pivont Funeral Home Chapel, Hinton, with the Rev. Clarence E. Griffith officiating. Burial will follow in Restwood Memorial Gardens, Hinton. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Leonard Harrah, Joey Harless, J.D. Cales, Jerome Kirk Jr., Scott Hepburn and Eric Gwinn. Arrangements by Pivont Funeral Home, Hinton. Joe 'Ralph' Davis Joe Daniel "Ralph" Davis, 68, of Beckley, died Sunday, April 9, 2000, at a Beckley hospital following a short illness. Born July 2, 1931, in Jefferson, Ala., he was the son of the late Joe Daniel Davis Sr. and Vergie Davis. Mr. Davis was a retired miner, attended St. Paul Baptist Temple and belonged to King Hiram Abiff Masonic Lodge No. 25 of Beckley. He was a former member of Shady Grove Baptist Church, Glen White. He also was an Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was preceded in death a brother, Benjamin Davis; and a siste,r Barbara Davis Anderson. Survivors include his wife, Charlotte V. Davis of Glen White; six sons, Ralph Davis Smith and his wife, Monica, Robert Moss, Waymon Ambler, Mark Ambler, Marvin Ambler and Stacy Ambler; four daughters, Sharmaine Stevens and her husband, Steve, Ronell Smith, Saronda "Lynn" Smith and Toya Carter and her husband, Ronald; 16 grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at St. Paul Baptist Church with the Revs. Walter Leach and Onnie Cook officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley. Arrangements by Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley. Muriel C. Dowdy Muriel Christine Bailey Dowdy, 77, began a new life in a better world Saturday, April 15, 2000, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born Saturday, Nov. 4, 1922, in Mabscott, she was the daughter of the late Willis and Helen Bailey Talbert of Mabscott. Mrs. Dowdy attended Woodrow Wilson High School, where she met Clyde Dowdy, husband and devoted life companion, graduating in 1940. She attended college at the Baptist Institute in Philadelphia and Wake Forest College in North Carolina, where she married in the church on campus on Sept. 17, 1942. She was preceded in death by a sister, Linda Lou Daniels of Redford, Mich.; and a brother, Carlyn Lee Bailey of Beckley. Survivors include her husband of 57 years, Clyde; two daughters, Susan D. Daniels and her husband, William, of Beckley and Rebecca Phillips and her husband, Randall, of Vicksburg, Miss.; and a son, David Dowdy of Clyde Street, Beckley. All three children graduated from college and became teachers. Also surviving are two sisters, Lucinda and her husband, Robert Coburn, of Beckley and Bonnie and her husband, Conrad Bowles, of Melbourne, Fla.; grandchildren Mark, Jon and Christopher Wray, Courtney, Whitney and Brett Phillips; and three great-grandchildren. The transitional celebration will be handled 1 p.m. Monday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley, with the Revs. Bryce Phillips and Robert Luburn officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. Raymond Dransfield GAP MILLS - Raymond Ballard Dransfield, 83, died at his home Saturday, April 15, 2000. Born Aug. 4, 1916, at Gap Mills, he was the son of the late Beirne and Annie Young Dransfield. He was the last surviving member of the family. Mr. Dransfield was a lifelong resident of Gap Mills, a member of Pine Grove Methodist Church, a charter member of the Gap Mills Ruritan Club, a farmer, horseman, timberman and sawyer. He remained active on the family dairy farm until shortly before his death. He was preceded in death by six brothers, Frederick Ray Dransfield, A.G. Dransfield Sr., J.T. Dransfield, G.O. Dransfield, R. Leighton Dransfield and Beirne Virgil Dransfield; four sisters, his twin sister Ruth Dransfield, Marie D. Hedrick, Hallie D. Doss and Nell Dransfield Parrish Beall. Survivors include his wife, Betty Jane Erickson Dransfield; two sons, Stephen Eric and James Douglas Dransfield of Gap Mills; a daughter, Nancy Jane Potts of Purcellville, Va.; and seven grandchildren. Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Pine Grove Methodist Church, Gap Mills, with the Revs. Mark Smearman and Bob Ratliff and Pastor William Beiler officiating. Burial will follow in Carmel Cemetery, Gap Mills. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home, Union, and one hour before services Tuesday at the church. Arrangements by Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home in Union. James Melvin Jewell PINEVILLE - James Melvin Jewell, 57, died Friday, April 14, 2000, in a Princeton hospital following a short illness. Born Feb. 10, 1943, at Rock View, he was the son of the late Olen and Della Mae Surbaugh Jewell. Mr. Jewell was a retired U.S. Steel Mining Co. employee. He was a graduate of Oceana High School and a lifelong resident of Wyoming County. He also was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He was a true believer in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He was preceded in death by a sister, Nellie Francis Jewell; and a brother, Jerry Jewell. Survivors include his wife, Constance "Connie" Jewell; a son, Jonathan James Jewell and his wife, Sabrena, of Ridgeway, Va.; a daughter, Jessica Courtney Jewell of Pineville; a brother, Bill Jewell and his wife, Phyllis, of Beaver; a granddaughter, Caitlin McKenzie Jewell of Ridgeway; and a host of brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Calfee Funeral Service Chapel, Pineville, with the Revs. D. Homer Stewart and Wiley "Stacey" Brooks Jr. officiating. Music will be provided by Debbie Clark. Burial will follow in Palm Memorial Gardens at Matheny. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Military graveside rites will be conducted by the Wyoming County Honor Guard. Pallbearers will be Brad Ellison, Mark Woosley, Fairley Jewell, Steven Ellison, Steven Brooks, Harry Jewell and Adin Stewart. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Service, Pineville. Larry Paul Stewart FELICITY, Ohio - Larry Paul Stewart, 59, formerly of Skin Fork, died Thursday, April 13, 2000, in a Clermont County, Ohio, hospital following a long illness. Born Sept. 9, 1940, at Skin Fork, he was the son of the late Fred and Ella White Stewart. Mr. Stewart was of the Baptist faith and was a retired custodian in the Ohio school system. He was preceded in death by a brother, Eugene Stewart. Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Joann Christian Stewart; a son, Joey Stewart at home; a brother, Fred Ray "Buster" Stewart of New Richmond, Ohio; three sisters, Mary Ellen Mahaffey and her husband, Gene, of New Richmond, Ohio, Judy Blankenship and her husband, Jim, of Mullens and Nancy McNulty and her husband, Arthur, of Brenton; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 1 p.m. today at Calfee Funeral Service Chapel, Pineville, with the Rev. Tommy Knotts officiating. Burial will follow in Cooper Cemetery, Skin Fork. Friends may call one hour before services today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Service, Pineville. Teresa Arleen Stewart VILSECK, Germany - Teresa Arleen (Lowe) Stewart, 36, formerly of Kopperston, went to be with our Lord on Tuesday, April 11, 2000. She died of natural causes at her home in Vilseck, where she was stationed with her husband. Teresa was a 1981 graduate of Oceana High School and formerly resided in Beckley. She was the beloved wife of Chief Warrant Officer Richard E. "Rick" Stewart of Oak Hill, the loving mother of Andrea Nicole "Nicky" Black and David DeWayne Black II of Daniels and stepmother of Richard "Ricky" Stewart of DeKalb, Ill. She was the daughter of Buck and Tina Lowe of Kopperston, Ramona Reed of Lucasville, Ohio, and the late Darrell Johnson. She was the granddaughter of Arrettia Weaver of New Richmond and the daughter-in-law of Betty Stewart of Oak Hill. Teresa was the cherished sister of Brenda Ferguson of Bolt, Sandy Turner of Fredericksburg, Va., Margaret Lowe Kincaid of Sterling, Va., Allison Lowe Hill of Manassas, Va., Dennis Johnson of Colorado, Sherry Rider of Beaver, Ohio, Michael Johnson of Piketon, Ohio, Debbie Strawser of South Point, Ohio, Jim Bob Johnson of Waverly, Ohio, David Lamp of Piketon and Deana DeBord of Lucasville, Ohio. She will be greatly loved and missed by her friends and her family. Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with Rev. Vondie L. Cook II officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Nellie G. Thomas UNION - Nellie G. Thomas, 83, died Wednesday, April 12, 2000, at a Fairlea nursing home following a long illness. Born June 28, 1916, in Alderson, she was the daughter of the late Alfred Thomas and Elizabeth Thomas Graybill. She was a member of Union United Methodist Church and a homemaker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Basil C. "Doug" Thomas, on Feb. 27, 1989; a brother, Charlie Thomas; three sisters, Luella DePriest, Eunice McGraw and Mary Gilkerson; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home, Union, with the Rev. Charles Miller officiating. Burial will follow in Green Hill Cemetery, Union. Friends may call after 3 p.m. today and the family will receive 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Arrangements by Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home, Union. Grover Wayne Webb Grover Wayne Webb, 62, of Mabscott, died Friday, April 14, 2000, at a Beckley area hospital following a short illness. Born Oct. 5, 1937, in Lanark, he was the son of Nina Bennett Webb of Beckley and the late Grover Webb. Mr. Webb attended St. Frances de Sales Catholic Church, Beckley. He worked as a body shop foreman for 40 years at Earehart Chrysler-Plymouth. He was a member of the Marine Corps League, Southern Highlands Detachment No. 977, Beckley. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Mary Frances Andrews Webb; four sons, Stephen Wayne Webb of Norfolk, Va., Robert A. Webb and his wife, Mary, of Beckley, David S. Webb of Phenix City, Ala., and Thurston Connard of Beckley; a daughter, Melissa R. Flannery of Beckley; two brothers, James L. Webb and his wife, Linda, of Oak Hill and Richard A. Webb of Beckley; a sister, Ann Graham and her husband, Richard, of Mabscott; and four grandchildren. Services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with Father Sammy Sacus officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Company A, 4th Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division, of Cross Lanes will conduct military graveside honors. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. A Christian wake service will be held at 8:30 p.m. Mr. Webb's children and grandson will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Submitted by Karen Monk **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************