Register Herald Obituaries for September 30, 1999 Mary M. Ayers Mary Magdalena Ayers, 88, of Beckley, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, at a Beckley hospital following a short illness. Born June 24, 1911, in Stanaford, she was the daughter of the late Eugene and Mary Biggs Cawley. Mrs. Ayers was a homemaker, loving mother and of the Baptist faith. She was a lifelong resident of Beckley. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Curtis Ayers; a son, James Erskin Ayers; four sisters; and a brother. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Survivors include four daughters, Anna Louise Harper of Ripley, Mary Elizabeth Creed and her husband, Jim, of Prosperity, Billy Jane Weidensall and her husband, John, of Port Richey, Fla., and Beulah Eileen Bower and her husband, Mick, of Evans; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, Beckley, with Pastor Rollan Roberts and Hugh Taylor officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. Grandsons and friends will serve as pallbearers. Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Mary G. Bennett HINTON - Mary Goldie Bennett, 87, of Madams Creek, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, at her home following a long illness. Born Dec. 23, 1911, in Summers County, she was the daughter of the late Mike and Samanatha Jane Gill Breen. Mrs. Bennett was a member of Martha Chapel United Methodist Church, a homemaker and a lifelong resident of Summers County. She was preceded in death by her husband, Abraham Bennett, in 1956; a daughter, Thelma Martin, in 1995; three sons and infant, Ronald Bennett and Joe and Lloyd Bennett; a sister, Glenna Bennett; two halfsisters, Lena Breen and Beulah Gill; three half brothers, Mike, Eldridge and Ray Breen; and 12 grandchildren. Survivors include three daughters, Mary Bragg, Virginia Harrah and Lola Ratliff, all of Hinton; four sons, Andy and Donald Bennett, both of Hinton, Robert Bennett and his wife, Juanita, of Hinton and Arnold Bennett and his wife, Judy, of Ocoee, Fla.; 31 grandchildren; 55 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; a half brother, Billy Joe Breen of Hinton; and three halfsisters, Eveline Westmoreland, Ina Mae Scott and Marie Breen, all of Virginia. Services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors Chapel, Hinton, with Pastors Sam Groves and Melvin Wills officiating. Burial will follow in Breen Cemetery, Tug Creek. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral parlors. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Flower girls will be great-granddaughters. Arrangements by Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors, Hinton. Home, Mullens. Gene Gast MOUNT WHITNEY, Calif. - Gene Gast, 56, died Friday, Sept. 3, 1999, following a massive heart attack while climbing Mount Whitney in California at the 12,500-foot level. He was the youngest son of the late Horace and Eloise Gast of Mount Hope. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Horace of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Bill of Ventura, Calif. Survivors include a brother, Bob Gast of 5 Norway Road, Pittsburgh. He was the brother-in-law of Mary and uncle of Rob. After graduation from Mount Hope High School, he attended West Virginia University. In 1962, he joined the U.S. Army and quickly excelled, being selected Soldier of the Quarter. He graduated Officer's Candidate School at Fort Sill, Okla., and spent 1966-67 in Seoul, Korea. He achieved the rank of captain in 1968. In 1968, he married Tracy Henry. Mr. Gast entered the University of Southern California and in 1971 earned a degree in electrical engineering. He joined Westinghouse as a territorial sales manager in Norman, Okla., and later in Dallas. At the time of his death, he was general manager of Air Supply Corp. in Chino, Calif. In 1982, he bought a Stearman biplane that was to become his icon for the next 17 years. The plane had belonged to Steve McQueen and was purchased from his son, Chad, after the actor's death. After a close encounter with a power line in 1986, Gene took four years to rebuild the Stearman to its current pristine state at Torrance Municipal Airport, in California. He obtained pilot certificates for single and multi-engine aircraft, as well as single engine seaplane, glider, commercial, instrument instructor rating and low altitude aerobatics certificates. He became a major fixture in Southern California aviation. He was featured many times on local TV stations, newspapers and national magazines. He launched many into aviation careers by direct instruction or sheer motivation. Memorials that will promote aviation careers to young people may be made to the Experimental Aircraft Association (Gene Gast Memorial Fund), P.O. Box 3065, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3065. Henry Higginbotham SCARBRO - Henry W. Higginbotham, 61, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, at his home following a short illness. Born May 6, 1938, in Firecreek, he was the son of the late Loren Higginbotham and Ruth Aurentz Higginbotham. Mr. Higginbotham was a disabled coal miner, formerly employed with Consolidation Coal, Roland Mine, as an electrician and a member of the UMWA and Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Oak Hill. He was preceded in death by a brother, Earl Higginbotham. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Bondzo Higginbotham; four daughters, Annette Fedukovich of Oxford, Fla., and Lisa Linkous, Michelle Higginbotham and Stephanie Higginbotham, all of Virginia Beach, Va.; a son, Jerry Higginbotham of Scarbro; grandchildren, Adam and Briana Linkous of Virginia Beach and Aaron and Hannah Fedukovich of Oxford, Fla.; and two brothers, the Rev. Lloyd Higginbotham of Bradley and Lawrence Higginbotham of Oak Hill. Prayer service will be 11 a.m. Friday at High Lawn Funeral Home, Oak Hill, with the Rev. Father Harold Moore officiating. Entombment will follow in High Lawn Memorial Park Mausoleum, Oak Hill. Friends may call 9 to 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Arrangements by High Lawn Funeral Home, Oak Hill. Watha M. Langlais RAINELLE - Watha Mitchell Langlais, 89, died of natural causes Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, in a Fairlea medical center. Born Feb. 13, 1910, in Keslers Cross Lanes, she was the daughter of the late Guy and Mae Bates Armentrout. Mrs. Langlais was a homemaker and a lifelong resident of Rainelle. She was a member of Sewell Valley Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Russell Mitchell, in 1956. Survivors include her husband, Harold William Langlais; two daughters, Dolores Mitchell Barnett and her husband, Fred, of Rainelle and Sheila Mitchell Waid and her husband, Leonard, of Marfrance; four grandsons, Jeff Barnett and his wife, Beverly, of Hickory, N.C., Kevin Barnett and his wife, Tammy, of Neola, Lenny Waid and his wife, Melinda, of Rainelle and Steve Waid and his wife, Buffy, of Richmond, Va.; a granddaughter, Lisa Winnings and her husband, Lewis, of Rainelle; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter. Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Smathers Funeral Home Chapel, Rainelle, with the Rev. Clay O'Dell officiating. Burial will follow in Martin Cemetery, Craig. Friends may call one hour before services Friday at the funeral home. Arrangements by Smathers Funeral Home, Rainelle. Anthony D. Mitchem Anthony Dale Mitchem, 58-day-old infant son of David Wayne and Priscilla Lynn Morgan Mitchem of Whitby, died Monday, Sept. 27, 1999, at a Beckley hospital. He was born Aug. 1, 1999, in Beckley. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Ronald L. Mitchem. Other survivors include a brother, David Dwayne Mitchem at home; his maternal grandparents, Kathy Blankenship of Coal City and Randy and Sheila Morgan of Saulsville; his paternal grandmother, Elizabeth "Josie" Mitchem of Simon; his maternal great-grandparents, Charles and Imogene Morgan of Simon; and his paternal great-grandmother, Bertha Davis of Fireco. Services will be 2 p.m. Friday at Community Baptist Church, Fireco Road, Whitby, with Pastor Bill Reed officiating. Friends may call 5 to 9 p.m. today at the church. Pallbearers will be Ronald Mitchem and Chris Holcomb. Arrangements by Williams-Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Sophia. Pauline R. Phillips Pauline R. Phillips, 78, of Cool Ridge, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, at a Beckley hospital following a long illness. She was born July 24, 1921, at Pigshin, a daughter of the late Floyd and Lura Davis Wingler. Mrs. Phillips was a homemaker, a retired school cook from Ghent Elementary and a member of Ghent Freewill Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by a brother, Paul Wingler; and a grandson, Chad Phillips. Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Vernon R. Phillips; a son, Ernie Phillips and his wife, Bonnie, of Asheville, N.C.; grandchildren, Eric, April and Stacey; a daughter, Lois Linkous and her husband, Mike, of Roanoke, Va.; a grandson, Larry of Bedford, Va.; a daughter, Lorraine Hart and her husband, Sam, of Thibodaux, La.; a granddaughter, Cassandra of Thibodaux; a daughter, Lana Bell and her husband, Larry, of Cool Ridge; grandson, Richard of Cool Ridge; granddaughter, Angela Sweeney and her husband, Andy, of Ashland, Va.; and a brother, Dwayne Wingler of Virginia. Services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, with the Revs. Carl Whittaker and Ron Hylton officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Larry Linkous, Andy Sweeney, Eric Phillips, Sam Hart, Richard Bell and Larry Bell. Honorary pallbearer will be Mike Linkous. In lieu of flowers, the famly requests donations of sympathy be made to the Ghent Freewill Baptist Building Fund Arrangements by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley. Helen J. Phlegar YORKTOWN, Va. - Helen J. Phlegar, 88, formerly of Floyd, Va., died Saturday, Sept. 25, 1999, at the home of her daughter. Born Oct. 15, 1910, in Talcott, she was the daughter of the late Delonia Mann and Bessie Mann. She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen "Mac" Phlegar. Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Rudd Mahoney of Yorktown; five grandchildren, Gary and Becky Mahoney of Cookville, Tenn., Kirk and Tammy Mahoney of Hampton, Va., Robin Lawson of Yorktown, Timmy Mahoney of Newport News, Va., and Missy Mahoney of Alexandria, Va.; eight great-grandchildren; a brother, Bob Mann of Beckley; and a sister, Mary Kammer of Hilldale. Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Gardner Funeral Home, Floyd, with the Rev. Joseph Womack officiating. Burial will follow in Jacksonville Cemetery. Friends may call after noon Friday at the funeral home, where the family will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Flowers will be appreciated or donations may be made to Bon Secour Hospice, c/o Mary Immacculate Hospital, 2 Bernardine Drive, Newport News, VA 23602. Arrangements by Gardner Funeral Home, Floyd. Edna Toney Scott INVERNESS, Fla. - Edna Toney Scott, 79, formerly of Oak Hill, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, at her home under the loving care of her niece, Mrs. George (Brenda) Richarson and Citrus Memorial Home Health Care. Born April 8, 1920, in Buchanan, Va., she was the daughter of the late Houston and Willis Boblett Coleman. Mrs. Scott was a two-year resident of Florida, coming from Oak Hill. She was a member of Inverness Church of God. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Isaac "Bunk" Toney; and her second husband, Jobie Scott. Survivors include a stepson, Harry Scott of Sacramento, Claif.; a sister, Mary Poggi of Windsor Locks, Conn.; and several nieces and nephews. There were no services or visitation. Arrangements by Charles E. Davis Funeral Home, Inverness. Eunice Ruth Spry LEWISBURG - Eunice Ruth Spry, 38, returned to God on the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross on Tuesday, Sept. 14, 1999, following a long-term illness at City Hospital, Martinsburg. Born Sept. 19, 1960, at Welch, she was the daughter of the late Jarvey and Betty Payne Spry. Mrs. Spry was a 1979 graduate of Petersburg, Va., High School and earned a degree in computer science from the University of Maryland. She enjoyed reading, crafts and her computer. She was a member of the West Virginia Board of Advocacy for the Disabled and of St. Andrew, the Apostle, Catholic Church, Union. Survivors include her brother, Jarvy "Jay" Spry Jr. and his wife, Lisa, of Lewisburg; a nephew, Jacob, and niece, Savannah Spry; paternal relatives, Dennis and Sandy Spry of Lewisburg and Mrs. Ronell Martin of Athens; maternal relatives, Anita Wolfe of Richmond, Va., Lillian Marsden of Charlottesville, Va., and Carolyn Riffe of South Haven, Miss.; two close, spiritual friends, Sr. M. Antonio, S.A.C., of Laurel, Md., and Sr. Molly Bauer, S.S.J., Union. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Mary Immaculate, Catholic Church Road, Williamsburg, on the Feast of the Guardian Angels, with Father Richard W. Shoda as celebrant. Burial will follow at Mary Immaculate Cemetery. Jesse L. Tench FAYETTEVILLE - Jesse L. Tench, 84, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1999, at a Charleston hospital following a long illness. Born May 25, 1915, in Blue Jay, he was the son of the late Lawrence and Mary Elizabeth Lilly Tench. Mr. Tench was a retired supervisor of Union Carbide, Alloy, a graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology and a member of Fayetteville Baptist Church. He was a member of the Fayetteville Lions Club, past president of Boomer Lions Club and a former Little League coach and Boy Scout leader. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, serving in the Pacific Theater. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Robert Dorsey Tench; a stepgreat-grandson, Park M. Fox; two brothers, Dick and Boise Tench; and a stepson, Fredric W. Smith. Survivors include his wife, Mildred I. Tench; two sons, Dr. Morgan Tench of Camarillo, Calif., and Jesse L. Tench Jr. of San Diego; a daughter, Drema Lavender of Albuquerque, N.M.; his step family, Mrs. Fredric W. Smith of Lewisburg, James R. Smith and his wife, Jane, of Beckley and Michael D. Smith and his wife, Donna, of Fayetteville; two brothers, Leonard Tench of Biloxi, Miss., and Howard Tench of Fresno, Calif.; 14 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Montgomery Memorial Park with the Rev. Adrian Pratt officiating. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. today at Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home, Fayetteville. Family members will serve as pallbearers. Memorial contributions may be made to Park Fox Hope Chest, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 9214, Morgantown, WV 26506-9214, attention, Anita. Arrangements by Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home, Fayetteville. 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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