Samuel S. Simers from The Parkersburg News, August 3, 1960 Samuel S. Simers, 90, of Gihon Rd., died at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at his residence following an extended illness. He was born July 9, 1870 in Morgan County, O., the son of the late Isaac and Jane Zimmerman Simers. He was a member of the Mullen Memorial Baptist Church, Belpre, and had resided in the Gihon community for the past 15 years. He has formerly resided in Belpre. During hte greater part of his life he was in the mercantile business. His last active business was in Clarksburg. He was retired in 1930. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Ella Ferguson Simers; one daughter,Nellie Watson, Akron, O.; one sister, Mrs. Hettie Ayers, Grantsville. The body is at the Leavitt Funeral Home where services will be conducted at 3:30 Thursday, with burial in Rockland Cemetery. Friends may call after noon today. from The Parkersburg News, March 5, 1961 Mrs. Ella Simers Mrs. Ella Simers, 82, Gihon Rd., died at 8:50 a.m. yesterday in Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital following an extended illness. She had lived with a sister, Mrs. Dewey Barnes, Larkmead, for the past few months. She was the widow of Samuel Simers, who died last year. Born Feb. 3, 1879 in Gilmer County, she was a daughter of the late Lewis M. and Susannah Gill Ferguson. She had lived in Parkersburg for the past 30 years. She was a member of the Mullen Memorial Baptist Church in Belpre. Surviving are a step daughter, Mrs. Dud Watson, Akron; a brother, Wiley Ferguson, Revere, Gilmer County; five sisters, Mrs. W. C. Robertson,Clarksburg, Mrs. Ida Hill, Columbus, Mrs. Raymond Kight, Glenville, Mrs.Ernest Gainer, Levittown, Pa., and Mrs. Barnes. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Simers was preceded in death by a sister, Mrs. N. L. Grimm, and a brother, John Ferguson. Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday at the Leavitt Funeral Home. Burial will be in Rockland Cemetery, Belpre. Friends may call at the funeral home. from The Parkersburg News, May 23, 1971 Harry A. Canary Funeral services for Harry A. Canary, 79, of Old St. Marys Pike, who died Saturday [May 22] at the Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital following an extended illness, will be held Monday at 1 p.m. at the Leavitt Funeral Home. Burial is to be in the Arlington Memorial Gardens. He was a life long resident of Wood County and was the son of the late Cornelius and Hannah R. Lott Canary. He was a member of the Vienna Baptist Church, and had been employed at the Vitrolite Co. He is survived by two sons, Delbert R. Canary of Parkersburg, and Harry E.Canary of Cleveland, O.; one daughter, Mrs. Wanda Bunner of St. Albans; one sister Mrs. Rue Clegg of Vienna; four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mrs. Sina Vannoy Canary, and by his second wife, Mrs. Mary Grimm Canary; by one brother, Alonzo, and one sister, Mrs. Minnie Eaton. Friends may call at the funeral home after noon today. from The Parkersburg News, May 27, 1974 James O. Keenan James O. Keenan, 74, of 609 Lulu St., died yesterday afternoon in Worthington Manor Nursing Home after a long illness. Born in Jackson County, he was a son of the late Joseph V. and Effie May Shannon Keenan. He had been employed by Leavitt and Co. for 34 years until his retirement in 1964. He was active in hunting and sportman circles and was a former member of the Butcher Hill Hunt Club. Survivors include his wife, Ella Blanche Grimm Keenan; one brother, Gary Keenan of Parkersburg; and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Leavitt Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 2 to 4 and from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. from The Parkersburg News, June 21, 1981 John Howard Hays John Howard Hays, 82, of Parkersburg, died Wednesday morning at Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital, Parkersburg. He was born in Ritchie County, a son of the late John A. and Mae Shimer Hays. He was a member of Waverly Church of Christ and retired from the American Viscose in 1965. Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Budd "Jerry" Page and Mrs. Ray "Jean" Wiggins, both of Parkersburg, and Mrs. Glenn "Jo" Lamp, of Vincent, Ohio;one brother, Gilbert Hays of Parkersburg; six sisters, Mrs. Mattie Osborne of Harrisville, Mrs. Edna Wilson of Parkersburg, Mrs. Chloe Roy of Walker, W. Va., Mrs. Anne Clark and Mrs. Nina Adams, both of Vienna, and Mrs. Minnie Hills of Merritt Island, Fla.; 10 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, one step-greatgrandson, and and two foster daughters,Dorothy Barnes of Whipple, Ohio, and Kathy Huffman of Parkersburg. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Snider Hays in 1981, and one infant brother. Services will be Saturday, 11 a.m., at Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg,with interment in the Arlington Memorial Gardens. Friends may call after 7 p.m. today. from The Parkersburg News, August 12, 1989 Burl L. Snider Burl L. Snider, 83, of 115 38th St., Vienna, died Thursday at Arlington Americare of Parkersburg. He was born in Freed, Calhoun County, a son of the late William and Lena Shimer Snider. He retired as a machine operator at American Viscose after 43 years of service. He attended St. John United Methodist Church. He is survived by his wife, Ada Maze Snider; two daughters, June Holland of Alloy, W. Va., and Joan Myers of Parkersburg; two brothers, Bernard Snider of New Matamoras, Ohio, and Colvin Snider of Arizona; three sisters,Frances Thompson of Boerne, Texas, Hazel Haddox of Big Bend, W. Va., and Alta Duncan of Canal Fulton, Ohio; six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Vaughan Funeral Home with the Rev. Roy Knight officiating. Burial will be in Parkersburg IOOF Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-8 p.m. Sunday. from The Parkersburg News, May 23, 1990 Gilbert Hays, Former Fire Chief, Dies at 75 Parkersburg Fire Chief Gilbert F. Hays, 75, of 106 43rd St., Parkersburg,died Monday evening [May 21] at Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital. He was born in Brohard, W. Va., a son of the late John Adams and Alviretta Shimer Hays. He was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He served in War War II in the U.S. Navy, and was a member of the Parkersburg Fire Department for 25 years. The last 13 were served as chief of the department. He is survived by two daughters, Debra Sue Sheppard and Sharon Williams, both of Parkersburg; two step-children, John McLean of St. Petersburg,Fla., and Richard Spiker of New Jersey; one grandson, four step-grandchildren, and one step-great-grandson; four sisters. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Pauline Shutts Hays; second wife, Etta Lawson Twyman Hays; two brothers, and two sisters. Services will be at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, at the Vaughan Funeral Home, with Orval Cottrill officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen North Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, and until time of service on Thursday.