Register Herald Obituaries for May 16, 1999 Richard C. Blankenship LUXEMBURG, Wis. - Richard Carl Blankenship, 51, died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born Oct. 9, 1947, in Welch, he was the son of Richard and Edna Blankenship of Welch-Pineville Road. Mr. Blankenship was a graduate of Pineville High School and worked for Sweetheart Cup Co. in Baltimore for 30 years before transferring to Green Bay, Wis. Other survivors include his wife, Janet Hooper Blankenship; a son, David R. Blankenship and his wife, Brandi, of Baltimore; a grandson, Ian Blankenship of Baltimore; four stepsons, Dwayne, Dennis and David Broseanne, all of Baltimore, and Clinton Shoff of Luxemburg; a stepgrandson, Jacob Broseanne; a sister, Beverly Stepp of Point Pleasant; two brothers, Jimmy Blankenship and his wife, Kathy, of Lisbon, Ohio, and Morris Blankenship and his wife, Claudette, of Welch-Pineville Road; and several nieces and nephews. Services and burial will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ebenezer United Methodist Church, Winfield, Md. Friends may call 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at Burrier-Queen Funeral Home, Winfield, Md. Fannie S. Bradley LINDSIDE - Fannie S. Bradley, 79, died Saturday, May 15, 1999, at a Pearisburg, Va., hospital. Born June 2, 1919, in Lindside, she was the daughter of the late Phineous and Virginia Pitzer Shultz. Mrs. Bradley was a homemaker and a member of Spruce Run Church of the Brethren, Lindside. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Bradley; four brothers, Marshall, Harlan, Leonard and Phillip Shultz; and a sister, Verna Coulter. Survivors include a son, Roy F. Bradley and his wife, Linda, of Pearisburg; a daughter, JoAnn Porterfield and her husband, John, of Peterstown; and two granddaughters, Missy Porterfield of Peterstown and Kimberly Harr of Tampa, Fla. Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home Chapel, Peterstown, with the Rev. Shahn Wilburn officiating. Burial will follow in Bradley Cemetery, Lindside. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, Peterstown. Harold V. Carpenter Harold V. "Fats" Carpenter, 67, of Coal City, died Saturday, May 15, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born May 20, 1931, in Lego, he was the son of the late Steve L. and Hallie M. Walker Carpenter. Mr. Carpenter was a retired coal miner and a former employee of Vecellio & Grogan. He was a 1948 graduate of Stoco High School and served in the U.S. Navy. He was a born-again Christian of the Baptist faith, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and UMWA, and an avid country music and bluegrass fan and player. He was preceded in death by a brother, Vernon E. "Pee Wee" Carpenter. Survivors include his wife, Frances Garretson Carpenter; a son, Harold V. Carpenter II; a granddaughter, Amanda Carpenter; five brothers, A. Mac Carpenter and his wife, Faye, of Coal City, Bill Carpenter and his wife, Yvette, of Beckley, James Carpenter and his wife, Janet, of Pisgah Forrest, N.C., Fred Carpenter and his wife, Joan, of Surfside Beach, S.C., and Kermit Carpenter of Grandy, N.C. He is also survived by a host of friends, nieces and nephews. Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia, with the Rev. Larry Penix officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Friends and family will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia. Amanda Sue Comer PENCE SPRINGS - Amanda Sue Meadows Evans Comer, 43, died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at her home. Born Oct. 11, 1955, in Welch, she was the daughter of the late Noah and Myrtle Mae Sayler Meadows. Mrs. Comer attended Pence Springs Community Church and was manager of the vision center of Wal-Mart in Beckley. Survivors include a son, Michael Anthony Evans of Troutman, N.C.; two daughters, Michelle Branch and Crystal Evans, both of Iaeger; two grandchildren, Alexis Nichole Branch and Brandon Nicholas Branch; a stepson, Joshua Steven Comer; four brothers, Luther "Doc" Meadows of Iaeger, Noah Meadows Jr. of Organ Cave and Michael Craig Meadows and John Walton Meadows, both of Clarksville, Tenn.; and her foster mother, Okie Vance of Iaeger. Services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Fanning Funeral Home, Iaeger, with the Revs. Jack Cook and Eddie Cline officiating. Burial will follow in Meadows Family Cemetery, Iaeger. Friends may call noon until time of services at the funeral home. Arrangements by Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors, Hinton. Steven Dale Comer PENCE SPRINGS - Steven Dale Comer, 38, died Thursday, May 13, 1999, at his home. Born March 6, 1961, at Union, he was the son of Marie Jackson Comer of Pence Springs and the late William Denver "Buck" Comer. Mr. Comer was a lifelong resident of Summers County and a member of Pence Springs Community Church. Mr. Comer was also a musician with the Tri-County Cutups, a farmer and a carpenter. Other survivors include a son, Joshua Steven Comer of Pence Springs; a sister, Anita Comer of Pence Springs; a brother, William Denver "Bill" Comer of Pence Springs; a stepson, Michael Anthony Evans of Troutman, N.C.; two stepdaughters, Michelle Branch and Crystal Evans, both of Iaeger; and two stepgrandchildren, Alexis Nichole Branch and Brandon Nicholas Branch. Services will be 2:30 p.m. Monday at Pence Springs Community Church with Pastor Roger Persinger officiating. Burial will follow in Keller Church Cemetery, Lowell. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors, Hinton, and one hour before services at the church. David Palmer, Mike Palmer, Robert Spelsbert, Chad Kessinger, Jonathan Palmer, Jeff Frazier, Jimmy Frazier and Sheldon Lee Carter will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors, Hinton. Cova Hylton Farmer Cova Hylton Farmer, 90, of Beckley, died Wednesday, May 12, 1999, at a Beckley nursing facility following a long illness. Born May 10, 1909, in Virginia, she was the daughter of the late John Moses and Amanda Ellen Hylton. She was a homemaker and had been a Beckley resident since 1951. She was a former Maybeury resident and resided in Helen from 1934 to 1951. She was an active member of Beckley Regular Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clyde H. Farmer; a son, Clyde H. Farmer Jr.; and three brothers, Dewey, Everette and Harry Hylton. Survivors include a son, Mike H. Farmer of Columbus, Ga.; four daughters, Barbara Ann Rabbitt and her husband, George, of Hughesville, Md., Mary Ellen Ables of Beckley, Bonnie Sue Horan and her husband, Jerry, of Huntingtown, Md., and Linda Gail Martin of Santa Fe, N.M.; 16 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Mary Bell of Bluefield. Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Rose and Quesenberry Peace Chapel, Beckley, with Pastor Randy Carroll officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley. Dennis Bliss Huffman Dennis Bliss Huffman, 66, of Beckley, died Thursday, May 14, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born Feb. 9, 1933, in Beckley, he was the son of the late Frank B. and Mary Alice Muncey Huffman. Mr. Huffman was a self-employed contractor and served in the U.S. Army. He was preceded in death by a brother, Frank Huffman Jr.; and a sister, Helen Thompson. Survivors include his wife, JoAnn Reed Huffman; three daughters, Mary Ann Drake of Charleston, S.C., Sandra Denise Mills and her husband, Paul, of Beckley and Sherry Lynn Huffman of Charleston, S.C.; three grandsons, Jasper Lee Tawney, Joel Dennis Tawney and Marshall Bradley Mills, all of Beckley; two granddaughters, Heidi Michelle Drake and Kristina Lea Drake, both of Charleston, S.C.; three brothers, John Huffman of Odessa, Texas, Jack Huffman of Roanoke, Va., and Herbert Huffman of North Carolina; and two sisters, Martha Bennett of Jacksonville, Fla., and Madeline Delahousaye of Shady Spring. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Beckley, with the Rev. Cecil Smith officiating. Burial will follow. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Friends and family will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Ellen Rader Johnston WILLIAMSBURG - Ellen Rader Johnston, 95, of Raders Valley, near Williamsburg, died Friday, May 14, 1999, in a nursing facility. Born Sept. 8, 1903, in Raders Valley, she was the daughter of the late Beniah and Gertrude Livesay Rader. Mrs. Johnston was a member of the former Richlands Presbyterian Church. She was a graduate of the Lewisburg Seminary, a homemaker, a farmer and a lifelong resident of Greenbrier County. She was preceded in death by her husband, K.C. Johnston, in 1945. Survivors include a daughter, Betty Johnston of Hampton, Va.; two sons, John Johnston and his wife, Dreama, of Lewisburg and Charles Johnston and his wife, Carol, of Charlottesville, Va.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Services will be 2 p.m. Monday in Memorial Chapel of McCraw Funeral Home, Lewisburg, with the Rev. Gary Gurley officiating. Burial will follow in Rosewood Cemetery, Lewisburg. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by McCraw Funeral Home, Lewisburg. Rayburn Earl Sawyers HINTON - Rayburn Earl Sawyers, 91, of 502 Miller Ave., died Saturday, May 15, 1999, in a Nimitz care home following a long illness. Born Nov. 16, 1907, in Smoot, he was the son of the late James L. and Maude Sawyers. Mr. Sawyers was a graduate of Ronceverte High School and was retired from C&O Railroad as chief clerk to the superintendent in Hinton. He also was active in Elks Lodge 821, where he established the annual West Virginia State Elks Tournament in 1947 and directed the tournament for 24 years. He was also Elk of the Year in 1987-1988 and awarded an appreciation and long service to the Elks in promoting the Elks Tournament in 1966. He was of the Methodist faith, a member of Hinton Masonic Lodge 62 AF & AM, a member of the Railroad Clerks Union, former president of the Toastmaster Club in Hinton and an avid golfer as long as his health permitted. Mr. Sawyers became active in politics and was elected to the House of Delegates in 1962 and to the state Senate in 1966. He was preceded in death by a brother, Joe Sawyers. Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Juanita Williams Sawyers; a brother, Burl Sawyers of Charleston; a nephew, Joe Sawyers of Charleston; three nieces, Judy Crouse and her husband, John, Myra Jarrett and her husband, Dink, and Becky Hodges and her husband, Russell, all of Charleston. Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors, Hinton, with the Rev. Patricia Weed officiating. Entombment will follow in Greenbrier Burial Park Mausoleum. Friends may call noon to 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy may be made to Willow Wood Country Club and Hinton Elks Lodge 821. Mark Woodrum, Tom Wood-rum, Will Meador, Lin Goins, Hank Hanger, Howard Cody, Milton Foster and Harry Garrett will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors, Hinton. 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