Charles Dexter (Dex) Duncan, also known to many as Charlie, 91, of Alum Creek, passed away at his home on Friday, April 21, 2017 with his loving wife, Helen, and his children by his side.

Dex was born July 31, 1925, the third of five children born to Lawrence W. and Tressa Griffith Duncan at Olcott, a small coal mining community in Kanawha County.  He graduated from Washington District High School and immediately joined the Army Air Corps to serve in World War II.  He was extremely proud of his service to his country as a belly ball turret gunner on a B-24, part of the Liberator Squadron.  He often said that he got that assignment because he was the smallest guy on the crew.  He went on to fly thirty-three combat bombing missions over strategic targets in Poland, Austria, and Germany.  Later, he was an early member of VFW Post No. 4768 in Alum Creek.  He was a faithful and active member of the post, attending meetings until last fall.  The members of the post were some of his best friends.

In 1949, he married Helen Fitzwater, and for over 68 years they were sweethearts and partners in making a home that was focused on their children, family, friends, and community.  Family gatherings and trips with Helen, his children, and grandchildren were his happiest times, and the happiest times for their kids.  After his retirement from a long career with FMC, he and Helen loved to travel.  He loved golf, the beach, working in his yard, and cigars.  He was an intelligent man of few words, honest, principled, and strong-willed.  He valued hard work and education.  His unrelenting will and determination sustained and carried him through the last several years of declining health.  We take comfort that he was able to stay in his home until the end.  Most recently, Hospice Care was an invaluable help to us.  The family is most grateful for Mason Kirk, caretaker and friend to Dad and Mom, who has been dedicated to them.

Dex was preceded in death by his brothers, Darrell, Nile, and Bob, and his sister, Betty Belcher.  He is survived by his wife, Helen, daughters, Diana (Steve) Morris of St. Albans, Drema (Steve) Watts of St. Albans, Jill Novak of Langhorne, Pa., and his son C.D. (Linda) Duncan of Charleston.  Also surviving are grandchildren, Erin (Barkclay) Morris of Lexington, Ky., David (Justin) Morris of Portland Me., Erik Duncan of Charleston, Nicholas (Gina) Watts of Cross Lanes, Christopher (Caitlin) Novak of Colorado Springs, Co., Matthew Novak of Rockville, Md., and Katie Novak of Langhorne, Pa.  Great grandchildren are Liam and Finley Morris-Phelps, Carys, Elliot, and Miles Novak of Colorado Springs, Co., and the expected August arrival of Ellis and Evelyn Watts in Cross Lanes.  He was a great father and best Papaw ever, very proud of his family and their lives.  He loved them and was greatly loved by them.

Services will be held at 1:00 PM Tuesday, April 25 at Curry Funeral Home at 2097 Childress Road in Alum Creek, WV, with Pastor Frank Chapman.  Entombment will follow at Graceland Memorial Park in South Charleston, with military graveside honors by the Alum Creek VFW Post 4768.  Friends will gather one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Alum Creek VFW Post 4768 at 4443 Brounland Rd, Charleston, WV 25309 or Hospice Care at 1606 Kanawha BLVD. W., Charleston, WV 25387

Suzanne Bouldin, 73, of South Charleston, formerly of Cross Lanes, went home to the Lord Thursday, April 20, 2017 at home after a long illness.

She was preceded in death by her parents Briscoe and Margaret Bouldin.

She was a retired district supervisor with the Social Security Administration and a member of the Cross Lanes United Methodist Church.

She is survived by her cousins, C. J. (Shelly) Sammons with whom she has made her home with for the past 10 years, June Lee, Bobbie Duffield, Debbie (Tom) Jankowski, Angie Harold, Charles and Bill Sammons and Chase Brown.

Funeral service will be 1:00 PM Monday, April 24, at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Gary Nelson officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park in South Charleston.

The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service Monday at the funeral home.

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

Carl David Gilley, 48, his wife, Christine, 42, and children, Grace Margaret,  13, and Jack Nathanael,  10, of China Grove (Rowan County), NC,  died on Thursday, April 13, 2017, in a car crash on I-77 near Mile Marker 22, Camp Creek, WV, that took the lives of the entire family.  The family was heading toward Christine’s parents’ home in Irondale, OH, when the accident occurred.

Jack & Grace loved swimming with the Sailfish Aquatics team in Concord.  Jack was a 4th grader at Bostian Elementary and Grace was a 7th grader at Salisbury Academy.  Their mom, Christine, was a fixture at the CrossFit Vitality training facility, and her husband, David, worked as a senior project manager for the TIAA investment firm.  David was a biology graduate of the University of North Florida.  Christine graduated from Fauquier High, Warrenton, VA, and later earned her degree in business administration and accounting from Mary Washington College in 1996.

A vigil for the family was held at the Concord Church of Christ, Friday, April 14th.  A celebration of the lives of David, Christine, Grace and Jack Gilley will take place 3:00pm,  Friday, April 21st in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel at Catawba College on West Innes Street, Salisbury, NC.  A reception will follow in the Crystal Lounge on the Catawba campus.  Local arrangements were provided by Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, WV.

Joshua Lee Miles, 35 of Cross Lanes, formerly of Lincoln county,  passed away Wednesday April 13, 2017. Joshua was preceded in death by his mother Daisy Tackett Sowards, also maternal grandparents, Troy C. and Lucy Gay Tackett.

He is also survived by his children; Bryan, Shie – Lyn Rei, Madison and Tristan, brothers Steven Tackett, Duane and Ronald Hicks all of West Virginia and also many aunts, uncles and friends.

He will be missed “but the love we all share! Will remain in our “Hearts”.

Funeral service will be 2:00 Friday April 21, at Curry Funeral Home Alum Creek with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at Barker Cemetery Ashford.

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

David Eugene Eskew, Sr., of Alum Creek, passed away Friday, April 14^th 2017 at Riverside Nursing Home in St. Albans.

He was an auto mechanic.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Delmar and Beulah Eskew, and his sister, Deborah Chandler.  He is survived by his three children: Christina Egnor of Stony Point, NC; Sharon Grounds (Zack) of Anniston, Alabama; David (Amanda) Eskew, Jr. of Alum Creek; and 6 beautiful grandchildren, Dustin, Joseph, Mikayla, Katie, Madison and Jason.   He is also survived by three brothers: Eddie, Tommy, and Teddy Eskew; two sisters, Donna Baire and Martha Barker.

A celebration of David’s life will be held at a later date.

Bessie Adkins Clay, 95, of Julian went home to be with the Lord Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at Boone Memorial Hospital in Madison, WV.

She was a member of the Danville Church of Christ.

Bessie is preceded in death by husbands, Homer Adkins and Elbert Clay; and granddaughter, Heather Webb.

She is survived by daughters, Della Elkins, Dottie (James) Webb and Doris Williams; grandchildren, Tammy, Jenny & Andrea; great grandchildren, Joshua and Cassidy; and great great granddaughter, Savannah.

Service will be 1:00 p.m. Monday, April 17, 2017 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Minister Richard Runyan officiating. Burial will follow at Orchard Hills Memory Gardens, Yawkey. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Dan “Wilbur” Brogan, age 66, of Seebert, WV, formerly of Alum Creek, passed away on Monday, April 10, 2017 at Pocahontas Memorial Hospital.  Dan was born July 9, 1950 in Charleston, WV.

Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Webb & Myrtle Brogan and sister, Linda Brogan.

A long-time Union Carbide employee, Dan retired to Pocahontas County along the Greenbrier River.  Dan never met a stranger and was well-known for his giving nature and helping heart.  He was known for always having a smile and everyone he met was instructed immediately to call him “Uncle Dan” as if they were a part of the family.  No matter where he went, he always knew someone and had a story to tell.  He enjoyed nothing more than hunting, fishing and gardening with his best friend Elwood Whitlock.  He liked to sit by the Greenbrier River in the “Chicken Hut” to relax and visit with the friends and tourists alike.  Dan’s passing has left a void in all who knew and loved him that can never be filled.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Marlington, WV, and was a 1970 graduate of GW High School where he was class president.

Dan is survived by his long-time partner Beverly Eads; son Calvin (Norma) Brogan of South Charleston; daughter, Melissa Chandler of Alum Creek;  and nephews that Dan and his former wife, JoEllen raised from their childhood, Tony (Jessica) Stewart and Justin Stewart; along with the loving children of Beverly, Michelle (Robert) Sharp and Lance Eads.  He is also survived by his brothers, Ezra “Blackie” Brogan and Timmy (Connie) Brogan and his sister, Sue Brogan; five grandchildren, Brittany (Brent) Griffith, Allison (Shaun) Adams, Jeffrey Allen, Logan and Cierra; and three great-grandchildren, Beckett and Brinley Griffith and Allie Stewart, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be 1:00pm Saturday, April 15, 2017, at Curry Funeral Home, Alum Creek, with Pastor Frank Chapman officiating.  Friends and family will gather from 11:00am to 1:00pm prior to the service.

A memorial service will also be held in Pocahontas County at a later date.

Jackie Alan Miller, 48, of Sumerco went home to the Lord Thursday, April 6, 2017 at Cabell Huntington Hospital.

He was a member of the Boilermakers Union and served in the U. S. Army 82nd Airborne during the Gulf War.

Jackie was preceded in death by his wife, Tamara.

He is survived by his children, Christian, Grace, Colten and Christopher (Ty);  parents, Jackie and Margo Miller; sisters, Laura (Eric) Akers and Teresa (Danny) Hughes; and many other family and friends.

Service will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, April 13, 2017 at the New Covenant Baptist Church with Pastors David Hicks and Dwight McClure officiating.  Burial will follow at the Miller Family Cemetery  with military graveside rites conducted by the Alum Creek VFW Post 4768.   The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers the family request that contributions be made toward the funeral services.

Boyce Albert (Sonny) Griffith

Boyce Albert (Sonny) Griffith, who loved the practice of law, good wine, sports cars and baseball, passed peacefully on Thursday, April 6 at the age of 88.   Boyce resided in Alum Creek from the age of three when his parents, George and Vennie moved the family there from St. Albans.

Boyce’s life started on January 26, 1929.  Boyce was the 6^th child born to George and Vennie.  His brothers and sisters included:  Dayton Griffith, Olivia Peters, Bothman Griffith, Jean Griffith, Margaret (Sissy)Griffith and Franklin Griffith.

When he was a young boy, during warm & sunny WV days, he would strip off his clothes and swim in the creek running alongside the big red barn near his home.  He would proudly tell his mother, Vinnie, that he was taking a “sunset.”  Thus the nickname Sonny emerged.   Boyce always loved the sun.  He said it gave him energy.

Another great pastime was baseball.  Boy did he love baseball.   Boyce was small in stature and as a young boy, he was always placed at the catcher position during after-school games.  He didn’t enjoy this too much as he longed to play what he felt was a more prominent position. He would spend hours in the evening and on the weekends watching baseball during the season.  He traveled to Cincinnati to watch the Reds as often as possible and in later years, he traveled to California where his daughter Joy lived with her family and enjoyed Dodger games and San Francisco Giants games.  There was a family trip to New York to see the Yankees on July 4, 2009 play in their brand new stadium as well as a trip to Chicago to take in a Cubs game.

Boyce’s favorite hobby was researching and drinking great wine (& Champagne!).  He poured over scores of books and magazines detailing every aspect of the grape growing process.  From understanding the soil and temperature to knowing the perfect time to uncork a savored bottle, he always enjoyed the process.  When Boyce made trips with family to the wine country in Northern California, the wine stewards were absolutely awestruck by how much this man from West Virginia knew about the history of wine.  It was surely fun to watch and listen to!

Boyce is survived by his wife, Martha, who he met on a blind date in the summer of 1955.  They had two daughters, Joy Chudacoff and Rene Griffith.  Joy lives in Los Angeles California with her husband Greg and their two children, Jack (16) Jenna (14).  Rene lives in Winston Salem, North Carolina with her life partner, Christi Smith and son Andrew.

‘Sonny’ graduated from Washington District High School May 28, 1947 and had a strong desire to get a college degree.  His oldest brother Dayton, ultimately gave Boyce the $50 he needed to enroll in Morris Harvey College.  It was there he received his undergraduate degree in 1950 with the honor of Magna Cum Laude.   After receiving his under-graduate degree, Boyce achieved a life-long dream of attaining a Law Degree from West Virginia University.    He was a member of the Board of Editors Law Review and received the annual faculty award for the Student of Outstanding Progress in his senior year.  Boyce was also President of his Senior Law Class and graduated in 1953 at the top of his class!

That would be of no surprise to anyone who knew Boyce as a practicing Attorney.  Time and time again, the word around the courthouse was, “if you are going up against Boyce Griffith on a case, you’d better be on time and over-prepared or you are guaranteed a loss!”

Directly after graduating from Law School, Boyce went immediately to serve in the Army.  His mastery of the law was of great benefit to the Army as he provided much support to the legal department during his service.

Boyce began his long & successful sixty-year career as an Assistant Prosecutor in Lincoln County in the spring of 1955.   In 1962, he served as general counsel to Governor William Wallace (Wally) Barron and in 1964, Governor Barron appointed Boyce to become the Chairman of the Public Service Commission.  He served in that capacity until 1969.  In 1969, Boyce went into private practice and from 1972-1975, he served as the Prosecuting Attorney in Lincoln County.    In 1989, Boyce was tapped to be the Chairman of the Public Service Commission a second time by Governor Gaston Caperton and his service lasted until 1997.   In 1997, Boyce went back into private practice in Hamlin and remained in private practice until his retirement.

What most people will remember about Boyce was his constant commitment to helping others.  You would never go to a restaurant, grocery store or otherwise without running into someone who had a tribute or story about Boyce.  He was recognized everywhere he went as someone that was a support to his community.  Growing up in a house with Boyce as a father/husband meant knocks at the front door and phone calls at all hours of the day or night from people who sought his wise advice.

A private Graveside service will be held on Monday, April 10 at 1pm, 2017 at Forks of Coal Cemetery, Alum Creek.   There will be a Celebration of Boyce’s Life on Thursday, April 13, 2017 from 4pm – 7pm at the family home.  To RSVP for the Celebration of Life, please email KtLaSalla@yahoo.com

Please, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a donation to The National Kidney Foundation http://www.kidney.org

Conrad R. Midkiff, 86, of St. Albans went to be with the Lord Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at home.Conrad was a loving husband to Loretta for 33 years. They were high school sweethearts who married other people and reconnected later in life. They traveled many miles together California to the Red Wood Forest, Manitoba Canada, to enjoy canoeing on the Grassy River and visited Ireland.

The kind of father that Conrad was to Sue and Mike was loving and kind he shared his love for nature and animals with them. Conrad never met a stranger. Mike will carry on this trait. Those who knew Conrad know how much he loved people.

He was a graduate of Washington District High School and attended Morris Harvey College. Conrad worked 34 years at the C & P Telephone company and for over 30 years he owned and operated Highway Maps and Flags in South Charleston. He was also a member of Bible Center Church. Conrad served during the Korean War in the U. S. Army 150th Infantry Tank Division and also served in the U. S. Navy.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Cecile Midkiff, sister, Elaine (Midkiff) Bell, stepsons Mike Goff and Morgan Goff.

He is survived by his wife Lorretta Midkiff: daughter, Susan M. Hess, (Alan), son Michael J Midkiff; stepdaughters Joyce Testerman (Clark) and Kathy Bidenback (Donnie) brother, P. J. Midkiff,(Patsy) sisters, Yvonne DeBord and Mariann Crowe. Granddaughter Amy Evans, (Matt) and Grandsons Alan Hess and Travis Midkiff and also 2 great grandsons Banyan and Baylen Evans; and a host of other family and friends. The family would like to send a special thank you to Jon Bowman.

Service will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday April 11th, 2017 at Curry Funeral Home in Alum Creek with Pastor Frank Chapman and Pastor Chad Cowan officiating. Burial will follow at the Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery, Dunbar, WV. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday April 10th 2017 at the funeral home.