Bernard William “Bill” Dunlap, 80, of South Charleston, passed away Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at home.

Bill was a 1960 graduate of Washington District High School and retired as a maintenance supervisor at FMC with 35 years of service. He served his country in the United States Army.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Gail and grandson, John Tully.

Bill is survived by daughter, Arlene (Traci) Dunlap; sons, Bill (Lisa) Dunlap and Derrick (Jessica) Dunlap; sister, Brenda Dunlap; grandsons, Tucker W. Dunlap, Wesley Tully, and Ethan Hunter; granddaughters, Rylie Hunter and Tricia Morgan; great grandchildren, Addison, Grayson, and Eden.

Funeral Service will be 12:00 p.m., Saturday, September 23, 2023, at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, with Pastor Gene Pauley officiating. Burial will follow at Lively Cemetery, Sod. Friends and family will gather one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to nurses Jo & Shannon and the entire staff at HospiceCare.

Ocie Paul Harris, 62, of Yawkey, passed away Monday, September 18, 2023, at Putnam Center, Hurricane.

He was a sawmill laborer.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert & Mabel Harris; brother, Junior Harris; stepson, Don Stone, Jr.; grandsons, Cody Joe Stone, Alex Stone, William Cody Stone, Tyler Ray Stone, and Steven Allen Stone.

Ocie is survived by his wife, Mary Sue Harris; sons, Robert Paul Harris, Allen Paul Harris; stepsons, John Stone, Bobby Ray Stone; daughter, Lisa Marie Harris; stepdaughter, Becky (Carl) Canterbury; grandchildren, Keairra Nichole Harris, Hunter Allen Harris, Misty Dawn Harris, Cody Allen Harris, Jasmine Allie Sue Harris, Cheyenne Stone, Kylie Ray Stone, Brittany Canterbury; great grandchildren, Amara Mae Stone, Gavin Allen Stone; sisters, Mona Woodrum and Helen Ann Breedlove.

Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 22, 2023, at Curry Funeral Home with Pastor Rexall Cooper officiating. Burial will follow at Linville Cemetery, Flat Creek. Friends and family will gather one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Stephen Wayne Burford, 74, of Charleston passed away Friday, September 15, 2023, at Hubbard Hospice House after a short illness.

Steve was a 1967 graduate of Poca High School. He graduated from West Virginia State College and retired from AEP as a machinist after 39 years. He was an avid golfer and volunteered at Big Bend Golf Course.

He was preceded in death by his son, Troy Burford; parents, Cecil and Dorothy Spears Burford.

Steve is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sue Moore Burford; son, Ed (Joy) Burford; grandsons, Dylan, Dru, and Cameron Burford; sister, Debbie (Mike) Wooten; brother, Jeff (Terri) Burford; and many nieces, nephews, and family members.

Funeral service will be 1:00 pm, Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek with Pastor Kenneth Mitchell officiating and Pastor Delbert Hawley closing the service. Burial will follow at Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston. Friends and family will gather one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Deborah Lynn Harless, 59, of South Charleston, WV, left this earth tragically on Thursday, September 7, 2023.

She was born Sunday, June 14, 1964, in Buckhannon, WV. She brought an amazing amount of light to this world from that day forward. Throughout her life she was a loving daughter, sister, wife, aunt, sister-in-law, nana, mamaw Det-Det, friend and mentor to so many.

She loved all her people with everything. She loved unconditionally and was always someone you could count on, the life of the party, and always planning a prank. She loved animals and would do anything for one in need. Always appreciating the good ole days!

Debbie is preceded in death by her husband, Bruce Harless and her parents Roy and Beatrice Sutherland and her beloved Chopper. She is survived by her two sisters, Sherry Mullins of IN, and Margaret (Peanut) Underwood of WV, two brothers, Howard Reigle of MD and Roy Sutherland of KY. She is also survived by her best friend Bridget Zengel of WV, several nieces, nephews, cousins, grandbabies, fur babies, and many loved ones.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Kanawha County Humane Society at adoptcharleston.com/give.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held 5:00pm Monday, September 18, 2023, at Forks of Coal Memorial Park, Alum Creek. Following the Celebration of Life there will be a gathering at Tippie’s Tavern, 216 7th Avenue, South Charleston.

Jacob Dewayne Smith, 39, of Charleston, passed away Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at home.

Jacob was a job foreman for ScottyScapes. He had a green thumb and was very proud of his landscaping. He enjoyed four-wheeling and being in the woods.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Joshua Nathaniel Smith.

Jacob is survived by his mother & stepfather, Sherry Joan Dillon & Dewayne Dunlap of Foster; father, Carlos W. Smith of Danville; daughter, Kaitlyn Smith of South Carolina; son, Jacob Michael Smith of Braxton County; brothers, Matthew (Susan) Smith of Huntington & Noah Smith (Karen Elkins) of Madison; many aunts, uncles, nieces, & nephews who loved him dearly.

Service times are pending.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to offset funeral expenses to Curry Funeral Home, PO Box 9, Alum Creek, WV 25003.

Gregory Gene Abbott, Jr., 48, of St. Albans, passed away Saturday, September 2, 2023, at home.

Greg was a fork truck operator with South Charleston Stamping & Manufacturing for many years. He enjoyed spending his free time with family as well as being outside whenever he could. Greg will be remembered for his big heart and willingness to always help others.

Greg is survived by his son, Dalton James Abbott; daughter, Haley Abbott; stepson, John Holstein; parents, Greg & Carolyn Hudson Abbott; sisters, Shelly (Eddie) Wikel and Cristie (Jessie) Curry; grandsons, Josh, Adrian, and Logan; and many nieces, nephews, and other family members.

Funeral service will be 1:00 p.m., Friday, September 15, 2023, at Curry Funeral Home with Pastor Stan Smith officiating. Burial will follow at French Cemetery, Berry Hills Drive, Charleston. Friends and family will gather one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Barbara Gean Turley, 81, peacefully entered into the arms of her Lord & Savior on Sunday, September 3, 2023, after battling a long illness.

Born and raised in South Charleston, she attended South Charleston High School and West Virginia State University. She worked as a tax preparer, homemaker, and home renovator. She enjoyed cooking, dancing, reading, crime shows, debating politics, and playing board games with her grandbabies. She loved her family and loved God most of all.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles & Eleanor Harper; her brother, Charles Harper, II; grandson Andrew Lee Turley, and her loving husband of 46 years, Russell Paul Turley and his sons.

She is survived by their children, Tony (Christine) Turley of Scott Depot, Marc (Lisa) Turley of Huntington, Sherri (Donald Joe) Weathersbee of South Charleston; grandchildren, Brittany Turley (Michael Durst), Briana (Curtis) Sullivan, Kyle Turley (Katy Hall), Amber (Eric) Jarrett, and Sarah Kirk; great grandchildren, Aden, Noah, Piper, Olivia, Greyson, Reagan, Finley, Finn, Asher, Brantley, and Oliver; siblings, Anna Parsons, James Harper, Paul Harper, and Sarah Parcell.

A celebration of life will be held at 1:00 p.m., September 7, 2023, at South Charleston First Church of the Nazarene, South Charleston with Pastor Kent Estep officiating. Burial will follow at Grandview Memorial Park, Dunbar. Friends and family will gather one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American Heart Association, Shriners Hospitals for Children, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Ronnie Alan Chambers, 72, of Alum Creek, WV, passed away Monday, August 28, 2023 at Holzer Medical Center, Pomeroy, OH. He was preceded in death by his parents, Meredith Chambers and Phyllis Garnes.

He was a 1969 graduate of Duval High School. He worked as a nuclear medical technician. He was a Vietnam Veteran.

He is survived by his sisters, Debra (Rex) Hill, and Deirdra Turner, and several nieces and nephews.

Per his request he will be cremated and there will not be a service.

Burial will be in Orchard Hills Memory Gardens, Yawkey, WV.

Longtime Lincoln County educator Ray Isaacs died peacefully on August 24th, 2023, at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He was 93 years old. If you attended public school in Lincoln County, WV from 1954 to 1978, there’s a strong possibility that you once had Ray Isaacs as a teacher.

Ray was born in Ona, WV on May 31st, 1930, and was raised in Lincoln County WV. His father was a station master for the C&O Railroad, and his mother operated the combination General Store and US Post Office in McCorkle, WV from 1938 until her retirement in 1965. After graduating from Duval High School in Griffithsville, WV in 1947, Ray earned a Bachelor’s Degree in biology and sciences from Morris Harvey College in Charleston, WV (Now the University Of Charleston). He later earned a Master’s Degree in biology from West Virginia University, and another Master’s Degree in education from West Virginia State College. Beginning in 1954, Ray began teaching at various Lincoln County, WV schools on all levels, from elementary to high school, and also served as Principal of the elementary school located in Sumerco, WV. After nearly 24 years of teaching students at seven elementary schools and two high schools in Lincoln County, Ray transferred to Putnam County, WV, where he continued working until his retirement from full-time teaching in 1986. After retiring, Ray still taught on a part-time basis as a substitute in Carter County, KY, and he taught adult education classes and courses for US Citizenship through the Morehead State University Satellite Program well.

Aside from many years as an educator, Ray was also a 33rd Degree Mason, having been accepted into Lodge #71 in Griffithsville, WV in 1961. He was a member of the Beni Kedem Shriners Temple in Charleston, WV, and was very active in that organization during the 1970’s. He took part in community fund-raisers and parades for several years. Ray was a veteran and served in both the US Army and US Air Force. While he spent a total of five years on active duty, most of his 20-plus year military career was reserve duty with the WV Air National Guard. He often encouraged students to consider military service as an option if they did not want to attend college. One student in particular later credited Ray as the main influence for becoming a jet aircraft mechanic and serving in the US Air Force himself for 30 years.

Ray had a passion for model railroads, his collection of train layouts of various sizes and gauges rivaled many museum-quality displays. He also collected old movies and theater projectors, which he enjoyed repairing and rebuilding.

Ray was preceded in death by his two older brothers, Willis “Bud” Isaacs and Renny Isaacs, Jr. He is survived by his longtime companion, best friend, and wife, Ruth Pauley Isaacs of Gallipolis, Ohio. He often credited Ruth as “The best friend I could ever hope to have.” He is also survived by one son, John Isaacs, and his family, of York, Maine.

Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, August 28, 2023, at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek. Friends and family will gather one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Burial will be 3:30 p.m., at East Carter County Memory Gardens, Grayson, KY.

Orville Ray Jones, Jr. “BJ”, 54 of Kenna, WV went home to be with Jesus at the Hubbard Hospice House on August 24, 2023, with family and angels by his side, after a short illness.

BJ was born August 17, 1969, in Lorain, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Orville Ray and Beulah Burdette Jones.

BJ is survived by his three children, Owen Jones (Brittany) of Eleanor, Abbigail Jones of Maysel and Alice Jones of Maysel; sisters, Becky Barnard (Toby) of Bridgeport, Tammy Kinder (Marty) of Sissonville, Barbara Smith (Ray) of Hurricane; grandchildren, Paisleigh Jones and Gentry Jones; nephews, Jeremey Barnard (Cynthia), Randy LeMaster (Leanna), Mark Boggess; nieces, Sarah Sell (Rickey), Nikki Hilbert; great nephews, Easton Barnard, Mason Sell, Max Sell; great niece, Maddie Sell.

BJ went into the United States Air Force after graduating from Ripley High School in 1987. In the Air Force, he served in Alconbury, England as a Munitions System Specialist.

BJ worked for the Laborers’ LIUNA Local 1353 Union in Charleston for many years.

He enjoyed cooking, sewing, hunting, fixing things and helping other people, most of all he loved telling stories.

In keeping with his wishes, there will not be a service. Memorial donations can be sent to HospiceCare, 1606 Kanawha Blvd, W., Charleston, WV 25312.

Thanks to Dr. Steven Mandish and Sharon and Dr. Justin Cohen at the Cancer Center. Thanks to Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston.

Special thanks to Angela Slater-Atkins for being there for BJ and leading him to the Lord. We are forever grateful.