Betty Lou Cantley, 55, of South Charleston went home to be with the Lord after a long battle with Alzheimer’s on Friday, January 18, 2013 at Hubbard Hospice House.

She was a former employee of City National Bank and  a member of Praise Assembly of God in Alum Creek.

Betty  was preceded in death by her mother, Eunice K. Wheeler and sister, Sheila Fields.

She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Roger; son, Jimmy Cantley; daughter, Rachel (Brian) Ellis; father, Ronald Wheeler; grandchildren, Katie and John Braden Cantley and Reidyn Ellis; step-grandchildren, Jaylyn, Gage and Evan; brothers, Donald and Jonathan Wheeler; sisters, Victoria Sansom and Sharon Thomas.

Funeral service will be 1:00 pm Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek with Pastor Dan McC ormick officiating.   Burial will follow in Forks of Coal Memorial Park, Alum Creek.  Family and friends will gather from 6 to 8 pm Monday at the funeral home.

Cline Dunlap, 77,   of Sumerco went to be with the Lord Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at home.

He was retired from Laborers Local Union #1353 and attended Union Freewill Baptist Church in Hamlin.

He was preceded in death by his grandson, Taylor Dunlap.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mae; son, Calvin “Jake” Dunlap; daughter, Donna (Bob) Hill;

brother, Charles Dunlap; sister, Shirley Smith; grandchildren, April Craddock, Jason and Curtis Hill, and Shauna Cook; great grandchildren, Addy Hill, Jayden Cook, Kaila and Kameron Craddock.

Funeral service will be 2:00 pm Saturday, January 19th,  at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek with Pastors Ernie Vance, Clint Craddock and Rev. Todd Pauley officiating.  Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, McCorkle.

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

Paul George McCallister, 34 of Charleston died suddenly Monday January 14, 2013 at home.

He formerly worked at Wal-mart.

Paul is survived by his parents; Billie and Virginia Beach McCallister, sisters; Belinda Fox, Pamela McMillion, Dreama Lenn and Sarah Golden, brothers; Benjamin and Russell Lee McCallister and several nieces and nephews.

Services will be 2:00 pm Friday at Crooked Creek Church of God So. Charleston with Pastor Mark Thaxton officiating. Burial will follow at McCallister Cemetery Alum Creek. Visitation will be 6 to 8 pm Thursday at the church.

Curry Funeral Home Alum Creek is serving the McCallister Family.

James Nile Clinton, Sr., of South Charleston went  to be with the Lord Monday, January 7, 2013 at his second home in Daytona Beach, FL.

He served in the U. S. Marine Corps and was an auto body repairman.  He was preceded in death by his parents, John Clinton and Gertrude Clinton Vaughn; son, Jimmy and  four brothers and four sisters.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lora Mae; daughters, Teresa Andrews and Lora K. (Bobby) Walker; son, Carl W. Clinton; sister, Patricia Porter; six grandchildren and six great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.  He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather that will be greatly missed.

Family and friends will gather from 6 to 8 pm Thursday at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek.   A committal service will be 1:00 pm Friday at Cunningham Memorial Park Lower Mausoleum, St. Albans with Jim Burgess officiating..

Lucretia Ann McClure Meadows Ross, 67, of St. Albans went to be with the Lord Monday, January 7, 2013.

She was co-valedictorian of the 1962 graduating class of Duval High School, and later graduated from Berea College, KY.  She received her teaching certificate from Morris Harvey College, Charleston and taught at Midway Elementary School, Alum Creek.    Lucretia was a member of Lower Falls Baptist Church and a faithful Christian, whether it be through her daily Bible devotion time, prayer for others, or through the light of Christ’s love that radiated from every fiber of her being, her life was a true testament to God’s love and His plan of salvation.  This world will never be the same without her light which shined wherever she went.  Although our lives must go on without her, she will forever remain etched into our souls. Lucretia was a good example of Matthew 5:14-16, by being a light not hidden to the world around her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Denver and Virgie  Marker McClure and brother, Dempsey McClure.

She is survived by her son, Derick and wife, Andria Meadows of Houston, TX; daughter, Kristan Meadows and husband, Alan Walz of Alkol; grandchildren, Jacob, Adam and Elizabeth Meadows and Daniel and Hannah Walz; former husband, Frederick Meadows of KY; sisters, Betty (Lane) Griffith, Joyce (Ray) Schlichting and Janet Turley and special friend, Susie Stanley.

Funeral service will be 11:00 am Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Chidlress Road, Alum Creek with Pastor Brian Donze officiating.  Burial will follow in Lively Cemetery, Sod.  Family and friends will gather from 6 to 8 pm Monday at the funeral home.

The family will receive flowers or donations may be made to Lower Falls Baptist Church, 1777 Strawberry Road, St. Albans, WV 25177.

Phil Gordon Pauley, 72, of Charleston passed away on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at CAMC – General Division, Charleston.  A private service was held on Thursday, January 10, 2013 at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek.  Burial was in Orchard Hills Memory Gardens, Yawkey.

Phil was a very unique man.  He was passionate, lovnig, and a good husband.  He fought a good fight; he believed in God and put his faith in God.  He had suffered for many years, with the last being the toughest for him and the people who cared for him.  Phil has gone home to be with God and is finally pain-free.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.curryfuneralhome.org

Rev. Ezra  Harold  Graley, Jr.,  83, of St. Albans, born May 6, 1929, son of Ezra and Sadie (Elshire) Graley, went home to be with his Lord on Saturday, December 29, 2012, at CAMC-Memorial Division after a long illness.

He served in the U.S. Army from May 1951 until September 1953.  Pastored for 50 years, serving at Summit Ridge Church of God, Amandaville and Lincoln Drive Church of God.  He was the owner of Graley Roofing for 35 years,

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Iwana Marie Graley, brother, William (Carol) Graley, Sister, Jenny Brown and Phyllis (George) Kinzer; sons, Michael (Connie) Graley, Greg (Joy) Graley and Tim (Beverly) Graley; grandchildren, Aaron, Josh, Britni, Joel, Alexander, Bryce, Ashton, Elysa, RuthAnn; great grandchildren, Kailey, Kaegan, Colton, Brennan, Haley, Kaeden, Richae, and Shai; and stepchildren, Nancy (John) James, Janet (Steve) Samples, and Don Hill; stepgrandchildren, Shawn (Jodi) Peterson, Brad Peterson, Stephen Peterson, Hannah Pettit, Jody Fisher, Jonathan Fisher,  Jeremy Fisher and Rachel Samples; step great grandchildren, Savannah, Star, Maryssa, Lyanna, Tanner, Koen, Cameron, Sophia, Landon, Lync and Layton.

Ezra loved the Lord, his country and his family.  He witnessed to people every day no matter where he was.  He loved to help people.  He fought a good fight especially since September.  He was in CAMC, OSU and St. Mary’s and CAMC where he passed away December 29, 2012.  Thank you to all the doctors and nurses that were so kind to him.

Services will be 12:00 noon on Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at Curry Funeral Home Chapel, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek, WV, with Pastor Jackie Miller officiating.  Burial will follow at the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery, Dunbar,  with military rites.

Visitation will be from 6:00 –  8:00pm on Tuesday, January 1^st at the funeral home.

Mildred K. Adkins

After another wonderful Christmas together, heaven gained another angel.  On Thursday, December 27, 2012 Mildred K. Adkins, 92, of Alkol, formerly of Yawkey, peacefully passed to her heavenly home while surrounded by family at the home of her daughter.

She was born April 13, 1920 and was loved and cherished by family and many friends; was a longtime employee of Lincoln County Schools, where she worked as a cook and  was a member of Bear Branch Church of Christ.

Mildred was preceded in death by her mother and father, Mary and Willard Miller; sisters, Opal Thurmond (Stilson), Betty Egnor (Junior), and Anna Gae Harless; brothers, Don Miller (Shirley), Dorsey Miller (Jewel), and Billy Miller.

She is survived by her three children, Glen “Wayne” Adkins of Alkol, Kay Adkins-Graley of Sumerco and Robert “Bob” Adkins (Portia) of Alum Creek.  “Momaw Mill” left behind eight grandchildren, Rod, Anthony, Kenneth, John and Glenda Adkins, Tara Graley-Riley, Amanda Graley-Elkins and Heather Pauley; eleven great grandchildren, Devon, Derek, Savannah, Heather, Natausha, Austin, Eric, Ashtyn, Brady, Kiara and Katie and three great great grandchildren, Kentlee, Nathan and Allie.  She was a very special aunt to many nieces and nephews.  Our precious angel will be dearly missed by so many.

Funeral service will be 2:00 pm Sunday, December 30, 2012 at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek with Pastor Oshel Bell officiating.  Burial will follow in Bear Branch Cemetery.  Family and friends will gather one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

The family would like to thank everyone at Dignity Hospice for all of their care and compassion.

Willetta Ruth Spresser (Stowers) of Griffithsville, West Virginia, passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 26, 2012, at the age of 87.

Willetta was born on May 15, 1925, the youngest of the eight children of Andrew Stowers and Mattie Stowers (Richardson). Willetta graduated from Duval High School in Griffithsville and was so proud that she shared her alma mater with Chuck Yeager who graduated ahead of her. When WWII broke out, she trained as a draftswoman where she honed her design skills. Willetta married Paul Spresser and had three children, Paul, Jeanne and Susan, whom she raised in Toledo, Ohio, where Paul worked as a top engineer for Owens-Illinois Glass Factory. In 1971, Willetta moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she developed a successful career as a kitchen designer and became the sole proprietor of a kitchen and bath company. She was an amazing artist, designing beautiful kitchens for many high-end homes in the Phoenix area, and running her own business for 20 years before returning to her home in Griffithsville where she helped care for her two aging sisters. She was also proud to have been instrumental in getting a proper bridge built connecting Stowers Road to Highway 3 after she returned, and for helping organize a fundraiser to put in a community walking track behind Duval school.

Willetta attended the Alum Creek Church of Christ along with her sister, Alberta Stowers, who preceded her in death as did her other siblings, Helen Fennel, Opal Plott, Vena Gartin, Herman Stowers, Harold Stowers, and Ronald Stowers.

Willetta is survived by her three children, Paul “Tim” Spresser, Jeanne Kyle, and Susan Miller; thirteen grandchildren, Mary, Jacynth, Leila, Joy, Deborah, Timothy, Steven, Jonathan, Lara, Timothy, Sarah, Amorette, and Brendan; and by ten great grandchildren. Her family is spread out around the country and around the world, living in California, New Mexico, Washington, Texas, as well as France and England. Willetta’s homestead in Griffithsville will be maintained by her daughter, Jeanne.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Hospice and all the staff at Cedar Ridge Center where she received the kindest, most compassionate and attentive care for the last two years. With the geographical obstacles, it was a great comfort to know she was so lovingly cared for. Also heartfelt thanks to Victoria Hudson for the many years of faithful work she did for Willetta and the numerous times she went far beyond the call of duty to look after and care for Willetta when she was in need. Also, many thanks to Landin Harper and his family for caring for Willetta’s homestead in our absence – it is an enormous comfort to have him there.

A graveside service will be held at Powell Cemetery Hamlin, weather permitting, at noon on Monday December 31st, where Willetta will be buried next to her parents and siblings.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please only send cards to 66 Stowers Road, Griffithsville, WV 25521 or make a donation to http://strikedebt.org/ a charitable organization that helps people who otherwise would lose their homes due to hard times and missing mortgage payments.

Lauren Elizabeth Swann, 13, of Charleston went home to be with Jesus Sunday, December 23, 2012  at Cabell Huntington Hospital ER.

She was a member of Ivydale Baptist Church, where she was saved and baptized, and was an 8^th grade student at South Charleston Middle School.    Lauren was known for her long dark hair, her big blue eyes, and a very caring and giving spirit which was demonstrated by her last act of being an organ donor.

She is survived by her family, whom she dearly loved, Mother and stepfather, Kelly and Bobby Barron; father and stepmother, Jeff and Chrisse Swann; brothers, Landon and Bryson Swann; stepsister and brother, Jasmine and Jacob Bartholomew; grandparents, Delbert and Paulette Huffman, John and Sharon Barron, Greg and Marci Swann and Ronnie and Carol Robinson; great grandparents, Paul and Doris Hudson, Elizabeth “Libby” Huffman and Lewis and Nancy Swann; uncles and aunts, Tony (Johna) Huffman, Scott (Missy) Swann, Chris (Jamie) Swann, Josh (Cara) Swann, John (Alice) Barron, Sondi (Brad) Sutton, Nicky Hutchinson and Sarah Goheen.  Honorary Uncle Al James; cousins Luke and Olivia Huffman, Ty and Hailey Swann, Jacob Barron and Ashly Hardin; and special friend, Hailey Lemon.

Service will be 1:00 pm Friday, December 28, 2012 at Oakwood Baptist Church, 855 Oakwood Road, Charleston, with Pastor Basil Hudson officiating.  Burial will follow in French Cemetery on Berry Hills Drive in Charleston.  Family and Friends will gather from 6 to 8 pm Thursday evening at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Lauren Swann Memorial Fund, c/o Ivydale Baptist Church, 1859 Middle Fork Drive, Charleston, WV 25314.

Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek is assisting the family with arrangements.