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

Mon, Jan 05 2009

Published: November 18, 2008 05:01 pm

Obituaries — Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Helen Dee Christian

Helen Dee Christian, 79, died Sept. 25, 2008, at her residence in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Mrs. Christian was born in Richwood, a daughter of the late James and Sarah Sokos.

She was a lifelong member of Montgomery United Methodist Church in Montgomery, and a member of Socastee United Methodist Church in Myrtle Beach.

Surviving: her husband, James Eugene Christian of Myrtle Beach; daughters, Helen Jean Fuller and husband, Charles Jr., of Myrtle Beach, and Susan Bartlett and her husband, Nelson, of Myrtle Beach; grandchildren, Phillip Fuller of New York City, Kirk Fuller of Bethlehem, Pa., Christal Fuller of Myrtle Beach, and Jacob Bartlett of Myrtle Beach; and three great-grandchildren.

Graveside services were Sept. 29 in Richwood Cemetery, Richwood.

A guest book is available at www.goldfinchfuneralhome.com.

Memorials may be made to Regency Hospice, 11943 Grandhaven Drive, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.

Arrangements by Goldfinch Funeral Home, Beach Chapel.

Vivian Mitchell Cook

Mrs. Vivian Mitchell Cook, 89, of 109 Earl St., Beckley, died Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, in Sunbridge Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, Beckley, following a short illness.

Born April 10, 1919, in Rand, she was the daughter of the late Tom Mitchell and Ella Smith Mitchell Adams.

She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church and past member of the Maggie L. Walker Temple No. 738.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Cook; daughter, Yvonne Thomas; grandson, Michael D. Berger; four sisters and four brothers.

Left to cherish her memories are daughters, Charlene (Percy) Mosley of Boomer, and Katrina (Eugene) Nabors of Beckley; godchild, Latonya Ferguson; a host of nieces, nephews, five grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; 13 great-great-grandchildren; 50-year neighbor and friend, Ida Crawford; caretaker, Brenda Hamby; dear friends, Daisy Kessler, LaDale Parker, and Pauline Morris.

Funeral service was Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008, at New Hope Baptist Church, Beckley, with Revs. Abner Wright and Nathaniel Carey officiating. Entombment followed in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum, Beckley.

Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley.

Wilma Emeline

Wilma Emeline, 86, of Cannelton, died Nov. 11, 2008, in Montgomery General Elderly Care Unit.

Born Feb. 11, 1922, in Cannelton, she was the daughter of the late Omar and Carrie Riffle. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Alexander Emeline; her son, William “Bill” Edward Emeline; and sisters, Irene Johnson and Mildred Keffer.

Mrs. Emiline was a member of Campbell Memorial Baptist Church at Smithers and she was retired from G.C. Murphy’s in Montgomery.

Surviving: son, Danny Emeline Sr. and his wife, Nancy, of Boomer; sisters, Loretta Jackson and her husband, Garrette, of Goodrich, Mich., Francis Steel of Dayton, Ohio, and Helen Rogers of Petersburg; brother, Johnny Riffle of Oak Hill; grandchildren, Carrie Lynn, Suzie, Kenny, Danny Jr., Jeremy and Melissa; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Service was Nov. 14 at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with Rev. John Syner officiating. Burial followed in Montgomery Memorial Park at London.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.

Billie Franklin Ferrell

Billie Ferrell died on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 at his home in Flora Vista, New Mexico, surrounded by his family after a short illness.

He was born Sept. 15, 1947 in Charleston to Orville and Christine Ferrell. He graduated from Collins High School in Oak Hill in 1965. Billie later attended the West Virginia Institute of Technology in Montgomery. He served in the United States Air Force as a crew chief on the Lockheed 141 Star-Lifter, accruing over 4,000 hours of flying time during the Vietnam War from July 1965 to August 1972.

Billie and his wife, Linda, moved to San Juan County, N.M. in May 1973, where he spent his professional career as a member of the oil field family. Over the last two years he was able to live his dream as owner of PACE, an oil field related business.

He had previously served on the Aztec New Mexico City Commission as well as the mayor of Aztec. He also served on the San Juan County Fair Board for over 17 years as a board member and president.

Ferrell is survived by his wife of 36 years, Linda, of the family home in Flora Vista; two daughters, JoAnn Beuerle and husband, Mike, of Rio Rancho, N.M., Heather Ludlow and husband, Brock, of Pensacola, Fla.; one son, Shawn Ferrell, and wife, Sarah, of Red River, N.M.; and grandchildren, Spencer Beuerle of Rio Rancho and Katelynn Ludlow of Pensacola.

Billie is also survived by his mother, Christine Potts of Columbus, Oh., brother Ron Ferrell and wife, Melissa, of Concord, N.C., sisters; Wilma Ranney and husband, Ron, of Jackson, Mich., Barbara Burchette of Columbus, Oh. and Kim Durnal of Tyler, Tex.; and a special aunt, Donna Sue Richmond of Golden Valley, Ariz.

Billie was preceded in death by his father, Orville, in 1972.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 at the Bloomfield New Mexico Baptist Church in honor of his life.

Alternative Choice Cremation and Funeral Services, of Farmington, N.M., handled the arrangements.

Shirley Hilderbrand

Shirley “YiYi” Hilderbrand, 70, of Cannelton, died Nov. 12, 2008.

Born Feb. 15, 1938, in West Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Ray and Rosie Blithen Barker. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Orville Clester Hilderbrand; brother, Sonny Barker; and sister, Violet “Sissy” Garbett.

Surviving: daughters, Kathy Kirchner of Cleveland, Ohio, and Connie Parmelee of Cannelton; sons, Rick Hilderbrand of Cannelton and Orville Hilderbrand of Kenna; sisters, Susie White of Medina, Ohio, Rosalee Willis of Cannelton, Lilly Mae Frazier of Kincaid and Carol Nutter of Lodi, Ohio; grandchildren, Stacy, Tadd, Eric, Julie, Kelly, Amanda, Cashew, Ashleigh and Judy; and two great-grandchildren.

Service was Nov. 15 at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with the Rev. Ron Eagle officiating. Burial followed in Page-Kincaid Cemetery, Kincaid.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.