ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 1, 1996 TAG: 9612020137
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
MAY, Mildred Walker, 83, of Roanoke, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, Novembe r 28, 1996. She was preceded in death by her husband, Oren (``Sam"") May. She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Norma and Ronnie Ransom; son and daughter-in-law, Roger and Candis Yeatts; special daughter and husband, Gail and Mark Sparks, and their children, Leslie and Joseph Sparks; two grandchildren, Darren and Michele Yeatts; two great-grandchildren; stepdaughter, Shelby Powell; stepson, Jimmy Mays; 10 stepgrandchildren; eight stepgreat-grandchildren; sister, Garnett Dickerson; very special friends, Teri and Glenn McCormick, and special niece and nephew, Nancy Light and Bobby Ratcliff. Also surviving are a number of other nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, December 1, 1996, at Lotz Roanoke Chapel, with the Rev. Edgar Hoover and the Rev. Michael Barnes officiating. Interment will follow in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Arrangements are being handled by Lotz Funeral Home, Roanoke.
MAYNARD, Gladys Harris, 93, of Radford, formerly of Aberdeen, N.C., died Saturday, November 30,1996 in a Pulaski Health Care Center. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Gene and Margaret Maynard, Radford; a sister, Maxine Weaver, Durham, N.C.; two grandchildren, Kim Maynard O'Neill, Belspring and Marcie Connell, Cumming, Ga. Three great-grandchildren also survive. A graveside service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, December 3,1996 at Bethesda Cemetery, Aberdeen, N.C., with the Rev. Charles Hinson officiating. The fa mily will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, December 2,1996, at the DeVilbiss Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a favorite charity
McQUEEN, Katherine Cawthon Tweedy, 79, of Abingdon, died Saturday, November 30,1996. Graveside service 11 a.m. Monday in Forest Hills Memory Gardens. Arrangements by Campbell Funeral Home.
MITCHELL, Loretta P., 81, of Roanoke, died Friday, November 29, 1996. Graveside service 3 p.m., Tuesday, Fair View Cemetery. Arrangements by Oakey's North Chapel.
MOHLER, Mary Frances Watkins, 60, of Natural Bridge Station, died Friday, November 29, 1996. Funeral 2 p.m. Monday, Faith Baptist Church. Arrangements by Harrison Funeral Home, Lexington.
NELMS , Ruth Wallace, 88, of Portland, Ore., and formerly of Roanoke, died Saturday, November 23, 1996, at a Portland care center. Mrs. Nelms was born in Richmond April 16, 1908. She was raised and educated in Richmond, graduating from John Marshall High School. She then attended Roanoke College. In 1942 she founded the Cornett School of Business in Roanoke. Her husband, Robert Nelms, died in 1974. She moved to Seattle, Wash. in 1979, where she was a deaconess with the Presbyterian church. She has resided in Portland, Ore. the past six years. Surviving are her daughter, Anne Johnson of Vancouver, Wash.; three grandsons, Brad Bell of Centralia, Wash., Tom Bell of Cashmere, Wash., and Mark Sanderson of Columbus, Ohio; and a granddaughter, Jo Sanderson of Roswell, Ga. Her son-in-law, Allen Sanderson, of Evansville, Ind. also survives. Graveside services will be at Evergreen Burial Park at 11 a.m. Monday, December 2, 1996, with Rev. Frank W. Feather officiating. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Oregon Health Science University Foundation of Osteoporosis Research, 1121 S.W. Salmon St., Portland, Ore. 97205. Arrangements by Oakey's Roanoke Chapel.
RICHARDSON, Thomas R., 85, of Roanoke, died Saturday afternoon, November 30,1996. Arrangements by Oakey's North Chapel.
ROBINSON, Nina Ethel Edwards, 100, of Sparta, N.C., formerly of Woodlawn, Va., died Friday, November 29, 1996. Funeral 11 a.m. Monday, Vaughan-Guynn Chapel, Galax, Va.
SCHILLING, Elsie N., 80, of Roanoke, passed away Saturday, November 30,1996. Arrantements by Lotz Funeral Home, Roanoke.
SCHWARTZ, Josephine, 95, of Salem, formerly of Schenectady, N.Y., died Saturday, November 30, 1996, in Lewis-Gale Hospital. She attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, and was preceded in death by her husband, Isador Schwartz. She is survived by a daughter, Margaret Lada of Salem, and a number of grandchildren. A Christian prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, December 1, in the John M. Oakey and Son Chapel. The family will receive friends following the service. A graveside service will be held in Sc henectady, N.Y., on Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Salem Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 291, Salem, Va. 24153
SIMPKINS, Louise Frances, 74, of Radford, died Friday, November 29, 1996 in a Shawsville Nursing Home. Surviving are two sisters, Jo Ann Farmer of Pulaski, Betty S. DeVilbiss, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; two brothers, Albert H. Simpkins, Radford and Thomas J. Simpkins, Woods Cross Roads , Va.; three half brothers, William Ward Simpkins, Lee Simpkins and Ralph Simpkins, all of Radford; a half sister, Elenor Sue Speed, Christiansburg; and a stepsister, Betty Ratcliffe, Radford; several cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of loving, caring friends also survive. Funeral services will be 1:30 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Joe Burton officiating. Entombment will follow in Highland Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the DeVilbiss Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the New River Valley Hospice, 111 Broad Street, Christiansburg, Va. 24073
SIMS, Fannie Mae, of Greensboro, N.C., passed away Thursday, November 28,1996. She was the sister of Fred (Louise) Hairston of Roanoke. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Monday, December 2, 1996, at St. Stevens Christian Church, Greensboro, N.C.
TINGLER, Lee Allen, 81, of Covington, died Friday, November 29,1996. Funeral 2 p.m. Monday at the Arritt Funeral Home Chapel.
TOBLER, Jesse, 80, of Laurel Fork, passed away Friday, November 29, 1996. Funeral 11 a.m. Monday, Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel, Hillsville.
VAN NESS, Janet Irvine, 45, of Blackstone, died Tuesday, November 26, 1996. Memorial service 4:30 p.m., Friday, December 6, Wygal Auditorium, Longwood College, Farmville. Hamner-McMillian Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
VERNON, Bill, 59. The Bluegrass world lost one of its own when Bluegrass MC and commentator Bill Vernon died November 20,1996 at his home in Wirtz, Va. He is survived by his half brothers, Bob Vernon of Salt Lake City, Utah, Wes Vernon of Silver Springs, Md.; and a cousin, George ""Ike"" Benedict of Syracuse, New York. He is also mourned by scores of friends and fans who will miss his wry humor, his verbal acuity, and his deep knowledge and love of Bluegrass music. A memorial service is planned for Sunday, December 8, 1996 at 2 p.m. in the Vaughan Chapel at Ferrum College in Ferrum, Va, with a reception to follow at the Blue Ridge Institute adjoining the Ferrum College campus. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill's memory may be made to the Bill Vernon Memorial Fund, c/o Crestar Bank, 2112 Colonial Avenue, Roanoke, Va 2401
VIA, Katherine , 70, of Roanoke, died Saturday, November 30,1996. Funeral 1 p.m. Monday at Lovely Valley Baptist Church. Arrangements by Stanfield Mortuary Service.
WEBSTER, Raymond Lewis, 78, of Boones Mill, died Saturday morning, November 30, 1996 at Franklin Health Care Center. He was retired from Norfolk and Western Railway and Baker Brothers, Inc. Mr. Webster was a member of the Boones Mill Church of the Brethren, where he served as Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Supt. and remained active as long as his health permitted. Mr. Webster was born August 1, 1918, a son of the late Jerry B. and Effie P. Webster and was preceded in death by two brothers, Forest J. Webster and Herman P. Webser. Surviving are his wife, Mae C. Webster; two sons and daughter-in-law, Tom L. Webster and Claude R. and Elizabeth H. Webster, Boones Mill; two grandchildren and spouses, Steven L. and Tanya M. Webster, Roanoke, Steven C. and Nancy C. Furrow, Callaway; three precious great-grandchildren, Kristen R. Furrow, Kelly A. Furrow, and Katie E. Furrow, Callaway; one brother and sister-in-law, Carl B. and Irene T. Webster, Montvale; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Jesse B. and Goldie M. Thomas, Callaway and Melva B. Atkins, Boones Mill; two sisters-in-law, Margaret S. Fisher, Roanoke and Frances A. Webster, Boones Mill; and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted from Flora Funeral Chapel, 11 a.m. Monday, with the Rev. Robert A. Miller officiating. Interment will follow in Franklin Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Boones Mill Church of the Brethren, 25368 Virgil H. Goode Highway, Boones Mill, Va. 24065. Friends may call after 3 p.m. Sunday, with the family receiving friends from 7 to 9 p.m. at Flora Funeral Service, S. Main St., Rocky Mount, Va.
WHEADON, Jerry Lee, 27, of Roanoke, died Wednesday, November 27, 1996, at his home. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, December 1, 1996, at Merrimac Pentecostal Holiness Church, with the Rev. Bill Baker and the Rev. Johnny Early officiating. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.
WRIGHT, Marilyn Sue, 46, of Ballard, W. Va., died Friday, November 29, 1996. Funeral 1 p.m. Monday at Broyles-Shrewsbury Funeral Home Chapel, Peterstown, W. Va.
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