NORTON, VA – Joan Collins Flanary, 84, died Wednesday, February 27, 2019, at the home of her daughter in Norton, Va. She was a former employee and retiree of Parks Belk Department Store. She was a member of West Norton Baptist Church. Joan was past Matron of Coeburn Chapter of Order of Eastern Star, a member of Falling Creek Chapter 188 in Dungannon, Va. and Lonesome Pine Chapter 134 in Norton, Va. She enjoyed her family, her flower garden and the fraternity of her sisters and brothers of the Eastern Star. She was preceded in death by her parents, James Collins and Genelle Starnes Collins; her husband, Jim Flanary; her brothers, Gerald “Buddy” Collins and Frankie Collins; a nephew, who was as a son, Glen Collins and a great grandson, Ben Flanary.
She is survived by her daughter, Debra Flanary Rife of Norton; two sons, Michael Allen Flanary and James Patrick Flanary and his wife Andrea, all of Norton, Va.; grandchildren, Katie Maine, Jamie Flanary, Brandon Rife, Ryan Hobbs and Logan Smith; great grandchildren, Matthew, Charlie and Maggie Maine, Finnian Flanary, Avery and Aadryn Hobbs; a brother, James Collins, Jr. of Mich.; several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 pm Friday, March 1, 2019, at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. Eastern Star Services with funeral services to follow will begin at 7 pm Friday in the funeral home chapel. Rev. Benny Boles will officiate. Graveside committal services will be conducted at 11 am Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the White Oak Gap Cemetery in Norton. Family and friends will meet at the funeral home by 10:30 am Saturday to travel in procession to the cemetery.
MICHELLE LEA FARMER
NORTON, VA – Michelle Lea Farmer, 48, died Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at her home on Liberty Avenue in Norton. Michelle was a former CNA at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Wise. She was preceded in death by her mother, Peggy McConnell Kennedy, her brother Erik Bevins, and Buck and Mary McConnell.
She is survived by her son Cody (Chian) Mickles, her father, Sam (Karen) Bevins, her fiancé, Johnny Shockley, and her grandchildren, Emmitt Mickles, Jacob Mickles, Addison Mickles, and soon to be: Layken Mickles.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 PM Monday, February 11, 2019 at the Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. Her funeral service will be at 7 PM in the funeral home chapel, with Eddie Farmer officiating. Burial will be at 11 AM Tuesday at the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Norton.
RANDY DEAN
NORTON, VA – Randy Dean, 56 died Thursday, February 7, 2019 at his home on Guest River Road, Norton, Virginia. Randy was a stock clerk at the Food City Store in Wise, VA, and with the former Ingles Grocery in Norton. He was a son of the late Lester and Monette Smith Dean.
Surviving are his sisters and brother: Doris (Lawrence) Sligh, Lenexa, VA, Lois (Scott) Miles, Toano, VA, Stacey (Ray) Wooten, Toano, VA and Ricky (Janet) Collins, Barhamsville, VA; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family will receive friends at 1 PM Monday at the Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. A memorial service will be at 1:30 PM in the funeral home chapel with the Reverend Darrell Bolling officiating. Memorial contributions may be made c/o Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home, 956 Park Avenue NW, Norton, VA 24273.
NELLIE DOSA
WISE, VA - Nellie Grace Begley Dosa, 93, passed away in peace on February, 6th 2019 at the home of her daughter in Opelika, Alabama. Nellie was born in Dorchester, Virginia on April 6th, 1925 and was a resident of Wise, Virginia until 2010. She attended Norton High School, was a girls’ varsity basketball player, and graduated in 1944. She attended First Church of God, Wise Virginia where she was actively involved with the Women of the Church of God (WCG). She was the bookkeeper for Sturgill Coal Company and for Kennedy’s Piggly Wiggly from which she retired after 31 years of service.
She was known for her love of nature, floral gardens, kind heart and great cooking. In her spare time, after moving to Alabama, she enjoyed attending sporting events of her great-grandsons, caring for her African Violets and loving on her dog, Gracie. She is preceded in death by her parents, 5 sisters, 2 brothers and the love of her life, Frank Dosa, to whom she was married for 63 years.
She is survived by her daughter, Mary Kay Steffey (Tim), Granddaughter Kayla Steffey-Bates, great-grandsons Jackson Bates and Micah Bates, Daughter of the heart Marietta Stallard, Granddaughter of the heart Melanie Davis (Clay), Grandson of the heart Lee Stallard, great-grandson of the heart Dane Sullins, special nephew John Begley (Sandy) and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Funeral service will be 3 pm Sunday, February 10, 2019 at First Church of God in Wise, Virginia with Reverend Ben Murphy officiating. Interment will follow at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Norton, Virginia. Visitation will be held at the Church one hour prior to the service.
Due to her love of nature, in lieu of flowers and gifts, donations can be made to High Knob Master Naturalists: Po Box 1156 Wise, Va 24293.
ROBBIE GOODE TATE
NORTON, VA - Robbie Goode Tate, 85, passed peacefully in her sleep at her home in Colonial Heights, Tenn., on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019.
Mrs. Tate had been in Tennessee for about 20 years but spent the bulk of her adult life in Norton. Born in rural Colfax, Texas, she spent most of her early life in and around Dallas and Fort Worth.
Tate was preceded in death by her husband, Carroll Nelson Tate, and son, Michael Nelson Tate; three brothers, Floyd Eugene Goode, Thomas Jefferson Watson Jr. and Delma Fred Goode, and niece Presley Taggart Downs. She was the last surviving child of father Robert Raleigh Goode and mother Callie Lee Smith Goode.
Mrs. Tate is survived by two daughters, Jenay Tate of Norton and Carol Tate Bryant and husband Don of Virginia Beach; four grandchildren, Hannah Grace Tate of Norton, Nelson Stewart Tate of Norton, Miles Andrew Tate of Norfolk, and Ian Michael Tate of Norton; and her brother's son Robert Martin Goode and wife Rhonda of Grand Prarie, Texas, and nieces and nephews Bill, Jim and Bobby Thompson, Ted, Alex and Kit Tate and Kay Taggart Crutchfield and Mary Bullit "Butch" Rainero and their families.
Visitation will be Saturday, Feb. 9, beginning at 12 noon at Hagy Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton, with services following at 1 p.m. The Rev. Jim Collie will officiate. She will be buried in Highlands Cemetery. Pallbearers are Don Bryant, Nelson Tate, Miles Tate, Charles Lawson, Bill Endean and Mike Parrott.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Holston Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 5265, Kingsport, Tenn., 37663, or to the charity of your choice in her memory.
Mrs. Tate was the former owner and publisher of The Coalfield Progress in Norton, The Post in Big Stone Gap and The Dickenson Star in Clintwood. She was considered a savvy and hard-working business person and community leader. She had taken over the reigns at the company when her husband became ill with Alzheimer's Disease and retired.
Mrs. Tate was active in the Green Thumb Garden Club, Wise Business Association, the Wise Clean County Committee, Keep America Beautiful and other community activities. She was a member of Gladeville Presbyterian Church in Wise. She was an accomplished artist and seamstress. She participated in the planning of Norton's Diamond Jubilee and later would chair the committee that organized Norton's Centennial Celebration.
Mrs. Tate was active for years in the Virginia Press Association, becoming only the second woman president and the first wife of a former president to also hold that position. She led the organization during a tumultuous time of personnel change.
Tate also served on the Virginia State Library Board.
In Sullivan County, she volunteered as a long-time member of Holston Valley Medical Center's hospital auxiliary and would also serve on the Wellmont Foundation Board. She also served as treasurer of Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church and was a supporter of Holston Habitat for Humanity.
RONALD ELDRIDGE
NORTON, VA – Ronald Keith "Ralo” Eldridge, 52, died Monday, February 4, 2019, at Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, TN. He attended the Freedm of Worship Church and awas a lifelong resident of the Norton area. He was preceded in death by his parents, George Eldridge and Viola Smith Eldridge.
He is survived by his wife, Lisa Eldridge of Norton, Va.; daughters, Laken Eldridge and Lauren Moran, both of Jefferson City, Tn., Amber Allen and her husband Matt of Jonesville, Va., Tyler Deirth and his wife Ashlyn of Pennington Gap, Va.; grandchildren, Norman Moran, Hunter Allen, Hannah Allen and Adley Deirth; brothers, Roger Eldridge and his wife Sandy of Coeburn, Va.; sister, Elizabeth Mills of Norton, Va., Sheila Hickock and her husband Harold of Wise, Va., Sandra Joyner and her husband Jeff of Nashville, Tn., Barbara Peters and her husband George, Pamela Odierno and her husband Sal, and Peggy Dorton and her husband John, all of Norton, Va.; several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 1-2 pm Thursday, February 7, 2019, at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 pm Thursday in the funeral home chapel with Robert Fultz, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the White Oak Gap Cemetery in Norton. Memorial contributions may be made to Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home, 956 Park Ave NW, Norton, VA 24273 to help with funeral expenses.
