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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 13, 1995                   TAG: 9509130077
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

OBIT

BLANKENSHIP, Bertie Ellen Mitchem, 74, of Wytheville, died Sunday, September 10, 1995. Funeral 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Wytheville Pentecostal Holiness Church, Wytheville. Arrangements by Barnett Funeral Home, Wytheville.

BOBBITT, Thomas Walker, 73, of Independence, passed away Monday, September 11, 1995. Graveside service 11 a.m. Wednesday in Independence Cemetery. Arrangements by Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

BROTHERTON, Mrs. Mary Woods, 97, of Pearisburg, died Monday night, September 11, 1995, in Giles Memorial Hospital, Pearisburg. Mrs. Brotherton was born on March 2, 1898 in Pearisburg, and was a daughter of the late James and Emma Gordon Woods. Mrs. Brotherton was also preceded in death by her husband, Fred Sheffey Brotherton; a son, Robert Sheffey Brotherton; a grandson, John Michael Brotherton; and a daughter-in-law, Charlotte N. Brotherton. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pearisburg, and a member of the Annie S. Hoilman Sunday School Class. She is survived by two sons and two daughters-in-law, Thomas Brotherton, James and Margaret Brotherton, Jackie Brotherton, all of Pearisburg; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Thursday, September 14, 1995 at the Givens Funeral Chapel, with the Rev. Freddrick Long officiating. Burial will fo llow in the Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Givens Funeral Home.

CHEEK, Theresa Emerson, 82, of Morehead City, N.C., died Sunday, September 10, 1995 at Carteret General Hospital, Morehead City, N.C. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Morehead City. She was the owner and operator of Cheek's Antiques in Morehead City. Surviving are daughter, Linda Cheek, Morehead City, N.C.; son, Wayne Cheek, Jacksonville, Fla.; sister, Margie Durham, Hampton, Va.; 2 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Morehead City, with the Rev. Randy Sharron officiating. Interment will be in Gethsemane Memorial Gardens. Contributions may be made to Building Fund, First Baptist Church, Morehead City, N.C. 28557. Arrangements by Bell-Munden Funeral Home, Inc.

DELLIS, Ronald Wayne, 49, of Roanoke, died Tuesday, September 12, 1995. He was a Vietnam veteran and an employee of Varney Electric for the past six years. Survivors include his wife, Brenda T. Dellis; three sons, Ronald W. Dellis Jr., Roanoke, Gordon E. Witt, Roanoke, Billy Witt, Fla.; three daughters, Melissa Carter, Roanoke, Kaysie Carter and Keri Carter, both at home; two brothers, Alan Haupt, Vinton, Lee Haupt, Roanoke, also Wesley Jones, Tampa, Fla.; two sisters, Carolyn Dickerson, Orlando, Fla., Mrs. Roscoe M. (Mary) Wilson, Roanoke; mother, Mrs. Carl (Dot) Haupt Sr., Blue Ridge; two grandchildren, Sarah Gail Witt and Billy Witt Jr., both of Oakgrove. Funeral services will be held 12 p.m. Thursday, September 14, 1995, from the Lotz Vinton Chapel with the Rev. Roger Griffith and the Rev. Ted Smart officiating. Burial to follow in Sherwood Burial Park. Friends may call at Lotz Vinton Chapel.

FERGUSON, Jabe Showalter, 34, of Narrows, died Monday, September 11, 1995. Arrangements by Riffe's Funeral Service, Narrows.

FERGUSON, Margaret S., of Waynesville, N.C., died Friday, September 8, 1995. She was the daughter of the late James Mills and Mabel Harris Stephens. She was born in Roanoke, Va. and a resident of Fairfax County, Va. for most of her life. She was a retired teacher and guidance counselor with the Fairfax County, Va. school system. She had resided in Haywood County, N.C. for the past six years. She was a graduate of Roanoke College and George Washington University. She had a great love for English history and literature and especially loved helping young people. She was also a founding member of the Epworth Methodist Church in Falls Church, Va. She is survived by her Husband, C. Guy Fer guson; daughter, Meredith F. Coldren, Waynesville, N.C.; sons, Richard Ferguson, Fort Myers, Fla., Cornelius Ferguson, Concord, N.C., James S. Ferguson, Vienna, Va.; sister, Emily Mueller, Charlottesville, Va.; brothers, Rev. Dr. James Harris Stephens, Roanoke, Va., and J. Lawrence Stephens, Ducktown, Tenn.; eight grandchildren. Private family services were held. Memorials may be made to Haywood County Public Library Trust Fund, 402 S. Haywood St., Waynesville, N.C. 28786. Arrangements by Wells Funeral Home, Waynesville, N.C.

FRIDLEY, Maxine Bess, 72, of Covington, died Monday, September 11, 1995. Funeral 2 p.m. Thursday, McAllister Memorial Presbyterian Church. Arrangements by Arritt Funeral Home.

HARE, James Clarence, 7 6, of Narrows, died Tuesday, September 12, 1995. A lifelong resident of Giles County, he was born on August 10, 1919 and was the son of the late Albert Hamilton and Virginia Campbell Hare. He was the seventh generation decendant of Joseph Hare, who was an original pioneer and Revolutionary soldier, who came to what was known as Narrows, on the forks of Wolf Creek and the New River in 1779, and his offspring have continuously lived in Narrows since that time. He attended the Narrows Grade School on Hill Street in Narrows and graduated from Narrows High School, Class of 1937. He went to work at the Appalachian Power Plant at Glen Lyn that same year. He was a veteran of World War II and served in the U.S. Army in Company E, 593 Engineering BTN in the South Pacific during the war. After the war, he continued his employment with Appalachian Power Company until his retirement in September 1981. He was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church in Narrows, where he had served as a deacon for many years. He also was a member of the American Legion Post #68 and the V.F.W. Post #6000, both of Narrows. He is survived by his wife, Ethel Wallace Hare, who he married at Pearisburg on June 15, 1942; son, Joseph H. Hare, Midlothian; daughter, April Hare Yates, Powhatan County; three granddaughters, Rhonda Yates, Chattanooga, Tenn., Laura and Kristen Hare, Midlothian; son-in-law, Steve D. Yates; daughter-in-law, Pamela L. Hare. Also surviving are three sisters, Dorine H. Brown, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Barbara H. Davis, Aurora, Colo., Betty H. Kirkbride, Chesapeake; six nieces; two nephews. Funeral services will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Narrows with the Rev. Jack E. Musick officiating. Entombment will follow in Birchlawn Abbey, Pearisburg. The family will gather with their friends Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Riffe's Funeral Service in Narrows.

JONES, Marie Thornton, 82, of Independence, passed away Tuesday, September 12, 1995. Funeral 2 p.m. Thursday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. Arrangements by Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

JUDY, Lila Rose, 98, of Clifton Forge, died Monday, September 11, 1995. Graveside service 2 p.m. Wednesday in Alleghany Memorial Park. Arrangements by Nicely Funeral Home.

LaSOTA, Estelle V., 69, of 207 Demar Boulevard, Canonsburg, Pa., died Monday, September 11, 1995, in Canonsburg General Hospital. She was born February 18, 1926, in Roanoke, a daughter of Vernon and Ethel Alcorn Dillon. Mrs. LaSota was an avid bowler for more than 30 years. On January 25, 1945, she married Leo J. LaSota, who survives. Also surviving are one son, David L. LaSota of Washington, Pa.; one daughter, Mrs. Robert (Patricia) Simonin of Canonsburg, Pa.; seven grandchildren, Emily and Kylie LaSota, Adam, Alyssa and Aaron Simonin, Johnny and Jeffrey Stankus; six brothers, Earl Dillon of Aurora, Colo., John, Jerry, Bobby, Jack and Donald Dillon, of Roanoke; two sisters, Jean Brooks and Patricia Scott, both of Roanoke. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Judith Stankus. Funeral services and interment will be private and held at convenience of the family. Arrangements by Bogan Funeral\ Home, Canonsburg, Pa.

MEADOWS, Cynthia Marie Lang, 21, of Hopewell, formerly of Vinton, passed away Saturday, September 9, 1995. Graveside service 10 a.m. Thursday in the Montvale Baptist Church Cemetery. Arrangements by Lotz Vinton Chapel.

METZ, Martha J., 99, of Hillsville, passed away Tuesday, September 12, 1995. Funeral 11 a.m. Thursday in the Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel.

PAINTER, Lettie Reavis, 93, of Galax, died Tuesday, September 12, 1995. Funeral 11 a.m. Thursday, Vaughan-Guynn Funeral Home Chapel.

PRILLAMAN, Artis Wayne Sr., 56, of Bassett, died Tuesday, September 12, 1995. Funeral 2 p.m. Thursday, Collins Funeral Chapel.

ROSE, Donna Ellen Steele, 64, of Austinville, died Monday, September 11, 1995. Funeral 2 p.m. Friday, Barnett Funeral Home Chapel, Wytheville.

TATE, Josephine Johnston Carr, of Roanoke, died Tuesday, September 12, 1995. She was born September 26, 1897 in Biltmore, N.C., the seventh of 10 children born to Jonas Johnston Carr and Viola Jane Jones Carr. She married John Frederick Percy Tate (known as ""Pete"") of Toronto, Canada at home in Ashville, N.C. on June 4, 1927. He became a naturalized US Citizen. They lived in various cities during his professional engineering career, principally, New York City. When he retired they lived in Ashville, N.C. for several years, then settled in Roanoke in 1960. He died March 8, 1984 and is buried in Sherwood Memorial Park, Salem, Va. where Mrs. Tate will be interred. Mrs. Tate leaves surviving relatives in the US and Canada. Arrangements by Oakey's Roanoke Chapel.

WALKER, Lewis, 78, of Axton, died Monday, September 11, 1995. Funeral service 3 p.m. Thursday, September 14, 1995, Moral Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Arrangements by Stanfield-Miller Fuenral Home, Martinsville.

WATKINS, John Paul Sr., 76, of Roanoke, passed away Sunday, September 10, 1995, at the Virginia Veterans Care Center. He was born in Millboro on April 24, 1919, a son of the late James Samuel and Cora Early Watkins. He was a member of the Deacon Board at Siloma Baptist Church, Millboro. He was employed at Goshen Elementary School, where he retired, and also was an employee of Burke-Parson-Howley Corp. He was a devoted member of Morning Star Baptist Church, Roanoke. He is survived by four daughters, Linda M. Watkins, Lillian Q. Godfrey, Roanoke, Glorai J. Watkins, Texas, Gracie C. Watkins, Connecticut; three sons, John Paul Watkins Jr., Maryland, William D. Watkins and Robert L. Watkins, Millboro, Robert L. Watkins, Connecticut; a cousin, Robert Lloyd Watkins, Clifton Forge; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a ho st of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends; two devoted friends, Marie Davis and Teri Jones, and a devoted nurse, Brenda Keeling. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that all donations be made to the Morning Star Baptist Church Building Fund in his memory. Arrangements by Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home.