Gary David Alford, Sr., 75, of Cross Lanes, WV, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 21, 2021, at Hubbard Hospice West, South Charleston.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Cline & Blanche Alford. 

Gary worked for 33 years for National Cash Register as a Field Engineer, a 1963 Duval High School graduate, and attended Bible Center Church and working faithfully in the Children’s Center.  He was in the US Army 3^rd Batallion 24^th Armored Division – Specialist 5^th Class during the Vietnam War.

Gary is survived by his wife, Jean, son, Gary (Crystal), daughter, Heather (Ray) Brown, step-daughter, Jeannine Chandler, step-son, Fred (Kelli) Chandler IV.  He is also survived by grandsons, Tyler Mullins and Corey Alford, step-grandsons, Ethan Chandler and Elliott Chandler, great-grandchildren, Molleigh Chappel and Braxton Sweeney, brother, Jack (Barbara) Alford, and beloved pets, Radar and Hershey.

Graveside service will be 1:00pm Friday, March 26, 2021, at Grandview Memorial Park, Dunbar, with military graveside rites by Alum Creek VFW Post 4768, with Pastor Richard Thompson officiating.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, 2102 Kanawha Blvd., E., Charleston, WV 25311 or HospiceCare, 1606 Kanawha Blvd., W., Charleston, WV 25387-2536.

Earl Ellsworth Grinstead, Jr., 82, of Charleston, WV, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 20, 2021, at home.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl & Virginia Grinstead. 

He was a master electrician for Union Carbide for over 40 years, a member of the South Charleston Church of Christ, and enjoyed playing golf and was on the Carbide bowling team.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Vesta.  He is also survived by many nieces & nephews, great-nieces & nephews and great-great-nieces & nephews, as well as many cousins.

Services will be 1:00 pm Friday March 26, 2021 at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, with Minister Louis Watts officiating. Burial with military graveside rites will follow at Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes, WV. Friends will gather Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 pm at the funeral home.

Gary Dean Dunlap, 75, of Sumerco, WV, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at home.  He was preceded in death by his mother, Marie Vangundy and sister, Beverly Thaxton. 

He was a member of the McCorkle Freewill Baptist Church, and a member of Labor Union #1353.  Gary loved sports and coached little league baseball for many years. 

Gary is survived by his wife, Sharon, siblings, Mary & Roy Gayton, Paul & Lynn Hughes, Herman & Kay Hughes, and Bobby Hughes (Crystal), brother-in-law, Melvin & Kathy Griffith, sister-in-law, Marcia & Dave Meeks. 

He is also survived by his nephews and their children, Timmy & Gail Thaxton & Katley, Brent & Brittany Griffith & Beckett, Brinley, & Bailey, Brandon Bentley, Travis Bentley and Melissa, Dain & Ava, Marty Griffith & Kanden, and Jason Bentley & Kristie, Logan & Wyatt, and Gary’s special companion to the end, “Paco”.

Service will be 2:00pm Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at McCorkle Freewill Baptist Church with Pastor Isaiah Hatfield officiating.  Friends and family will gather one hour prior to the service.  Burial will follow at Pine Grove Cemetery, Sumerco, WV. 

Justin Paul Hudson, 34, of Charleston passed away unexpectedly on Friday, March 19, 2021 at home. 

Justin was a body shop technician at Joe Holland Chevrolet.  He was a graduate of Nitro High School, an avid WVU fan, animal lover, and Hot Wheels collector.  Justin was a wonderful son, brother, cousin,friend, and had a heart of gold.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Bob and Melva Hudson; grandfather, Paul Isom; uncle, Gary Hudson; and cousin, Dennis Hudson.

Justin is survived by his fiancé, Conswella Hill; dad and step-mother, Kevin Hudson and Shayna Tomchin; mother, Ginger Cummings; step-father, John Cummings; sister, Kayla Hudson (Stephen Harper); brothers, Grant Cummings and Jacob Young; step-daughters, Jessica Taylor and Mackenzie Hill; niece, Alexis Cummings; grandmother, Della Dean; step-grandchildren, Zeak, Seemy, Zane, and Niori; aunts and uncles, Bob (Sue) Hudson, Jim (Charla) Hudson, Carol (Greg) Abbott, Chuck (Joyce) Hudson, Mark (Robin) Hudson, Linda (Jerry) Taylor, Tammy (Barry) Walker; his dog Earl; and a multitude of cousins that he loved dearly.

Service will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek with Chuck Pennington officiating.  Burial will follow at Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston.  The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at the funeral home. 

DORIS JEAN ESCUE, 87, of Sod, WV, passed away March 14, 2021, at her home.

She was born November 11, 1933, in Nellis, the daughter and the last of 9 children belonging to the late Celeste and Sim Belcher.  She was preceded in death by a daughter, Pamela Escue.

Doris was a devoted homemaker.  She held an associate degree from West Virginia State College as a dietitian. 

She was a member of the Church of Christ at Alum Creek.  She always said that our purpose here was to get ready for the next life.  She did just that.

Doris is survived by her husband of 70 years, Roger Escue, son, Jonathan (Brenda) Escue of Sod, daughter, Jerri (Byron) Nibert of Charleston; 6 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.

Due to COVID-19, a graveside service was held with family.  

Melissa Dawn Young, 54, of South Charleston, WV, went home to be with the Lord

Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at Thomas Memorial Hospital.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel & Lillian Taylor Hinzman and sister, Tammy Rectenwald.

She worked in Kanawha County schools in kindergarten classes as an instructional aid, and formerly attended McCorkle Freewill Baptist Church. 

Melissa is survived by her husband of nearly 35 years, Allen Young, son, Zach, daughters, Miranda and Mariah and granddaughter, Mila Young.  She is also survived by her sisters, Sheila (Rick) Burgess, Karen Taylor, and Robin (Wally) Jones and brother, Fred (Melissa) Hinzman.

Service will be 1:00pm Monday, March 15, 2021, at Curry Funeral Home with Pastor John Gorrell officiating.  Entombment will follow at Graceland Memorial Park Mausoleum, South Charleston.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.  A Celebration of Life will be held at McCorkle Freewill Baptist Church, Sod, WV, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family would greatly appreciate contributions toward funeral expenses.

Michael Christopher “Kamel” Gillispie, 47 of Ashford passed away on February 27, 2021 at CAMC General Hospital, Charleston of injuries sustained in an ATV accident.

Kamel was an ATV mechanic, former coal miner, construction laborer, and self proclaimed “Jack of all Trades and Master of All.” His favorite times were spent with his family riding in the woods with his wife, children, and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Debra Gillispie, grandparents, Sherman and Isabel Gillispie, and uncles Marvin and Johnny.

Kamel is survived by his wife of 19 years, Crystal Cullison; 4 children, Kristopher C. “K.C.” Cullison, Kaitlyn Nicole Roe, Isabel Candice Gillispie, and Michael Jacob Gillispie; grandchildren, Ari Lea Cullison, Natalie Brianne Roe Santonia, and Addeline Candice Gillispie; sister, Jennifer Partridge; uncles, Gary and David; aunt Jeannie; nephews, Cash Barker and Justice Sutton; and niece, Shayla Partridge.

Graveside service will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at Barker Cemetery, Ashford, WV.

Danny Eugene Hughes, 69, of Sod, WV, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at Hospice House at CAMC-Memorial Division, Charleston.  He was preceded in death by his step-son, Christopher Nunn, parents, Clarence & Josephine Cecil Hughes, and three brothers and two sisters.

He was a retired engine repairman for Dominion Resources, and a member of New Covenant Baptist Church. 

Danny is survived by his wife of 32 years, Lisa, daughters, Tara (Jerry) Monroe, Tonya ( Randy) Crist, and Tracie Hughes, son, Josh Pennington, step-daughter, Kerri Sheets, 14 grandchildren, and  six great-grandchildren.  He is also survived by a sister, Mary (Roy) Gayton, brothers, Paul (Lynn) Hughes, Herman (Kay) Hughes, and Bobby (Chrystal) Hughes, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

A gathering of family and friends will be held Friday, March 5, 2021, at Curry Funeral Home Chapel from 4:00 to 5:00pm.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to New Covenant Baptist Church, 527 Midway Road, Alum Creek, WV 25003.

Gary Wayne Goff, 68, of South Charleston passed away at home.

Gary was a member of United Mine Workers of America and Ironworkers Union Local 103. He was a former employee of Union Carbide and Trimble Engineering. Gary graduated in 1970 from George Washington High School where he was a member of the football team as well as the choir. He was an avid trout fisherman at his camp on the Greenbrier River.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, William “Bill” and Helen Goff Carrier; brothers, Franklin D. and Robert “Bob” Goff; and nephew, Joey Runyan.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Thomas Goff; children, Angela (Horse) Eastham of Hamlin, Garry “Ped” (Dawn) Goff of Hurricane, Stacey Goff of Sod; sisters, Bonnie (Kenneth) Runyon of Alum Creek, Virginia “Ginny” (David) Hunt of South Charleston; grandchildren, Brook (Caleb) Miller, Haley (Michael) Corkhill, Brayden Hudson, Trista Goff, Gauge Goff, Zaccary Roberts, Dannah Pauley; great grandchildren, Braxton, Case, and Braylyn; special niece, Carol Wilbeck; and many other nieces, nephews, and family members.

Service will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2021 at Curry Funeral Home with Pastor Gene Pauley officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Helen Louise Duncan, 90, of Alum Creek, died on Saturday, February 27, 2021. Helen was born November 6, 1930, at Olcott, a small mining community in Kanawha County. She graduated from Washington District High School where she was an excellent student who loved reading, drama productions, music programs, and learning.

When she was in high school, she fell in love with a handsome soldier, Charles Dexter Duncan, just back from the war and married him in 1949 when she was eighteen. Though he passed away in 2017, she was devoted to him until the last days of her life. They worked together to make a loving home for us, her four children. She was a hard-working, smart, fiercely loyal, unselfish, and talented woman who lived her life for her family. Helen opened her heart and her home with hospitality to her friends, family, and our friends. She maintained that welcoming spirit until the end of her life.

After the four of us were older, she worked in the office of the Kanawha County Assessor’s property tax section. After that position, she worked in the Clerk of the Kanawha County Circuit Court until early retirement when our Dad retired and they began traveling.

One of the passions of her life was gardening and many shoots, seeds and sprigs transplanted from her gardens grow on at the homes of her family and friends. She passed that love on to all of us. She not only grew gardens but dearly tended relationships with children, friends, family, and neighbors. Many homes hold recipe cards detailing her favorite dishes. She was an expert seamstress, sewing clothes for us and herself. Over the years she created many beautiful quilts. Her handiwork was admired by many. She also loved music and she taught all four of us to dance as we played in front of the fireplace in the evening.

Mostly, and most importantly, she was just a Mom; but what a Mom she was, the center of her family. She lived her life for her children and grandchildren, all of whom loved her beyond measure. She always made our education a priority. There are so many memories of growing up, the sacrifices she made, and the example she set. There were trips to the mountains, trips to the beach, the many trips she and Dad made, Sunday dinners, her love of all things baby, her care healing us on the outside and inside, and loving those we loved. There were loads of laughs and a million family stories which we tell and will tell over and over. She was the first on the scene in good and bad times. She could be tough and was not shy about telling us hard truths. She stood with us and for us and was unafraid to do anything to be our last line of defense. We are proud she was our Mom.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Templeton Martin and her brothers, Bob Martin and Tom Martin, and her uncle and aunt William and Elizabeth Holstein.

She is survived by her daughters, Diana (Steve) Morris and Drema (Steve) Watts of St. Albans, Jill Novak of Langhorne, Pa., and her son, C. D. (Linda) Duncan of Charleston. Mom was a great champion of her grandchildren. They are Erin (Barkclay) Morris of Lexington, Ky, David (Justin) of Portland, Me, Nicholas (Gina) Watts of Cross Lanes, Erik Duncan of Pittsburgh, Pa, Christopher (Caitlin) Novak of Colorado Springs, Co, Matthew (Allison) Novak of Milford, Ct, and Katie (Ron) MacPherson of Newtown, Pa. Great grandchildren are Liam and Finley Morris-Phelps; Ellis, Evelyn, and Miriam Watts; Carys, Elliott, Miles and Paige Novak; and Grace Novak. Helen is also survived by her brother, Don Fitzwater of Sarasota, Florida. Mom’s devoted companion and friend, Sandy, always at her side, brought Mom great joy the last four years.
We want to offer our thanks and love to Mason Kirk. He was a devoted caregiver and friend to both Mom and Dad and to us. He was loved by both of them. Another very important person in Mom’s life has been her lifelong loyal friend, Hazel Hess who faithfully visited her during her illness. Her visits cheered Mom and us.

A private family service will be 1:00 p.m. Thursday, March 4, 2021 at Curry Funeral Home with Pastor Scott Beha officiating. Entombment will follow at Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston, WV.

We appreciate all our friends and family who have supported and cared for us as we have made this journey with our parents. You can never know the help you have been.

In lieu of flowers, our family suggests contributions to Hospice Care, 1606 Kanawha Boulevard W, Charleston, WV 25387, or the Alzheimer’s Association, 1601 2nd Avenue, Charleston, WV 26387.