Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1936-2014
James Chapman Goodwin
GOODWIN, JAMES CHAPMAN 92, of Pearisburg, VA passed away Monday, October 15, 2007 at Country View Assisted Living in Peterstown, WV. Mr. Goodwin was born on June 5, 1915 in Clarksburg, WV and was a son of the late Otto D. and Laura Elizabeth Chapman Goodwin. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Arlene McDowell Goodwin, one son, David Floyd Goodwin and four sisters. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pearisburg, a retired chemical engineer at the Celanese Plant in Narrows, VA., a member of the Pearisburg Volunteer Fire Department with 15 years as Chief. He was a member of the Pearisburg town council for 8 years, a PDDGM of Giles Lodge # 106 A.F. & A.M., a member of the Pearisburg Royal Arch Chapter #29, Giles County Planning Commission and a past member of the New River Valley Workshop Board. He is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, James C. and Susan L. Goodwin, II., one brother, Walter (Jack) B. and wife Dorothy Goodwin of Bridgeport, WV, one sister-in-law, Madeline McDowell of Morgantown, WV, two grandchildren, Laura Beth and her husband Eric Slivka and James C. Goodwin, III. Memorial services will be conducted Saturday, October 20, 2007 at 11:00am at the First United Methodist Church in Pearisburg with the Rev. Ronnie Mutter officiating. The family will receive friends at the Givens Funeral Home in Pearisburg Friday evening from 6 – 8 pm. Memorial donations may be made to the Pearisburg Volunteer Fire Department. Online condolences can be sent to the family at givensfuneralhome.com. There will be a Masonic service at the church following the funeral service.
Howard Sam Pyles
Pyles, Howard Sam, 88 of Pearisburg, passed from his earthly home to his heavenly home on Monday, October 15, 2007 at the home of his beloved niece Faye and Ray Strickland at Mt. Airy, NC after a long illness with cancer. Sam was born on December 10, 1918 in Giles County, VA and was a son of the late Julious and Etta Higgs Pyles. Besides his parents his was preceded in death by his wife and mother of his children, Marjorie Lafon Pyles, his stepson Bobby Croy, his second wife, Evelyn B. Pyles and several brothers and sisters. Sam was an Army veteran of WWII and had retired from the Birchlawn Burial Park. He is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Howard & Nancy Pyles, Jr. and Danny Pyles all of Pearisburg, one daughter, Phyllis Jennings of Pulaski, one stepson, Carrol Croy of Pembroke, six step-daughters Lulu Mae and Dr. Tom Long of Man, WV., Beulah Chang of Maryland, Betty and Don Thomas of Pembroke, JoAnn Lindsey of Dublin, Catherine Croy, Mary Jane and Don Guynn of Narrows, Daughter-in-law, Geraldine Croy of Dublin, two grandsons, Danny Pyles, Jr., and Dennis Pyles of Pearisburg, several step grandchildren, a special niece and caregiver Fay & Ray Strickland of Mt Airy and several nieces & nephews. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 2:00pm at the Christ Fellowship Church in Pearisburg with the Rev Greg Cox officiating with burial following in the Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at Christ Fellowship Church in Pearisburg on Tuesday evening from 6 –8 pm. The VFW and American Legion will present the flag at the gravesite.
Festus Ratcliffe Whitaker
WHITAKER, FESTUS RATCLIFFE of Pearisburg, VA passed away Saturday, September 22, 2007 at Heartland Nursing Home in Columbia, SC. Mrs. Whitaker was born in Peterstown, WV and was a daughter of the late Jim and Vera Dunn. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Clarence V. Ratcliffe, her second husband,, William Whitaker, a son, Dan Ratcliffe of Pearisburg, and nine brothers and sisters, James, Stanley, David, Hunter, Spencer, Jerry, Kelly, Camilla Smith and Boonie Thornton. Mrs. Whitaker was a member of the First Christian Church in Pearisburg. During her life time, Mrs. Whitaker or “Fetty” as she was affectionately known, was a fantastic cook. She loved to cook and have friends, relatives and at times strangers come to dine with her. She loved everyone, even the folks at the nursing home. She always had on a smile and had a servant’s heart all her life. In her youth at Peterstown High School, she was known to make the last winning goal in basketball for the State championship at PHS. She adored her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and she often verbalized how much she missed not being closer in distance to them as they have grown up over the years. She was a most loving mother, grandmother, sister, friend and most of all loved the Lord. She is survived by her daughter, Geraldine “Jerri” Stanley of Camden, SC, her son Donald C. Ratcliffe of Jackson, SC, six grandchildren, Donna R. Hooks and husband Dave, Teresa R. Ryder and husband Alan, John Kevin Ratcliffe and wife Sara, James Barry Stanley and wife Sheri, Jeffrey A. Stanley and wife Bonnie, Victoria S. Bowen and husband Mark, eight great grandchildren, John Hampton Ratcliffe, Sara Davis Ratcliffe, Ashley Hooks, Brad Hooks, Ella Ryder, Dena Stanley, Sydney Stanley and Makayla Bowen. Funeral services will be conducted, Tuesday, September 25, 2007 at 1:00pm at the Givens Funeral Chapel in Pearisburg with the Rev. Shahn Wilburn officiating with burial following in the Birchlawn cemetery in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the Givens Funeral Home Monday evening from 6 – 8pm.
Ralph Woodrow Cooper
COOPER, RALPH WOODROW, 84 of Pearisburg, VA passed away Thursday, September 27, 2007 at Pulaski Community Hospital. Mr. Cooper was born on March 23, 1923 in Giles County, VA and was a son of the late Charles and Mary Elizabeth Johnston Cooper. Mr. Cooper was an Army Veteran of WWII and had received the Purple Heart, was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Pearisburg, was a retired supervisor of the Celanese Corp. in Narrows, VA, and enjoyed farming after his retirement. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 56 years, Betty Harman Cooper of Pearisburg, two brother-in-laws and a sister-in-law, W.E. “Bill” and Alice Jo Harman of Narrows, Harry L. Crawford of Atlanta, GA, nieces and nephews, Marvin and Gloria Cooper, Peggy and Bill Hollar, Anna Mae Croy, Susan Richards, special niece Ann Harman who has done so much for him, another special niece, Nan Robillard, very special friends, Lee and Jean Eaton, Ray and Marlene Taylor and friend Al Gladden. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the Givens Funeral Chapel in Pearisburg with Dr. Fred L. Austin officiating with burial following in the Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the Givens Funeral Home Friday evening from 6 – 8pm. Full military services will follow at the gravesite presented by the VFW Post 6000 and American Legion.
Jack Thompson
THOMPSON, JACKSON “JACK” HOWARD, 50 of Pearisburg, VA passed away, Friday, September 27, 2007 at his home. Mr Thompson was born on May 21, 1957 in Pearisburg, VA and was a son of John E. Thompson and the late Ilene Sadler Thompson. Besides his mother, he was preceded in death by one sister Lois T. Davis. Mr Thompson was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and was retired from the Virginia Department of Transportation. He is survived by his wife, Dolores Phillips Thompson of Pearisburg, three daughters, Claris Marie Thompson of Pearisburg, Susan K. Thompson of Florida, Samantha J. Thompson of Pearisburg, two brothers and sister-in-laws, Thomas R. and Charlotte Thompson of Glen Allen, VA, John F. and Janice Thompson of Pembroke and one sister and brother-in-law, Iretta T. and Danny Benefield of Little Rock, Ark. Funeral services will be held Monday, October 1, 2007 at 11:00am at the Givens Funeral Chapel in Pearisburg with Dr. Fred L. Austin officiating with burial following in the Birchlawn Burial Park in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends Sunday evening at Givens Funeral Home from 6 – 8 pm.
Howard Byron Dennis
HOWARD BYRON DENNIS, 68 of Pearisburg, VA. went to be with the Lord Saturday night, September 8, 2007, at Carilion Giles Memorial Hospital in Pearisburg, VA. Howard was born in Pearisburg, VA on January 25, 19 39 and was a son of the late Herman Bayard Dennis and Willie Pauline Johnston Dennis. He was a retired employee of the Town of Pearisburg and the Giles County PSA with over 35 years of service and also help on neighborhood farms. Howard was also a member of the Providence United Methodist Church in Wilburn Valley, was a member of the Tri-County React Club. He is survived by one sister, Joyce Dennis, two brothers, A.D. Dennis and Hermie Dennis all of Pearisburg, VA., a special friend Sherman Maxey of Pearisburg, an adopted sister, Barbara Lucas of Pearisburg and special cousins, Martha Spicer, Sarah Munsey, Edna Martin, Toni Dennis, Irvin Dennis and Dennis Martin. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the Givens Funeral Chapel in Pearisburg with the Rev. James B. Jenkins and Charles R. Henderson, Sr. officiating with burial following in the Carper – Johnston Family cemetery in Wilburn Valley in Pearisburg. The family will receive friends at the Givens Funeral Home in Pearisburg, Monday evening from 6 – 8 pm.
Olen Joseph Sharron
On Tuesday evening, August 29 Olen Joseph Sharron found peace with the world and went to be with his Savior. Olen was born on December 8th, 1942 in Plattsburgh, New York and attended Plattsburgh High School and the Miner Institute. His farming roots led him to obtain his associates degree in agricultural studies from State University of New York at Canton in 1963. Following school, Olen embarked on a rewarding thirty year career with the United States Department of Agriculture. He served as a State Conservation Program Specialist for 21 years in Syracuse, New York, and then spent his last three years prior to retirement at USDA headquarters in Washington, DC. In performing his USDA duties Olen worked closely with a number of Federal and State Agencies, including Forestry. It was through forestry contacts that he developed special interests in all areas of forest management. Olen “retired” from the federal government in 1997, but in anticipation of his next adventure, he trained himself and became a certified arborist. In 1998 he established I V Tree Care, a company dedicated to providing trees with systemic injections for the treatment of disease and infestation. His company’s mission took firm focus when he and his wife Becky moved to beautiful Pearisburg, VA and he specialized in treatment of hemlocks across the region that were gravely threatened by the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. Because of his passion and skill he has bequeathed to southwest Virginia hundreds of healthy hemlocks which he saved with this technique. He is survived by his wife of twenty one years, Rebecca Newlon Sharron of Pearisburg, his sister, Carol Robertson of Plattsburgh, his sons Dean and his wife Kathy, and Steve, all of North Syracuse; three grandchildren, Lucas, Jessica, and Jarett. Olen also bids farewell to a step-son, Sean and his wife and children, Stephanie, Jon, Adam, and Caleb of Decatur, GA, and a step-daughter, Kimberly Harp of Miami, FL. Everyone Olen met became his friend. If you knew Olen, you loved Olen. He leaves behind a host of friends at home and around the country. His daily celebration of and exuberance in the miracles of life was surpassed only by his courage in facing death. Friends and family will be received at Givens Funeral Home on Tuesday evening, September 4th from 6 to 8 p.m. and Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, September 5th, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Blacksburg with Father James Arsenault presiding. Cremation will follow the Funeral Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the “Save a Hemlock” program of the Nature Conservancy at Mountain Lake, or to Preferred Hospice, Inc of Pulaski, VA.
Edward Lee "Bud" Pippin
PIPPIN, EDWARD LEE “BUD” 88 of Roanoke, VA died Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at his home. Bud was born on April 6, 1919 in the Cadet section at Big Stone Gap, VA and was a son of the late Albert N. and Molly Bishop Pippin. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lucille Martin Pippin, his twin sister, Edna Marie Pippin and sister Jemima “Jaye” Edens. Bud was a Army Air Corp Veteran of WWII and was retired from McClean Trucking Co. of Winston-Salem, NC with a record of over a million miles safe driving. Left to cherish his memory are, Arven L. and wife Doris Neely of Oakvale, WV, Arnold Ray and wife Norma Neely of Pearisburg, Shirley N. and husband Buzzie Meador of Pearisburg, seven grandchildren, several great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren, two nieces, Jenny Gilley and Teresa Brown of Pennington Gap, one nephew, Steve Edens of Dryden, VA., one great niece, Tammie Mosley of Pennington Gap, two great nephews, Timothy Brown of Homer, GA, Ricky Edens of Dryden and special friend, Arlene. Funeral services will be conducted, Friday, September 21, 2007 at the Givens Funeral Chapel at 2:00pm with the Rev. Everett Shepherd and Rev John Tibbs officiating with entombment following in the Birchlawn Abbey in Pearisburg, VA. The family will receive friends at the Givens Funeral Home in Pearisburg, Thursday evening from 6 – 8 pm. Full Military honors will be givens the the VFW of Narrows and the Pembroke and Narrows post of the VFW.
