Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1936-2014
Elaine Merchant
Elaine Rice Merchant, 139 Mary Miles Drive, died Monday, Oct. 6, 1997, at Danville Regional Medical Center following six months of declining health and one day in the hospital.
A native of Danville, she was a daughter of William Thomas Rice and Helen Pickeral Rice Holt.
On April 8, 1939, she was married
to Joseph C. Merchant Jr., who survives.
She had lived most of her life in Danville and retired in 1985. She last worked as activities director at Roman Eagle Memorial Home.
She was a member of Rivermont Baptist Church.
In addition to her husband of the residence, survivors include a son, William J. Merchant of Tampa, Fla.; a daughter, JoLane M. Pruitt of Ridgeway; two sisters, Louise R. Dudley of Richmond and Billie R. Osborne of Chesterfield; and three grandchildren.
A graveside service will be conducted 2 p.m. Wednesday in Danville Memorial Gardens by the Rev. Jack Wadell.
The family will receive friends at the residence.
Wrenn-Yeatts Funeral Home, North Main Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
Dorothy Osborne
Dorothy A. Osborne, 78, 223 Purdum Road, died Friday evening, Oct. 3, 1997, at Stratford Health Center.
Born March 19, 1919, in Pittsylvania County, she was a daughter of George S. Averett and Captola L. Averett.
She was married
to Robert P. Osborne, who predeceased her.
She was a member of Bibleway Cathedral. She was also a member of Fidelity Auxiliary and Consolation Choir.
She was retired from Lorillard Tobacco Company.
Survivors include a son, Robert H. Osborne of Danville; four daughters, Emily O. Banks and Inez O. Hairston, both of Glenarden, Md., Ruby O. Valentine of Ringgold and Joyce A. Osborne of Greenbelt, Md.; a sister, Ethel A. Goins of Danville; 20 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be conducted 1 p.m. Wednesday at Bibleway Cathedral by Apostle Lawrence G. Campbell. Interment
will be in Highland Burial Park.
Viewing will be from 7-8 tonight at the church.
The family is at the residence, 223 Purdum Road.
Howerton Funeral Home, Chatham, is in charge of arrangements.
Estelle Smith
COLLINSVILLE - Estelle Wingfield Smith, 76, 290 Paul St., died Monday, Oct. 6, 1997, at her residence.
Born May 25, 1921, in Franklin County, she was a daughter of Plummer P. Wingfield and Minnie Perdue.
She was married
to Harry D. Smith Jr., who survives.
She was the owner and operator of Estelle's Beauty Shop.
In addition to her husband of the residence, survivors include a daughter, Deborah Smith Touchstone of Blair; a sister, Marjorie W. Dean of Cascade; and a brother, Aubrey H. Wingfield of Penhook.
She was predeceased by two brothers, Orvil A. Wingfield and Bertrand Wingfield.
Funeral services will be conducted 4 p.m. Wednesday at Roselawn Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. Rusty Mullins. Interment
will be in Roselawn Burial Park in Martinsville.
The family will receive friends 7-8:30 tonight at the funeral home.
James Dalton
James Eugene Dalton, 57, 1325 N. Main St., died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 1997, at his residence.
Born Jan. 12, 1940, in Halifax County, he was the son of Charlie E. Dalton and Lizzie Ethel Jennings Dalton.
He worked for Barker Funeral Home in maintenance, and was a member of Temple Baptist Church.
He is survived by his sister, Blanche D. Taylor of Danville.
A graveside service will be conducted 11 a.m. Thursday at the Jennings Family cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the residence of his sister, 2177 N. Main St., Apartment 1.
Barker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Helen Griffith
CASCADE - Helen Hundley Griffith, 84, 105 Deerwood Tract Court, died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 1997, at her residence following nine months of declining health.
Born Oct. 3, 1913, in Pittsylvania County, she was a daughter of James Thomas Hundley and Mary Sue Taylor Hundley.
On Jan. 3, 1931, she was married
to Herman Oakes Griffith Sr., who died April 14, 1988.
She was a member of Fairview United Methodist Church for more than 65 years. She was very active with the church youth. She was a member of the church choir, the Ladies Bible Class and the U.M.W., and she was assistant superintendent of Sunday school.
She played basketball for Dan River, and was selected All State at guard for several years.
She lived most of her life in the Westover Hills community of Pittsylvania County.
She was retired from Dan River Mills after 44 years, where she worked at Hylton Hall in the order department.
Survivors include a son, Herman Oakes Griffith Jr. of Cascade; three sisters, Beatrice Hundley Pell, Virginia Hundley Trull and Doris Hundley Nance, all of Danville; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Thursday at Wrenn-Yeatts Funeral Home, Westover Chapel, by the Rev. Larry Edmonds, the Rev. Lee Jamison and the Rev. Dr. Tom Evans.
Burial will be in Mountain View cemetery.
The family will receive friends 7:30-8:30 tonight at the funeral home, and other times at the residence.
Curtis Yeatts Sr.
Curtis C. Yeatts Sr., 83, of Piney Forest Health Care Center, formerly of 1072 Little Creek Road, Ringgold, died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 1997, at the center. He had been in declining health for several years.
Born Sept. 23, 1914, in Pittsylvania County, he was a son of Benjamin Yeatts and Carrie Price Yeatts.
He was married
to Lucy Elizabeth Jones Yeatts, who died Sept. 16, 1997.
He owned and operated a produce business, and was a member of First Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Joyce Y. Caudle of Danville; a son, Curtis C. Yeatts Jr. of Ringgold; three sisters, Mae Barker of Stuart, Della Pearson of Keysville and Lois Loftis of Landover Hills, Md.; a grandchild; and a great-grandchild.
He was predeceased by three brothers, Nobel Yeatts, Broadis Yeatts and Junior Yeatts.
A graveside service will be conducted 2 p.m. Thursday in Danville Memorial Gardens by the Rev. Joe E. Beck and the Rev. Lewis P. Harris.
The family will receive friends at the residence of the daughter, 444 Berkshire Drive.
Barker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Claude Blanks
Claude Stuart Blanks, 69, 120 Old Piney Forest Road, Lot 18, died Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1997, at his residence.
Born on March 28, 1928, in Danville, he was a son of Swanson Blanks and Meitha Adkins Blanks.
He was employed by J.T. Townes Printing for 30 years, Reynolds and Reynolds for 13 years and, lastly, for L & E Packaging for nine years.
Survivors include three daughters, Peggy Sue Henshey of Beaver Falls, Pa., and Tammy Rae Blanks and Donna Kay Braned, both of Danville; two sisters, June Dennis of Pensacola, Fla., and Barbara Taylor of Danville; two brothers, Leighman S. Blanks of Danville and Billy T. Blanks of Winter Park, Fla.; and three grandchildren.
He was predeceased by a sister, Dixie Rae Crawford.
A graveside service will be conducted 11 a.m. Friday in Highland Burial Park by the Rev. W.L. Wade.
The family will receive friends 7-8:30 tonight at Barker Funeral Home.
Walter Clarke
LYNCHBURG - Walter Elmore Clarke, 68, 10 Harding Ave., Bloomfield, Ct., formerly of Lynchburg, died Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997, at St. Francis Hospital.
Born Feb. 26, 1929, in Concord, Va., he was a son of Thomas Clarke and Helen Graham Clarke.
He was a retired police officer.
He was a member of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Bloomfield.
He was also a member of Excelsior Lodge No. 3, Makalia Temple No. 172 and Hartford Consistory Lodge No. 180.
Survivors include his wife, Marie Jones Clarke of Bloomfield; a son, Thomas Clarke of Bloomfield; two daughters, Norma Clarke Brown of New Britain and Iris Clarke Steele of Randallstown, Md.; three brothers, Elverette Clarke and Charles Clarke, both of Rustburg, Va., and David Clarke of Plainfield, N.J.; a sister, Alverta Clarke Manley of Neptune, N.J.; and several grandchildren.
He was predeceased by two sons, Donald and Ronald Clarke; and a brother, William Clarke.
Funeral services will be conducted noon Saturday at St. Luke Baptist Church, Brookneal, Va., by the Rev. David W. Crider, the Rev. Richard L. Nash and the Rev. S.C. Terry. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the residence of Elverette Clarke, 2537 Red House Road, Rustburg, Va.
Miller Funeral Home, Gretna, is in charge of arrangements.
