Inez M. Smith, 79, of Alum Creek, died peacefully on Monday, April 14, 2008, at home surrounded by her family after a long illness.

At the age of 43 she was preceded in death by her husband, Willie A. Smith; and she was also preceded in death by her parents, Emma and Edward Smith, brother, Jimmie Lee Smith, sisters, Francis Monroe and Myrtle Allen, and three grandchildren.

She is survived by seven daughters: Patricia Wooten and her husband, Clyde, of Alum Creek, Sandy Priestley and her husband, Paul, of South Charleston, Sharon Wiggin and her husband, Phillip, of Gassaway, Robin Garton and Dan Eldridge of Charleston, Cathey Sproles of South Charleston, Carolyn Yeager and her husband, Herman, of Alum Creek, and Jacqueline Sue Drake and her husband, Tony, of Chapel Hill, TN; two sons: Willie “Bill” Smith and Susie York of Dallas, TX, and Eric Smith and Tracy Good of Sod; two sisters: Dottie Griffith and Ann Rogers both of Toledo, OH; 18 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great granddaughter.

The family would like to express appreciation to all of the medical professionals  who provided care for Inez, especially to Hospice Care.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2008, at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, with Pastors Richard McCallister and Frank Chapman officiating.  Burial will be held in Pine Grove Cemetery, McCorkle.  Friends may call on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Retired Kanawha County school teacher Janice Means, 72, a life-long resident of South Charleston, (Alum Creek) died of congestive heart failure on April 12, 2008.

Known for her Christian faith and love of Christian music, Janice was born on July 4, 1935, at South Charleston. She attended Brounland Elementary, Washington District High School, Bob Jones University (B.S.degree in Elementary Education), and Marshall University (M.A. in teaching reading). Additional course work was completed at Morris Harvey College in Charleston and the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Janice’s teaching career took her to Olcott, Alum Creek, Holz, and Tyler elementary schools. Eventually, she also served as a teacher at Cross Lanes Christian School and Colonial Hills Christian School in Atlanta.

In 1957, Jan served as a missionary with the New England Fellowship. During that service she worked in a number of locations, including: Pough Keepsie and Hyde Park, New York; Northfield, Massachusetts; Vermont; and New Hampshire. The focus was primarily on child evangelism.

As an exceptionally talented pianist, she served for many years at Hopewell Baptist Church (Alum Creek), Cross Lanes Bible Church (seniors group), and at most churches that she attended. During the 1950s, she played for several music groups. In 1963, while attending the University of Colorado, she taught a class and played the piano for a vacation Bible school run by a Boulder Nazarene Church.

Janice was preceded in death by two infant siblings (Marvin Hursell Means and Barbara Dare Means); her parents, Hursell and Vera Dodson Means; her grandparents, Herbert Clarence and Emma Sisson Means;Lon and Allie Childress Dodson; and her Great Grandparents, Daniel and Almeda Mooney Means, Wilbur and Eliza Hundley Sisson, Andrew Jackson and Margaret Hawley Dodson, and Robert and Eliza Pauley Childress.

Her survivors include one brother and his wife, Dale and Carley Jo Griffith Means of Severna Park, Maryland; a nephew and his wife, Merlin and Sherri Foraker Means of Severna Park; a grand nephew, Nicholas Means of Severna Park; and a grand niece, Bremen Means of Severna Park.

She is also survived by many true and trusted friends who appreciated her talent, integrity, and honesty. Without listing any names, the family would like to thank them for their care and help.

Graveside services were conducted at the Means Family Cemetery on April 14, 2008, with Pastor Frank Chapman of Alum Creek Independent Baptist Church officiating.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Granite Baptist Church, Oakwood Road, Glen Burnie, Maryland. Please specify to be applied to the Vera Means Christian College Scholarship Fund.

Curry Funeral Home Alum Creek assisted the family with making arrangements.

Leo W. Breedlove, 65, of Canal Winchester, Ohio, died Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at Mount Carmel East Hospital, Columbus.

Born February 19, 1943, in Woodville, WV, he was a graduate of Duval High School and a U.S. Army veteran, serving in Vietnam.  He was a retired truck driver and member of Canal Winchester VFW.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; children, Rebecca Clark and Richard Breedlove; grandchildren, Becca and Nate; mother, Brookie Breedlove; brothers, Danny, Willie and Russel Breedlove; sisters, Judith Carol Watson, Kathy Skeens, and Joyce Midkiff; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Brian Breedlove, and father, Cleon Breedlove.

Funeral service will be held at noon Monday, April 7, at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek, WV.  Interment will follow in Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans, WV.

Friends may visit from 5 to 8 pm Sunday at the funeral home.

Online condolences may be submitted at 222.spencefuneralhome.com

Clarence Albert “Bud” Wilson, Junior, 87, of Alum Creek, died Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at CAMC Memorial Division after a long illness.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Pauline & daughter, Sandra Barker.

He was retired from Union Carbide with 42 years service; a member of Alum Creek Independent Missionary Baptist Church and a Marine Veteran of WWII.

He is survived by:

Son: Kenneth L.& wife, Sandy G.,  Wilson of Charleston

Granddaughters: Melinda Sue Ault of St. Albans, WV

Teresa Elizabeth Ault, of Charleston, WV

Jennifer Leigh Logan, of Cross Lanes, WV

Kelly Jean Pritt &  Tod, of Burnsville, WV

Great Grandchildren:  Thomas Anthony Pritt

Joshua Michael Logan

Jonah Lee Logan

Lauren Ashley Pritt

Brother: Joseph Wilson and Norma, of Warren, OH

Sister: Virginia Funk of North Fort Myers, FL

Many wonderful relatives  and friends.

Service will be 2:00 pm Thursday, March 27, 2008 at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek, with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating.  Burial will be in Schowen Cemetery, Bancroft, WV.  Visitation will be from 6 to 8 pm Wednesday at the funeral home.

Shipmate Arthur “Ski” Szczutkowski, 72, of Charleston joined the staff of the Supreme Commander  Monday, March 24, 2008.

He retired from active duty in the U.S. Navy, disembarked from the aircraft carrier U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) in 1974.  He completed  his inactive service to his country on December 1,  1983 with the Good Conduct Medal  5^th Award; National Defense Service Medal with Star;  Vietnam Service Medal (2) and  Vietnam Campaign Medal (W/D 1960).

He was the son of the late Bernard & Julia Szczutkowski.

He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Betty Williams Szczutkowski

Daughters: Rachael Healey of Erie, PA

Cynthia Bentley of Cambridge Springs, PA

Marilyn Smith of Charleston, WV

Sons: Tracy Graley

Bill Rutherford

And Toby Graley all of Charleston, WV

Godson: Charles Statton, Jr., of Flower Mound, TX

Brother: Frances Szczutkowski of Erie, PA

Sister: Bernadette Statton of Flower Mound, TX

12 grandchildren

7 great grandchildren

and numerous nieces and nephews

Service will be 11:00 am Thursday, March 27, 2008 at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek, with Pastor David E. Wall officiating.   Burial will be in Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston with military graveside rites conducted by the Benny Padilla VFW Post 4768.  Friends may call from 7 to 9 Wednesday at the funeral home.

Darrell J. McMellon, 66 of Yawkey, WV, bass singer and founder of the New Creations Quartet, began celebrating the victory which he has proclaimed and sung about, and looked forward to for many years.   On Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008, he went to rest in the strong arms of Jesus.

He was the son of Don and Birdie McMellon of The McMellon Family Quartet.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years: Judy

Daughter & son-in-law: Dawna and Terry Allen

2 Grandsons and spouses: Michael and Brandy Shirley

Joshua and Kari Allen

2 Great-grandchildren: Jacob “Ten-er” Shirley

and Bethany “Beautiful” Allen

Special Uncle & Aunt: Rex & Jo Ann McMellon

Numerous other family,  friends,  and loved ones.  If you met him, you loved him and his wit.  He and Jim Humphreys phoned each other almost every day mostly for foolishness.  He grew to love Bible Center Church at Southridge and was to become a member there, but was  never able to attend or see the new sanctuary, except in pictures.

Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek with Pastors Robert “Butch” S. Leadman  and Dave Callison officiating.  Interment will be in Orchard Hills Memory Gardens, Yawkey.  Friends may call from 6  to 9 Tuesday at the funeral home.

Barbara M. Graley, 83, of St. Albans, died on Thursday, March 20, 2008, at Thomas Memorial Hospital, South Charleston, after a short illness.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Everette H.; parents, Thomas and Mary Tanner; four sisters and three brothers.

She was retired from the State of West Virginia Department of Human Resources.

She is survived by her sons, Everette Doug Graley and his wife, Linda of St. Albans and Harold Graley and his wife, Lanna of Pineville; sisters, Jeanette Sledge of LaGrange, GA and Alma Woods of Mountville, GA; seven grandchildren  and 10 great grandchildren.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Candle Light Cottage, Dee and staff.

Services will be 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 24, 2008, at Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek, with Rev. Ezra Graley and Rev. Danny Kinder officiating.  Burial will be held in Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston.  Friends may call on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Birdie Marie Priestley, 93, of Winfield, Alabama, formerly of Alum Creek, passed away Thursday, March 20, 2008 at the Walker Baptist Hospital, Jasper, Alabama after a short illness.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester.

She was a former member of Cobbs Creek Missionary Baptist Church, Sod and she currently attended the Baptist church in Winfield, Alabama.

She is survived by her son, Rudy Priestly and his wife, Judy of Hurricane; daughter, Wilma Smith of Winfield, AL; six grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, March 24, 2008 at the Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, with Pastor Paul Meadows officiating.  Burial will be held in Lively Cemetery, Sod.  Friends may call one hour prior to the service on Monday at the funeral home.

Merlin Eugene Provance was born June 8, 1929 in Parkersburg, WV and died on Thursday, March 20, 2008, at the Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, OH.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Ireta Provance and daughter, Tamara Bolender.

Service will be 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 23, 2008, at the First Church of the Nazarene, 4923 Kentucky Street, South Charleston, led by Pastor Kent Estep and the message given by Pastor Morton Estep.  Friends may visit with the family beginning at 1 p.m. prior to the service.  Entombment will follow in Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 56 years, Ruby of St. Albans; son, Mike and his wife, Mary Ann of Georgetown, TX; grandsons, Justin of Houston, TX; Chad and Chase Bolender of Mt. Vernon, OH; great granddaughter, Kylie of Houston, TX; sister, Esther Fowler and her husband, Tom of East Lake, OH; nephew, Thom Fowler of Mt. Vernon, OH; and niece, Katrina Fowler of Willoughby, OH.

Merlin served as an associate pastor for the past 12 years at the First Church of the Nazarene in South Charleston where he developed a substantial ministry to the MiSMAs “the Over-50 Crowd”, and was the executive director of Healthy Connections Wellness Center with an emphasis on “Wellness in the Church Place.”

He enjoyed 38 years of active pastoral ministry in the Church of the Nazarene with pastorates in Kempton, IL; Clendenin, WV; Southeast Church in Kanawaha City, WV; Xenia, OH First Church; Community Church, Nashville, TN; and Davis Creek Church, Charleston, WV.  He worked with the Appalachian Ministries Educational Resource Center (AMERC) in Berea, KY for three years where he recruited seminarians from the Holiness tradition for special ministerial training.

Positions held on the WV District Church of the Nazarene included district secretary, board of ministerial studies, advisory board, camp treasurer, and he also led the area 5^th Sunday night services for senior adults.  He had served on the board of trustees for Mt. Vernon Nazarene University.

He received an undergraduate degree from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL, and the master’s degree from WV College of Graduate Studies in Charleston, WV.  He also attended Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN where he met his wife.

Merlin was appointed by Governor Manchin to serve on the state committee dealing with chronic health issues and served on the WV State AARP health and wellness task force; and was honored by Governor Wise as an outstanding West Virginian.

Curry Funeral Home at Alum Creek is in care of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Healthy Connections Wellness Center, an outreach ministry of South Charleston First Church of the Nazarene founded and directed by Merlin Provance.  Checks should be made payable to “HCWC” and mailed to the church at 4923 Kentucky Street, South Charleston, WV 25309.

Retired Master Sargent, Roy Luke Sutherland, passed away March 12, 2008 at the young age of 89 years old at Thomas Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with Leukemia.  He was born in Springfield, Ohio on October 29, 1918 and grew up in Carrolton, Kentucky.

Roy was a proud veteran who served 30 years in the U.S. Army.  He enlisted in 1940 at the age of 22, and he retired in 1970 at the age of 52.  He courageously fought in three wars, World War II, Korean Conflict, and Vietnam War.  He earned purple hearts, bronze stars, dozens of metals, badges and certificates.

He was also a sharp shooter for the U.S. Army with national and international honors. Prominent services like Accurate Aim Firearms admire him as he won first place twice in the Pan American Games in 1959, once for center fire shooting and once for free pistol shooting.  He received two awards for the U.S. distinguished international badge, one for each first place win in the Pan American Games.  In August 1959 he won the national 22 cal. pistol record on the free pistol course with a score of 567.

He was presented an award in November 2007 by West Virginia Governor, Joe Manchin, proclaiming him to be an official member of the 35^th star.  His military service was also featured in a front page article in the Charleston Gazette on November 12, 2007.

Roy worked until he was 86 years old, and in 2004 he moved to South Charleston to live with his youngest child and her husband, Debbie and Bruce Harless.  There he was able to reconnect with his family and live some of the best years of his life.  He made wonderful memories that he and his family will never forget.  He will be greatly missed in the hearts of all of his family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his father, Luke Sutherland, mother, Grace Bales Sutherland, and all six of his siblings.

He leaves behind four children, five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  A daughter and her husband, Debbie and Bruce Harless of Charleston, WV, and their daughter, and husband, Lindsay and Michael Flowers and great grandchildren Kayla and Bailey.  A daughter and her husband, Margaret and Arnold Underwood of Buckhannon, WV and their two sons, Cody and Tommy Underwood, and their daughter and her husband, Missy and Dusty Loudin and great grandchildren, Makayla and Zachariah.  A daughter, Sherry Mullins of French Lick, IN, and her son and wife, John and Tina Mullins and great granddaughter, Grace.  A son, Roy L. Sutherland, Jr. of Kentucky.

In lieu of flowers, friends and family are asked to make donations to the Benny Padilla VFW Post 4768, RR7, Box 290, South Charleston, WV 25309, in Roy’s honor.  The family wants to thank everyone for all of their help and support throughout this troubling time.

A graveside service will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at the Forks of Coal Memorial Park, Alum Creek, with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating.  Military graveside rites will be conducted by the Benny Padilla VFW Post 4768.

Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, is in charge of the arrangements.