Register Herald Obituaries for August 8, 1999 Mae Shumate Belcher PINEVILLE - Mae Shumate Belcher, 95, died Friday, Aug. 6, 1999, at her residence following a long illness. Born April 14, 1904, at Saulsville, she was the daughter of the late William Riley and Ellen Acord Shumate. Mrs. Belcher was a retired educator who spent many years in service to the Wyoming County Board of Education as a classroom teacher and administrator. She received her teaching certificate from Concord College and in 1943 received her bachelor's degree there. She attended Duke University, Marshall College and Columbia University and received her master's degree, principal's certificate and supervisor's certificate from West Virginia University in 1950. She held leadership positions in several professional associations, including membership on the Executive Committee of West Virginia Association of School Superintendents and as a charter member and president of the Zeta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International Honorary Society of outstanding women educators. She served as chairwoman of the Wyoming County Chapter of the Red Cross and the Wyoming County Save the Children Federation and was president of the Wyoming County Classroom Teachers Association. She was a charter member of the Lt. Daniel Shumate Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and served on the Board of Directors of the Wyoming County Sheltered Workshop. Mrs. Belcher served Wyoming County for two terms as a delegate to the West Virginia Legislature and was the first Wyoming County woman elected into state office. She was a member of Pine-ville First United Methodist Church, where she served as circle chairwoman and president of the United Methodist Women, and served on the Board of Directors of the Beckley Child Care Center Auxiliary. She traveled extensively and attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Survivors include her husband of 74 years, Wirt Belcher; a sister, Ethel Evans of Beaumont, Texas; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Calfee Funeral Service, Pineville, with the Rev. Dorcas Conrad officiating. Entombment will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Beckley. Friends may call one hour before services Monday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Service, Pineville. Robert D. Brooks Robert D. "Cowboy" Brooks, 66, of Hager Street, Beckley, died Friday, Aug. 6, 1999, at his home following a sudden illness. Born June 14, 1933, at Leslie, he was the son of the late Frederick and Thelma Lane Brooks. Mr. Brooks was a retired golf course maintenance employee, formerly worked at Black Knight Country Club and was last employed by Billy Capps Driving Range. He had lived most of his life at Blue Jay. Survivors include his wife, Fern Glenna Brooks; a son, Robert Brooks Jr. of Charleston; a daughter, Martha Quesenberry of Beckley; two grandchildren, Kimberly and Andrew Quesenberry; two brothers, James Lane of Beckley and Donald Brooks of Richmond, Va.; and two sisters, Carol Lilly of Daniels and Jo Ann Basham of Beckley. Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Rose and Quesenberry Peace Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Paul Blizard officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Jay Cemetery. Friends may call 9:30 a.m. until time of services Monday at the funeral home. Family members will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley. Stephen M. Jordan Stephen Maurice Antwan "Pooh" Jordan, 18, of Beckley, died Sunday, Aug. 1, 1999. Born Nov. 17, 1980, in Beckley, he was the son of Mary Jordan and James Alexander. Stephen graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in June 1999. He enjoyed playing basketball and football and spending precious time with his nieces and nephews. Survivors include his loving mother, Mary Jordan and companion David Reynolds of Beckley; his father, James Alexander of Lebanon, Va.; three sisters, Evelyn Bradley and Marquita Jordan, both of Beckley, and Audrey Wallington of Brillion, Wis.; a brother, William Jordan of Brillion; four aunts, Bertha Lee Russell of Beckley, Marketta Jensen and her husband of Brillion, Barbara Pirtle of Atlanta, and Mary Payne of Detroit; three uncles, James E. Bradley and his wife of Kingville, Texas, Joseph Nickelson of New York and Samuel A. Cheatham of Jacksonville, N.C.; five nieces; a nephew; five cousins who live in his home as sister and brothers, Lamont, Ricky, Derek, Courtney and Kenny Martin; and a host of great-aunts, cousins and friends. Services will be 2 p.m. today at Mount Zion Baptist Church, 142 Mool Ave., Beckley, with the Revs. Nelson B. Staples Jr., Ricky Staples and James Bradley officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends called 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Durgan Funeral Home, Beckley. Arrangements by Durgan Funeral Home, Beckley. Michael Kessler CARRBORO, N.C. - Michael "Mike" Kessler, 17, died Saturday, Aug. 7, 1999, at his home. Survivors include his parents, Mary and John Kessler; a brother, Joey Kessler at home; maternal grandmother, Veronica Arbogast of White Sulphur Springs; and paternal grandparents, John and Carmelina Kessler of Dunbar. Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Chapel Hill, N.C., with Father Phillip Leach officiating. Burial will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Walker's Funeral Home, Chapel Hill. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Caramore Community, a rehab program for severe mental illness (1-919-967-3402), or Covenant House, a shelter for runaway teens (1-800-388-3888). Arrangements by Walker's Funeral Home, Chapel Hill. Barbara Ellen Walker OAK HILL - Barbara Ellen Walker, 83, died Friday, Aug. 6, 1999, after courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease. Born in Fayette County, she was the daughter of the late John F. and Sarah Alice Pennington Rainey of Sanger. Mrs. Walker was a devoted wife and mother, a Baptist and a lifelong resident of Fayette County. She was preceded in death by two brothers and two sisters. Survivors include her husband, James Walker; three daughters, Patty Sumner and her husband, John, of Parkersburg, Marylu Walker of Oak Hill and Sandi Parente and her husband, John, of Georgetown, Pa.; three grandchildren, Kenney Sumner of Marietta, Ga., Terri Romine and her husband, Mark, of Elizabeth and Tammie Woodrum and her husband, John, of Nallen; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Hilda R. Painter of Sarasota, Fla. Services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill, with the Rev. Bill Menefee officiating. Burial will follow in Plateau Historical Cemetery, formerly Odd Fellows Cemetery. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill. Rev. William White Jr. WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The Rev. William Thomas White Jr., 66, died early Friday morning, Aug. 6, 1999, in a Williamsburg hospital. Rev. White was born and raised in Durham, N.C. He attended Durham City Schools and graduated from Apprentice School. He was employed with Newport News Ship Building for many years. After leaving ship building, Rev. White worked on his own doing home repair. He was the minister for Calvary Baptist Church in Ordinary, Va., until, due to health reasons, he had to step down. Rev. White preached at various churches in New Jersey, West Virginia and Virginia. Survivors include a son, William Thomas White III of California; three daughters, Joan White and Jenny C. White, both of Newport News, Va., and Jill D. Reece of Beckley; a sister, Frances Carolyn White of Durham; and a grandson, Jeremy M. Payne. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Maplewood Cemetery, Section 17, Durham, with the Rev. Everette J. Smith officiating. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Howerton-Bryan Funeral Home, Durham. Arrangements by Howerton-Bryan Funeral Home. 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