Register Herald Obituaries for April 21, 1999 Gary I. Brown MULLENS - Gary I. Brown, 53, died Monday, April 19, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a short illness. Born July 15, 1945, in Plattsburgh, N.Y., he was the son of the late Irvin and Norma Favro Brown. Mr. Brown was a 28-year resident of Mullens and member of the First Pentecostal Holiness Church, Mullens, where he was in the choir and men's Bible study. He was a disabled coal miner, having last worked for Eastern Associated Coal in Herndon, where he worked for 18 years. He enjoyed oil painting, guitar, singing, ginsenging and woodworking. Survivors include his wife, Velva Griffith Brown; three daughters, Janet McKinney and husband, Anthony, of Barkers Ridge, Sherry Brown and her fiance, Thomas Billings Jr., of Mullens, and Debbie Simmons and Randy O'Neal of Mullens; two sons, Ernie Simmons and wife, Donna, of Beckley, and Gary Michael Brown of Mullens; a sister, Diane Blanchard and husband, Robert, of Champlain, N.Y.; a brother, Larry Brown and wife, Alice, of Mullens; six grandchildren, Jason and Tabitha McKinney, Mikel Brown, Jeffrey and Katherine Simmons and Sherry Billings. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at the First Pentecostal Holiness Church of Mullens with the Rev. Lewis Arnold officiating. Burial will follow in Palm Memorial Gardens, Matheny. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at Tankersley Funeral Home, Mullens, and one hour before services Thursday at the church. Pallbearers will be Chris Meadows, Christopher Houck, Bobby McClaugherty, John Griffith, Benny Griffith, Eddie Allen, Roger Browning, and Junior Woodrum. Arrangements by Tankersley Funeral Home, Mullens. JoAnn Hall Mrs. JoAnn Hall, 59, of Beckley, died Monday, April 19, 1999, in a Char-lottesville, Va., hospital follow-ing a short illness. Born Sept. 30, 1939, at Kilsyth, she was the daugh-ter of the late K.W. and Mildred Burgess. Mrs. Hall was a homemaker, was of the Baptist faith and had been a resident of Beckley for the past 23 years. Survivors include her husband, James L. Hall of Beckley; a daughter, Jill A. Blake and husband, Danny, of Beckley; two sons, Jeffrey L. Hall of Beckley and James S. Hall of Virginia Beach, Va.; four granddaughters, Brittnii Blake, Leigh A., Jessica Hall, all of Beckley, and Lindsey Hall of Virginia Beach, Va.; three sisters, Patsy Franklin and husband, Ellis, of Scottsdale, Ariz., Charlotte Harnes of Greencastle, Pa., and Helen Stoops and husband, Teddy, of Waynesboro, Pa.; and her mother-in-law, Louella Hall of Beckley. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Calfee Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with the Pastor Phillip Lilly officiating. Entombment will follow in High Lawn Memorial Park Mausoleum, Oak Hill. Friends may call 6 to 8:30 p.m. today at Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley. Pallbearers will be James Bellamy, Charles Bennett, Charles Blevins, Danny and Stanley Blake and Nathan Brown. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley. William O. Knight ROCK CAMP - William O. Knight, 62, died Sunday, April 18, 1999, in a Pearisburg, Va., hospital. Born Sept. 9, 1936, at Rock Camp, he was the son of the late Edgar and Louberta Pearl Miller Knight. Mr. Knight was a timberman and a lifelong resident of the area. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Shirley Knight, and Pauline Katchula. Survivors include a daughter, Sharon Ellison and husband, Steve, of Lindside; a companion for 38 years, Florence Amos; a foster brother, Tony R. Springston and wife, Shirley, of Rock Camp; a sister, Ruth Dillon of Peterstown; two grandsons, Jamie and Jason Ellison and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home Chapel, Peterstown, with the Rev. Tommy Mounts officiating. Burial will follow in Swope Cemetery, Lindside. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, Peterstown. Chrysty Dawn Nuckols ANSTED - Chrysty Dawn Cole Nuckols, 24, died Sunday, April 18, 1999, in an Oak Hill medical center following a short illness. Born Aug. 24, 1974, at Montgomery, she was the daughter of Gary and Patty Pike Cole. Mrs. Nuckols was a waitress for the North American River Runners at Hico, attended Ansted Baptist Church and was a lifelong resident of Ansted. She attended Midland Trail High School at Hico. She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, Eugene Pike and Lon Cole Jr. Other survivors include her husband, David Nuckols of St. Marys; Patty Cole of Ansted and Gary Cole of Fayetteville; a daughter, Heather Kay Nuckols of Ansted; two brothers, Matthew Cole and Gary Cole Jr., both of Ansted; paternal grandmother, Mae Cole of Ramsey; maternal grandmother, Mildred Pike of Ansted; and close family, Kari and Steven Skaggs of Victor. Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home Chapel, Ansted. Burial will follow in Restlawn Memory Gardens, Victor. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Ansted. Dennis R. Saunders Dennis R. Saunders, 75, of Sophia, died Monday, April 19, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a short illness. Born May 21, 1923, at Willis Branch, he was the son of the late Wil-liam Thomas and Nancy Dan-iels Saunders. Mr. Saunders was a retired coal miner, attended Sunset Hills Missionary Baptist Church, Coal City, was a member of UMWA Local 5770, past president of UWMA District 29, a charter member of VFW Midway-Sophia Post 4326, a treasurer for Mountain Lodge No. 156 of Coal City, past president of Sophia Little League, served in many positions with the Town of Sophia, a past member of Lake Stephens Authority and he also served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was preceded in death by two grandsons, David Lee Saunders and Gregory Miller; three brothers, Babrian, Ed and Jack Saunders; and four sisters, Ina Janey, Edna Williams, Margaret Curtis and Martha Eller. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Vera Thomas Saunders of Sophia; a daughter, Joan Miller and husband, Gilbert, of Akron, Ohio; two sons, Ray Saunders and wife, Debbie, of Crab Orchard, and David Saunders and wife, Geneva, of Shady Spring; two brothers, Charles Saunders of Beckley and Calvin Saunders of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; a sister, Edith Ragland of Beckley; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia, with the Rev. Larry Penix officiating. Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Mountain Lodge No. 156 A.F.&A.M. of Coal City will conduct Masonic rites and serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia. Mary L. Schmidt OAK HILL - Mary Louise Spring Schmidt, 51, died Monday, April 19, 1999, in a Charleston hospital following a short illness. Born Oct. 6, 1947, in Baltimore, she was the daughter of the late Luther Wilson Spring and Mary Catherine Griffin Spring Lang. Mrs. Schmidt was a WVU extension agent for consumer sciences in Fayette and Nicholas counties. She was an active member of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Oak Hill, the WVU Faculty Senate, Fayette County Chairman WVU Parents Club, Epsilon Sigma Phi, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Extension Association of West Virginia and several quilt guilds. Survivors include her husband, John Ancil Schmidt; a daughter, Sara Catherine Schmidt, a student at WVU; three brothers, Denis Spring, Robert Spring and Mark Spring, all of Morgantown; and a sister, Catherine Waugh of Berkeley Springs. Mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m. Thursday at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Oak Hill, with the Rev. Father Harold Moore officiating. Graveside rites and committal services will be 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Weston Masonic Cemetery with the Rev. Father Bill Matheney officiating. Friends may call 4 to 8:30 p.m. today at Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill, where a prayer service will be conducted at 8:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations of sympathy be made to WVU Foundation, Extension Services, Diabetes Education, P.O. Box 6031, Morgantown, WV 26505; SS Peter and Paul Catholic School, 123 Elmore St., Oak Hill, WV 25901 or The Center for Organ Recovery and Education, 204 Sigma Drive, RIDC Park, Pittsburgh, PA 15238. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill. Russell Gilbert Smith PRINCE - Russell Gilbert Smith, 68, died Monday, April 19, 1999, in a Beckley medical center following a short illness. Born Jan. 3, 1931, at Highland Mountain, he was the son of the late Ho-mer and Allie Adkins Smith. Mr. Smith was a disabled coal miner and member of the DAV and Prince Church of God. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. He was preceded in death by a sister, Shirley Eller, and a son, Lloyd Smith. Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Hattie Tabor Smith; four sons, Russell J. Smith of Oak Hill, Joey Smith and wife, Wilma, of Prince, Jesse Smith and wife, Sarita, of Prince, and Quinton Smith and wife, Shalyn, of Prince; three daughters, Ieva Wheeler of Clear Creek, Jeanette Lynch and husband, Barry, of Raleigh, N.C., and Kimberly Morris and husband, Craig, of Lanark; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Kepple Bolen and the Rev. Teddy Combs officiating. Burial will follow in Smith Cemetery, Highland Mountain. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Johnny Ewing, Dennis Ayers, Chester Conn, Jody Ogle, Calvin Smith and Samuel Plumley. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Ira Lester Sparks CRICHTON - Ira Lester Sparks, 61, died Monday, April 19, 1999, in a Oak Hill nursing home following a long illness. Born April 21, 1937, at Quinwood, he was the son of the late Lydia Mitchell and Nola Electa Neff Sparks. Mr. Sparks was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and an assemblyman for an auto parts company in North Carolina. Survivors include his wife, Anna Mae McKinney of Meadow Bridge; a daughter, Sonjia; a son, Stacy Sparks and his wife, Shawna, of Crichton; a sister, Shelia Wiseman of Wilson, N.C.; two brothers, Fairlea Sparks of Seattle, and J.L. Sparks of Cleveland; and three grandchildren. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home Chapel, Rainelle. Burial will follow in Wallace Memorial Cemetery, Clintonville. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home. Kenneth M. Tincher RUPERT - Kenneth Martin Ticnher, 43, died Saturday, April 17, 1999, in a Charlottesville, Va., hospital following a short illness. Born Aug. 20, 1955, at Richwood, he was the son of Frances Thomas Tincher of Clintonville, and the late Jack Eugene Tincher. Mr. Tincher was a production manager for Meadow River Enterprises, member of the UMWA and attended the Big Clear Creek Baptist Church, Rupert. Other survivors include his wife, Sandra Viers Tincher; a daughter, Amanda Tincher at home; a son, Justin Tincher at home; a sister, Becky Taylor of Rupert; and two brothers, Gary Tincher of Clintonville, and Jack "Duke" Tincher Jr. of Crab Orchard. Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Bill Brown officiating. Burial will follow in Wallace Memorial Cemetery, Clintonville. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle. Sherman 'Bill' Tuck RAINELLE - Sherman "Bill" Tuck, 79, died Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at his home following a short illness. Born Oct. 24, 1919, at Jodie, he was the son of the late James and Ivy Hackworth Tuck. Mr. Tuck was a retired carpenter and a member of the Little Sewell Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and trustee. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II and receiving the Purple Heart. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter; and a brother, Geoge Tuck. Survivors include his wife, Glenna Osborne Tuck; a daughter, Drema Morgan and husband, Tim, of Lewisburg; a son, Dale Tuck and wife, Kathy, of Winston-Salem, N.C.; four sisters, Della Bellamy of Deepwater, Charlotte Osborne, Marine Fleshman, and Dorma Campbell, all of Rainelle; and two brothers, Kenneth and Delvie Tuck, both of Rainelle. Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the Little Sewell Baptist Church, Rainelle, with the Pastor Joe Collins officiating, assisted by Pastor Ernest Parks. Burial will follow in Wallace Memorial Cemetery, Clintonville. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Smathers Funeral Home Chapel, Rainelle, and one hour before the services Thursday at the church. Donations of sympathy may be made to Greenbrier Valley Hospice, Lewisburg. Arrangements by Smathers Funeral Home, Rainelle. 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. ****************************************************************