George H. Hudson, 73, of St. Albans, passed into the arms of his Savior Monday, May 10, 2021 at Hospice House West after a short battle with cancer.

George was preceded in death by his parents, Ester and Clarence Hudson; and his beloved WESTIES, Annie and Chloe. He graduated from South Charleston High School in 1965. He also attended West Virginia State College. He had a lifelong job at Thomas Memorial Hospital of 43 years. When he retired, he was Chief Storekeeper in Materials Management.

George had may interests in his life. He loved hunting, fishing (you can ask Jimmy John Shark for advice), camping with Judy and competitive gun matches with his best friend, Bill Koontz. Later in life, he discovered he had a talent for stained glass. He and his wife did many crafts shows in the Charleston and Huntington areas, winning several first-place awards for his stained glass creations. The Rhododendron Show at the Capitol and the Mound Show in South Charleston are just a few. He continued his passion making specialized works of art for many of his friends.

George came to Jesus and was baptized May 4, 2021.

Surviving him is his loving wife of 52 years, Judy and his pup, Gypsy Rose. They had a lot of wonderful adventures over the years. He felt very fortunate to have lived in a loving neighborhood; everyone had a special place in his heart. He had many close friends, including their children, too many of which to list.

Per George’s wishes, he is donating his body to Marshall University School of Medicine.

Memorial service will be 6:00 p.m. Monday, May 17, 2021 at St. Andrew United Methodist, St. Albans with Pastor Jonathan Dierdorff officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Masks are mandatory along with social distancing.

Special thanks go to 4 West at CAMC Memorial and Hospice House West for the wonderful care given to George. Also, special thanks to Ivan Bruce for taking care of the details for George. Thanks to Mountaineer Home Health for the excellent care given to George.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in George’s name to the Kanawha County Animal Shelter, 1248 Greenbrier Street, Charleston, WV 25311.

Geraldine Gail Smith, 80, of Bassett, VA formerly of Julian, WV went to be with the Lord Thursday, May 6, 2021 at home.

Geraldine was a homemaker and loved spending time with her family and watching Tony & Timmy Miracle Prayer Time, Jimmy Swaggart, and other Christian channels. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilmer Smith; sons, Willie Smith; grandson, Billy J. Miller; sisters, Emma Jean Adkins, Carolyn Kay Allen, Yvonne Lacy; brothers, Garrett Adkins, Bethel Adkins, and Buster Adkins.

Geraldine is survived by children, Darlene (Bill) Miller, Lillian Southerland, Sandra (Michael) Clay, John (Chrissy) Smith and Crystal (Chris) Ramsey; sister, Drema (Tony) Williams; brother, Brian (Julie) Adkins; 10 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; and 2 step-great grandchildren.

Service will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, May 10, 2021 at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek with Pastor Tony Williams officiating.  Burial will follow at The Old Pine Grove Cemetery.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Sharon Rose Duren, 53, of Freemont, NC passed away Thursday, April 29, 2021 in Sod, WV.

Sharon was preceded in death by her mother Vina Rose Ginn and her brother Mitch.

She is survived by her son, Brandon Duren; daughter, Amber Rosado; and father, Aaron Ginn.

Sharon will be laid to rest in Pike Family Cemetery, Pikeville, NC.

On April 30, 2021, at 8:43 pm, Karen Diane (Vaughan) Clark went to be with her Lord and Savior, after a ten-month battle with metastatic (stage 4) pancreatic cancer. She was 53 years old. Karen exhibited an immense will to live and fought with the utmost valor until the end. She passed away in her home in Cartersville, Georgia, surrounded by her husband, Eric Clark, her three boys, Harrison, Garrett, and Samuel Vaughan, and close family.

Karen was born on November 14, 1967, in Elyria, Ohio to Judy and Glenn Kuntz. She was the middle of three children, with an older sister, Laura Luttrell (Mike), and younger brother, Cory Kuntz (Mary), who still reside in Dayton, Ohio. Growing up, Karen was a joyful child. She was a state-champion swimmer in her high school years and an accomplished pianist throughout her life. She looked forward to her annual family trips to Disney World and always enjoyed the vehicle perks of her father’s longtime employment with General Motors; she loved fast cars. Karen graduated with Honors from Church of the Open Door High School in 1985 and later attended Cedarville University to study biology. She then moved to Atlanta in 1987.

On June 15, 1991, Karen married Barron (Barry) Vaughan in Atlanta, GA and they were later blessed with three incredible boys: Harrison (26), Garrett (23), and Samuel (22). Karen and Barry were active members of Johnson Ferry Baptist, Burnt Hickory Baptist and North Metro churches and were married for 19 years while they shared in the honor of raising their boys.

Karen later married Eric Clark on May 24, 2020. The two originally met while attending Cedarville University, and later reconnected in 2018. Eric and Karen attended Sanctuary Church in Kennesaw, Georgia.

In 2001, Karen was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. After the unfavorable diagnosis, she fought relentlessly to achieve remission in 2003. Inspired by her experience overcoming breast cancer, Karen returned to school and earned a Degree in Nursing Sciences, and became a Registered Nurse in 2013. After starting her career on a cardiac unit with Wellstar Health System, she transitioned to working in Oncology at Kennestone Hospital, to dedicate her life to selflessly and compassionately serving cancer patients. During her time with Wellstar, Karen earned a promotion to charge nurse and countless awards for her care, including the Daisy Award, the highest honor for a Wellstar Nurse. Karen was so passionate about her work that she continued serving patients months after her diagnosis with pancreatic cancer and through her own intensive treatments.

Karen was a woman with countless hobbies and ambitions. She spent much of her time expressing her creative side, through writing, reading, poetry, and music, even singing in a choir at Carnegie Hall in New York City with contemporary Christian artist Lauren Daigle in 2018. She was also a health enthusiast, always working out and staying up to date with the latest fitness research. But of all her ambitions, she had no greater joy than serving as Mom to her three boys. Whether it was traveling to baseball or soccer tournaments, celebrating academic achievements, or even just sharing a meal and reliving countless memories, Karen prioritized her three sons above all else and embodied what it meant to be a loving and gracious mother.

Karen’s life was rooted in service. No matter who you were, what the situation was, or when you needed her, she would find a way to help. Her surviving family has created a fund to establish a memorial in her honor at Kennestone Hospital on the Oncology floor. Donations can be made directly to the foundation website in memory of Karen Vaughan Clark and her special oncology project. The living memorial will be called Karen’s Sanctuary. These donations will be included in the Kennestone Hospital General Purpose fund with a restriction to, “Karen Vaughan Clark Memorial Oncology project”.

1. Visit Wellstar.org/give
2. Click on “tribute” and enter Karen’s information
3. Select or designate the gift to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and type in the comment box, “Karen Vaughan Clark Memorial Oncology Project”
4. If you have any questions, please call our Foundation Give Line at 470-956-4483.
   Donations can also be made to the “Karen Vaughan Clark Sanctuary Memorial” at gofundme.com/f/Karen-Vaughan-Clarks-Memorial-Sanctuary.

Visitation will be held on Monday, May 3rd, from 4–6 pm followed by the Celebration of Life Service, at Karen and Eric’s home church. Address of Sanctuary Church: 700 Mars Hill Road, Kennesaw, GA 30152. Karen will be laid to rest at the Clark’s family cemetery in Charleston, WV on Saturday, May 8th.

Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, WV is taking care of local arrangements.

God is Great!
My God is great! Yes, He is good!
He loves me like no other could.
When nights are long and without end;
He’s the presence on which I can depend.
When friends cause pain and do depart,
He gently mends my broken heart.
In times when solace does run and hide,
He’s ever-present by my side.
He gives me hope when mine is gone,
He lends me strength to carry on.
He binds my wounds; He heals my pains.
He always listens; never complains.
He guides my eyes with the purest of light.
He calms my fears, He holds me tight.
He provides for daily, my every need.
He calls me in, in him only, to succeed.
He imparts my dreams, my missions to fill;
He promised me victory in His will.
He says He loves me; I know tis true.
He gave His son for me and you!
He bore my cross, the scars of my nails.
His love for me… it never fails!
Even when my days on earth grow dim, I will ever louder sing to Him.
My God, you’re great! Yes, You are good!
Thank you for loving me like no other could!
Karen Clark

Ronald Norman Blizzard, 43, of Charleston, WV, passed away Saturday, April 17, 2021 at home. He is preceded in death by his half-sister, Christina Brooke Blizzard.

He was employed by Blizzard’s Custom Cycle Supply.

He is survived by his father, Ronald North Blizzard, son, Kyle Blizzard and Kyle’s mother, half-sister, Allison and half-brother, Joshua.

A private family service will be held.  Burial will follow at Graceland Memorial Park. 

Kenneth Dwayne Thompson, Jr., 64, of Elkview, passed away Thursday, April 22, 2021 at Hubbard Hospice House.

Kenneth was a construction foreman and a Christian of Pentecostal Faith. He loved being outdoors, caring for the farm, and gardening.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Phyllis Thompson; and brother, Keith Thompson.

Kenneth is survived by daughter, Becki Thompson; sons, Robert and Clay Thompson; sister, Deanna Sue Wall; and grandchildren, Brenton, Blake, Dylan, Jackson, Hailey, and Sabrina.

Service will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, April 26, 2021 at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek with Pastor Jimmy Marcum officiating. Burial will follow at Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Joshua Allen Rutledge, 29, of Tornado, WV, passed away Saturday, April 17, 2021 at home. 

He was preceded in death by his dad, James Rutledge.

He was a graduate of Lincoln County High School, and an employee of Maaco Collision. 

Josh is survived by his mom, Wilma Rutledge, biological mother, Tammy Martin, brothers, Adam (Inger) Rutledge and Travis Collins, and sisters, Crystal (Billy) Thomas and Jessica Collins, grandparents, Hank & Pat Love, aunt, Karen Sue Love, nieces and nephews, James Rutledge II, Kristin Rutledge, Joseph Rutledge, William Thomas III, Emily Thomas, Jacob Thomas, and Robert Tanner, and his best friend Elijah McCormick.  He is also survived by great-nieces and nephews and many friends.

Memorial Service will be 5:00pm Saturday, April 24, 2021, at Curry Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Cobb Cemetery, Alum Creek.

A loving son, caring brother, a loyal servant, and a kind generous friend to many – that was Matt. Matt was stricken with a sudden and severe illness, on March 20, his 49th birthday, while working on a special project in Richmond, Virginia near his Virginia Beach home.

Matt was preceded in death by his loving and very dear Mother, Judy Ernest, and his precious grandparents. Matt is survived by his Dad, and his best Buddy, Lewis Wayne Ernest and his 2nd adopted mother who he loved dearly, Peggy Ernest of New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He will be so much missed by his loving siblings: his sister, Kristi and her husband Jim Pritt, of Charleston, WV. His brother Marc and his wife Toshie, his niece and nephews, Rina, Kent and Kai Ernest all of Everett, Washington. His Aunt Robin Ernest and her husband, Dan of Huntington, WV. His stepbrothers, Alan and David Miller, and their families in Michigan and Ohio. Matt will be so terribly missed by many of his wonderful friends that he acquired during his lifetime. Especially, his longtime friend, John Fisher and John’s family that Matt adored.

Matt obtained his business management degree from Marshall University. He used his education, loyalty, and hard work ethic to succeed in the retail industry working faithfully for three major companies. He started and ended his career in the State of Virginia. For thirty years, Matt rose through the retail ranks and was moved to various locations through the Northeast. At each stopping point, he was quickly known to be a tough but fair leader with high moral standards, never asking for more than he was willing to give. Often, upon arriving at his new work assignments, he was known to be compared to a “big grizzly bear” but when he left the job, he was known to be a “big teddy bear”. Matt was a giant of a man and everywhere he went many stories have surfaced as to how he touched people with his kindness and generosity. He will be missed by many of his professional friends and co-workers, and the communities that he served.

Matt was born on March 20, 1972 in Charleston and was raised in Alum Creek, WV. It was there that he gained his Christian convictions, and his moral compass, which he carried though out his life. Service for family and friends will begin at 2pm, Monday, April 19, 2021, with visitation 1 hour before at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek, WV with Bishop Bryan Matthews officiating. Followed by a graveside service at Forks of Coal Cemetery.

For over three weeks, he was cared for by many wonderful health care workers at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System, Critical Care Hospital before his peaceful passing on April 14, 2021. Matt’s family would like to sincerely thank everyone on the VCU 4th Floor ICU unit for their loving care of Matt during his final days. During his brief illness, The Doorways, which is a hospitality house on the campus of VCU that allows families to stay close to their loved one’s while receiving medical care, lodged and cared for Matt’s family.

In lieu of flowers, the Ernest family would ask that donations be made to: The Doorways, In Memory of Matt Ernest, 612 E. Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Additional information can be found at www.thedoorways.org or at 1-804-828-6901.

We are all very saddened to lose our Buddy, but the gates of heaven have swung open to receive the “big teddy bear”.