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

Mon, Jan 05 2009

Published: October 07, 2008 04:25 pm

Obituaries — Wednesday, October 8, 2008

George T. Carson

George T. Carson, 87, of Glen Ferris, died Oct. 3, 2008, at Montgomery General Hospital after an extended illness.

Born Jan. 13, 1921, in Montgomery, he was the son of the late Gomer Dewey and Mattie Huey Carson. George also was preceded in death by his brothers, Robert L. Carson and Gomer D. “Jack” Carson; and a sister, Betty Cox.

He was a graduate of the West Virginia School of Banking, and retired from Montgomery National Bank in 1983 after 34 years of service.

Mr. Carson served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942-1945 in the Pacific Theater, was a member of the American Legion, was a member of the Montgomery Masonic Lodge, and a member of Riverview United Methodist Church at Glen Ferris.

Surviving: his loving wife of 62 years, Mary Vernon Carson; daughter, Vicki Thomas and husband Steve of Gauley Bridge; grandchildren, Heather Thomas DeMoss and husband Michael of Morgantown, Michael “Mickey” Thomas and wife Anne of Cannelton, and Marisa Thomas Harvey of Gauley Bridge; great-grandchildren, Peyton, Laiken, and Stefan DeMoss and Keelyn and Liam Harvey; brother, Harry Carson of Ansted; and special friend, Chessie Belcher of Gauley Bridge.

The funeral service for George was held Oct. 6 at Pennington Funeral Home Chapel at Gauley Bridge with the Rev. Mark Skaggs officiating.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Freeway, Suite 250, Dallas, TX 75244.

Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home Chapel, Gauley Bridge.

June L. Divita

June Louise Divita, 84, of Montgomery, died Oct. 2, 2008, at Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston.

Born April 22, 1924, at Cannelton, she was the daughter of the late Donald F. and Clara Edith Brown Whitten. She also was preceded in death by her sister, Jacqueline Shawver.

Mrs. Divita was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Montgomery and a member of the Catholic Daughters of America.

June was a passionate worker and supporter of the Montgomery City Library and a book was dedicated in her honor at the library. She was also a member of the Montgomery Women’s Club and Post 149 of the American Legion in Fayetteville.

June was a veteran of the Navy Waves in World War II and she was a former attendance director at Montgomery High School and retired from the business office of Montgomery General Hospital.

Surviving: her husband of 61 years, James Divita Sr.; children, Diana Sue Denham and her husband, David, of Wheeling, Cynthia Elaine Gross of Poquoson, Va., and James Divita Jr. and his wife, Karen, of Chesapeake, Va.; brother, James Melvin Whitten and his wife, Elaine, of Florida; nephew, Ja Whitten of Poland; 7 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian burial was Oct. 6 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with Fr. John Rice as celebrant and Deacon John Divita. Burial followed in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens at Glasgow.

Memorial contributions can be made to Hubbard Hospice House, 1001 Kennawa Drive, Charleston, WV 25311.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Anna Muriel Griffin

Anna Muriel Griffin, 94, of Montgomery, died Oct. 3, 2008, at Montgomery General Hospital, Montgomery, following an extended illness.

Born Nov. 17, 1913, at McDunn, she was the daughter of the late Jeff and Virgie Atha Mayes. She also was preceded in death by a daughter, Myra Bennett.

She was a homemaker and a member of Bethel Chapel, Charleston.

Surviving: daughter, Dreama Reed of Houston, Texas; sisters, June Perdue of Falls View and Unice Overby of Alexandria, Ind.; brothers, Nolan Mayes of Duck and Calvin Mayes of Weston; and two grandchildren.

A graveside service was held Oct. 7 at Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes, with the Rev. Jeff Floyd officiating.

Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home, Gauley Bridge.

Patricia Rose Johnson

Patricia Rose Johnson, 67, of Boomer, formerly of Charleston, died Sept. 27, 2008, at home.

Born July 10, 1941, in Montgomery, she was the daughter of Mary Rose Bryant Huddleston of Boomer and the late Jack D. Bryant.

She was retired from BB&T, formerly Bank of West Virginia, in Charleston, and attended Boomer Baptist Church.

Surviving: children, Gary Lee Robson and his children of Crystal River, Fla., and Stephanie Burdette and her husband, Bruce, of Charleston; her mother, Mary Rose Bryant Huddleston of Boomer; brother, Jack D. Bryant II and his wife, Carol Sue, of Falls View; grandchildren, Matthew Burdette and Michael Burdette; aunts, Jo Ann Bryant of Smithers, Elizabeth Bryant of Smithers and Grace Shelton of Virginia Beach; and niece, Jessica Helms and her husband, Josh, and their children of Columbus, Ohio.

Service was Oct. 4 at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with Rev. Bill Berry officiating.

Memorial contributions can be sent to Kanawha Hospice Care Inc., 1143 Dunbar Ave., Dunbar, WV 25064-3199.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Donald Ray McBrayer

Donald Ray McBrayer, 47, of Safety Harbor, Fla., formerly of Handley, died Oct. 1, 2008, in Safety Harbor.

Born Aug. 26, 1961, in Montgomery, he was the son of Carol McBrayer of Handley and the late Donald Ray McBrayer Sr.

Surviving: his children, Danielle McBrayer of Handley, Donald R. McBrayer III of Handley, Dylan McBrayer of Safety Harbor and Jackson Breeding; mother, Carol McBrayer of Handley; brothers, Philip “Squeak” McBrayer of Handley and Allen McBrayer of Bull Head City, Ariz.; and sisters, Donna Rader of Concord, N.C. and Heather McBrayer of Handley.

Services were Oct. 7 at Handley Baptist Church in Handley with Rev. Lewis Villers and Rev. Claude R. Miller officiating.

Memorial contributions can be made to Donald’s family.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

John Gilbert O’Dell

John Gilbert O’Dell, 60, of Gauley Bridge, died Oct. 1, 2008, in CAMC General Hospital, Charleston.

Born Dec. 14, 1947, in Persinger, he was the son of the late Clayton and Ruby Alma Morris O’Dell.

Mr. O’Dell was a disabled construction worker.

Surviving: his sisters, Virginia Hogg of Titusville, Fla., Doris Peggy Bailey of Hernando, Fla., Judith Jensen of La Habra, Calif., and Kathryn Hill of Deepwater; and brothers, Jack O’Dell of Deepwater and Billy O’Dell of Mount Lookout.

Graveside service was Oct. 4 in Hill Cemetery, Belva, with the Rev. Billy Morris officiating.

Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home, Gauley Bridge.

Oretta Belle Tabit Polley

Oretta Belle Tabit Polley of Montgomery died Sept. 28, 2008, in Montgomery General Hospital after a short illness.

Born in Montgomery, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Maude Mullins Tabit. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Pete Polley.

Mrs. Polley was a member of Montgomery Baptist Church, a lifetime member of Gauley Bridge Historical Society, formerly a member of the Montgomery Woman’s Club, a member of the National Trust for Historical Preservation of Washington, D.C., and the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia. She was an honorary citizen of Colonial Williamsburg and preservation of Colonial Landmarks.

She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend.

Surviving: son, Robert Belcher of Plattsburg, N.Y.; daughters, Betty Perry of Montgomery and Linda Pruett of Jacksonville, N.C.; sisters, Josephine Helms of Fort Myers, Fla., and Ruth Dooley of Charlton Heights; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral service was Oct. 2 at B.C. Hooper, Bostic & Layne Funeral Home, Montgomery, with the Rev. Don and the Rev. Wilma Dobbins officiating. Entombment was in the Polley crypt in Montgomery Memorial Park, London.

Arrangements by B.C. Hooper, Bostic & Layne Funeral Home, Montgomery.