Villa Mae Johnson
Villa Mae Johnson, 86, of Linville Falls Highway, Newland, died Monday December 23, 2002 in a Valley Nursing Center in Taylorsville, NC.
A native of Avery County, she was a daughter of the late George and Patsy Mayberry Dean.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Chest Nut Dale Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lillard Burton Johnson; one step-son, Lawrence Conley Johnson; brothers, Jack, Nat and Wade Dean; step-grandson, Jerry Calhoun.
She is survived by her daughter, Janice Johnson Austin of Conover; step-daughter, Behula Johnson Calhoun of Crossnore; sisters, Edna Dean Lewis of Newland, Madge Dean Calloway of Plumtree, step granddaughter, Brenda Calhoun Griner of Crossnore.
Funeral Services for Villa Mae Johnson were conducted on Friday, December 27, at the Grandfather Chapel of Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home, with the Rev. Dennis Aldridge who officiated. .
Interment followed in the Ashley Cemetery.
Memorials can be made to the Valley Nursing Center, Taylorsville, NC.
Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home served the family during their time of need.
Gordon Donald Gragg
Gordon Donald Gragg, 78, of MacArthur, died Saturday, December 28, 2002 at the Summit at Hidden Valley in Oak Hill, following a long illness.
Born February 10, 1924 in Wyoming Co., he was the son of the late Donald Taylor and Etta Holander Gragg.
Mr. Gragg retired from Westmoreland Coal Co.
He also worked as an auto salesman for Lewis Chevrolet in Beckley.
Mr. Gragg spent part of his life in Boone, NC, and spent the last 54 years in Raleigh, NC.
He was a member of Sophia Freewill Baptist Church and the UMWA Local No. 5770 at Eccles.
He served faithfully in the U.S. Navy during WWII.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Larkin and Ella Gragg of Linville, NC; maternal grandparents, Henry and Jane Hollander of Roseborogh, NC; sister, Norma Lee Heath, half-brother, Franklin Coffey and step-father, Coleman Coffey.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Delores Coffey Gragg, two sons, Donald Roger Gragg of Shady Spring, and Timothy Keith Gragg of Hudson, NC; two daughters, Donna C. Covey and husband, Don of Hudson, NC, and Rita June Meek and husband, Dennis of Lenoir, NC; two granddaughters, two grandsons; one great-granddaughter and two half-brothers, Larry Wayne Coffey and Wade Coffey both of Linville, NC
Services were held on Monday at Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckly with Rev. George Smith officiating. Burial followed in the Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckly.
Pallbearers were Don Covey, Donnie Covey, Dennnis Meek, Donald Gragg, Jr., David Williams, Bill Corley and Greg Corley.
Contributions of sympathy may be sent to the Alzheimers Unit, Hidden Valley, 438 23rd Street, Oak Hill, WV 25901 or the Heart Associations, P.O. Box 12110, Charleston, WV 25304, or Lung Association, P.O. Box 3980, Charleston, WV 25339-3980
Arrangements were made by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley.
Katie Pritchard Johnson
Katie Pritchard Johnson, 67, of Savage St., Valdese, N.C., died Wednesday, January 1, 2003 at her residence, following a period of declining health.
Born June 27, 1935, in Burke County, NC, she was a daughter of the late Jesse Pritchard and Lorena Pritchard Pritchard.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Simon and James Pritchard; sisters, Vernie Smith, Sadie Fairchild, and Ruby Manning and a grandchild, Timothy Carpenter.
She was a member of Brookwood Baptist Church.
She is survived by a son, Bobby Johnson and his wife, Rhonda of Morganton; daughters, Wanda Allman and her husband, Ron, and Patricia Clark all of Morganton; a brother, Jesse Pritchard of Morganton, sisters Irene Whitman, Vergie Smith, Bessie Huffman and Mary Whitman, all of Morganton, Margaret Clark of Lenoir, NC, Minnie Norville of Rutherfordton, NC, and Emma Ledford of Newland, NC; grandchildren, Eddie Davis, Crystal Nogales, Andrew Johnson, and Joshua Johnson; six great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were held on Friday, January 3, 2003 at Burke Memorial Park, with Rev, Earl Cross who officiated.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Burke County, P.O. Box 1029, Valdese, NC 28690.
Richard Edward “Tommy” Pittman
Richard Edward "Tommy" Pittman, 66, of Squirrel Creek Rd., Newland, died Saturday, December 28, 2002, in an Asheville hospital.
He was a native of Avery County, and a son of the late David E. and Myra Hughes Pittman.
He was a self-employed truck driver and a member of Frank Presbyterian Church.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Vernon C. Pittman and a sister, Blondie Pittman.
Survivors include his wife, Susan Buchanan Pittman of the home; a daughter, Julia Pittman and Joe Staton of Newland; sons, Rickie and Sharon Pittman, Robert and Missy Pittman and Tony Pittman, all of Newland; brother, D.E. Pittman of Newland; sisters, Gladys Brown and Dorothy Walsh of Kingsport TN; grandsons, Thomas Pittman, Luke Pittman, and Okobe Pittman; granddaughters, Sela Pittman, Kaylee Pittman and Lauryn Staton, all of Newland.
Funeral services were held on December 31, 2002, from Frank Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Kenneth Lance who officiated.
Interment followed in the Pittman Family Memorial, and active pallbearers were David Pittman, David Pittman, III, Charles Pittman, Charles Freeman, Leon Hicks, Roy Jones, Robert Norwood and Wilburn Horney.
Reins Sturdivant of Newland, served the family.
Emmet L. McKinnis
