Register Herald Obituaries for January 19, 2000 James Ross Curtis James Ross Curtis, 88, of Oak Grove, went to be with his Lord and Saviour Sunday, Jan. 16, 2000. Born Aug. 6, 1911, in Mabscott, he was the son of the late Luther and Etha Davis Curtis. Mr. Curtis was a lifelong resident of the Oak Grove community and an active member of Oak Grove Christian Church, where he was a past deacon, Sunday school teacher, elder and trustee of the church. For many years he was the bell ringer at the church, welcoming worshipers to Sunday service. He was a supply clerk at Eccles Mines, a Westmoreland Division, for many years, retiring from the mines at Tams. Mr. Curtis was a World War II veteran, serving in the U.S. Navy. In his leisure he enjoyed studying his Bible. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Clarice Smith and Doris Curtis; and his former son-in-law, John L. Jones. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Laura Jane Acord Curtis; a son, James Darrell Curtis and his wife, Helen, of Elizabethton, Tenn.; a daughter, Betty Jones of Beckley; two brothers, Ewell and Rheo Curtis, both of Oak Grove; a sister, Opal Farley of Oak Grove; six grandchildren, Keith Jones, Cindy Jones Miller, Sandra Jones Friend, Mike Curtis, Jeff Curtis and Rusty Curtis; 10 great-grandchildren, Christopher Jones, Mandy Miller, Justin Friend, Dustin Curtis, Jeremy Curtis, Will Curtis, Peyton Curtis, Dylan Curtis, Ashley Curtis, Ben Curtis and Rhonda Jones Pritt. A celebration of Mr. Curtis' life was held 8 p.m. Tuesday at Oak Grove Christian Church with Pastor Kenny Overdorf officiating. Burial will be 11 a.m. today at Oak Grove Christian Church Cemetery. Friends called after 6 p.m. until time of the services at the church. Pallbearers will be Keith Jones, Buster Miller, Greg Mahaffey, John Friend, Doug Hatcher, Dane Jenny and Buddy Rice. Honorary pallbearers will be elders and deacons of Oak Grove Christian Church. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. ---------- Anita C. Dew Anita Connor Dew, 66, of 300 Highland St., Beckley, died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at her home following a long illness. Born July 15, 1933, in Summers County, she was the daughter of the late Cecil Patrick Connor and Verna June Shirey Connor. Mrs. Dew was a retired bookkeeper for McDowell Supply Co., had been a resident of Beckley most of her life and was a member of the Degree of Honor. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gilbert Ray Dew; and a brother, Ronald Patrick Connor. Survivors include two daughters, Susan Diane Weisner and her husband, Maurice H., of Alexandria, Va., and Donna Rae Blevins and her husband, Ronald V., of Beckley; two brothers, Ralph G. Connor of Willow Springs, N.C., and Michael J. Connor of Richmond, Va.; a sister, Cecilia Lyons of Wilmington, Del.; two grandchildren, Jason Dew and Cara Blevins; and a great-granddaughter, Elise Martin. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Rose and Quesenberry Peace Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Ron Stapleton officiating. Friends may call one hour before services Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy may be made to the charity of your choice. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley. ---------- Hannah Elizabeth Hall Hannah Elizabeth Hall, age 3, became a full-fledged angel Monday, Jan. 17, 2000. Born Feb. 16, 1996, in Charleston, she was the daughter of Elbert Richard "Dickie" Hall of Surveyor and Peggy Gayl Holstein Hall of Fairdale. She was preceded in death by a sister, Rachal Cheyenne Hall; her paternal grandfather, Richard Hall; and maternal grandfather, Ted Holstein. Additional survivors include a brother, Richard Adam Hall; her stepmother, Ginger Hall and her children, Danny, Emily, Joshua and Lacie; her mother's companion, Roy H. Keith and his children, Stacia, Michael and Jennifer; paternal grandmother, Mary Jane Hall Balderson and her husband, Phillip, of Scott Depot; maternal grandmother, Juanita Holstein of Dameron; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Jerry Brooks officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call 11 a.m. until time of services Thursday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. ---------- Doreen V. Hicks MOUNT HOPE - Doreen Virginia Hicks, 77, died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, in a Beckley hospital following a short illness. Born Jan. 5, 1923, in Huntington, she was the daughter of the late Homer G. and Mabel C. Deck Sheets. Ms. Hicks was a housewife and lived at 1408 Maxwell Hill Road for 38 years. She was a member of Stanaford Road Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ulmont M. Hicks; a brother, William Otis Sheets; and four sisters, Dorothy Jarrett, Mary Helen Young, Violet Barker and Betty Green. Survivors include her son, Paul G. Hicks and his wife, Theresa, of Clearwater, Fla.; three brothers, Homer G. Sheets Jr. of Spanaway, Wash., Richard Lee Sheets of Stanwood, Wash., and Charles P. Sheets of Reno, Nev.; four sisters, Wanda Pauley of St. Albans, Jo Ann Saunders of Garland, Texas, Carolyn "Peggy" Brammer of Beckley and Patricia Sue Beckett Bellamy and her husband, James, of Beckley; and a grandson, Troy Monroe Hicks. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with Pastor Lyell Zickafoose officiating. Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum of Faith, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Randy Beckett, Gary Beckett, Monty Sheets, Dana Sheets, James Brammer, William Covey and Steve Lively. Donations of sympathy may be made to Stanaford Road Baptist Church, 575 Stanaford Road, Beckley, WV 25801. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. ---------- Rita Ann Johnson OAK HILL - Rita Ann Johnson, 59, went to be with the Lord Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at Appalachian Regional Hospital following a long illness. Born Aug. 3, 1940, in Wriston, she was the daughter of the late Dennie Britt and Elsie Myree Reese Britt. Mrs. Johnson was a member of Missionary Baptist Church, Franklin, Ohio and attended Alliance Church on Central Avenue in Oak Hill. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Shelva Jean Wassom and Patricia Joan Britt. Survivors include her husband of 41 years, Walter Edward Johnson; two sons, Dennis Edward Johnson and his wife, Pat, of Summersville and Dale Eugene Johnson and friend, Jennifer Parker, of Stanley, N.C.; a daughter, Anna Marie Burton and her husband, Keith, of Greensboro, N.C.; a sister, Dorothy Long and her husband, Paul, of Grand Island, Fla.; a brother, William Scott and his wife, Mildred, of Leesburg, Fla.; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at High Lawn Funeral Home Chapel, Oak Hill, with the Revs. Hank Wriston, Fred Joseph and Steve Tincher officiating. Burial will follow in High Lawn Memorial Park Mausoleum, Oak Hill. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be William Rankevish Jr., Marhsall Wickline, Jerry Goode, Tommy Thompson, James Ratliff and Alfred Jamison. Arrangements by High Lawn Funeral Home, Oak Hill. ---------- ---------- Elmer Willis Potter Elmer Willis Potter, 73, of Bradley, died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born July 13, 1926, in Winding Gulf, he was the son of the late Enoch and Annie Ramsey Potter. Mr. Potter was a retired construction worker and a former coal miner for Lillybrook Coal Co. He was of the Baptist faith, a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a member of the VFW. Survivors include his fiancée, Flora Smith of Price Hill; a son, Chester L. Potter of Route 1, Mount Hope; a close friend, Carl Woolwine of Mount Hope; and a brother, Junior Potter of Virginia. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Tyree Funeral Home Chapel, Mount Hope, with the Rev. Gene England officiating. Burial will follow in Gethsemane Memorial Gardens, Oak Hill. Graveside rites will be conducted by VFW Post No. 3110 of Oak Hill. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope. ---------- George A. Rahall BELLEVUE, Pa. - George A. Rahall, 75, of 647 Means Ave., died Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, at his home following complications of anaplastic thyroid cancer. Born April 8, 1924, in Beckley, he was the son of the late Asaff and Jamelia Rahall. After graduating from Carnegie Tech (Carnegie-Mellon) with a bachelor's of science degree in mechanical engineering and industrial management, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a lieutenant. After service to his country, he worked for Gulf Oil and United States Steel (USS) in various engineering and managerial capacities. He retired in 1982 after holding the position of general manager of the Shiffler Plant, USS Fabrication, Lawrenceville, Pa. In 1983, he came out of retirement to serve as business manager of Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry (Ambridge, Pa.). There he managed and administered operations of school for 80 divinity students, including building and grounds, scholarship program, purchasing, finances, medical program, facilities, computer programs, renovations and construction and housing. Prior to his recent illness he was an active member of Allison Park Assembly of God and Promise Keepers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Welding Society. Survivors include his wife, Livia Anna Rahall; four sons, Stephen George and Kenneth Alan, both of Pittsburgh, Dr. Lawrence Fay and his wife, Lucy, of Ellwood City, Pa., and Cmdr. Ronald George and his wife, Mary Etta, of Newport News, Va.; a brother, Louis A. Rahall and his wife, Elaine, of Fayetteville; two sisters, Mrs. Alice Rahall Murad of Beckley and Mrs. Raymond (Deloris) Hawarny of Vero Beach, Fla.; and six grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Allison Park Assembly of God with Pastor Jeff Leake officiating. Burial will follow in Allegheny County Memorial Park, Allison Park. Friends may call 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today and Thursday at H.P. Brandt Funeral Home, 1032 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh. Pallbearers will be Kenneth Rahall, Dr. Lawrence Rahall, Cmdr. Ronald Rahall, Congressman Nick Joe Rahall, Gregory Rahall and Nick Husson. Honorary pallbearers will be Michael Hawarny, James Hawarny, Dr. Bruce Cassis, Dave Rahall, Michael Rahall, Paul Hassler and Edward Rahall. Donations of sympathy may be made to Allison Park Assembly of God Church, 2326 Duncan Ave., Allison Park, PA 15101. Arrangements by H.P. Brandt Funeral Home, Pittsburgh. Edith W. Toner Edith W. Toner, 89, of Glen Morgan, died of natural causes Monday, Jan. 17, 2000, in a local hospital. Born Sept. 29, 1910, in Wylie, Texas, she was the daughter of the late Jim and Clara Williams. Mrs. Toner was a graduate of Wylie High School and Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, with a master's degree in religious education. She was a member of First Christian Church and former director of the Religious Education Department of the church. She had been a resident of Raleigh County for the past 36 years. She was preceded in death by her husband, William R. Toner; and four brothers, Carl, George, John and Rhea. Survivors include a brother, Paul Williams and his wife, Helen, of Dallas; a sister-in-law, Nan Williams of Texas; a nephew, Jerry Williams and his wife, Beth; a niece, Judy Faulkner and her husband, Paul; a great-niece, Kelly Williams; and two great nephews, Jay and John Faulkner. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Calfee Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Russell F. Smith Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Hal Price, Bob Hollandsworth, Eugene Leach, Buford Crouch, Murray Shuff and John Rogar. Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley. 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. ****************************************************************