Register Herald Obituaries for August 5, 1999 Shelia G. Agee Shelia Gay Hicks Agee, 46, of Sophia, died Monday, Aug. 2, 1999, in a Charlottesville, Va., hospital following a sudden illness. Born Aug. 4, 1952, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Robert and Virginia Cozart Hicks. Ms. Agee was a homemaker and a member of Soak Creek Gospel Tabernacle. Survivors include five sons, Jerry Agee Jr. of Winston-Salem, N.C., Robert Agee of Shady Spring, Shawn Agee of Yukota Air Base, Japan, Mark Agee of Walkerton, N.C., and Phillip Agee of Stanley, Va.; a brother, James Hicks of Sophia; and seven grandchildren, Jennifer Daniel of Lester, Shavar Page, Terrel Owens, Rachel Owens, Courtney Agee and Corey Agee, all of Winston-Salem, and Tristen Agee of Japan. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Sophia, with the Rev. Henry Buster Lilly officiating. Burial will follow in Slab Fork Cemetery, Tams Mountain. Friends may call two hours before services Saturday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Jerry Agee Jr., Robert Agee, Jimmy Hicks, Joey Bailey, Jack Page and Mike Lilly. Arrangements by Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia. Lou E. Blevins Lou E. Daffron Blevins, 87, of Crab Orchard, died Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999, in a Beckley care center following a short illness. Born June 5, 1912, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late James M. and Rachel E. Skiles Daffron. Ms. Blevins was a housewife and was of the Christian faith. She attended Crab Orchard Baptist Church and was a member of Mr. Ray Yates' Sunday school class. Mr. and Mrs. Blevins had lived and raised their family at Sullivan until the death of her husband in 1968. She was preceded in death by her husband, Greek W. Blevins; a son-in-law, George A. Pharo; and a great-grandson, Robert Meyer. Survivors include three daughters, Betty Riffe and her husband, Dennis, of Crab Orchard, Sue Pharo of Philadelphia and Marlene Farley and her husband, Carl, of Bel Air, Md.; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Sophia, with the Rev. Bill Withers and Mr. Ray Yates officiating. Burial will follow in Coal City Community Cemetery. Friends may call two hours before services Friday at the funeral home. Grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia. Nellie M. Garretson FITCHBURG, Mass. - Nellie Madeline Garretson, 82, formerly of Herndon, died Monday, Aug. 2, 1999, in a Fitchburg care center following a long illness. Born Feb. 18, 1917, in Dott, she was the daughter of the late George and Ida Shrewsbury Miller. Mrs. Garretson was a member of the Church of God at Fitchburg, having lived in Fitchburg since 1968, and worked for the U.S. Army at Fort Devens, Mass., for five years. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kermit Garretson, in 1983. Survcivors include two sisters, Louise Cooper of Detroit and Irene Bailey of Princeton; two brothers, Ray Miller of Dallas and Raymond Miller of Lindside; four sons, Richard Garretson of Herndon, Clyde Garretson of Lakeland, Fla., Kermit Garretson of Keyser and Warren Garretson of Fitchburg; 14 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren. Services will be 10 a.m. Friday at Tankersley Funeral Home Chapel, Mullens, with the Rev. Hugh McKinney officiating. Burial will follow in Garretson Family Cemetery, Basin. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Tankersley Funeral Home, Mullens. Della Mae Lilly MOUNDSVILLE - Della Mae Lilly, 87, of Fifth Street, died Saturday, July 31, 1999, in a Moundsville care center. Born Aug. 6, 1911, in Cranberry, she was the daughter of the late Joe and Mary Peterson Buckland. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Lilly; a daughter, Betty Jo Lilly; and two brothers, Bill and Basil Buckland. Survivors include a sister, Mildred Woody of Mabscott; three grandchildren, Susan Fluharty of Moundsville, David Lilly of Lanham, Md., and Autumn Allen of Fairfax, Va.; six grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Demetria Schaub of Beckley. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Chapel of Mausoleum A, Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. There will be no visitation. Donations of sympathy may be made to the American Heart Association, c/o One Valley Bank, attention Don Mason, 418 Jefferson Ave., Moundsville, WV 26041. Arrangements by Grisell Funeral Home, 400 Jefferson Ave., Moundsville. Sean A. Lowe MOUNT HOPE - Sean A. Lowe, 28, died Monday, Aug. 2, 1999, in a Beckley hospital. Born March 9, 1971, in Beckley, he was the son of Rita Walton Jones of Mount Hope, and Vernon Lowe and his stepmother, Kimi Lowe, of Mount Hope. Mr. Lowe was a laborer and a U.S. Army veteran. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Hubert Abbott Walton; and paternal grandmother, Alva Fruit. Survivors include four children, Sean Anthony Bunning of Mount Hope, Christian Howel of Mount Hope, Annie Johnson of Ohio and Caleb Baker of Charleston; four brothers, Carlos, Channing and Adam Lowe, and Michael Nicholas and his wife, Tamika; eight sisters, Misty Jones, Michelle Jones, Snisia Jones, Felicia Lowe, LaQuenta Lowe, Yolanda Lowe, Shavonna Jackson and Ericia Lowe; his maternal grandmother, Gertrude Walton of Mount Hope; his paternal grandfather, Percy Fruit of Mount Hope; a special aunt, Donna McKayhan; special friends, Norman and Darlene Mitchell; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Glorious Church of God in Christ, Mount Hope, with Bishop John Grant, Elder Thomas Allen, Minister Robert Hicks and the Revs. Phillip Copeny and Ricky Staples officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church. Arrangements by Ritchie and Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley. Claude W. McGrady Claude William McGrady, 79, of Mabscott, died at 2:40 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born Feb. 10, 1920, in Chicken Ridge, Va., he was the son of the late Bill McGrady and Nancy Ward McGrady. Mr. McGrady was a musician who played with Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson and other bluegrass bands. He was a 35-year resident of Mabscott and a member of Freewill Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his twin brother, Paul McGrady, and a brother, Carlos McGrady. Survivors include his wife of 461/2 years, Zelpha Short McGrady; a daughter, Nancy Miller and her husband, Wesley, of Phenix City, Ala.; six stepchildren, Jack Rose, Wanda Willoughby, Phyllis, Delores and Vocal, all of Ohio, and Brogan Rose of Hinton; two brothers, Tivis McGrady of Ohio and Charlie McGrady of Chapmanville; two sisters, Louise Peters and June Adkins, both of Man; a grandson, Samuel Hundley IV and his wife, Christine, of Mabscott; a granddaughter, Paula Claudine Largen of Atlanta; and three great-grandchildren, Jason, Adam and Alex Hundley. Services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Pad Fork Freewill Baptist Church, Pad Fork, with the Revs. Earl Brewer and Ralph Pruitt officiating. Burial will follow in Short Cemetery, Huff Creek. Friends may call 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley, with a memorial service at 6 p.m. Friends and family will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley. Thelma M. Wheeler Thelma Mae Wheeler, 78, of 200 Beaver Ave., Beckley, died at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 2, 1999, in a Beckley care center following a short illness. Born Feb. 5, 1921, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Charles Bailey and Rebecca Fower Bailey. Mrs. Wheeler was a homemaker and a 40-year Avon representative where she was a member of the Presidents Club. She was also a member of First Church of God, Beckley, for 64 years, where she was involved in the WCG and Sunday school and was a junior worship teacher. She was a lifelong resident of Beckley. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Wheeler; a daughter, Beverley Pittman; and two brothers, Paul and Roy Farley. Survivors include a son, Lawrence Wheeler and his wife, Yvonne, of Beckley; a brother, Earl Farley of Beckley; a sister, Margaret Ford and her husband, Merle, of Shady Spring; five grandchildren, Angela and Crystal Pittman, Renee Dawson and her husband, Larry, Eliza Pudder and her husband, Charles, and Nicholas Wheeler; and two great-grandchildren, C.J. Pudder and Tyler Pittman. Services will be 11 a.m. today at First Church of God, Beckley, with the Revs. Vondie Cook and Sharon Farley officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends called 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Rose and Quesenberry Peace Chapel, Beckley, and may call one hour before services today at the church. Members of First Church of God and Nicholas Wheeler, Charles Pudder, Mike Lewis and Mike Clements will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley. 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