Register Herald Obituaries for August 13, 1999 David Akers CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio - David Akers, 88, died Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1999, in Berger Hospital. Born April 6, 1911, in Staunton, Va., he was the son of the late Clarence and Hester Michael Akers. Mr. Akers was retired from National Mine Service. He was preceded in death by a sister, Anna Lee Hines. Survivors include his wife, Gladys Thompson Akers; two sons, Robert Akers and his wife, Verelen, of Hagerstown, Md., and David Akers Jr. and his wife, Peggy, of Indiana, Pa.; a daughter, Sandra Edgar and her husband, John, of Circleville; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Services will be 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at New Hope Methodist Church, Marie. Burial will follow in New Hope Cemetery. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Wellman Funeral Home, Circleville. Memorial contributions may be made to New Hope Methodist Church. Arrangements by Wellman Funeral Home, Circleville. Thomas Roy Berkley SINKS GROVE - Thomas Roy Berkley, 95, died Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1999, in Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, Fairlea, after a short illness. Born Oct. 12, 1903, at Keeneys Knob, Summers County, he was the son of the late Thomas J. and Rosa Bell Lusher Berkley. Mr. Berkley had been a resident of Sinks Grove since 1973, attended Sinks Grove Baptist Church and was a retired tree doctor for Davey Tree Co. He was preceded in death by three sisters, Elizabeth Willis, Murrel Jeffries and Cora Richmond; and four brothers, Ernest Berkley, Orus Berkley, Earl Berkley and Simeon Berkley. Survivors include three daughters, Clara Weakley of Clarksville, Tenn., Christine Babbitt of Great Meadows, N.J., and Alicia Nieses of Maryville, Va.; a sister, Cortney Wheeler of Charleston; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Clayton Baptist Church with the Rev. Eddie Harris officiating. Burial will follow in Clayton Cemetery. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at Longanacre Funeral Home, Fort Spring, and one hour before services Saturday at the church. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Loganacre Funeral Home, Fort Spring. Maggie E. Blankenship Maggie Ethel Blankenship, 98, of Beckley, formerly of Tazewell, Va., died Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999, following a short illness. Born Aug. 22, 1900, in Surry County, N.C., she was the daughter of the late Stephen Masten Simmons and Laura Ann Coe. Mrs. Blankenship was a homemaker and a member of Beckley Presbyterian Church. She lived most of her life in Tazewell and was a resident of Beckley since 1962. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Herbert Blankenship; three sons, Ellis Pyles, Carl Lowe and William Homer Blankenship; two daughters, Opal Cannoy and Reva Harmon; four sisters, Lola Southern, Beatrice Harry, Lula Ball and Beulah Johnson; and two brothers, Claude and Calvin Simmons. Survivors include a son, C. Harold Blankenship and his wife, Marlene, of Beckley; two sisters, Myrtle Hill of Radford, Va., and Agnes Lawson of Doran, Va.; 26 grandchildren; 60 great-grandchildren; and 35 great-great-grandchildren. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Frank McGahey officiating. Burial will follow in Greenhills Memory Gardens, Richlands, Va. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home and one hour before services Saturday. Grandsons, David, Mark and Joseph Blankenship and great-grandsons, Ryan, Aaron and Brandon Neal and Kevin Snodgrass will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Beckley Presbyterian Church, 203 S. Kanawha St., Beckley, WV 25801. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Ethel Sims Gilbert MELBOURNE, Fla. - Ethel Sims Gilbert, 82, formerly of Travelers Lane, Beckley, died Saturday, Aug. 7, 1999, in a Melbourne hospital following a short illness. Born Aug. 25, 1916, in Knoxville, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late Theodore A. and Mary Ethel McGill Sims. Mrs. Gilbert spent her childhood in Knoxville and was a 41-year resident of Beckley, living in the Harper Road area. She was employed at Crescent Elementary School for many years as a cook and retired from W.T. Grant Co. She was a longtime member of Mount Tabor Baptist Church and a former resident of Melbourne since 1993 where she attended South Patrick Baptist Church in Satellite Beach. She was preceded in death by her husband, C.G. Gilbert, in 1979; and three brothers, Theodore E., Donald B. and Arnold T. Sims. Survivors include a daughter, Mary Sue Coggins and her husband, Robert, of Satellite Beach and their children, Stacey Lynn Coggins of Bristol, Conn., and Bryon Todd Coggins of Orlando, Fla.; a brother, James of Columbus, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Andy Davis officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be family members and friends. Donations of sympathy may be made to South Patrick Baptist Church Building Fund, 343 S. Patrick Drive, Satellite Beach, FL 32937. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. Carol Jean Gwinn HINTON - Carol Jean Gwinn, 61, went home to be with our Lord at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999, at her home. Born Dec. 30, 1937, at Madams Creek, she was the daughter of the late Edith Wills. Mrs. Wills was a member of Hinton Gospel Tabernacle. She was also preceded in death by her grandmother, Grace Wills; her grandfather, the Rev. Willie M. Wills; and a daugher, Connie Jean Gwinn Lane. Survivors include her husband of 41 years, Darrell Gwinn; four sons, Larry Gwinn of Aiken, S.C., Danny Gwinn and his wife, Debbie, of Nimitz, Timmy Gwinn and his wife, Lea Ann, of Alderson and Randy Gwinn and his wife, Robin, of Stockbridge, Ga.; a brother, Charles Wills and his wife, Pat, of Perrysburg, Ohio; seven grandchildren, Samantha and Sara, Catherine and Timmy, Rhett and Reese and Gary Darrell Cook; and many other relatives and friends. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors Chapel, Hinton, with Pastor Lawrence Bennett officiating. Burial will follow in Restwood Memorial Gardens, Hinton. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral parlors. Cousins will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors, Hinton. Sharon Riffe Hartley DECATUR, Ga. - Sharon Riffe Hartley, 51, formerly of Crab Orchard, died Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1999, in a Georgia hospital following a long illness. Born Sept. 19, 1947, in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late Willard P. and Ethel Henderson Riffe Sr. Mrs. Hartley spent her childhood in Crab Orchard and was a 1965 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. She was a practical nurse in Georgia and a member of Crab Orchard Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by a brother, Willard P. Riffe Jr. Survivors include a brother, Gene Riffe and his wife, Helen, of Crab Orchard; a sister, Shirley Brumfield and her husband, Darrell G., of Cameron, N.C.; a sister-in-law, Edith Jane Riffe of Beckley; and several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Information submitted by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. Harry Watson Holliday SMOOT - Harry Watson Holliday, 94, died Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born on Feb. 5, 1905, in Elton, he was the son of the late Thena Howell and Michael Cleveland Holliday. Mr. Holliday was a retired farmer, a resident of Smoot for the past 10 years and of the Baptist faith. Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Ocie Ellen Martin Holliday; two daughters, Bernice Keiffer of Smoot and Pansy Miller of Naoma; a sister, Lorene Withrow of Ronceverte; a brother, William Holliday of Fairlea; four grandchildren, Arthena Piercy of Meadow Bridge, Florence Keiffer of Smoot, Mary Ellen Barr of Florida and James Miller of Naoma; four great-grandchildren, April Denny of North Carolina, Lex Barr of West Palm Beach, Fla., Alex Reggie Redden of Meadow Bridge and Brandon Wayne Ayers of Smoot; and a great-great-grandson, Duncan Denny of North Carolina. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Smoot Baptist Church with the Revs. Jim Luchsinger and Ray Stover officiating. Burial will follow at Holliday Family Cemetery, Green Sulphur Springs. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle, and one hour before services Saturday at the church. Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle. Doris G.H. Justice ALDERSON - Doris Geraldine Hughes Justice, 74, formerly of Gary, died Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999, at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, Fairlea, following a long illness. Born May 23, 1925, in Gary, she was the daughter of the late Lincoln Randolph and Deborah Ardella Mitchem Hughes. Mrs. Justice was a homemaker and a member of Alderson Church of God, where she served as a praise and worship leader. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Richard V. Hughes and Timothy E. Hughes; and three sisters, Ruby Hutchinson, Claudette J. Finley and Bonnie Hughes. Survivors include her husband, Harvey Justice; two sons, Richard Harvey Justice and his wife, Jane, of Atlanta and Michael Anthony Justice and his wife, Brenda, of Hinton; a daughter, Nita Justice Odem and her husband, Bill, of Yorktown, Va.; three brothers, Wallace Hughes of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Randolph Hughes of Marley, Mich., and Benjamin Hughes of White Sulphur Springs; a sister, Deborah Hughes Maxwell of Roanoke, Va.; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Alderson Church of God with the Rev. Phil Combs officiating. Burial will be in Alderson Cemetery. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson, and one hour before services Saturday at the church. Serving as pallbearers will be Wade Blevins, Ronnie Huffman, Dennis Carter, Jerry Carter, Spede Coy and Robert Barber. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations of sympathy be made to the Alderson Church of God Building Fund, P.O. Box 548, Alderson, WV 24910. Arrangements by Lobban Funeral Home, Alderson. James Franklin Martin James Franklin "Frank" Martin, 68, of Piney View, formerly of Rainelle, died Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1999, at his home following a short illness. Born May 19, 1931, in Crickmer, he was the son of the late Thomas L. and Roselea Gunnoe Martin. Mr. Martin was self-employed and a veteran of the U.S. Army. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Patricia Brown; and a brother, Dale Martin. Survivor include two daughters, Sandra O'Neill and her husband, Brett, and Debra Martin, all of Wilmington, Del.; three sons, James F. Martin Jr. and his wife, Cynthia, of Warwick, Md., and Donald Dale Martin and Larry D. Martin and his wife, Linda, all of Wilmington; five sisters, Annabel Daniel of Piney View, Pat Smith of Rainelle, Betty Mull of Laurel, Del., Brenda of Bear, Del., and Marilyn Miller of Wilmington; three brothers, Dallas Martin of Charlotte, N.C., Bill Martin of Wilmington and Bob Martin of Bear; 13 grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Smathers Funeral Chapel, Rainelle. Burial will follow in Wallace Memorial Cemetery, Clintonville. Friends may call one hour before services Saturday. Arrangements by Smathers Funeral Home, Rainelle. Roger Dale Martin Sr. OAK HILL - Roger Dale "Rawhide" Martin Sr., 47, died Thursday, Aug. 12, 1999, at his residence following a long illness. Born May 22, 1952, in Sullivan, he was the son of the late Toy T. Martin Sr. and Kathern Conner Martin. Mr. Martin was a U.S. Navy veteran, having retired after 21 years of service at the rank of yeoman NC, and was a retired postal worker. He was also an active member in Little League Baseball, avid bowler and was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose No. 1664, Oak Hill. He was preceded in death by a stepsister, Elizabeth Helmick; and two stepbrothers, Alvin Martin and Ronnie Helmick. Survivors include his wife, Judy L. Martin; a son, Roger Dale "Rusty" Martin Jr. of Oak Hill; a daughter, Laura Martin of Oak Hill; four brothers, James Martin of Albuquerque, N.M., Edward Martin of Tucson, Ariz., Mike Martin of Oak Hill and John Martin of Charles Town; five sisters, Carol Roberts of Dublin, Va., and Betty Tombs, Linda Leffell, Deborah Aliff and Ruth Thomas, all of Oak Hill; two half brothers, Bill Martin of Columbus, Ohio, and Robert Martin of Oak Hill; and a half sister, Shirley Pauley of Ohio. Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill, with the Rev. Paul Basham officiating. Burial will follow in Gethsemane Memorial Gardens, Oak Hill, with military rites performed by VFW Post 3110, Oak Hill. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill. Roscoe Maynor CYCLONE - Roscoe Maynor, 81, died Wednesday, Aug. 11, 1999, in a Charleston hospital following a short illness. Born May 26, 1918, in Wyoming County, he was the son of the late Ken and Mary Brown Maynor. Mr. Maynor was a disabled coal miner. He also worked as a timber cutter, fire warden and gas line clearer. Mr. Maynor was a lifelong resident of Wyoming County and attended Toler Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Vonda Pearl Elkins Maynor; five brothers, Oscar, Roy, Carlos, Russell and Little Ken Maynor; three sisters, Orpha Daniels, Bertha Dempsey and Atheline Rumberg; two grandsons, Lamarr Lovins and Baron Walker; and a granddaughter, Miranda Bragg. Survivors include two sons, Roscoe Maynor Jr. and his wife, Sarie, of Cyclone and Clinton Maynor and his wife, Connie, of Cyclone, with whom he lived.; four daughters, Lou Emma Wright and her husband, Bill, of Chillicothe, Ohio, Shirley Chambers and her husband, Dewey, of Oceana, Betty Lovins and her husband, Fred, of Kermit and Eddie Rose Maynor of Kopperston; 25 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. Services will be noon Saturday at Toler Baptist Church, Toney Fork, with the Revs. Aldie Gibson and Clarence Gibson officiating, with Merle Walls reading the obituary. Burial will follow in Cook Cemetery, Toney Fork. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at Evans and Evans Funeral Home, Oceana. Richard Maynor, Alan Brickles, Tommy Maynor, Keith Bailey, Mark Lovins and Bobby Peyton will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Evans and Evans Funeral Directors, Oceana. 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