Register Herald Online Obituaries - April 14, 1999 Daniel H. Ayers FORT WORTH, Texas - Daniel "Danny" Hamerick Ayers, formerly of the Beckley area, died Monday, April 12, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born Sept. 11, 1952, near Beckley, he was the son of Barbara Mills and her husband, James, of Beckley, and the late Dallas Ayers. Mr. Ayers was a retired employee of Pollock Paper Co., and had been a resident of Fort Worth since 1981 and was a U.S. Navy veteran. Other survivors include his wife of 17 years, Martha Ayers. Arrangements by Benbrook Funeral Home, 998 Winscott Road, Benbrook, Texas. Annie G. Booker GLADYS, Va. - Annie Graves Booker, 80, of Beckley, died Monday, April 12, 1999, at the home of her daughter. Born Jan. 14, 1919, in Pittsyvania County, Va., she was the daughter of the late Elmer and Clarsa Lovelace Graves. Mrs. Booker was a member of New Hope Baptist Church, Beckley, and attended Hills Creek Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Miller Louis Booker. Survivors include four daughters, Clara Booker of Gladys, Mildred Stevens and her husband, the Rev. James Stevens, of Newark, Ohio, Gloria Oakley and her husband, Curtis, of Springfield, Mass., and Carolyn Booker Willard and her husband, Alexander, of South Orange, N.J.; a son, Eugene Booker and his wife, Esther, of South Orange; 15 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Claudine Booker and Hazel Graves; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousin, and other relatives and friends. Services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Hills Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. John E. Price Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Friends may call one hour before services at the church. The family will receive friends and assemble at the home of her daughter, Clara Booker, 202 Covered Bridge Road, Gladys. Arrangements by Community Funeral Home, 909 Fifth St., Lynchburg, Va. Erma L. Dixon SALEM, Va. - Erma L. Dixon, 88, formerly of Bradley, died Sunday, April 11, 1999, in aVirginia 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 schools. 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; three sisters, Mamie, Eunice and Grace; two brothers, Cecil and Al; and two brothers-in-law, George Dixon and Jim Hawley. Survivors include two sons, Tom Dixon and his wife, Pat Frame, of Lovell, Wyo., and Fred Dixon and his wife, Alta Hughes, of Salem; a sister, Thelma Boyd of Mount Hope; a brother-in-law, Sam Dixon and his wife, Rosy McCray, of Elkton, Md.; two sisters-in-law, Virginia F. Dixoin of Atlanta and Frances Hawley of Mount Hope; five grandchildren, David Dixoin and his wife, Lisa W., of Salem, Alicia Parks and her husband, Kenny, of Salem, Tom W. Dixon and his wife, Kathy, of San Diego, Chuck Dixon and family of Boseman Mountain and Elizabeth Thompson and her husband, Jason, of Denver; and 10 great-grandchildren. Services will be 3 p.m. today at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, with the Rev. Bill L. Withers officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends called 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Lotz Salem Funeral Home, 1330 E. Main St., Salem. Friends may call 1 to 3 p.m. today at Blue Ridge Funeral Home. 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. Gladys S. Epperly OAK HILL - Gladys Settle Myers Epperly, 82, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in an Oak Hill hospital following a long illness. Born Aug. 6, 1916, in Fayetteville, she was the daughter of the late William Clarence and Sally Jane Rodes Settle. Mrs. Epperly was a homemaker and a member of Fayetteville Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Harry A. Myers; her second husband, Robert L. Epperly; two brothers, Clarence "Bud" Settle and Herman Settle; and two sisters, Kathleen Burns and Ruth Nelson. Survivors include three sons, Rodney A. Myers and his wife, Linda, of Fayetteville, Clarence W. Myers and his wife, Mary, of Waynesboro, Ga., and Robert L. Epperly Jr. and his son, Ryan, of Oak Hill; a daughter, Patricia Ann Myers Pridemore and her husaband, Larry, of Evans, Ga.; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home Chapel, Fayetteville, with the Rev. Harry Fuller officiating. Burial will follow in Huse Memorial Park, Fayetteville. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home, Fayetteville. Ralph Odell Epperly ALDERSON - Ralph Odell Epperly, 82, formerly of Oak Hill, died Tuesday, April 13, 1999, at his home following a long illness. He was born April 18, 1916, in Oak Hill. Mr. Epperly was a coal miner and a retired construction worker, and was of the Methodist faith. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the U.S. Army. He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, Thelma Anna Shelton Epperly; a son, William H. Allen of Silver Spring, Md.; two grandsons, Randy H. Allen of Dallas and William Richard Allen of Germantown, Md.; and many nieces and nephews. Graveside services and burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday at End of the Trail Cemetery, Clintonville. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Those wishing to attend the graveside serivices are asked to meet at the funeral home by 10:15 a.m. Thursday. Arrangements by Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson. Eva C. Hatcher Eva C. Hatcher, 84, of MacArthur, died at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 13, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born Aug. 10, 1914, at McAlpin, she was the daughter of the late Charlie and Minnie Stump Smith. Mrs. Hatcher was a homemaker, and celebrated her life as a Christian and was of the Baptist faith. Her parents died when she was 3; she was raised by her aunt and uncle, Joseph P. and Mary E. Stump. Mrs. Hatcher was a lifelong resident of Raleigh County. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl D. Hatcher, on May 28, 1990; two sisters, Clarice Coleman and Minnie Lee Smith; and a brother, Clyde Smith. Survivors include three sons, Ronald B. Hatcher of Shady Spring, Darrel E. Hatcher of MacArthur and Jerry Hatcher of Grandview; a daughter, Barbara Gail of Crab Orchard; and 11 grandchildren. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Calfee Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Cleve Allen officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call one hour before services at the funeral home. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley. Dorcas Mae Houchins Miss Dorcas Mae Houchins, 85, of Beckley, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in a Beckley hospital of natural causes. Born May 1, 1913, in Hinton, she was the daughter of the late Luther and Frances McClaugherty Houchins. Miss Houchins was a retired teacher, having taught first grade at Beaver Elementary for 30 years. She was a graduate of Shady Spring High School, received her B.A. from Concord College and her M.A. from West Virginia University. She was a member of United Methodist Temple, Beckley, where she was a member of Circle No. 6, was a member of the Beckley Womanıs Club, WVEA and Beckley Historical Society. She was preceded in death by three brothers, James "Red" Houchins, Luther Jr. and William Houchins; and two sisters, Mary Frances and Elizabeth Houchins. Miss Houchins was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Survivors include a nephew, Luke Houchins of Chilhowie, Va.; two nieces, Patty Reed and Linda Schoonover, both of Celina, Ohio; a sister-in-law, Frances Houchins of Lebanon, Va.; and special friends, Joseph and Cathy Fourney, James and Janice Meadows, all of Beckley. Services will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday at United Methodist Temple, Beckley, with the Revs. Daniel B. Johnson and Ellen L. File officiating. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum A, Beckley. Friends may call 10 a.m. until time of the services Thursday at the church. Pallbearers will be Luther Houchins II, Joseph Fourney, Joseph Fourney II, Richard Culicerto, James Sibrey and Elliott Shoonover. Donations of sympathy may be made to United Methodist Temple, 3871 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, WV 25801. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley. Larry A. Neff WHITESVILLE - Larry A. Neff, 51, formerly of McMechen, died Sunday, April 1, 1999. Born Aug. 21, 1947, in Wheeling, he was the son of Shirley Kerfoot Neff of McMechen and the late Nile A. Neff. Mr. Neff was a member of the Church of God, McMechen. He was a heavy equipment operator for Elk Run Coal Co. and was a veteran of the West Virginia National Guard. Other survivors include his wife, Barbara A. Tribett Neff; a son, Jeremy L. Neff of Whitesville; a daughter, Shelly M. Neff of Whitesville; a sister, Shannon Simmons of Pennsylvania; and two granddaughters, Breanna M. and Bethany A. Neff, both of Whitesville. Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Altmeyer Funeral Home, 214 Marshall St., McMechen, with the Rev. Arnold Kaufman officiating. Entombment will follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum, Wheeling. Friends may call 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today and Thursday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Altmeyer Funeral Home, McMechen. Clarence R. Noble PRINCETON - Clarence R. Noble, 85, of Willowbrook Road, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in a Princeton hospital. Born June 30, 1913, in Gardner, he was the son of the late William A. and Estella Dove Noble. Mr. Noble was a graduate of Princeton High School. In 1932, he began his career with Memorial Funeral Directory on Thorn Street, Princeton. When the World War II broke out, he was drafted and entered the U.S. Army. He was a surgical technician, and while the push was on to take over Germany, he was held as a prisoner of war for nearly six months, being freed in early April 1945. Upon his return to the states, he was stationed at Ashford General Hospital, White Sulphur Springs. He then entered the Cincinnati College of Embalming to earn his mortuary degree, where he was the oldest student in his class, and graduated at the head of his class. Mr. Noble returned to Memorial Funeral Directory in the fall of 1949 and in 1950 was named its general manager. In 1961 he was elected president and general manager of the corporation, positions held until his death. He had served the people of Princeton and Mercer counties for more than 67 years. He was an active member of First Christian Church on Straley Avenue, Princeton, where he was a member of the Lookout Sunday school class, served as chairman of stewardship and finance board, chairman of the administrative council of the church, chairman of the congregations and served as a deacon for many years. Mr. Noble was named Outstanding Citizen by several organizations. He was a member of the Princeton Rotary Club for more than 50 years, member of the Woodman of The World Camp of Princeton and had served on the Board of Directors of the Princeton Chamber of Commerce. For many years he served on the Board of Directors for the Green Valley-Glenwood Volunteer Fire Department as its president. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Bernice Bratton Noble; a brother, Sam O. Noble; and two sisters, Pansy Thomas and Cleo Peterman. Survivors include his second wife, Marjorie Mooney Lambert Noble; a foster daughter, Patty Moore and her husband, Tom, of Easton, Md.; a stepdaughter, Peggy Lambert and her children, Marjorie, Wes and Mandi; stepsons, Doug Lambert and his wife, Kiim, and his children, Warren and Jason, and Phillip Lambert and his wife, Jo, and children, Logan and Katie; two sisters, Helen Calfee of Bluefield and Ila Kanode of Cambridge, Md.; and a brother, William A. "Bill" Noble and his wife, Libby, of Bluefield. Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at First Christian Church, Straley Avenue, Princeton, with the Rev. Gary Lyons officiating. Burial will follow in the Monte Vista Park Cemetery, Green Valley. Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. today at Memorial Funeral Directory, Athens Road, Princeton, and one hour before services at the church. Donations of sympathy may be made to the Charles T. "Chuck" Mathena II Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 5664, Princeton, WV 24740. Arrangements by Memorial Funeral Directory, Princeton. Clara Smith Clara Smith, 74, of Helen, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born May 10, 1924, at Allen Creek, she was the daughter of the late William Patton and Laura Milam Mills. Mrs. Smith was a homemaker and a member of Ury Freewill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Smith; and three sons, Stanley Roy, Raymond Floyd and Lonnie Dale Smith. Survivors include five sons, Clarence Mullins of North Carolina, Herbert Marshall Smith of Ury, Roland Lee Smith of King, N.C., Charles Glenn Smith of Beckley and Johnny Dewayne Smith of Helen; five daughters, Shirley Cox of Rhodell, Norma Jean Palmer of Rhodell, Deloris K. Smith of MacArthur, Shelby Sturgill of Odd and Kathy Cox of Corinne; three brothers, Clarence Mills of Sophia, Montgomery Dodd Mills of Sophia and Elmer Mills of Crab Orchard; 20 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Sophia, with the Rev. Doug Cook officiating. Burial will follow in Slab Fork Cemetery, Tams Mountain. Friends may call noon until time of services Thursday at the funeral home. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia. Jimmie Pat Swift Jimmie Pat Swift, 65, of Fairview Avenue, Beckley, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a short illness. Born May 9, 1933, in Oak Hill, he was the son of the late John Charles and Carrie Payne Swift. Mr. Swift spent his childhood in Raleigh and Besoco, and was a 1951 graduate of Stoco High School. He was a general manager of Mutual of Omaha Co. with 25 years of service, with his career beginning in Beckley. He lived in Pittston, Pa., moving to Huntington in the 1980s and returning to the Beckley area in 1986, where he was a member of Memorial Baptist Church, where he served as usher. Mr. Swift was a longtime Beckley Little League girlsı softball coach. He was preceded in death by his wife, Audrey Jean Plummer Swift, in 1990; and a brother, Charles Swift. Survivors include a son, Jimmie Pat Swift II and his wife, Sandra, of MacArthur; a daughter, Beckie Wills and her husband, Dwayne, of Beckley; six grandchildren, Hollie Hamrick Avalos, Amber Yost, Stephanie Dawn Halloway, Megan and Lindsey Marie Swift, and Kevin Dale Honaker; seven stepgrandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Services will be 3 p.m. Thursday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley, with Pastor Chris Hindal officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens,Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Kevin Honaker, Tom Aguirre, Willie Adams, Mike Donnell, Joe Maiolo, Charles Durrett, Don Parker, Bob Pettrey and Otis Cole. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. Elsie May Zofer St. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Elsie May Zofer, 73, died Wednesday, March 10, 1999, at Flagler Hospital following a sudden illness. Born May 3, 1925, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late William E. "Bill" Zofer and Maud Gilkeson Zofer. Ms. Zofer had been a resident of Florida since 1986. She received her elementary education in Stanaford, graduated as valedictorian and was a high honor student in the class of 1942 at Woodrow Wilson High School. After graduation she completed her education at the Berea College School of Nursing, Berea, Ky., and become a nurse. She enrolled at the University of Tennessee School of Anesthesia, becoming CRNA. While working as an anesthetist, she enrolled at the University of Kentucky, obtaining a B.S. degree in publich ealth and hygiene. She retired from Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow, Ky. She owned several hundred acres of farmland in the Grayson County, Ky., area. She and her sister, Betty, moved to Clarkson. In 1986 she sold her real estate holdings and moved to St. Augustine and lived therre until 1990. She then purchased property in Lake City, Fla., along with her sisters, Betty and Wilda, and brother-in-law, Mario, where they lived for seven years before returning to St. Augustine. Ms. Zofer was a member of the Kentucky Nurse Anesthetists Association, holding offices in both the state and national associations. She was also a member of the AARP and a member of the Board of Directors of the Fairview Condominium Association in St. Augustine Shores. She was of the Eipscopal faith, was a member of St. James Episcopal in Lake City and attended Reconciliation Episcopal Church in St. Augustine. Survivors include her sisters, Betty Zofer and Wilda "Ruth" Patruno, and her brother-in-law, Mario Patruno, all of St. Augustine; and other relatives in the Stanaford and Beckley areas. Committal services were March 30, 1999, at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. 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