Billy Williams, 81, of Alum Creek went home Friday, February 2, 2018 at Hubbard Hospice West in South Charleston.

He retired from the State of West Virginia. He also worked at FMC and AVTEX Chemical where he served as the Business Agent for the Union.

Billy was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy; and parents, George & Lillian Brogan Williams; sister, Isbella Mason; and brother, Gary Williams.

He is survived his four children, Victoria (Don) Beightol of Alum Creek, Johnny (Sherry) Williams of Lexington, SC, Lisa (Robert) Abbott of Sod and Jason (Moria) Williams of Alum Creek; grandchildren, April Meadows, Andrew Beightol, Kayla Williams, Katarina Williams, Samuel Abbott, Emma Williams, Elijah Abbott, Natalie Williams and Nathaniel Abbott; sister, Katherine Risk; and brothers: Eugene (Helen) Williams and Jack Williams

Service will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, February 5, 2018 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at Orchard Hills Memory Gardens in Yawkey.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Curry Funeral Home, 2097 Childress Road, Alum Creek, WV has been family owned and operated since 1950.

Charles Hiawatha Snodgrass, Jr., “Butch”, 68 of Yawkey, passed away peacefully Thursday, February 1, 2018 at home after a short illness with his family by his side.

He served in the Vietnam War under the U. S. Army where he was trained to operate a dozer. This became his lifelong trade, working as a dozer operator and/or foreman for various subcontracting companies at John Amos Power Plant.

Butch was a humble man with a quiet nature. His passion was hunting and fishing. He was happiest being outdoors. Butch was a devoted husband, dad and papa, and was highly respected by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles H., Sr. and Ethel Snodgrass; brother and best friend, Harvey Snodgrass; and his beloved granddaughter, Taylor Baldwin.

Butch is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Brenda; children whom he is very proud of April Baldwin of Charleston, Dawn Moss and husband, Rick of St. Albans and Charles Hiawatha, III “Chuck” of Charleston; granddaughters, Abby Moss and Mady Nienke; siblings, Carol Richards of Scott Depot, Fred (Willa) Snodgrass of Yawkey, Betty Jo Boggess of Charleston, Debbie (Frank) Carter of St. Albans and Richard Snodgrass of Charleston; and a host of nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held 5:00 p.m. Sunday, February 4, 2018 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Richard McCallister officiating. Military Rites will be conducted by the Alum Creek VFW Post 4768. The family will receive friends 2 hours prior to the service.

Burial will be held at French Cemetery in Charleston at a later date.

Patricia Carol Nicholas Porter, 78, of Huntington, formerly of Charleston, went home Sunday, January 28, 2018 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Huntington.

She retired from Union Carbide.

Patricia was preceded in death by her husbands, Kermit V. Nicholas and Bobby Porter; daughter, Karla Lea Nunn; and son, Edward Nicholas.

She is survived by her daughter, Little Star Vanscyoc; half-brother, Bernard Westfall, Jr.; grandchildren, Ricky E. Davis, Jr., Dakota Von Nicholas, Cameron Nunn and Matthew Nunn; great grandchildren, Joshua Eric Davis, Sara Breann Davis and Emily Brea Davis.

Service will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 3, 2018 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at Orchard Hills Memory Gardens in Yawkey. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Donald Ray Sowards, Sr., 87, of Charleston received his wings at home on Friday, January 26, 2018 while surrounded by family. He was born on December 4, 1930 to the late Beulah Mae Salmons and Holbert Aulden Sowards.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 60 years and the love of his life, Wilma Pauley Sowards; son, Donald “Donnie” Sowards, Jr.; grandson, Zachary Alan Sowards; brother, Rodney A. Sowards; and sisters, Anna Lou Shamblin and Patty Jo Holstein.

Don loved his family and was a wonderful son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and uncle.

He had many interests, he was an oil painter, arrowhead hunter and gun maker. Don was an avid songwriter, singer and musician. He loved bluegrass music and was an innovator, making bluegrass music popular in WV. He assisted countless musicians in writing songs and playing different instruments. He learned to play multiple instruments at an early age, although, the mandolin was his favorite. He could play it like no other. Don formed The Laurel Mountain Boys Bluegrass Band. His son, Mark, played the banjo along with him as the band traveled all over WV, Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia in the 70’s, 80’s, and the 90’s. He had a beautiful Tenor voice and sang Lead on multiple albums the band recorded.

Don loved his country and was a proud United States Marine Veteran. Serving during the Korean War, wounded 3 separate times, and achieving 3 Purple Hearts.

He retired from CSX Railroad in 1996 with 30+ years service.

Don leaves behind son, Mark Sowards (Lesa); granddaughter, Kyla Fields (Jeremy); grandson, Donald “D.R.” Sowards, III; great granddaughters, Chloe and Alara Bailey, Heidi Sowards and Audree Sowards; brother, Ronald Sowards; sister, Wilma Hailey; and many nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

A celebration of Don’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Al Mendez officiating. Burial will follow at Graceland Memorial Park in South Charleston.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial donations be made to HospiceCare, 1606 Kanawha Blvd., W., Charleston, WV 25387-2536.

The Sowards family would like to thank a very special angel, she is the most compassionate and caring nurse we’ve ever met, Kim Miller of Hospice. This angel went above and beyond the call of duty to care for Don and his family.

Gatha Irene (Turley) Estep of Hurricane, formerly of Alum Creek passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, January 24, 2018. She was Born June 13, 1940 in McCorkle, WV. She was 77.

Gatha received her Masters Degree from WVSU in Education. She taught from 1979 until 2003 at Duval High School, Guyan Valley High School, Yeager Vocational and Marshall University.

She loved to oil paint, collect antiques, cooking and quilting. Gatha enjoyed spending time with her quilting club. She was a member of the Eastern Star “Hamlin” and formerly attended Alum Creek Missionary Baptist Church.

Gatha is preceded in death by her parents, Maywood and Lena (Griffith) Turley; sisters, Wiladean Smith and Doris Harless; brother Denzil Turley; and grandson, Matthew Paul Estep.

She is survived by her son, Michael (Janine), he was the light of her life; her grandchildren, who she adored, Megan and Michael (Mikey) Estep all of St. Albans; sister and her best friend, Lyndell Shaffer; nephew, Kevin Shaffer of Yawkey; nieces and nephews, Monica, Martha, Susie, Lena Faye, Lou, Theresa, Pam, Brenda (who was like a sister), BB, Shelva, Preston, Jessie and George; and lifelong friends Joan Harvey, Hazel Diehl and Omar Estep.

Service will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 29, 2018 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at Anderson (Old Pine Grove) Cemetery, Sumerco. Family and friends will gather one hour prior to the service.

Zola Macel Wright, 85, of Sumerco, WV departed this earth to be united with God on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, with Eloise (Weasy), Darrell (Tickie), Roger (Boo) and a friend, Butch, were by her side along with medical personnel.

Zola was born in Eli, WV, on May 1, 1932, the daughter of the late Harvey and Grace (Moore) Quintrell.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, Thurman, a grandchild, Deanna Ward, two sisters,  three brothers, and a son-in-law.

She was a wonderful Christian, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother.  She was a member of Eli Baptist Church but attended New Covenant Baptist Church, Alum Creek.

She is survived by her daughters, Kathy (Bob) Adkins of McCorkle, WV, Marylin (Kermit) Roberts of Hurricane, WV,  Eloise “Weasy” Roberts of Sumerco, WV,  and Juanita (Tom) Ward of Orlando, FL,  sons, Darrell “Tickie” (Stephanie) Wright of Yawkey, WV, Richard (Denise) of Pennsylvania, and Roger “Boo” at home, 14 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, 7 great-great-grandchildren, sister, Eva Gillenwater of Sumerco, WV, and brothers, Tommy “Tink” of Alum Creek, WV, and Vernon Quintrell of Hamlin.

Service will be 2:00pm, Sunday, January 28, 2018, at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, with Pastor Jackie Miller officiating.  Burial will follow at Midkiff Cemetery, Sumerco.  Friends will gather one hour prior to the service.

Brownie Hager August 31, 1930 – January 20, 2018

Born up the hollow of Bark Camp, to the parents, Shelton and Dolly Egnor, she was the youngest of 10 children, 5 brothers and 4 sisters, (all predeceased) With long, curly dark hair, and twinkling brown eyes, her Daddy nick-named her Brownie. She always spoke fondly, and with great love, of her years growing up.

She married Arlen R. Hager (predeceased) in 1947. Although she never officially joined the military she was a true patriot, birthing and raising her 5 children from the hollers of WV to Army military bases from Fort Knox Kentucky to Germany and France.

She once embarked on a journey at the tender age of 23yrs. with her new born daughter Patsy, and her two small sons, Bruce and Donny, that begin down the holler and ended in Bussac, France. A friend gave her a ride to New York where she boarded a military plane. When it arrived in France the fog was too thick for landing so they were re-routed to Germany and from there boarded a train to France. In the 2 years while there she gave birth to a daughter, Peggy, and upon return to the states, gave birth to another daughter, Priscilla at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The family did another tour of duty in Germany for 3 years then returned home and settled in a home on Left Fork.

She moved to Alum Creek to be closer to her job, director of the McCorkle Senior Center, and for the next 20 years spent her weekdays with the people of McCorkle. Upon retirement she moved back to her place on Left Fork, just a couple miles from the home where she was born and raised.

Her bravery, resilience, hard work, laughter, and love were the echoes of a child born and raised in the hollers of West Virginia. To all who knew and loved her, she was special, she was Brownie, and although we give her up reluctantly, we rejoice in a life well lived, a job well done, and know she is in the hands of God.

Her children: James Bruce and Sandy Hager, Donald Ray Hager (deceased), Patsy Ramona Hager (deceased), Peggy Re’gina Clymo, and Priscilla Rose Hager, grandchildren: Rachel and Mike Adkins, Tracy McKinney, Stacy and Billy Kepple, Alfred and Dina Van Gundy, Mary and Jen Moore, and Christopher Clay, 13 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.

A graveside service was held Tuesday, January 23, 2018, with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating at Orchard Hills Memory Gardens, Yawkey, WV.

ELLA R. (PAULEY) FITZWATER, 86, of Alum Creek, traded her battered body for a heavenly one on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at Hubbard House West surrounded by her family.

She was a member of Faith Baptist Church and served as the Pastor’s wife and church pianist for many faithful years.  She had a love for music and at the age of 13 began playing the piano at several local churches as their church pianist which was amazing in itself being self-taught.  Later training her children to harmonize and travel around the area singing for the Lord known as the Fitzwater Family singing group.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred Pauley Sr., and Mary Velma (Hager) Pauley and son, Rev. Michael Fitzwater, brothers, Fred Jr., Charles, Paul and sisters, Clara and Louise.

She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Rev. Eldon N. Fitzwater, daughters, Nancy (Joe) Taylor of Alum Creek, Janet Sue (Dennis) Dunlap of Milton, Jackie (Mark) Lanham of St. Albans, and Mary Fitzwater of Dunbar, daughter-in-law, Phyllis Fitzwater, and sister Rachel (Jim) Waldron of Elkview, seven grandchildren, Rob (Denise) Angela (Bob), BJ (Kris), Jay (Sarah), Anita (Dave), Matthew and Katie and three adopted grandchildren, Allison, Wes, and Shae, nine great-grandchildren, Nate, Carter, Alexa, Caylan, Carly, Savannah, Collin, Andrew, and Michael, and one great-great-grandson, Bronson and many nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Lisa Queen, NP, and special caregiver and friend Anna Spencer and  also, other caregivers, April, Sissy, and Dorothy.  Many thanks to Hubbard Hospice West for your kindness and care.

Service will be 1:00pm Friday, January 26, 2018 at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, with Chaplain Lt. Matthew Lanham officiating.  Entombment will follow at Graceland Memorial Park Mausoleum, South Charleston.  Friends will gather from 6:00-8:00pm Thursday, January 25, 2018 at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers if you desire, donations may be made to Kanawha Hospice, 1606 Kanawha Blvd., W., Charleston, WV  25387-2536.

Johnnie Ray Chandler, 65, of Alum Creek went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at the home of his sister, Sandy.  He was preceded in death by his wife Deborah of 42 years.

He was a mechanic/heavy equipment operator.  He was a member of Briar Creek Baptist Church.

He is survived by his son, Johnnie (Stephanie), daughters, Becky (Todd) Mosteller, sisters, Sandy Harper and Charlotte, seven grandchildren, Jonathan, Savannah, Madison, Chloe, Matthew, Jeffrey and Alicen.

Services will be 1:00pm on Monday, January 22, 2018, at Curry Funeral home, Alum Creek, with Pastor Tommy Roberts officiating.  Burial will follow at Chandler Family Cemetery at the homeplace.  Family and friends will gather one hour prior to the service.

Lorena C. Carr, 87, South Charleston, passed away Monday, January 15, 2018, at CAMC-Memorial Division.

She was a Life Member of the Alum Creek VFW Auxiliary, and was a graduate of DuPont High School.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Fletcher Carr.  She is survived by her daughter, Patty Carr of South Charleston, son, J. Bryan Carr of Dunbar, sisters, Betty Griffith of Calabash, NC, Ann Summers of Charleston, Dreama Holstine of Ripley, and brother, Rev. Edward Jarrett of Charleston and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial service to follow at a later date.  Following her wishes, her body was donated to the Human Gift Registry, School of Medicine, West Virginia University.