Register Herald Obituaries for May 11, 1999 Catherine Argabright BARBERTON, Ohio -- Catherine E. Syner Argabright, 84, died Saturday, May 8, 1999, in a Barberton, Ohio, hospital following a short illness. Born Dec. 27, 1914, in Raleigh County, she was the daughter of the late Noah and Stella Norman Syner. Mrs. Argabright was a homemaker and a 44-year resident of Barberton. Before her death there were five generations of descendants. She was known for her big hugs. Being an adventurous person, she went parasailing for the first time at the age of 75. She was preceded in death by a son, Robert Earl Argabright. Survivors include her husband of 64 years, Golden E. Argabright; a son and daughter-in-law, John and Marsha Argabright of Norton, Ohio; three daughters and sons-in-law, Norma Jean and Robert Vanhook of Estero, Fla., Eureka and Ronald Orr of Akron, Ohio, and Janice and Jerry Wilkinson of Simpsonville, S.C.; two sisters, Freeda Argabright of Packs Branch and Dorothy Holliday of Fayetteville; 17 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Tyree Funeral Home Chapel, Oak Hill, with the Rev. Sam Vance officiating. Burial will follow in Hilltop Cemetery, Hilltop. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home in Oak Hill. Donations of sympathy may be made to the Transportation Fund, Faith Baptist Church, 770 Paige Ave., Barberton, OH 44203. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill. William L. 'Billy' Bragg GAP MILLS -- William L. "Billy" Bragg, 37, died Sunday, May 9, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born March 26, 1962, in Summers County, he was the son of Carl F. and Helen Virginia Turner Bragg Jr. of Gap Mills. Mr. Bragg was a disabled carpenter and a U.S. Air Force veteran. Other survivors include four brothers, Timothy Wayne and Robert Dale Bragg, both of Union, Paul Franklin Bragg of Alliance, Ohio, and Michael Allen Bragg of Gap Mills; two sisters, Melissa Bragg Brewer of Zenith and Janice N. Baker of Princeton; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Groves Funeral Home Chapel, Union, with the Rev. Bob Ratliff officiating. Burial will follow in New Lebanon Cemetery, Pickaway. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Groves Funeral Home, Union. Howard Lee Hall FAYETTEVILLE -- Howard Lee Hall, 85, died Monday, May 10, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born Nov. 6, 1913, at Kaymoor, he was the son of the late Dave and Grace Hall. Mr. Hall was a retired sergeant with the U.S. Army Air Force. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ida Katherine O'Dell Hall. Survivors include a daughter, Roxie Hall Blevins of Beckley; a granddaughter, Debra Blevins Hart of Beckley; four brothers, James Hall of Charleston, Ed Hall of Oak Hill, Larry Hall of Charleston, N.C., and Frank Hall of Oak Hill; and four sisters, Ruth Epperly of Roanoke, Va., Julia Williams of Oak Hill, Mary Thomas of Huntington, and Anna Cody of Fayetteville. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Pleasant View Cemetery, Fayetteville. Military graveside rites will be conducted by the VFW Post No. 3110 of Oak Hill. Friends may call 10 a.m. until time of the services Wednesday at the Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home, Fayetteville. In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy may be made to the United Methodist Church, Heber Street, Beckley. Arrangements by Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home, Fayetteville. James F. Houchins VICTOR -- James Francis Houchins, 72, died Sunday, May 9, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born Nov. 3, 1926, at Lookout, he was the son of the late Ivester C. Houchins and Margaret Cooper Houchins. Mr. Houchins was a retired coal miner, a member of the UMWA District 29, a member of Mt. Olive Methodist Church, Lookout, and a 72-year resident of Fayette County. He was preceded in death by a son, James Marshall Houchins, on Aug. 5, 1980; eight sisters; and three brothers. Survivors include his wife, June Haga Houchins; two daughters, Susan Houchins of Ansted and Teresa Dennison of South Charleston; a lifelong friend of his wife's, Patty Kessler; three grandchildren, Jorma and James Houchins and Shannon Reed; and Cindy and Linda, with Hospice of Southern West Virginia. Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home Chapel, Ansted, with the Rev. Verlin R. Secrist officiating. Burial will follow in Restlawn Memory Gardens, Victor. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home in Ansted. Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Ansted. Eugene V. Johnson NELSONVILLE, Ohio -- Eugene V. "Gene" Johnson, 91, formerly of Rainelle, died Sunday, May 9, 1999, in a Logan, Ohio, care center following a long illness. Born Aug. 23, 1907, in Minneapolis, Minn., he was the son of the late Jack and Carrie Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a retired foreman for the C&O Railroad shops in Rainelle and in Grand Rapids, Mich. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Nelsonville. He was a member of the Midland Trail Masonic Lodge No. 166 AF and AM in West Virginia. He was preceded in death by three brothers, John "Swede" Johnson, Elmer Johnson and Gale Johnson; and two sisters-in-law, Rowena Johnson and Charlotte Johnson. Survivors include his wife, Geneva "Nita" Johnson; a son, Eugene "Jimmy" Johnson and his wife, Joyce, of San Jose, Calif.; two sisters, Alvina Sines of Winona, Minn., and Dorothy Gladwell of Cabin Creek; three grandchildren, Jeff, Shannon and Andy Johnson; and one great-grandson, Andrew. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Wallace Memorial Mausoleum Chapel, Clintonville, with the Rev. Robert Anderson officiating. Entombment will follow in Wallace Memorial Mausoleum. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle. Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle. Bruce Everette Jones Bruce Everette "Pig Eye" Jones, 74, of Pemberton, died Friday, May 7, 1999, in a North Carolina hospital following a long illness. Born May 18, 1924, in Kaylor, Va., he was the son of the late Everette Bruce and Dorsie Vaughan Jones. Mr. Jones spent his childhood at Eccles. A resident of Charlotte the past six months, he had lived in Pemberton since 1995, coming from Soak Creek, and was of the Christian faith. He was a retired coal miner having last worked at Eccles No. 6. He was a member of the UMWA District 29, Local Union 5770. In his leisure time he enjoyed fishing and gardening. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Christine Frost and Roxie Mae Jones; and two brothers, Roy Jones and John Paul Jones. Survivors include his best friend and former wife, Gloria Jones of Sophia; three sons, Harlen Jones and his wife, Joyce, of Millville, N.J., James "Jimmy" Jones and his wife, Louise, of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., and Donald Jones and his fiancee, Sherri, of Denver, N.C.; two daughters, Rose Harris and her husband, Dana, of Charlotte, N.C., and Drema Jones of Pemberton; twelve grandchildren, Linda, Jamie, Harlen Jr., Misty, Cassandra, Crystal, Jacob, James II, Tiffany, Priscilla, Dana II and Chelsea; three great-grandchildren, Rikki Sky, Destiny and Jasmine; six brothers, Howard Jones of Live Oak, Fla., Ray Jones of Harvey, Bobby Jones of North Royalton, Ohio, Roger Jones of Millville, N.J., Charlie Jones of Weirsdale, Fla., and Frankie Jones of Eccles; and two sisters, Irene Starkey of Clyde, N.C., and Virginia Williams of Ocklawaha, Fla. Services will be 3 p.m. today at the Crab Orchard Church of the Brethren with the Rev. Harold Taylor officiating. Burial will follow in the Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens at Beckley. Friends called 6 to 9 p.m. Monday and may call one hour before the services today at the church. Grandsons and nephews will serve as pallbearers. The family may be contacted at the home of Drema Jones at 116 Sub Station Road, Pemberton, or call 683-5026. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. Ira M. Lilly Ira M. Lilly, 49, of White Oak, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, May 8, 1999, following a short illness. Born Feb. 17, 1950, at Flat Top, he was the son of Ruby P. Hatcher Lilly of Flat Top and the late Dewey Lilly. Mr. Lilly served the Raleigh County Schools as a bus operator for 24 1/2 years. He was one of the finalists for the School Personnel Service Award for the 1998-1999 school year. He was a member of the Trinity Baptist Church, White Oak. He was preceded in death by two infant brothers and his father and mother-in-law, Dwight and Letha Quesenberry. Other survivors include his wife of 27 1/2 years, Judith C. Quesenberry Lilly; three sons, Scott K. Lilly and his companion, Beth Adkins, and "papa's" little boy, Danny, of Little Beaver Lake, Eric M. Lilly and Shane R. Lilly, both of White Oak; three brothers, Robert L. Lilly and his wife, Fredia, Stevie I. Lilly and his wife, Terry, and Willie O. Lilly and his wife, Tralissa, all of Flat Top; two sisters, Nancy A. Lilly and her husband, Wilbert, of Ghent and Lisa P. Matherly and her husband, Roger, of Flat Top; his in-laws, Clarice Roliff of Kent, Ohio, Marge Payne of Florida, W.E. Quesenberry and Harrell Quesenberry, both of White Oak, Ruth Lilly of Shady Spring, and Mr. and Mrs. Herb Francisco of Washington, W.Va.; 15 nephews; seven nieces, longtime friends, Jake Christian and Jack Sherrar, many bus drivers, friends, relatives, faculty, students and neighbors. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Rose and Quesenberry Shady Spring Chapel, with Brother Danny Winders and Brother Luther Hairston officiating. Burial will follow in the Simmons Cemetery, Mount View. Friends may call 5 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home in Shady Spring. In lieu of flowers, please make blood donations to the American Red Cross. Pallbearers will be C.H. Meadows, Fred Okes, Roger Warden, Dennis Okes, Darrell Scott, Al Smith, Walter Vest and Ernie Adkins. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Shady Spring. Alan Martin Alan Martin, 43, of Bradley, died Saturday, May 8, 1999, in a Summersville hospital following an automobile accident. Born June 19, 1955, at Beckley, he was the son of the late Kenna and Madge Jones Martin. Mr. Martin was a salesman. He was one of the area's most talented and professional musicians. His father sang bass in The Golden State Quartet. Alan, having been around music while growing up, began playing bass guitar. He played for some of the area's most popular bands, including Fantasia and Reflections, and was the bass player for the Popularies at The Greenbrier resort for a number of years. He showcased his abilities in the group Instant Planet, as an inspiring and creative rock and blues musician. He was an accomplished jazz bass player and was featured with jazz group Jazzbeaux for the past 20 years. Alan had an interest in traditional music of the area and played with many of southern West Virginia's finest folk musicians; this led to his work with Theatre West Virginia, The Appalachian Dance and Music Ensemble. He also worked in the retail side of the music business for many years in sales and management. Through his work with The Pied Piper and Heartland Music, he became an expert in sound system design and designed systems for many of the area's schools, churches and other institutions. Other survivors include his wife, Carla Neil Martin; a daughter, Amanda Grace Martin of Bradley; a brother, Kenna Martin III of Pittsboro, N.C.; and a sister, Susanne Lilly of Glen Morgan. Services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with the Rev. Al Carpenter officiating. Entombment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Opal G. Pinson MOUNT HOPE -- Opal G. Smith Pinson, 89, of Sand Branch Road, died Monday, May 10, 1999, in a Hilltop care center following a long illness. Born Sept. 19, 1909, at Sand Branch, she was the daughter of the late John H. and Alice Thompson Smith. Mrs. Pinson was a retired nurses aide at Pinecrest and Beckley Hospital. She was a member of the Bradley Freewill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon Pinson; six sisters, Birdie Farley, Effie Chandler, Ruby Smith, Cordie Smith Starks, Goldie Williams and Ella Cheek; and two brothers, Hobert Smith and Howard Smith. Survivors include two daughters, Zoehanna Hamilton of Prosperity and Margaret Moore and her husband, Ryland, of Jacksonville, Fla.; two sisters, Stella Lively of Beckley and Margie Blanchfield of Elkton, Md.; two brothers, Buren Smith of Route 1, Mount Hope, and Adair Smith of Elkton, Md.; and nine grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Tyree Funeral Home Chapel, Mount Hope, with the Rev. Daniel Legg officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 10 a.m. until time of the services Wednesday at the funeral home. Nephews will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope. 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