The Montgomery Herald, Montgomery, W.Va. - Obituaries

Tue, Nov 18 2008

Published: August 26, 2008 06:42 pm

Obituaries — Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Wayne Curtis Bennett

Wayne Curtis Bennett, 60 of Elkridge died Aug. 18, 2008 at home.

Born Aug. 25, 1947, in Montgomery, he was the son of the late Cecil and Ethel Jean Oxley Bennett.

Mr. Bennett was retired from Princess Beverly Coal Company and was a member of the UMWA Local 8843 and he was of the Baptist faith.

Surviving: wife, Ruthie Legg Bennett; children, Wayne Bennett Jr. of Powellton, Tina Bowen of Columbia, Brian Bennett of Cabin Creek and Garlie Bennett of Kimberly; brother, Brad Bennett of Powellton; sisters, Diana Osbourne and Debbie Bennett, both of Charleton; 10 grandchildren; and extended family of his Union brothers of Local 8843.

Service was Aug. 21 at O'Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with Rev. Ron Eagle officiating. Burial followed in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens at Glasgow.

Arrangements by O'Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Charles ‘Bob’ Robert Crews

Charles “Bob” Robert Crews, 74, of 578 Circle View Road, Luray, Va., died Aug. 23, 2008, in Luray.

Born Jan. 23, 1934, in Dixie, he was the son of the late Thomas Milton Crews and Hilah Smith Crews. He also was preceded in death by a brother, Milton Crews.

Mr. Crews was a Korean Conflict U.S. Army veteran. He worked for Page County School System for 30 years as an administrative officer.

He was a former football coach, principal of Shenandoah and Luray elementary schools and director of facilities of Page County Schools.

He was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, where he was an outstanding athlete being named to the Triple A All State Team in football. Playing on football and basketball state championship teams, he was a member of the Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame. Bob was invited to try out for the Green Bay Packers.

Surviving: his wife, Rose Marie Gwinn Crews, whom he married on May 30, 1959, of Luray, Va.; daughters, Ann Van Wyck, Barbara Ehlers and Mary Alice Lipscomb, all of Luray; brother, Eddie Crews of Shady Spring; a sister, Janet Jordan of Maiden, N.C.; and seven grandchildren.

Graveside services will be 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Beahm’s Chapel Cemetery, Luray.

Memorial contributions may be made to Luray Athletic Department, c/o Don Ehlers, Luray High School, Luray, VA 22835.

Arrangements by The Bradley Funeral Home, Luray.

Kenneth R. Douglas

Kenneth R. Douglas, 78, of Chesapeake, died Aug. 19, 2008, at home.

Arrangements by Leonard Johnson Funeral Home, Marmet.

Condolences may be sent to the family at leonardjohnson@suddenlinkmail.com.

Estelle Johnson

Estelle Johnson, 81, of Cannelton, died Aug. 20, 2008.

Arrangements by Preston Funeral Home, Charleston.

Sister Clara Mae Lill

Sister Clara Mae Lill, R.C., died July 23, 2008, at Resurrection Life Center, Chicago, Ill.

She came to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in 1980 to serve at Good Shepherd Mission, Coalburg. Sister Clara was a pastoral associate at the mission until illness forced her departure in April 2008.

A celebration of her life was held Aug. 23 at Good Shepherd Mission, Coalburg. A memorial mass followed with Father Albert Alexandrunas officiating.

Memorial contributions in memory of Sister Clara may be sent to Good Shepherd Mission, PO Box 16, East Bank, WV 25067.

Information provided by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Macie E. Lugo

Macie E. Lugo, 85, died Aug. 21, 2008.

The daughter of the late William Floyd and Macie Sullivan Floyd, she was born Feb. 17, 1923, in Beards Fork, one of four children. Macie Floyd married the late Earl Tilton Lugo in June of 1949. This union produced five loving daughters, Nancy D. Lugo, Macie L. Lugo, Carol J. Lugo, Brenda J. Lugo, and Jackie Lugo-Taylor, who preceded her mother in death in June of 1988.

Macie grew up in Kimberly. It was during her youth that she came to know the Lord and joined the First Baptist Church of Kimberly. For many years she served on the Youth and Adult based programs in the church.

Macie attended elementary school in Kimberly and graduated from Simmons High School in Montgomery. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Bluefield State College, located in Bluefield, in teacher’s education. She was a retired teacher, teaching in Mercer and McDowell counties.

Macie was a devoted Christian. She was active in all facets of the church.

Macie also was known for her organizational skills. She was a member of the following organizations: St. Luke’s of Bluefield, Jack and Jill of America, NAFAD, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Colleague’s Club, National Sales Person of the Year for World Book Encyclopedia, National Teacher’s Association member, and a member of the West Virginia’s Teachers Association. While living in the Bluefield area she was a member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, serving as an usher, a member of the Senior Choir, and a member of the church’s Federal Credit Union. After leaving the Bluefield area and moving to Charleston, she was an active member in good standing at the Liberty Baptist Church in Charleston at the time of her death.

Surviving, in addition to her daughters: brother, Charlie Floyd of London; nephew, Charles Panky of Charleston; grandsons, Mark Taylor of Huntington, and Lance Taylor of Long Beach, Calif.; and a host of nephews, nieces, and numerous other relatives, friends, and many forlorn health care professionals.

A homegoing celebration was conducted Aug. 24 at the First Baptist Church in Kimberly, with Rev. Allen Lloyd Hill as eulogist and Rev. Larry Smith officiating. A fellowship followed the homegoing service.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, WV Region, PO Box 12110, Charleston, WV 25302.

Online condolences may be sent to www.seaverfuneralservice.com.

Arrangements by Seaver Funeral Home, Princeton.

Diana Kay Pettry

Diana Kay Pettry, 55, of Miami, died Aug. 19, 2008, in CAMC General Hospital after a long illness.

Arrangements by Fidler & Frame Funeral Home, Belle.

Joan R. Pritt

Mrs. Joan R. Pritt, 68, of Adonijah Community, Lizemores, died Aug. 17, 2008, in Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, after a short illness.

Born Nov. 8, 1939, in Lizemores, she was a daughter of the late John Rider and Dora Jordan. She also was preceded in death by her husband, James Graden Pritt; a brother, Harold Sizemore; a grandson, Matthew Pritt; and great-granddaughter, Maddie Ruggieri.

Mrs. Pritt was a homemaker and a volunteer at the Christian Center in Lizemores.

Surviving: her daughters and their husbands, Teresa and Daniel Morris of Canvas, Norma and Rick Johnson of Lizemores, Drema Pritt and companion, Louis Spatafore, of Poca and Valerie Pritt of Fola; sons and their wives, Marlin and Becky Pritt of Indore, Rodney and Peggy Pritt of South Charleston, Graden and Stacy Pritt of Copperas Cove, Texas, and Andrew and Natalie Pritt of Charlton Heights; sisters, Tottle Taylor of Vaughan, Betty Morris of Bentree, Susie Morris of Amherst, Ohio, and Jean Ferguson of Lorain, Ohio; brothers, John Rider of Lizemores and Henry Rider of Ansted; good friend, Ray Rollins of Lizemores; and sister-in-law, Glenna Sizemore of Summersville; 21 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Service was Aug. 22 at the Pennington Funeral Home Chapel, Gauley Bridge, with the Rev. Jadie Morris officiating. Burial was in the Pritt family cemetery, Lizemores.

Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home Chapel, Gauley Bridge.

Cassandra Lea Sutton

Cassandra Lea Sutton, 62, of London, died Aug. 19, 2008, in CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital.

Born Oct. 30, 1945, she was the daughter of the late Calvin Boyd and Geneva Tarter.

Mrs. Sutton was a member of the First Baptist Church of London and a former dietary employee from West Virginia Tech.

Surviving: husband, Walter Arnold Sutton; sons, Doug Ferguson of Columbus, Ohio, Waun Ferguson of Dayton, Ohio, and Kelly Steven Sutton of Fayetteville, N.C.; brother, Keith Ferguson and his wife, Kathleen, of Montgomery; sister, Pamela Steed and her husband, Robert “Lanny,” of Knoxville, Tenn.; aunt, Emma Jean Eggleson of Baltimore, Md.; grandchildren Mya Ferguson, Jordan Wharton, Devinhir Sutton, Gavynn Sutton, Autume Meadows, Naomi Sutton and Brittany Stamper; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Service was Aug. 23 at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with the Rev. Garland Johnson officiating. Burial followed in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens, Glasgow.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Lula ‘Mae’ Thomas

Lula “Mae” Thomas, 87, of Beards Fork, died Aug. 16, 2008, in California City, Calif., following a long illness.

Born Feb. 8, 1921, in Elkhorn, she was a daughter of the late O.H and Ruby Barrett. She also was preceded in death by her loving husband, Henry “Mr. Tootsie” Thomas; granddaughter, Ashley Craig; stepmother, Flora Barrett; sisters, Helen Carr and Catherine Parham; and brothers, Samuel, Joseph, Daniel and Mickey Barrett.

Mrs. Thomas was a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Beards Fork, where she faithfully served until moving to California in 2000.

She was an excellent homemaker and wonderful cook who loved preparing Sunday meals for her family and community to enjoy.

Surviving: her devoted children, Timothy (Wanda) Craig of Atlanta, Ga., Faye (James) Coleman of California City, Calif., John Craig of Atlanta, Ga., James (Delores) Craig of Cannelton, Sandra Grasty of Beards Fork, and Libby (Robert) Brown of Boston, Mass.; stepdaughter, Christine Spencer of Portsmouth, Va.; sisters, Martha of Charlotte, N.C., and Betty of Beards Fork; brother, Opal Barrett of Beards Fork; 20 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Funeral service was Aug. 23 at Mount Olive Baptist Church, Beards Fork, with Pastor Earl Jackson officiating. Burial was in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens, Glasgow.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Darrell R. Thornton

Darrell R. Thornton, 72, a native of Ward, died suddenly on Aug. 16, 2008.

Arrangements by Fidler & Frame Funeral Home, Belle.

Paula J. Warden

Mrs. Paula J. Warden, 81, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., died Aug. 18, 2008, at Quality Health of Fernandina.

A native of Lookout, Ky., she had made her home in Pratt for approximately 45 years. In 2007, as her health declined, she moved to Fernandina Beach to be near her son.

Mrs. Warden had worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Cedar Grove, where she retired as postmaster. She was a member of Handley Baptist Church, Handley, and was a past officer in the Order of the Eastern Star, Montgomery.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Kathy Gillespie, who passed away in January.

Surviving: her son, Owen Jarrett of Fernandina Beach, Fla.; a stepson, David Warden of Chester, Va.; her sister, Anna Mildred Little of Pikeville, Ky.; her brother, Marvin Douglas of Murfreesboro, Tenn.; grandchildren, Devina, Alexandrea, Mariah and Beau Jarrett, Michelle Adkins, Amber Higginbotham and Amanda Warden; and great-grandchildren, Elijah Smart, Nicholas, Nathan and Natalie Adkins and Morgan and Jeremy Higginbotham.

Services were Aug. 22 at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with the Rev. Lewis Villers officiating. Entombment followed in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Glasgow.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Beverly Lynn Wattie

Beverly Lynn Wattie, 57, of Montgomery, died Aug. 14, 2008, at home after a short illness.

She was the daughter of the late Virgil and Dorothy Wattie.

Beverly graduated from East Bank High School, West Virginia State University and Tennessee State. While at Tennessee State earning her master’s degree in French, she went to West Africa for 13 years, teaching English to French-speaking students. While she was in Africa, she married and had one daughter, Krystal, during this marriage.

She returned to West Virginia and began substituting in Kanawha County. She then got a job at West Virginia University Institute of Technology where she was the director of the Upward Bound Program for over 20 years until her sudden illness.

She was a member of St. John Baptist Church, where she was church clerk, a member of the Usher Board, and chaired the Education Committee.

Beverly was a member of the Rotary Club of Montgomery, served on the board of directors for HSTA, and most of all was a supporter of educational benefits for all students.

Surviving: daughter, Krystal; sisters, Shirley Mwangi and her husband, Atiba, of Aiken, Ga., Rita Bohanna and her husband, Garfield, of Boomer, and Rhonda Lewis and her husband, Larry, of Columbus, Ohio; brothers, Gary and his wife, Gail, of Philadelphia, Pa., and Terry and Darrell of Montgomery; adopted brother, Anthony Price and his wife, Ruby, of Montgomery; a very special aunt and caregiver, Hazel Menser of Oklahoma City, Okla.; grandson, Najee’ Waters of Montgomery; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family, and friends.

Services were Aug. 19 at St. John Baptist Church of Morris Drive with the Rev. Alphonso Douglas Mullins presiding. Burial followed in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens, Glasgow.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.