WISE, VA – Lawrence Harold Black,
88, died Monday, October 28, 2013 at Norton Community Hospital. He was born in
Harlan, KY to the late Maggie and Hugh Black. Lawrence began his work in the
retail clothing business at Geller’s Department Store in 1947. He was owner
operator of Black’s Men’s Store in Norton, VA from 1976-1982. He later worked
at Federated Store in Pound, VA from 1982-1995 and later retired from Tops and
Bottoms in Wise, VA 2012. Lawrence was a Sunday School Teacher, Deacon and
Choir member at the First Baptist Church in Norton and later a Deacon and Choir
member at Wise Baptist Church. He was a member of the Lonesome Pine Country
Club and always enjoyed his annual golf trips with his golfing buddies. In
addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a son, John Mark Black a
sister, Irene Morgan and a brother Hugh Black.
He is survived by his wife of 63
years, Irene Black of Wise, VA; daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and John Marrs
of Madison, VA, Paulette and Ron Phillips of Clintwood, VA, Paula and David
Barton of Big Stone Gap, VA; son and daughter-in-law, James and Shawn Black of
Louisville, KY; grandchildren, David and Tracy Lobiondo, Anthony Lobiondo,
James Daniel and Janice Black, John Michael and Mary Black, Timothy Black,
Emily Adams, Glyn Phillips, Mary Morgan Phillips, Stuart Barton, Lindsey Horne
and Chris Lawson, Katie Horne and Jeff Gray; seven great grandchildren; several
nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends
from 5-8:00 PM Friday at Wise Baptist Church. Funeral services will be
conducted at 11:00 AM Saturday at the church with Rev. Mike Winters
officiating. Burial will follow at Powell Valley Memorial Gardens.
BRENDA BLANTON
NORTON, VA – Brenda Fields
Blanton, 63, died Monday, Oct. 28, 2013 at her home. She was a member of Neon
Pentecostal Church in Neon, KY. She was preceded in death by her husband, Eddie
G. (Cue) Blanton; her parents, Vester and Myrtle Fields, Sr.; a brother, Jerry
Fields and a sister, Kathy Absher.
She is survived by her sons, Tim
Blanton and his special friend Pamela Cline, Eddie Blanton, Jr. and his wife
Diane, all of Norton, VA, Jacob Blanton and his wife Hollie of Big Stone Gap,
VA; Grandchildren, Tim Blanton, II, Ethan Hunter Blanton, Devan Shane Blanton,
Eli Chase Blanton, Stephanie Whitfield, Halie Lynn, Hanady Bardge, Kennedy
Bardge and special grandson Jared Woodard; sisters, Norma Bennett, of Wise, VA,
Connie VanWinkle, Betty Mullins, Trena Greear, all of Norton, VA; brothers,
Vester (Junior) Fields, Jr. and Bobby Fields all of Norton, VA; several nieces
and nephews.
The family will receive friends
from 5-8:00 PM Tuesday at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. Funeral
services will be conducted 1:00 PM Wednesday in the funeral home chapel with
Rev. Bob Maggard officiating. Burial will follow in the White Oak Gap Cemetery.
LYNELL HEABERLIN WELLS
NORTON, VA – Lynell Heaberlin
Wells, 90, died Friday, Oct. 18, 2013 in Mountain View Regional Medical Center.
She was the widow of Ralph Scott Wells. Lynell was a member of the Wise Baptist
Church. Lynell was a member of the WMU and Fellowship Sunday School Class at
the church. She was a charter member of Preceptor Alpha Omega Chapter of Beta
Sigma Phi. Lynell retired from the Wise County Department of Social Services.
She is survived by her stepdaughter
and her husband, Judith and Rev. Daniel Graham of St. Augustine, FL; her stepson
and his wife, Scott and Barbara Wells of Greenwood, SC; granddaughters, Rebekah
Saylors and her husband Wes of Boone, NC, and Ann Graham of Roswell, GA;
grandsons, Matthew Wells and his wife Sara Rose Wells of Richmond, VA and Adam
Wells of Norton, VA; brothers, Billy Heaberlin and his wife Ann of Wise, VA;
Norman Heaberlin of Canton, OH; sisters, Neva Jean Branham and her husband
Reuben of Kemper, KY, Eleanor Mullett of Canton, OH; several nieces and nephews
including special nephew and his wife, Jeff and Linda Heaberlin;
The family will receive friends
from 5-7:00 PM Monday at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. Sorority services
will be conducted at 7:00 PM Monday in the funeral home chapel. Funeral
services will follow with Rev. Dr. Mike Winters officiating. Graveside
committal services will be conducted at 11:00 AM Tuesday at Powell Valley
Memorial Gardens. Family and friends will meet at the funeral home by 10:30 AM
Tuesday to travel in procession to the cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be
made to the Wise Baptist Church, P.O. Box 777, Wise, VA 24293.
BERNARD SMITH
NORTON, VA – Bernard Franklin
Smith, 73 died Tuesday, Oct 15, 2013 in Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon,
VA. Born in Kentucky, he was a former resident of Norton before moving to
Marion, Virginia.
Graveside committal services will
be conducted at 9:00 AM Monday at Highland Cemetery in Norton with Rev. Ed
Blair officiating.
MILDRED POSTON
NORTON, VA - Mildred Elizabeth
Alderson Poston, died at the age of 103, at the Bedford County Nursing Home in
Bedford, VA, on Saturday, October 12, 2013.
She was born May 31, 1910 to
Robert D. and Ella V. Alderson. A native
of Norton, VA, she was a 1929 graduate of Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, TN,
and was a member of the Norton United Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband,
Arthur E. “Joe” Poston, Sr. and her brothers, Jack D. Alderson and R. Hersel
Alderson.
Mildred is survived by her daughter, Linda P.
Meadows and her husband, Robert of Bedford, VA, and a son, Arthur E. “Pedie”
Poston, Jr., and his wife, Lynda, Wise, VA; her grandchildren: Sarah Meadows, Rebecca Williams, Janis Tester,
Dana Fleming, and Cindy Stanley; her great-grandchildren: Sam Williams, Emilee Williams, Jennifer
Tester, Daniel Tester, Dean Arthur Tester, Sydney Fleming, Hannah Fleming,
Maggie Buchanan, and Seth Collier; four
great-great grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A graveside funeral service will be held at a
later date at the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Norton.
Memorial gifts may be made to St. Jude
Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
GEORGE SCARBOROUGH
NORTON, VA - At the age of 88,
George Yeardley Scarborough passed away on July 28, 2013 at Hubbard House
Hospice in South Charleston, West Virginia due to complications from a broken
hip. He was predeceased by his wife of
50-years, Mary Jane Jessee Scarborough in May of 2007, and survived by his sons
Jessee Americus Scarborough, P.E, D.GE of St. Albans, WV and Sergeant First
Class Edmund Lee Scarborough of Chicago, IL.
He was proud of his naval service during World War II and his Virginia
heritage. He was a loving father and
husband; he was a good man.
George was born in Norton, Virginia,
son of George Carson Scarborough and Ethel Vivian Paden Stephens
Scarborough. A plank owner aboard the
USS Snowden, DE-246, he was a First Class Sonar Petty Officer. After the war, he studied Civil Engineering
at the University of Virginia. While his
graduation was interrupted by the Korean War, he is accounted as alumni of the
Class of ’51. George was a registered
Professional Engineer in Fire Protection Engineering, and a Life Member of the
Society of Fire Protection Engineers and the National Fire Protection
Association. While a resident in Norris,
Tennessee, he served as a member of the municipal Water Commission for nearly
20-years.
George was a member of the Jamestown
Society, The Sons of the American Revolution, The Order of Founders and
Patriots of America, the Virginia Society of the Sons of Confederate Veterans,
and the Genealogy and History of the Eastern Shore (GHOTES). He was a proud member of the Southwest
Virginia “Texas Club.” George Yeardley
will be buried in the Scarborough family plot of the Highland Cemetery in
Norton, Virginia.
Graveside
funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 PM Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 at
Highland Cemetery with Dr. Mike Porter officiating.
JACKIE LYNN STIDHAM
NORTON, VA – Jackie Lynn Stidham,
40, died Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013 at Mountain View Regional Medical Center. She
was preceded in death by her husband, Rocky Covey Stidham; her grandparents,
Anna and Frank Farmer and Otis Sturgill.
She is survived by her son and
daughter-in-law, Zachary Ryan and Mary Elizabeth Absher of Norton, VA; her
parents, Johnny and Jearline Farmer of Norton, VA; her grandmother, Lula
Sturgill of Norton, VA; her brother and sister-in-law, Edward and Tonya Farmer
of Norton, VA; several aunt and uncles.
The family will receive friends
from 5-7:00 PM Friday at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. Funeral
services will be conducted 7:00 PM Friday in the funeral home chapel with Roger
Morgan and Mike Hunsucker officiating. Graveside committal services will be
conducted 11:00 AM Saturday at Laurel Grove Cemetery, Norton, VA. Family and
friends will meet at the funeral home by 10:30 AM Saturday to travel in
procession to the cemetery.
BARBARA S. GIBSON
NORTON, VA - Barbara S. Gibson,
formerly of Norton, died Thursday, October 3, 2013 at Vanderbilt University
Hospital in Nashville. Barbara was a
daughter of the late James O. and Vivian Stapleton and was the widow of the
late Terry Gibson. A daughter, Michelle
Sturgis, preceded her in death.
Barbara grew up in Pennington Gap
where she twirled her baton in the high school band. She moved to Norton soon
afterward and lived there most of her life, raising her girls with Terry,
attending (often late) First Baptist Church, and going back to school to become
a licensed practical nurse. Her family was so proud to see her pin on a nurse’s
hat and land a job at the former St. Mary’s Hospital in Norton. For many years,
she called the emergency room there her home away from home. Barbara had
recently moved to Dandridge, TN, taking with her a fondness for every dog she
ever met, a healthy fear of snakes, and a penchant for Coach pocketbooks and
super sweet tea. But most of all, she treasured her family and friends, holding
them close to hear heart through visits, phone calls, and even Facebook.
Barbara is survived by her
daughter Wendi Richert, son-in-law Curt Richert, and grandsons Camden and
Benjamin, all of Roanoke. She also leaves behind her boyfriend, Richard Beverly
of Dandridge, TN.
The family wishes to extend their
gratitude to the staff at Vanderbilt University Hospital’s cardiac intensive
care unit for their care and support in her final days.
The family will receive friends
from 5-7 PM Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in
Norton. Funeral services will be at 7 PM
in the funeral home chapel, with the Reverend John Ellington officiating. Family and friends will gather from 10 –
10:30 AM Wednesday at the funeral home, where they will then travel in
procession to the Powell Valley Memorial Gardens for burial.
JOSIE CLISSO CRABTREE
WISE, VA - Josie Clisso Crabtree,
90, died Tuesday, October 1, 2013 at Mercy Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand
Rapids, Michigan. Formerly of Wise,
Virginia, she had recently moved to Michigan to be close to family. A daughter of Pete and Allie (Rossi) Clisso,
she was one of 17 children.
Surviving are her daughters and
sons-in-law Gladys and Gene Burke, North Charleston, SC, and Janice and Dwaine
Starnes, Wyoming, MI; her grandchildren:
Donna Boast, Paula Burke, Scott Swinney, and Steve Swinney; her great
grandchildren: Carter Swinney, Cameron
Swinney, Eli Swinney, and Angela Wolff; her brothers and sisters: Clyde Clisso, Hobert Clisso, Don Clisso,
Connie Day, and Sharon Clisso; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends
from 6-8 PM Friday at the Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home in Norton. Funeral services will be at 11 AM Saturday in
the funeral home chapel with the Reverend Darrell Bolling officiating. Burial will follow in the Wise Cemetery.
MILDRED RUTH ABSHER
NORTON, VA – Mildred Ruth Absher,
90, died Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013 at her home. She attended the Ramsey Freewill
Baptist Church. She loved cooking, canning and walking to the park to feed the
ducks. She was preceded in death by her husband; Elmer Absher; a daughter,
Alice Dotson of Ohio; five brothers, Emmett L. Bates, Jr., Vermont Bates,
Willie Bates, Ed Bates and Claude Bates; a sister, Beatrice Graham.
She is survived by her daughters,
Mildred Moore and Juda Nuchols of Kingsport, TN; Linda Cooke and her husband
Carlos of Wise, VA, Shelia Yuastella of Plainville, MA, Sharon Roy and her husband
Allen of Big Stone Gap, VA; her sons, Larry Absher and his wife Charlotte of
Fall Branch, TN, James Absher and his wife Gretta of Church Hill, TN, Freddie
Absher and Eddie Absher, both of Norton, VA; special friend, Amy Everidge of
Norton, VA; 21 grandchildren, a host of great and great great grandchildren; a
sister, Marie Pleasant of Norton, VA; several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends
5-7:00 PM Thursday at Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home. Funeral services will be
conducted at 7:00 PM Thursday in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Steve Powers
and Rev. Ralph McFarland officiating. Graveside committal services will be
conducted at 11:00 AM Friday at the Laurel Grove Cemetery. Family and friends
will meet at the funeral home by 10:30 AM Friday to travel in procession to the
cemetery.
