Obituaries — Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Lisbeth Lipscomb Abbott

Lisbeth Lipscomb Abbott, 49, of Kimberly, died June 23, 2009, at home.

Born Feb. 3, 1960, in Montgomery, she was the daughter of Mary Whitten Lipscomb of Kimberly and the late Troy Lipscomb. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Rick Abbott, and a sister, Wanda Swyers.

Surviving, in addition to her mother: her daughter, Rikki Abbott of Mt. Carbon and Todd Abbott of Raleigh, N.C.; grandchild, Dylan Abbott; step-grandchild, Ethan McCallister; brother, Dee Lipscomb of Raleigh, N.C.; sister, Bonna Bowen and her husband, Mick, of Raleigh, N.C.; and a very special friend.

Service was June 27 at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with Rev. John Bowen officiating. Burial followed in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens at Glasgow.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.



Joe Franco

Joe Franco, 71, of Middletown, Md., died at his home on June 28, 2009.

Born Jan. 9, 1938, in Duo, he was the son of the late William and Louetta Franco.

He attended school in Gauley Bridge, and left school to mine coal. He joined the U.S. Army shortly thereafter, and retired in 1975.

He was the husband of Connie L. Franco, his wife of 40 years.

Joe was an avid history buff and Civil War re-enactor, and as Brigadier General in the Army of Western Virginia held the 2nd Virginia Light Artillery Battery.

He was a member of AMVETS Post 9, Middletown, the College Park Moose Lodge, DAV Chapter 5, and other organizations too numerous to list.

Surviving, in addition to his loving wife: his son, Antonio Franco and his wife, Christina McCormick Franco; and many brothers, sisters, and other relatives.

Visitation will be held 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, at the Chapel Mausoleum of Resthaven Memorial Gardens, 9501 U.S. Route 15 N., Frederick, Md., where funeral services will take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday. Military honors will conclude the service in the Chapel Mausoleum. Floral tributes are welcome.

Arrangements are by Resthaven Funeral Services, Skkot Cody P.A., in Frederick, Md.



Christopher M. Holmes

Christopher Matthew Holmes, 28, died June 24, 2009, at his home in Tucson, Ariz., after a long battle with juvenile diabetes.

Chris was born in South Charleston on Dec. 15, 1980.

Preceeding him in death were his beloved paternal great-grandfather and great-grandmother, Harold and Idalene Taylor, formerly of South Charleston, and Sherdina O’Brien of Kimberly; and paternal grandfather, Elwood Holmes.

Chris had a sense of humor that never stopped and he never had a bad word to say about anyone. He spent much of his short life in the hospital and took great pride in helping and working with critically ill children while he was there. He had a heart made of gold.

Surviving: his loving wife, Jennifer; son, Jason at home; his beloved dog, Allie; father and stepmother, Eric Douglas and Mary Holmes of Tucson; mother and stepfather, Sherry and Bob Levoy of Elizabethton, Tenn.; sister, Lindsay Shemella and husband Eric of Tucson; brothers, Brian at home and Anthony of Arlington, Va.; maternal grandmother, Helen Holmes of Starke, Fla.; paternal great-uncle and aunt, Ben and Carolyn Taylor of Cross Lanes, WV, and many maternal aunts and cousins.

Christopher’s wish was to be buried near his great-grandfather in Floral Hills Garden of Memories in Sissonville.

Contributions in Chris’ name to the American Juvenile Diabetes Foundation would be appreciated.



Edith Mae Hubbard

Edith Mae Wright Smoot Hubbard, 82, of Montgomery, died June 18, 2009, in Montgomery General Hospital.

Born April 22, 1927, at Nuttall, she was the daughter of the late Asa and Virginia Austin Wright. She also was preceded in death by her husband, Wiley Hubbard Sr., two grandchildren, four sisters and two brothers.

Mrs. Hubbard was a caregiver and loved to bake sweet potato pies for those in the Morris Drive Community.

Surviving: children, Hannah Terrell and her husband, Rodney, of Montgomery, Eloise Canada and her husband, Bill, of Montgomery, Gregory Hubbard of Charleston, Patricia Barron of Montgomery, Carolyn Bowles and her husband, Marion, of Powellton, Wiley Hubbard Jr. of Montgomery and Tanna Wood and her husband, Marshall, of Montgomery; brothers, Rev. Abner Wright and William Wright; sister, Katleen, Norvella and Carolyn; 17 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.

Service was June 24 at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery, with Rev. William Kinney officiating. Entombment followed in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens at Glasgow.

Expressions of sympathy can be sent at www.odellfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.



Ronald Gene Null

Ronald Gene Null, 72, of Powellton, died June 20, 2009, at home.

Born July 6, 1936, he was the son of the late Edith Capps and Clysie Null.

Mr. Null served his country in the United States Navy and he retired from Peabody Coal Company in 1996. He was a member of the United Mine Workers of America and a member of the Powellton United Methodist Church.

Surviving: his wife, Jo Ann; children, Michael Mark and his wife, Michelle, and Pam and her husband, Charles Counsil; grandchildren, Christopher and Mollie; sister, June and her husband, Robert Cutlip; and many loving nieces and nephews.

Service was June 23 at Powellton United Methodist Church with Rev. Joe Darlington officiating. Burial followed in Montgomery Memorial Park at London.

Expressions of sympathy can be sent at www.odellfuneralhome.com.

Memorial contributions can be sent to Powellton United Methodist Church, Box 56, Powellton, WV 25161.

Arrangements by O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.



Arlene Ruth Martin Underdonk

Arlene Ruth Martin Underdonk, 67, of Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Potomac, Md., died June 7, 2009, in her home surrounded by her family after a long courageous battle with cancer.

Born July 6, 1941, in Montgomery, she was the daughter of Marvin and Myrtle Martin.

Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Charlton Heights, where she spent her childhood and formed some of her fondest memories. Arlene graduated from Gauley Bridge High School in 1959. From there she went on to study music at West Virginia University where she received her B.S. degree in Music Education. She taught elementary school music for seven years in Allegany County and Prince Georges County, Md., school systems.

After teaching elementary school music, Arlene started a new career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Devices and Radiological Health, where she worked for 25 years.

She continued to teach piano and clarinet lessons, sang in and directed church choir, played piano and clarinet in the church orchestra and the Bonita Springs (Fla.) Concert Band.

Arlene was a member of the McGregor Baptist Church in Fort Myers and the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Md.

Surviving: her husband of 45 years, Donald “Jack” Underdonk of Fort Myers; her daughter and son-in-law, Christina and Harry Sporidis of Potomac; her daughter and son-in-law, Kathlene and Pete Panagiotopoulos of Silver Spring, Md.; her daughter, Jacqueline Underdonk of Fort Myers; and her six grandchildren.

Memorial services were held at both the churches she attended, with a graveside service in Cumberland, Md.

The family requests that donations be made to the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, One Medical Center Drive, PO Box 9301, Morgantown, WV 26506, in honor of Arlene’s mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease.



Robert ‘Ike’ Tincher

Robert “Ike” Tincher, 72, died June 13, 2009, at the Hospice House in Greenwood, S.C.

Born in Ohley in 1937, Ike was the son of the late Ethel and Gentry Tincher. He also was preceded in death by his wife, Malta, and brothers, Butch and Jimmy Tincher.

Ike grew up in Jodie and was a U.S. Army veteran. He retired from the Reelco Plant in Abbeville, S.C., and was a member of the Lakeview Baptist Church in Greenwood, S.C.

Surviving: son, Robert Mitchell Tincher of Louisville, Ky.; two grandsons; brother, Duke Tincher of Ohio; and sister, Delores Lively of Fayetteville.

Funeral service was June 16 at Harris Funeral Home, Abbeville, S.C. Burial with military honors followed in Melrose Cemetery.

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