Register Herald Obituaries for November 5, 1999 Thomas Blankenship Thomas Woodrow "Woodie" Blankenship, 83, of the McLean Addition of Beckley, died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born Aug. 2, 1916, in Mercer County, he was the son of the late Fred and Virgie Bowling Blankenship. Mr. Blankenship spent his childhood at Maben, where he was a graduate of Mullens High School. He was retired from Eastern Associated Coal Co. He was a former resident of Mabscott and had resided on Circle Street the past 25 years. Mr. Blankenship was a member of the Mabscott United Methodist Church and the United Mine Workers of America. He was preceded in death by two brothers, E.V. and John Blankenship; and three sisters, Hattie, Ila and Lucille. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Newatsa Halsey Blankenship; two daughters, Mary Lou Hatton and her husband, Doug, of Indianapolis, Ind., and Linda Stull and her husband, Max, of Huntington; five grandchildren, Jeffrey Bedinger and his wife, Kim, of Dayton, Ohio, Thomas Bedinger and his wife, Jennifer, of Atlanta, Michael Stull and his wife, Joan, of Huntington, and Ryan and Bevin Stull, also of Huntington; four great-grandchildren, Brandon, Daniel and Kyle Bedinger, and Zoey Stull; and a sister, Pearl Hendricks of Los Angeles, Calif. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Melton Mortuary Chapel, with the Revs. James Lawson and Sterling Morgan officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home and one hour before the services Saturday. Grandsons and nephews will serve as pallbearers. Donations of sympathy may be made to the Mabscott United Methodist Church, Mabscott. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. ---------- Sheila Gaye Covey Sheila Gaye Covey, 42, of Lester, died 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, in a Charleston hospital following a long illness. Born March 14, 1957, in Mullens, she was the daughter of the late Robert Mason Stafford and Pluma M. Lilly Stafford. Mrs. Covey was a homemaker and a member of the Lester Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by a sister, Debra Jeffery. Survivors include a son, Jeremy Covey of Lester; four sisters, Gladys Bailey of Roanoke, Va., Margaret Mounts of Lester, Sharon Manning of Bolt, and Donna Welch of Mabscott; and 10 nieces and nephews. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Rose and Quesenberry Peace Chapel with the Rev. Chip Barbas officiating. Burial will follow in the Covey Cemetery at Tams. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Nephews will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, Beckley. ---------- Tex DeHart OCEANA - Tex DeHart, 61, died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, at a Man hospital following a sudden illness. Born Dec. 11, 1937, in Omar, he was the son of the late Estel DeHart and Florence "Fannin" DeHart. Mr. DeHart was a retired coal miner with 33 years of service with Eastern Associated Coal Corp. as a foreman. He had been a lifelong resident of Wyoming County. He was preceded in death by a sister, Maxine DeHart, and two brothers, Glaston DeHart and Estel DeHart Jr. Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Clara "Wood" DeHart; two sons, Robin DeHart and his wife, Mitzi, of Oceana, and Phillip DeHart and his wife, Lynn, of Sabine; four sisters, Eva Rice of Kopperston, Bertie Vance of Chauncey, Leona Lambert and her husband, Harold, of West Warwick, R.I., and Glenna Bond and her husband, Hayward, of Logan; and three grandchildren, Presley and Holly DeHart of Oceana, and Autumn Rose DeHart of Sabine. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Evans Memorial Chapel, Oceana, with the Rev. Tim Brewster officiating. Entombment will follow in Palm Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Matheny. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the Evans Memorial Chapel. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Evans and Evans Funeral Directors, Oceana. ---------- Oather R. Hinkle CLINTONVILLE - Oather R. Hinkle, 79, of Henson Road, died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, in a Fairlea hospital following a short illness. Born Dec. 28, 1919, in Elverton, he was the son of the late Walter Lloyd and Grace Mae Miller Hinkle. Mr. Hinkle was a U.S. Navy veteran serving during World War II, and was a retired coal miner. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gaye Dollie Cook Hinkle, on June 15, 1993; six sisters, Orlie Cook, Ola Ripley, Sue Barber, Ona Bottomly, Murt Griffith, and Opal Martin; and a brother, Orville E. "Buster" Hinkle. Survivors include a son, Richard Hinkle of Clintonville; four daughters, Peggy Sue Dean of Charmco, Sandra Roach and Sharon Hicks, both of Clintonville, and Ida Mae Christy of Quinwood; a sister, Ruth Loudermilk of Clintonville; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home Chapel, Rainelle, with the Rev. Leroy Crane officiating. Burial will follow in Wallace Memorial Cemetery, Clintonville. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Arrangements by Wallace and Wallace Funeral Home, Rainelle. ---------- Carlos W. Lemon Carlos Wayman Lemon, 70, of 207 Dean St., Beckley, formerly of Arnett, went to be with the Lord, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, after a long illness. Born Feb. 1, 1929, in Eunice, he was the son of the late Lotus C. and Nelta Ann Broom Lemon. Mr. Lemon was retired from Homeseekers Land and Building Co. of Beckley and attended the Mount Calvary Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by a sister, Agnes Milam. Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Patricia Bone Lemon; two sons, Waymon Lemon of Fort Worth, Texas, and Randall Lemon and his wife, Eileen, of Halifax, Va.; two daughters, Carol Bowles and her husband, Danny, of Bradley, and Tammy Lemon of Charleston; a sister, Mona Combs of Arnett; and four grandchildren. Services will be noon Saturday at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Dry Hill Road, Prosperity, with the Rev. Bobby Price officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the church. Pallbearers will be Steve Bowles, Danny Bowles, Frank Mann, Dennis Bone, James Lemon and Gary Lemon. Arrangements by Armstrong Funeral Home, Whitesville. ---------- Georgia A. Lilly Georgia A. Lilly, 79, of Cool Ridge, went to be with the Lord, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, at a Beaver care center following a long illness. Born May 27, 1920, at Soak Creek, she was the daughter of the late William A. and Emily M. Grose Mills. Mrs. Lilly was a homemaker and a member of the Ghent Freewill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, George C. Lilly; a sister, Willie Emery; a daughter, Phyllis Davis; and a granddaughter, Tara A. Lilly. Survivors include a son, Robert C. Lilly of Cool Ridge; two daughters, Serethia Bailes of Alex, Va., and Letha Anderson and her husband, Tom, of Centreville, Va.; a brother, William C. Mills and his wife, Shirley, of Catlettsburg, Ky.; three granddaughters, Stephanie Bailes of Maryland, Michelle Davis of Olympia, Wash., and Angie Hopfer of Durham, N.C.; and two great-grandsons, Coleman and Tom Hopfer of Durham, N.C. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Charles Whittaker officiating. 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. ---------- Russell Rookstool RAINELLE - Russell H. "Boss" Rookstool, 82, died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, at his home following a short illness. Born April 9, 1917, in Springdale, he was the son of the late Guy and Alice Cox Rookstool. Mr. Rookstool was a retired C&O Railroad employee and a member of the First Baptist Church of Springdale. He was preceded in death by his wife, Zella Mae Rookstool; an infant son, Charles Rookstool; a grandson, Mark Hill; and two great-grandsons, Chad and Justin Rookstool. Survivors include his wife, Juanita Reed Rookstool; eight children, Lawrence Rookstool and his wife, Juanita, of Nixa, Mo., Starling Rookstool of Granite Falls, N.C., Eddie Rookstool and his wife, Becky, of Minerva, Ohio, David Rookstool and his wife, Brenda, of Lenior, N.C., Vernon Rookstool and his wife, Christine, of El Dorado Springs, Mo., Benny Rookstool and his wife, Pam, of Crawley, Virginia Todd and her husband, Gerald, of Kansas City, Kan., and Gladys Hill and her husband, John, of Rainelle; five stepchildren, James Reed and wife, Hazel, of Clintonville, Gary Reed and wife, Carol, of Alderson, Roger Reed and wife, Shirley, of Oak Hill, Sharon Reed of Alderson, and Sandy Burnett and husband, Steve, of Clintonville; a sister, Retha Vandall and her husband, Charles, of Indiana; 19 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 18 stepgrandchildren and three stepgreat-grandchildren. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Smathers Funeral Home Chapel, Rainelle, with the Rev. Carl Payne officiating. Burial will follow in Wallace Memorial Cemetery, Clintonville. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Smathers Funeral Home, Rainelle. Arrangements by Smathers Funeral Home, Rainelle. ---------- Bernard Shrewsberry Bernard Burliss Shrewsberry, 72, of Sophia, died Tuesday, Nov. 2, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born May 31, 1927, in Basin, he was the son of the late George and Alice Akers Shrewsberry. Mr. Shrewsberry was a U.S. Army veteran who served during World War II in the European Theater. He was a retired coal miner from Westmoreland Coal Co., and upon retirement he became a UMWA International mine inspector. He was president and secretary of the UMWA Local for a number of years and was a charter member of Mount Pisagh Baptist Church. Survivors include his wife, Betty J. Shrewsberry of Mullens; two daughters, Patricia J. Druce of Washington, D.C., and Alice F. Bailey Smith of Beckley; a best friend, Alice J. Marsh; four grandchildren, Tammy J. Lusk and Albert D. Lusk, both of New Jersey, Christina D. Helmandollar of Mullens and Kassandra L. Bailey of Beckley; a great-grandson, Jacob C. Helmandollar of Mullens; and four sisters, Ester Taylor, Blakie Bean and Irene Hartley, all of Beckley, and Thelema Goins of Maryland. Graveside services were 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at Mount Pisagh Baptist Church Cemetery, Basin. Pallbearers were Albert Lusk, Paul Thompson, Dennis Thompson, Calvin Thompson, Alice Bailey Smith, Doug Taylor, Dean Taylor and Mack Quesenberry. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. ---------- Richard Underwood MOUNT HOPE - Richard Lyle "Big Rich" Underwood, 46, died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, at his home following a long illness. Born June 23, 1953, in Mount Hope, he was the son of the late Alfred Lee Underwood Sr. and Julia Hamilton Underwood. Mr. Underwood was a disabled coal miner and a member of the Price Hill Freewill Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by a brother, Robert Underwood. Survivors include his wife, Donna R. Matheny Underwood; two stepsons, David Heath Dove of Beckley and Jeremiah Dove of Beckley; five brothers, Alfred Underwood Jr. of Price Hill, David Underwood of North Carolina, Walter Underwood of Mount Hope, Tom Underwood of Price Hill, and Randall Underwood of Mount Hope; and three sisters, Bobbie Jo Swann of Tampa, Fla., Carol Linkous of Mount Hope, and Judy Coots of Dayton, Ohio. There will be no visitation. Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Price Hill Freewill Baptist Church, with the Rev. David Brooks officiating. Arrangements by Tyree Funeral Home, Mount Hope. ---------- Joe R. Wilson UNION - Joe R. Wilson, 60, died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, in a Fairlea hospital following a long illness. Born March 5, 1939, in Union, he was the daughter of the late Porter L. and Cora Belle Taylor Wilson. Mr. Wilson was the former body shop foreman at Monroe Motor Sales and was a member of the Union Memorial Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Basil, Robert and Carl Wilson. Survivors include a son, Doug Wilson of Frankford; a daughter, Peggy Vance of White Sulphur Springs; two sisters, Patty Allen of Manassas, Va., and Violet Sowers of Christiansburg, Va.; and a granddaughter, Jennifer Walker of Pickaway. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home, Union, with the Rev. Bob Ratliff officiating. Burial will follow in Green Hill Cemetery, Union. Friends may call after 3 p.m. and the family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home. Arrangements by Broyles-McGuire Funeral Home, Union. 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. 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