Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 25, 1994                   TAG: 9504250071
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

OBIT

CARTER, Robert Royall, 66, of Beltsville, Md., formerly of Axton, died Friday, July 22, 1994. Graveside service 11 a.m. Tuesday, County Line Christian Church Cemetery, Henry County. Arrangements by McKee Funeral Services, Martinsville.

CHRISTIAN, Elbert Roscoe, (""Toby""), 77, of Route 6, Bedford, died Saturday, July 23, 1994 in the Bedford County Memorial Hospital. He was born in Bandy, Va. on July 6, 1917, a son of the late John Christian and Betty Christian. He was a retired custodian for the Bedford County Public Schools and a member of Grace Memorial Baptist Church. Toby was a U.S. Army veteran serving during World War II. He was preceded in death by his wife Ruby Dooley Christian. He is survived by one daughter, Bonnie L. Dooley, Bedford; one brother, Hollis Christian, Pembrooke Pines, Fla.; one sister, Rose Thompson, Bluefield, WV; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Morris and Gladys Arrington, Clay and Roxie Dooley, all of Bedford; several nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, 1994, at the Carder-Tharp Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Howard K. Talley officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday at the Carder-Tharp Funeral Home, Bedford.

CRAFT, Charles Edward, 73, of New Castle, died Sunday, July 24, 1994. Arrangements by Boitnott Funeral Home.

GASSETT, Ruth Dixon, 84, of Roanoke, passed away Wednesday, July 20, 1994. She was a beautician and businesswoman in Roanoke for over 60 years before retiring. Survivors include three sisters, Beatrice Beidleman, Los Angeles, Calif., Pearl B. Beidleman, Bristol, Maggie E. Cummings, Mt. Holly, N.J.; granddaughter, Sharon Gassett, Scott, Fla.; great-grandchi ldren, Sema Kemp, Roanoke, Donald and Frank Scott of Virginia, Darrell, Aarron, and Grayson Scott, all of Roanoke; a foster daughter, Charlotte L. Brown; a foster son, Walter Boyd, both of Roanoke; and a host of nieces, nephews, great-great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Loudon Avenue Christian Church, with the Rev. William L. Lee officiating. The procession will assemble at the Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home. Interment will be on Tuesday in Bristol, Tenn.

HASKINS, Sue Thompson, 51, of Chatham, died Sunday, July 24, 1994. Funeral 2 p.m. Tuesday at Colbert-Moran Funeral Home Chapel, Gretna.

HEDRICK, Dorothy Hylton, 86, of Roanoke, died Sunday, July 24, 1994. She was the widow of Winston Hedrick, a member of Belmont Christian Church where she was a Girl Scout Leader and Sunday School Teacher for over 50 years. Mrs. Hedrick retired from J. C. Penney. She is survived by daughters, Mrs. William (Imogene) H. Purkey, Greensboro, N. C., Mrs. Coy (Deanna) H. Weaver, Roanoke; sons, Rev. Richard M. Hedrick, Prince George, Va., Mr. William D. Hedrick, Wirtz; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, July 26, 1994 at 10:30 a.m. at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel with the Rev. C. Maynard Powell officiating with burial to follow in Sherwood Memorial Park. Friends may call at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. The family request that memorials be made to Belmont Christian Church.

HUFFMAN, Nancy Gillespie, 69, of Buena Vista went to be with the Lord Saturday, July 23, 1994. She was born May 9, 1925 in Tazewell, Va. She was a faithful member of the Mountain View Assembly of God Church. She was preceded in death by her father, Bob Gillespie. Surviving are her husband, Carl Huffman; one son and daughter-in-law, Gene and Brenda Huffman; three daughters and sons-in-law, Joyce and Dick Montgomery, Brenda and Butch Moore, all of Buena Vista, Barbara and Charlie Hickman, Goshen; six wonderful grandchildren, Stephanie Jenkins, Mike Huffman, Amy Huffman, Shannon Huffman , Jeff Coleman and a very special grandson, Bobby Moore; three great-grandchildren, Zach Jenkins, Brandon and Mariah Huffman; her mother, Mary McDougal, Buena Vista; one brother, Judd Gillespie, Natural Bridge; three sisters, Ann Moran, Lynn Gibson, both of Waynesboro, Edna Chittum, Buena Vista. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 1994, at the Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Bruce Clark, Rev. Jim Reynolds and Rev. Gordon Shafer officiating. Burial will follow in the Green Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Service. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Rockbridge Area Hospice, P.O. Box 948, Lexington, Va. 24450.

LEWIS, Lucile Bennett, 69, of 121 Fallen Oak Road, Greensboro, N.C., died Sunday, July 24, 1994 at her residence. Graveside services will be held Tuesday, July 26, 1994 at 11 a.m. Lakeview Memorial Park. A native of Guilford County, she was a homemaker and a member of Magnolia Street Baptist Church. Surviving are her husband, Sam Lewis, of the home; daughters, Mrs. Kay Bray and son-in-law, Mike, of Greensboro, Mrs. Joan Bratten and son-in-law, Jack of Roanoke; sisters, Mrs. Inez Bennett Covert and Mrs. Irene Bennett Capps, both of Greensboro, N.C.; brothers, The Rev. J. Robert Bennett of Driver, Va., and Carson Bennett of Greensboro, N.C.; four grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, G. Robert and Thelma Carter Bennett, her brothers, Joe Bennett, the Rev. Garland B. Bennett and George Alton Bennett. The family will receive friends at Forbis and Dick North Elm Street Fun eral Home, Monday evening from 7 until 9. Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, Music Ministry, 515 3rd Street, Roanoke, Va. 24016.

MASON, Eunice Robertson, 78, of Ridgeway, died Saturday, July 23, 1994. Graveside service 3 p.m. Monday, Roselawn Burial Park, Martinsville. Arrangements by McKee Funeral Services, Martinsville.

McFARLAND, James W., 71, of Newport News, formerly of Ellett, died Saturday, July 23, 1994. Funeral 6 p.m. Monday, Abundant Life Tabernacle. Arrangements by W. J. Smith & Son, Newport News.

McGUIRE, James Irvin, 69, of Dublin, died Saturday, July 23, 1994. Arrangements by Thomas M. Seagle & Sons Funeral Home, Pulaski.

MERKER, Frank F. Dr., 85, of Troutdale, died Saturday, July 23, 1994 in Roanoke. Dr. Merker was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. July 2, 1909 to August and Mathilda Schmidt Merker. The Merkers we re immigrates from East Prussia, N. Europe. Dr. Merker received a BS in Gas Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., and a M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, and was a post graduate of Meinger School of Psychiatry. He was Board Certified in adult Psychiatry and was awarded a life membership in the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Merker was an officer in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1935 to 1940. Dr. Merker was a resident at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Topeka, Kan., Chief of Medicine at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Salem, Director of the Veterans Hospitals in Roseburg, Ore., Coatesville, Pa. and Richmond, Va. and Southwestern State Hospital in Marion, Va. He was the Psychiatric Doctor at the Marion Correctional Center in Marion. In 1951 Dr. Merker retired from the United State Army as a Lieutenant Colonel and retired from active medicine in 1986. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, August Merker. He is survived by his wife, Edith Greer Merker of Troutdale; one daughter, Mathilda Sue Merker of Milliersville, Md.; one nephew and two great-nephews. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, July 26, 1994 at 2 p.m. at Seaver-Brown Chapel with Pastor James H. Bangle officiating. Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Troutdale Rescue Squad, c/o of Pat Tilson, P O. Box 68, Troutdale, Va. 24378. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 7 until 9 at the Seaver-Brown Chapel. Seaver-Brown Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

MORGAN, Ilse-marie, 54, of Roanoke died Sunday morning, July 24, 1994 as a result of an automobile accident West of Circleville, Ohio. She was a real estate agent with Boone & Company. Arrangements by Oakey's North Chapel.

PITZER, George Lewis, 78, of Roanoke, died suddenly in a Roanoke hospital Sunday morning, July 24, 1994. He was former Chairman of the Board of Pitzer Transfer and Storage Corporation and was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church and the German Club. He had served as President of the American Cancer Society and had been active in many civic affairs and was an Army veteran of World War II. Surviving are nieces and nephews, Taylor Quarles, Robert Quarles, Martin Quarles, Lynn Sites, Sherry Wedemeyer; sister-in-law, Patricia Pitzer. Funeral services will be conducted at the grave in Evergreen Burial Park 3 p.m. Tuesday with Dr. William R. Klein officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a favorite charity. Friends may call at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel.

SIGMON, Omedel, 72, of Danville, died Sunday, July 24, 1994. Arrangements by Lynch Funeral Home, Rocky Mount.

SMITH, Patsy Morgan, 31, of Clifton Forge, died Saturday, July 23, 1994. Funeral Wednesday 2 p.m., Nicely Funeral Home Chapel.

WOODS, Clara Bell, 75, of Buena Vista, died Friday, July 22, 1994 at her home. She was born November 9, 1918 in Rockbridge County the daughter of the late Charles and Eva Eubank Bell. She was a member of the Ben Salem Presbyterian Church and was preceded in death in 1973 by her husband, Robert Eugene Woods. She is survived by two sisters, Josephine Nicely and Edria Johnson, both of Lexington. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Lomax Funeral Chapel by the Rev. Clifford Caldwell. Interment will follow at Rockbridge Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

WYRICK, Eugene Holmes, 51, of Saltville, died Sunday, July 24, 1994 in the Smyth County Community Hospital, Marion. Survivors include his wife, Betty Austin Straley Wyrick, Saltville; two sons, Ricky Wyrick, Lake Charles, La., Charles E. Straley, Radford; his mother, Edna Lucille Wyrick, Saltville; one sister, Mettie Graham McDaugall, Temple Hill, Md.; one granddaughter, Gina Wyrick, Lake Charles, La. Funeral services for Mr. Eugene Holmes Wyrick will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, 1994 at the D. R. Henderson Funeral Home in Saltville, with the Reverends Bob Nease and Benny Frye officiating. Burial will follow in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday evening at the Henderson Funeral Home.