Register Herald Online Obituaries - April 13, 1999 Rev. John S. Atkinson PIPESTEM -- The Rev. John S. Atkinson, 71, of Knob Ridge Road, died Monday, April 14, 1999, at his home, with his family by his side. Born Dec. 5, 1927, at Beckley, he was the son of the late H.B. and Lillian Pearl Lilly Atkinson Sr. The Rev. Atkinson, a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, entered the U.S. Navy serving during World War II. After his service time, he entered Morris Harvey College in Charleston to receive a double degree in English and social studies. He was called into the ministries in 1953, having preached his first sermon in the early part of 1954 at the Cooks Chapel Baptist Church, Pipestem, where he was pastoring for the past 45 years, until his death. During the early part of his ministries, he served as a journeyman printer for Beckley Newspapers and later for BJW Printers in Beckley. He then became a social worker for West Virginia Department of Human services. He was a member of the Indian Creek Regular Baptist Association and was serving as its clerk. In 1977, he was instrumental in the formation of the Pipestem Christian Academy and had served as the administrator of the academy since its beginning. He was preceded in death by a sister, Faith Barker. Survivors inlcude his wife of 50 years, Betty Lou Corona Atkinson; a son, the Rev. Daniel P. Atkinson and wife, Barbara, of Springfield, Tenn.; three daughters, Cynthia Justus and husband, Phillip, of Houston, Texas, Kim Keaton and husband, Kennith, of Pipestem, and Catherine Matherly and husband, Mike, of Lerona; four sisters, Mary Barney of Beaver, Martha Muntz of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Hope Atkinson and Charity Fondale, both of Beckley; two brothers, Burean Atkinson of Smyrna Beach, Fla., and Gene Atkinson of Beaver; six grandchildren, Leslie, P.J. (Phillip), John Brent, Lori Beth, Erika Mari and Catherine Brooke; and one great-grandchild, Ryan. A celebration of life will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Cooks Chapel Baptist Church, Pipestem, with the Rev. Eugene Harmon, Dr. Ronald Neely and the Rev. Joe Bowling officiating. Burial will follow in the Knob Ridge Cemetery, Pipestem. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the church. Pallbearers will be Jerry Burton, Bill Ratliff, John Allen, Kevin Worley, Tom Worley, Alvin Shrewsbury, Ray Nichols and Keith Spangler. In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy may be made to the Pipestem Christian Academy, P.O. Box 49, Pipestem, WV 25971. Arrangements by Memorial Funeral Directory, Athens Road, Princeton. Erma L. Dixon SALEM, Va. -- Erma L. Dixon, 88, formerly of Bradley, died Sunday, April 11, 1999, in a Virginia care center. Mrs. Dixon taught school in Fayette County for 26 years including a one-room school near Pax, Pax Elementary and Mount Hope Elementary. She was an active member of Mount Hope Baptist Temple for many years in Sunday school, choir, missionary circles and other organizations. She was a member of West Salem Baptist Church since 1981. She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Fred L. Dixon; a daughter, Ruth; her parents, Walter and Edna Murdock Raines of Mount Hope; three sisters, Mamie of El Cajon, Calif., Enice of Beckley, and Brace of Rainelle; two brothers, Cecil and Al; two brothers-in-law, George Dixon of Atlanta and Jim Hawley of Beckley. Survivors include two sons, Tom Dixon and wife, Pat Frame, of Lovell, Wyo., and Fred Dixon and wife, Alta Hughes, of Salem; a sister, Thelma Boyd of Mount Hope; a brother-in-law, Sam Dixon and wife, Rosy McCray, of Elkton, Md.; two sisters-in-law, Virginia F. Dixon of Atlanta and Frances Hawley of Mount Hope; five grandchildren, David Dixon and wife, Lisa W., of Salem, Alicia Parks and husband, Penny, of Salem, Tom W. Dixon and wife, Kathy, of San Diego, Chuck Dixon and family of Boseman Mountain, and Elizabeth Thompson and husband, Jason Thompson of Denver, Colo.; and 10 great-grandchildren. Services will be 3 p.m. Wednesday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, with the Rev. Bill L. Withers of Fayetteville officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Lotz Salem Funeral Home, 1330 E. Main St., Salem, Va., and 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Pallbearers will be David Dixon, Walter Summers, Norton Canterbury, Kirk Harman, Charles Craddock and Steve Szuch. Donations of sympathy may be made to the Mount Hope Baptist Temple Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 466, Mount Hope, WV 25880. Arrangements by Lotz Funeral Home, Salem, Va. Ralph M. Jackson OAK HILL -- Ralph Maben Jackson, 78, died Sunday, April 11, 1999, in an Oak Hill medical center following an apparent heart attack. Born Jan. 27, 1921, at Lochgelly, he was the son of the late Jacob L. and Elsie Hodge Jackson. Mr. Jackson was a retired coal miner, having worked for Siltex Mines at Mount Hope. He was a member of the the Oak Hill Church of the Nazarene and the United Mine Workers of America. He was a World War II U.S. Army veteran of the combat engineers with service in North Africa, Italy and France. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorotha Gibson Jackson on March 6, 1999; a brother, Frank Jackson; and two sisters, Martha Jackson and Hazel Jackson. Survivors include a son, Daryl Jackson of Myerstown, Pa.; a daughter, Connie Jackson of Oak Hill; three brothers, Carmel Jackson of Delaware, Ohio, Robert Jackson of Lochgelly and Jesse Jackson of Gobles, Mich.; two sisters, Louise Blankman of Syracuse, N.Y., and Carolyn Blake of Leander, Texas; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Tyree Funeral Home Chapel, Oak Hill, with the Rev. Jerry Bush officiating. Burial will follow in High Lawn Memorial Park, Oak Hill. Friends may call 10 a.m. until time of the services Wednesday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill. Denver McClellan Sr. ACCOVILLE -- Denver ³Buck² (Poppie) McClellan Sr., 83, died Sunday, April 11, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born July 30, 1915, at Cuzzie, he was the son of the late Rev. James Ervin and Su-sie Saunders McClellan. Mr. McClellan was a retired coal miner formerly employed with Amherst Coal Co. with 41 years of service and was a member of the UMWA Local 1302. He was a Christian and a member of Becco United Baptist Church where he served as a deacon for many years. He loved to garden and share with others the bounty he grew. He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha Fry McClellan; a granddaughter, Kristine Blevins and her husband, Ricky Dale Blevins; one great-granddaughter, Jamie Lynn Fitzwater; a brother, Ballard McClellan; two sisters, Milda McCoy and Marie Baker; and his stepmother, Vurbie Butcher McClellan. Survivors include four daughters, Betty Blankenship and husband, Calvin, of Kopperston, JoAnn Mills and husband, Okie, of Accoville, Kay Frye and husband, Charles, of Accoville and Cheri Brown and husband, the Rev. Richard Brown of Lesage; three sons, the Rev. Cecil McClellan and wife, Lottie, of Colcord, Jimmy McClellan and wife, Donna, of Oak Lawn, Ill., and the Rev. Denver McClellan Jr. and wife, Judy, of Accoville, with whom he made his home; two brothers, Henry McClellan and wife, Doris, of Plant City, Fla., and Glen McClellan and wife, Helen, of Warren, Ohio; a sister-in-law, Myrtle Evans and husband, Estil, of Kistler; 16 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Becco United Baptist Church, Becco, with the Rev. Lonnie Gore Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Memory Gardens, Godby. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at Krantz-McNeely Funeral Home, 115 Market St., Man, and one hour before the services Wednesday at the church. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Krantz-McNeely Funeral Home, Man. Clarence E. Pantoplus Clarence Everett Pantoplus, 81, of Mankin Avenue, Beckley, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in a Beckley hos-pital following a long illness. Born March 20, 1918, in Boston, Mass., he was the son of the late Jim and Helen Karmon Pantoplus. Mr. Pantoplus came to Beckley at the age of 2 and was a lifelong resident. He was a retired grocer and former co-owner of the Fair Deal Market on Eisenhower Drive for 37 years. He was a member of the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church at 217 S. Heber St., Beckley, the Beckley Moose and the American Legion Post 32. Mr. Pantoplus served in the U.S. Army during World War II and in the Panama Canal Zone for six years. He held the rank of staff sergeant and received the Good Conduct Ribbon, the American Theater Ribbon and the American Defense Service Ribbon. He was preceded in death by a brother, Ernest Pantoplus. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Margie Wilities Pantoplus; three daughters, Victoria Lubliner of Bluefield, Cathryn Galanti and husband, Tony, of Detroit and Dema Littlepage and husband, Richard, of Richmond, Va.; three grandchildren, Jason and Nicole Lubliner and Anne Littlepage; and four sisters, Bertha Mitchell and Libby Fields, both of Albuquerque, N.M., Bessie Zaferatos of Beckley and Connie Constantis of Morgantown. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Melton Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. Father Michael Tassos and Deacon Donald Wise officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. VFW Post 3110 of Oak Hill will conduct military rites. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home where a Trisagion prayer service will be conducted at 8 p.m. Pallbearers will be friends of the family. Donations of sympathy may be made to St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, 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. ****************************************************************