Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1936-2014
Lanster Rankins Jr.
Lanster Arthur Rankins Jr., 66, of Gordonsville, died Saturday, June 14, 2003, at his residence.
Born September 1936 in Nelson County he was a son of the late Artur Rankins Sr., and Rosa Saylor Rankin. He was a member of Union Baptist Church in Gordonsville.
He is survived by his wife Carolyn Rankins of Gordonsville; one daughter, Charlene Cooper of Charlottesville; three sons, Arthur Scott, of Charlottesville, Michael Scott, of Charlottesville, and Charles Cooper; one step-son, Chris Cooper, of Richmond; three sisters, Lucille Rush, of Charlottesville, Alice Jones, of Charlottesville, and Ruth Carter, of California; six grandchildren, Shawn Washington, Brandon Scott, Nyesha Cooper, Michael Scott, Angel Herndon Scott, and Michelle Scott; two great-grandchildren; and his mother-in-law, Mildred Cooper.
Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18, 2003, at Union Baptist Church with interment to follow in Woodberry cemetery in Gordonsville. The Rev. James T. Jackson will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Preddy Funeral Home in Gordonsville.
Joyce H. Solomon
Joyce Hiner Solomon passed away at her home, Shady Lane Farm, Sunday, June 15, 2003, after a long, courageous battle with cancer.
Mrs. Solomon was born in Monterey on the Hiner Family Farm on July 16, 1925, a daughter of the late Gideon Jesse and Eunice Brown "Lightner" Hiner.
Mrs. Solomon grew up in Monterey and attended school there. She was a member of the Monterey High School Debate Team and won the state debating championship in 1940, which prepared her for motherhood. After graduating from Madison College, Mrs. Solomon began her teaching career in Bath County. She boarded at Widow’s Nob, where she met her husband, the late Erwin S. "Shad" Solomon, who was a lifelong teacher, a coach, and later a prominent attorney and member of the Virginia General Assembly.
Mrs. Solomon taught at the old Valley High School, Craigsville Elementary and Mitchelltown School. She left teaching to work in her husband’s law office in Hot Springs. After rearing her family, Mrs. Solomon operated the Village Craft Shop in Hot Springs. As a strong advocate of public education, she served as chairman of the Bath County School Board. In addition, she managed farms in Bath and Highland Counties.
She was a member of the Ashwood United Methodist Church and was a 50-year member of the Monday and Wednesday afternoon bridge club.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Elsie Terry.
Mrs. Solomon said the best thing she ever did was have four children.
She is survived by her son, Michael Hiner Solomon and his wife, Sarah, of Houston, Texas; three daughters, Deborah Powell and her husband, Harold, of Ashburn, Eve Solomon, of Charlottesville and Hope Young and her husband, James, of Charlotte, N.C.; three grandchildren, Harrison Solomon, Grace Hamilton Powell and Rose Solomon Young; a sister, Elizabeth Hiner Hefner of Monterey; a sister-in-law, Doris Henoch of New York, N.Y.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The Rev. Bass Mitchell of the Ashwood United Methodist Church will conduct a graveside service at 11 a.m. today at the Monterey cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hot Springs Rescue Squad P.O. Box N. Hot Springs, Va. or the Bath County Community Hospital P.O. Drawer Z Hot Springs, Va. 24445 or any local charity.
John Norval Whiting
On June 12, 2003, at the age of 94, Norval left to go home to be with the Lord.
He is survived by one brother Addison C. Whiting, and one sister-in-law, Alfretta (Freda) Whiting and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 18, 2003, at Fort Lincoln cemetery, 3401 Blandensburg Rd., Brentwood, Md.
Arrangements by Robert G. Mason Funeral home.
Frank L. Wood Jr.
Frank L. Wood, Jr., 80, of Charlottesville, died Sunday, June 15, 2003, at his residence.
Born February 19, 1923, he was the son of the late Frank L. Wood and Bertha A. Wood. He was also preceded in death by a sister Ila M. Werner.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dorothy Castle Wood; one daughter, Sandy Wood Everton and her husband, Lee of Crozet; one sister, Bettie Black of Charlottesville; one brother, Jacob Wood of Haughton, La.; three grandchildren, Silvia Dowell and her husband, Michael, of Keswick; David Wyant, Jr. and his wife, Renee, of Ruckersville, and Donald Wyant and his fiancee, Sharon Payne, of White Hall; and three great-grandchildren, Alexander Dowell, Adam Wyant, and Pierce Wyant.
Mr. Wood was a member of the Circus Model Builders of America and the Circus Historical Society. He was an avid fan and supporter of the Monticello Little League and was a former coach for the American Legion Baseball team.
A graveside funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 19, 2003, at Monticello Memory Gardens with the Rev. David Collyer officiating.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Teague Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Charlottesville/Albemarle Rescue Squad; Monticello Little League, or the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department.
Florence Craighead
Florence Bernice Craighead, 85, of 117 North Myrtle Street, Haughton, La., died peacefully Saturday, June 14, 2003, at her son’s residence in Afton, Va.
She was born June 19, 1917, in Winnsboro, Texas, a daughter of Joe and Hummie O’Dell.
She spent over 40 years in retail sales in Bossier City and Shreveport, and once owned a small dress shop in Haughton, La.
She was a gentle person who loved life and was grateful for her family and friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, William Royce Craighead in 1975, and her second husband Walton H. White in 2001.
Survivors include her son, Larry D. Craighead and his wife, Barbara of Afton, Va.; two grandchildren, David Royce Craighead, Patricia Lynette Craighead Shifflett and her husband, Douglas; and one great-granddaughter, Hanna Kaylyn Shifflett.
She was a long-time member of the Southern Methodist Church of Haughton, La.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Bossier City, La.
A graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at Hillcrest cemetery, Haughton, La.
McDow Funeral Home, Waynesboro, is in charge of local arrangements.
Elwood B. Dean
Elwood Boyd Dean, 75, of Charlottesville, died Sunday, June 15, 2003, in Charlottesville.
Born January 30, 1928, in Rockingham County, he was the son of the late Ollie Boyd Dean and the late Elsie Wyant Dean.
He was retired from Con-Agra in Crozet and was an avid huntsman and outdoor person.
He is survived by his wife, Madeline Powell Dean; one son, Edward Boyd Dean, both of Charlottesville; two brothers, Denson Dean of Barboursville, and Burl Dean of Keswick.
Funeral services will be held today at 2 p.m. from the Preddy Funeral Chapel in Orange with interment in Maplewood cemetery in Gordonsville. The Rev. Olin Herndon will officiate.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the Preddy Funeral Chapel, 250 W. Main St., Orange, Va.
Elizabeth G. Hunter
Elizabeth Gibbons Hunter, formerly of Winston-Salem, N.C., died Sunday, June 15, 2003, at her son’s home in Wilmington, N.C.
She was born in Pleasant Garden, N.C., on October 1, 1929, the daughter of the late William Lee Gibbons and Winnie Fields Gibbons.
Libby graduated from Pleasant Garden High School and was employed by Piedmont Airlines, retiring from USAir in 1991. She was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem.
Surviving are her sons and their families, Randy Hunter and his wife, Debbie, and their children, Patrick, Alex and Mollie; Jeff Hunter and his wife, Ellison of Wilmington, N.C., and their children, Adam and Lee; and Brian Hunter and his wife, Janice, of Scottsville, Va., and their children, Wilson and Rachel; Her sister, Audrey Gibbons Staruch of Greensboro, N.C.
A memorial service will be held today at 2 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church.
The family will receive friends at the church following the service.
Memorials may be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice Center, 725-A Wellington Avenue, Wilmington, N.C. 28401 or to Cenentary United Methodist Church, 646 West Fifth Street, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101.
Richard E. Neville Jr.
Richard Ervin Neville Jr., 58, of Orange, died Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 21, 2003, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church with interment in Graham cemetery. The Rev. Scott Hennessy will officiate.
Eugene Isaacc Miller
Eugene Isaacc Miller, 59, of Dumfries, formerly of Orange, died Saturday, June 14, 2003, at Prince William Hospital.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 19, 2003, at 2 p.m. from Preddy Funeral Chapel, Orange, with interment in Graham cemetery.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Frances K. Mitchell
A funeral service for Frances Katherine Mitchell will be held at 11 a.m. today at Hill & Wood Funeral Home, with the Rev. Jim Jetton officiating. Interment
will take place 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, 2003, at Mount Comfort cemetery in Groveton, Va.
Nicholas J. Sojka
Nickolas Joseph Sojka, 69, of Afton, died Monday, June 16, 2003, in a hospital in Wilmington, N.C.
Arrangements with Hill & Wood Funeral Home are incomplete.
Leanora P. Stoneman
Leanora Pierce Stoneman, 89, of The Byrd Farm in Goochland County, died Saturday, June 14, 2003.
She was born in Arvonia, Va. She was married
to the late Philip N. Stoneman Jr., in 1937. They made their home at The Byrd, where she lived until her death. She earned her status as a member of the Greatest Generation by writing hundreds of letters to service men and women during World War II.
She was a gifted musician and played the piano for dances, weddings, funerals, school events, countless community functions and the valued entertainment of family and friends. Her greatest pride was her 65 years of continual service as church organist at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Columbia, Va. She was recognized as the family historian retaining wealth of folklore, facts and information and is sorely missed in the preparation of this notice.
She was the last active charter member of the Goochland County Garden Club which was formed in 1938. Over the years she held most offices and served on many committees in the club, but will be most remembered for serving as wildflower chairman and historian since the 1940’s. She was a conservationist before its importance was widely recognized and taught many the value of observing, identifying, enjoying and leaving wildflowers in their natural setting.
She was gifted artistically as well as won many times the Chamberlayne silver bowl for most points in a year for flower arranging and the Saunders bowl for horticulture. She supported her husband in their 60 year farming operation and was a devoted citizen of Goochland County where she was a member of the Home Demonstration Club, served as Secretary of the Goochland Unit of the American Cancer Society from 1954 until 1972, charter member of the Goochland Historical Society and an honorary member of the Deep Run Hunt Club. She was a retired member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Columbia since 1937, where she served in many capacities through the years including the Altar Guild, Episcopal Women, Sunday School and was a current member of the Vestry.
She is survived by a son, Col. (Ret.) Philip Stoneman III and his wife, Debra of Goochland and Northern Virginia; a daughter, Leanora Stoneman Johnson and her husband, Kirk of Goochland and Richmond; four grandchildren, Philip Stoneman IV, and his wife, Jamie, Lisa Stoneman, William and Michael Whybrew; a sister-in-law, Mrs. John W. Pierce Jr. She was predeceased by her brother, John W. Pierce Jr.
The family will receive friends at The Byrd today from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thursday, June 19, 20003, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Services will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Columbia, on Friday, June 20, 2003, at 10 a.m., with interment to follow in the church cemetery. There will be a reception following the service at the home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Leanora Stoneman Special Fund, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Columbia, Va. or the Wintergreen Nature Foundations Wildflower Preservation Project, P.O. Box 468, Nellysford, Va. 22958.
Bennett Funeral Home, Richmond, is in charge of arrangements.
Frank L. Wood Jr.
A graveside funeral service for Frank L. Wood Jr., will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 19, 2003, at Monticello Memory Gardens with the Rev. David Collyer officiating.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Teague Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Charlottesville/Albemarle Rescue Squad; Monticello Little League, or the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department.
