Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1936-2014
Virgie Griffith
Virgie Jones Griffith, 87, 21 Glen Oak Drive, died Wednesday evening, April 22, 1998, at Riverside Health Care Center.
Born Aug. 23, 1910, in the Axton community of Henry County, she was the daughter of Rash Jones and Annie Bell Jones.
She was married
to Melvin M. Griffith, who died April 16, 1994.
Since 1926, she had made her home in Danville, where she was retired from Dan River Inc.
She was a member of Dan River retired employees club.
She had been a member of Schoolfield Baptist Church for 72 years, where she taught Sunday school and was a choir member and a member of Ruth Sunday School Class and the WMU, where she had served as president. She was also a member of Rebekah Lodge.
Survivors include a son, Melvin Griffith Jr. of Danville; a daughter, Juanita G. Gravely of Axton; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Saturday at Schoolfield Baptist Church by the Rev. David R. Turbyfill and the Rev. James M. McGhee. Burial will be in Schoolfield cemetery.
The family will receive friends 7-8:30 tonight at Swicegood Funeral Home, and other times at the residence of her daughter, 1135 Hobson Road, Axton, and also at the residence of her son, 123 Winston Road.
Bertha Kidd
PENHOOK - Bertha Witcher Kidd, 79, 2645 Calvary Road, died Wednesday morning, April 22, 1998, at her residence.
Born July 30, 1918, in Pittsylvania County, she was a daughter of William Witcher and Octavia Campbell Witcher.
She was married
to William Ben Kidd, who predeceased her.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Greater Mt. Parrish Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Inez Walker of Penhook; two sons, James Kidd of Penhook and Roy Kidd of Pepper Piker, Ohio; a sister, Mattie S. Spears of Charlottesville; a brother, Sammie W. Witcher of Penhook; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
She was also predeceased by two brothers, Johnnie Witcher and Clyde Witcher; and three sisters, Sallie Campbell, Hattie Jones and Carrie Campbell.
Funeral services will be conducted 1 p.m. Saturday at the Greater Mt. Parrish Baptist Church by Dr. Samuel Easley. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends 7-8 tonight at the church, and other times at the residence.
Miller Funeral Home, Gretna, is in charge of arrangements.
Reuben McBrayer Jr., M.D.
NORFOLK - Reuben Hill McBrayer Jr., M.D., 56, died April 23, 1998, at his residence. His wife of 33 years, Sarah Coles McBrayer, survives him.
He was professor of medicine, vice chairman for clinical affairs in the Department of Medicine, director of Pulmonary and Critical Care, and medical director of Sleep Disorders Center of Eastern Virginia Medical School.
He received the Dean's Faculty Achievement Award for Institutional Service. He held many administrative appointments at the medical school and was dedicated to his patients and the school, and devoted to his family.
Born in Danville, he was the son of the late Patsy Motley Hamilton and the late Reuben H. McBrayer and the stepson of Margaret W. McBrayer of Danville.
He graduated from the University of Richmond, where he was president of Kappa Alpha Fraternity, with a B.A. in chemistry. He continued his education at the Medical College of Virginia and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Society in his junior year, and was a member of Sigma Zeta Honorary Fraternity and was at the top of his class upon graduation.
His postdoctoral training continued at Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, Mo., on the Ward Medicine Service. He then became chief of Pulmonary Communicable Disease Service, U.S. Army Hospital Specialized Treatment Center, Fort Gordon, Ga. He returned to the Medical College of Virginia to complete a Fellowship in Pulmonary Disease.
Following completion of his training, he went to Norfolk in 1974 to practice Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine.
He was board certified in four medical disciplines: Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Disease, Critical Care and Sleep Disorders. He was a fellow of the American College of Physicians and Fellow and the Governor of Virginia of the American College of Chest Physicians.
He served on many hospital committees at Sentara Norfolk General and DePaul Hospitals. He was on the board of directors at DePaul and president of the medical staff from 1989-1990.
He held membership in numerous professional societies, both locally and nationally. He was a member of board of directors of the Virginia Lung Association and a past president of the Virginia Thoracic Society. He was also an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. His hobbies included deep sea fishing and boating.
In addition to his wife and stepmother, survivors include a daughter, Alice Coles McBrayer, a student at T.C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond; a son, Dr. Reuben Hill McBrayer III, who with his wife, Kamie, lives in Jacksonville, Fla., where he is completing a residency in family practice at the Mayo Clinic. He is also survived by a brother-in-law, Walter Coles and his wife, Alice, of Arlington.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Sleep Research Endowment of the Sleep Disorders Center of Eastern Virginia Medical School, P.O. Box 1980, Norfolk, Va. 23501.
A church service will be conducted 1 p.m. Saturday at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Norfolk by the Rev. Ross Wright. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Norfolk, is in charge of arrangements.
A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Sunday at Coles Hill Family cemetery, Chatham, by Larry Owen, minister. Colbert-Moran Funeral Home, Gretna, is in charge of local arrangements.
Harold Pyron
Harold L. Pyron, 72, 419 Cliff St., died Thursday afternoon, April 23, 1998, at his residence.
Born April 8, 1926, in Danville, he was a son of Claude Smith Pyron and Ella Cranford Pyron.
He was of the Baptist faith. He worked at Schoolfield Plywood Co., until his retirement and served in the U.S. Army.
He is survived by a brother, James A. Pyron of Zebulon, N.C.
He was predeceased by a brother, Claude S. Pyron Jr.
The family will receive friends at 463 Granville Drive.
Barker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements, which are incomplete at this time.
Dee Robertson Jr.
AXTON - Dee Moss Robertson Jr., 89, 44 Dee's Road, died Thursday, April 23, 1998, at Blue Ridge Rehabilitation Center.
Born Oct. 31, 1908, in Henry County, he was a son of Dee Moss Robertson Sr. and Betty Ann Cook Robertson.
He was first married
to Lottie Davis Robertson, who predeceased him. He was later married
to Gladys H. Gray Robertson, who survives.
He was a farmer and a member of Axton Baptist Church.
In addition to his wife of Eden, N.C., survivors include a daughter, Masie Robertson Miller of Beltsville, Md.; two sons, Raleigh Robertson Sr. and D.M. "Moses" Robertson III, both of Axton; a stepson, George Gray of Eden, N.C.; four brothers, Sam K. Robertson and Dan S. Robertson, both of Axton, and Bill Robertson of Laurel Park and Frank Robertson of Hampton; five sisters, Cassie Lester of Danville and Saddie Jones, Lena Roach and Theo Robertson, all of Axton, and Moselle Oakes of Brosville; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was also predeceased by four brothers, Gordon Robertson, Roy Robertson, Henry Robertson and Abraham Robertson.
Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m. Saturday at Norris Funeral Services Chapel, Martinsville, by the Rev. Chuck Haley. Interment
will be in Roselawn Burial Park.
The family will receive friends 7-8:30 tonight at the funeral home, and other times at the residence.
William Scearce
William Henry Scearce, 79, 1302 Westover Drive, died Wednesday, April 22, 1998, at Wake Forest Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., after a year of declining health and two weeks in the hospital.
Born Jan. 20, 1919, in Danville, he was the son of William Henry Scearce and Jenny Belle Soyars Scearce.
On June 1, 1940, he was married
to Jewel Sigmon Scearce, who survives.
He was a member of Timberlake Baptist Church.
He lived most of his life in Danville and had lived in Homestead, Fla., for 12 years.
He was retired as owner and operator of W.H. Scearce Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
In addition to his wife of the residence, survivors include a son, Donald Henry Scearce of Danville; two daughters, Bonnie Scearce Raines and Jenny Scearce Barrett, both of Danville; two sisters, Myrtle S. Bullington and Evelyn S. Russell, both of Danville; and five grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Sunday at Timberlake Baptist Church by the Rev. Walter Yancy, the Rev. Jimmie Pruitt and the Rev. Gilmer Setliff. Burial will be in Danville Memorial Gardens with military honors performed by American Legion Post 325.
The family will receive friends 7:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday at Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel, and other times at the residence.
Della Williams
A graveside service for Della Black Williams, 81, formerly of 1820 Westover Drive, will be conducted 2 p.m. Saturday in Danville Memorial Gardens by the Rev. William Blalock.
She died Wednesday, April 22, 1998, at Riverside Health Care after several years of declining health and five and a half years at Riverside Health Care.
Born July 8, 1916, in Fries, she was a daughter of George D. Black and Carrie Mallory Black.
On May 30, 1941, she was married
to Paris A. Williams, who died Jan. 19, 1994.
She lived her early years in Fries and in 1948, moved to Danville.
She was a member of Fairview United Methodist Church and was a retired homemaker.
Survivors include a daughter, Lucy W. Atkinson of Danville; a son, Kenneth A. Williams of Venice, Fla.; two sisters, Aleen Pearman of Knoxville, Tenn., and Jannevieve Mitchell of Detroit; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
She was also predeceased by two brothers, Wayne Black and Clifford Black; and two sisters, Inez Dowling and Gladys Mitchell.
The family will receive friends 7:30-8:30 tonight at Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel, and other times at the residence of her daughter, Lucy Atkinson, 255 Gilliland Drive.
Mattie Womack
KEELING - Mattie Jackson Mays Womack, 68, 881 Birch Creek Road, died Wednesday, April 22, 1998, at her residence.
Born Nov. 15, 1929, in Pittsylvania County, she was a daughter of Robert Mays and Martha Jackson Mays.
She was married
to Percy Womack, who survives.
She was a long time member of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church, serving as mother of the church and a member of deaconess board, senior choir, usher board, Carrie L. Burton Missionary Circle and Floral Club.
In addition to her husband of the residence, survivors include three daughters, Joanna Giggetts and Angela Patterson, both of Danville, and Lind Bauldwin of Blairs; two sons, Percy Womack Jr. of Sumter, S.C., and Timothy Womack of Danville; a sister, Carnell Stephens of Blairs; two brothers, Charles Mays and Clyde Mays, both of Blairs; 10 grandchildren and eight step-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted 1 p.m. Saturday at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Blairs by the Rev. Ralph B. Cyress. Interment
will be in Highland Burial Park.
The family will receive friends at the residence.
Fisher & Watkins Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Tina Wray
RINGGOLD - Tina Marie Lynch Wray, 27, 301 Manna Hill Road, died Wednesday, April 22, 1998, at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., as a result of injuries from an auto accident in Martinsville on Sunday.
Born March 17, 1971, in Baltimore, she was a daughter of Claude David Farmer and Yvonne Marie Dunn Farmer, who survive.
She was married
to James S. Wray, who also survives.
She had lived most of her life in the Danville area and was employed as a seamstress with Pluma in Eden, N.C.
She was of the Baptist faith.
In addition to her parents of the residence and her husband of Pelham, N.C., survivors include a daughter, Jessica Marie Lynch of the residence; a son, James Cody Wray of the residence; a sister, Malinda Kaye Silverman of Ringgold; a brother, Gary James Lynch of Norfolk; paternal grandmother, Mabel S. Bowen of Virgilina; maternal grandmother, Margaret Virginia Dunn Haley of Danville; and maternal grandfather, William S. Haley of Danville.
Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. Saturday at Laurel Grove Baptist Church by the Rev. Bill Soyars. Burial will be in Floral Hills Memory Gardens.
The family will receive friends 7-8:30 tonight at Wrenn-Yeatts North Main Chapel, and other times at the residence, 301 Manna Hill Road.
"In his arms, I'm not afraid."
Jennifer Blair
Jennifer Lynn Blair, 16, 1113 Rosemary Lane, died Thursday, April 23, 1998, in an auto accident on Berry Hill Road.
Born July 25, 1981, in Danville, she was the daughter of Barry Marvin Blair and Vickie Smith Blair, who survive.
She had lived in Danville, Spartanburg, S.C., and Topeka, Kan., because of her father's job with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
She was a high school junior and had been a member of the George Washington High School band for several years.
She was a member of Woodlawn Baptist Church.
In addition to her mother of the residence and her father of Freeport, Ill. (with Goodyear), survivors include her maternal grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Lewis C. Smith Sr. of Danville.
She was predeceased by her paternal grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Blair.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete with Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel.
The family will receive friends 7-8:30 p.m. Sunday at Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel, and other times at the residence.
