John E. Rabel

We have lost a wonderful, caring man who had a wealth of knowledge and a deep love for farming the land.  He was a man everyone would be proud to have ever known, let alone to have had as a relative, friend and neighbor.  We are happy and proud to have the memories of our time spent with him.  He will be missed for sure and his memories cherished!

John E. Rabel, 70, of South Charleston went home Friday, March 3, 2017 at home.

He was an operator and retired from Dupont Chemical,  and was a lifetime farmer.  John served in the U. S. Army and was a veteran of the Vietnam War.   He was also a charter member of The Alum Creek VFW Post 4768.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Phyllis Pauley; uncles Tom, Keith and Bernie Rabel; aunts, Charlotte McGraw and Shirley Holstine.

John is survived by his wife of 49 years, Brenda; children, Thomas E. Rabel,  Margaret-Anne (Richard) Boggess and John B. (Angie) Rabel; sister, Charlene (Jeff) Ray; grandchildren, T. Anthony, Laura, McKennah, Haley, Ella & Beau Rabel; and several nieces and nephews.

Service will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Rev. Tommy Roberts officiating.  Entombment will follow at Graceland Memorial Park Mausoleum in South Charleston with military graveside honors conducted by the Alum Creek VFW Post 4768.    The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in memory of John be made to the Alum Creek VFW Post 4768 Relief Fund, 4443 Brounland Road, Alum Creek, WV  25003.

Dolores Irene Stockman. 84, of Sod, formerly of Gassaway, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at home.

She was preceded in death by her four brothers, Jack, Johnny, Jimmy, & Tommy Wiggin, and great granddaughter, Bethany Rundgren.

She was a Christian, devoted wife, mother and homemaker.  Dolores loved and was loved by everyone who knew her.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Jack;  daughters, Pamela Stockman, Kathy (Melvin) Griffith & Gwendolyn Stockman; son, John Stockman (Heather Gibbs); brother,  Phillip (Sharon) Wiggin; sister, Mildred (Gwendene) Hale; grandchildren, Jason Young, Regina (Alan) Rundgren, Brent (Brittany) Griffith, Marty Griffith, Jack Tulley, Brandon Lamar, Bruce and Jesse McCallister, Jackie, Jade Stockman, Terry Simmons and Travis Stockman; great grandchildren, Draven, Darrah and Jarred Young; Beckett, Brinley and Kanden Griffith; Amarie and Farnie Williams; Gabriel Grounds and Liam Simmons.

Service will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, March 6, 2017 at Sunrise Church in Sutton with Pastor Jim Criner officiating.  Burial will follow at Jacob Shaver’s Memorial Cemetery on Sunrise Road off Exchange Road.    The family will receive friends  1 hour prior to the service at the church.

In loving memory of Clarence Ray Roberts, 78, of Griffithsville born on December 20, 1938 and  passed away Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at home.

He was the son of Esau Roberts and Audrey Curry;  he was preceded in death by his brothers, Maxwell, Edward, Jimmy and Benjamin; and sisters, Lorraine Vickers, Wilcie Egnor, Eldor Flowers and Mary Harless.

Clarence is survived by his sister, Ivola Starcher; son, Kenny Ray (Melissa) Harless; daughter, Rita Marie Harless; sister, Ivola Starcher; and grandson, Kenny Thomas Ray Harless.

There will be no service.  Burial will be at Roberts Cemetery in Woodville.

Reba Fern Woodrum, 84, of  Sumerco was born December 21, 1932 and went home to be with the Lord Saturday, February 25, 2017.

She was the daughter of the late Earl and Nola Loftis of Sumerco and wife of the late Boyd Woodrum.  She was also preceded in death by two daughters, Dorothy Lovejoy and Betty Tyler.

Fern was a homemaker, mother and a Christian.

She is survived by sons, Bobby, Joey (Pam), Keith (Carla), Jeff and Chris (Angie) Woodrum; daughter, Barbara (Jimmy) Armstrong; 29 grandchildren, 46 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren.

Service will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday, March 2, 2017 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating.  Burial will follow at the Moore Cemetery in Sumerco.   The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

The family would like to thank everyone for their love and support during this difficult time.

Thelma Torman, 85, of Griffithsville went home to be with the Lord Thursday, February 23, 2017 at Hubbard Hospice House West in South Charleston.

She was a longtime member of the Elizabeth Baptist Church and was retired from the Lincoln County Board of Education.

Thelma was preceded in death by her husbands Billy Dunlap and Homer Torman; and grandchildren, Angie and Richard.

She is survived by her children, Rick (Judy) Dunlap, Lil (Dewayne) Gibson and Kathy (Bobby) Powell; grandchildren, Marketta (Joey), Shawn (Andrea), Bart (Andrea) and Brian; 5 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

Service will be 3:00 p.m. Sunday, February 26, at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastors Homer Hensley, Richard McCallister and Mark Ruby officiating.  Burial will follow at Sansom Cemetery in Griffithsville.  The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

The family would like to express a special thank you to the staff at Hubbard Hospice House for their wonderful care of our mother.

Mildred Annette Haynes, age 90, of St. Albans, WV, entered into heaven on February 15, 2017 after a short illness.

Mildred was born in Georgia, raised in Clendenin, WV and Hickory, NC.  Mildred supported the war effort in a defence plant in NC, moved back to WV and enjoyed decades of work as office support for Sears Roebuck and then raised a family.

Welcoming her home were her parents, four brothers and her husband, H.E. (Gene).  Survived by her son, Michael (Sherry) & grandsons, Brandon and Kristopher; nieces, Carol (Alex) Woodland & Barbara (Mitch) Vickers of VA.

Mildred was gifted with a personality that had never met a stranger.  She loved to cook and feed her family, beloved neighbors and proudly helped with church meals when able.
A celebration of Mildred’s life will be held at 1pm on Saturday, February 25, at her church, Highlawn Baptist of St. Albans with Pastor Matt Friend officiating. The family will receive friends two hours prior.
Memorial donations may be made to Highlawn Baptist Church, 2304 Jefferson Ave.,St. Albans, WV in Mildred’s name.

Judy Lynne Huffman, 55, of Hurricane went to be with the Lord Friday, February 17, 2017.

She worked as a nursing assistant with In Home Health Care and was a faithful member of Hometown Apostolic Church.

Judy was preceded in death by her husband, Tracy; parents, Hubert and Virginia Higginbotham; brothers, David and Gary Higginbotham; and sister, Sandra Wallace.

She is survived by her children, Neisha (Tarek), Joshua, Christine (Turley) and Jennifer (Nathaniel); brother, Wesley (Karen) Higginbotham; 5 grandchildren, Luke, Lauren, Beau, MacKenzie and Xavier.

Service will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 20, 2017 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor William Carter officiating. Burial will follow at French Cemetery in Charleston. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions toward the funeral service.

Erma June Dunlap, 87, of Alum Creek went to be with the Lord Monday, February 13, 2017.

She was a Christian and enjoyed attending various churches in the Kanawha Valley and the Alum Creek area.

Erma was preceded in death by her husband, Herschel Dunlap; parents, George Wilson and Kathleen Means and stepfather, Bruce Means; brother, Walter Means; children, Terry Lee and April Louise Dunlap; and granddaughter, Mikki.

She was a loving mother and grandmother, who will be greatly missed.  Erma is survived by her companion, Zenith Bragg; children, Mark H., Tom (Dee), Jim, Karen (Gordon) Eskew, Bob (Brenda), Bill (Trish) and Mike (Lisa); sisters, Pat Hopkins, Violet Eads, Linda Anselment, Becky Bowen, Carolyn (Josh) Johnson and Darlene Gillerlain; brothers, Dallas and Jerry Means; 18 grandchildren, Scott, Jennifer, Adam, Matt, Bobbi, David, Jessi, Sara, Samantha, Billy, Kenny, Amanda, Anita, Rikki, Michael, Eric, Serina and Chris; 27 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren.

Service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 18, at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek, with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating.    Burial will follow at Lively Cemetery, Sod.   The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made toward the funeral service.

Lonnie Earl Means, 86, of Brounland Road went home to be with the Lord Monday, February 13, 2017 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Huntington.

He retired from FMC as Electrical Maintenance Supervisor.   He also worked in stonemasonry, taxidermy and as a sculptor and was known for his railroad spike men.  Lonnie served as a Navy Frogman in the  Korean War.  During his five years of service he was awarded two Purple Hearts.

He loved hunting, fishing, gardening and story telling; and he faithfully attended Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lonnie and Millie Means; brothers, Clemeth and T. J. Means.

Lonnie is survived by his wife of 16 years, whom he loved very much, Nancy; children, Jackie (Gil) Bryant, Mark (Julie) Means and Roxanne (Scott) Pistol; step-daughters, Melinda and Melissa Ransom; grandchildren, Tracy Assi, Madison Means and Caleb Nomar; great grandchildren, Sahara and Sasha Assi.

A celebration of his life will be held 2:00 p.m.  Sunday, February 19, 2017 at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, located at the intersection of Brounland Road and Corridor G – 119,  with Pastors Dwight McClure, Doris Walls and Randy Searls officiating.  Military honors will be conducted by the Alum Creek VFW Post 4768.

A fellowship dinner will immediately follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family request contributions to the Alum Creek Lions Club, P. O. Box 224,  Alum Creek or the HELPS Ministries, c/o Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, P. O. Box 518, Alum Creek, WV  25003

William “Ellsworth” Gillispie, 86, of Alum Creek went to be with the Lord Thursday, February 9, 2017.

He was retired from the WV Department of Highways and attended the Emmons Church of God.

Ellsworth is survived by his wife of  62 years, Loraine; son, Doug Gillispie; daughters, Rosemary Williams (Lawrence), Tammy Stone (Dave) and Brenda Gillispie (Vic) all of Emmons,  Barbara Hamrick (Jimmy) and Diane Gravely (Ronnie) both of St. Albans and Robin Gillispie of Charleston;  sisters, Emma Pauley of Emmons, Mae Dunlap and Betty Lacy both of Sumerco; 17 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

Service will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, February 12, 2017 at the Emmons Church of God with Pastor Pete McNeely officiating.  Burial will follow at the Gillispie Cemetery in Emmons.   The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.  prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions toward funeral service.