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Jimmie Shumate, 63, of Ravencliff, WV, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday August
17, 2011 at his home. He was born August 14, 1948 in McGraws, WV, a son of Jesse
James Shumate of McGraws, WV and the late Martha McMillion Shumate. Also preceding
him in death was a son in law Ellis Keith Jarrell. He was a WV Department of Highways
retiree having worked for 29 years in Wyoming County. Survivors also include his loving
wife of 43 years Judy Ann Tilley Shumate; two daughters Rebecca Jarrell of Ravencliff,
WV and Victoria (Jeremy) Jeffery of Pineville, WV; four sons Jimmy W. (Valerie)Shumate,
and Jonathan Andrew Shumate all of Ravencliff, WV, Jesse Michael (Tonya) Shumate of
Bradley, WV and Jonathan Tyler Shumate of Ravencliff, WV; seven grandchildren Jimmie
Jarrell, Kristy Jarrell, Brandon Jarrell, Kimmy Wesley, Travis Shumate, Miranda Mae
Shumate and Courtney Graham; two sisters Mildred Sue Webb of North Carolina and Betty
(Jimmy) Gregoria of McGraws, WV; one brother Larry Shumate of Cleveland, OH; two
sister in laws Janet Owens of Brenton, WV, Delorse Dowell of Alalbama; two brother in
laws Jonathan (Tina) Tilley of McGraws, WV and Michael (Juanita)Tilley and a host of
other loving family and friends. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM Friday August 19,
2011 at the Pine Grove Baptist Church, Ravencliff, with the Rev. Bernard Brook officiating.
He will be laid to rest in the Pine Grove cemetery, Ravencliff, WV. Friends may gather with
the family from 11:00 AM until time of service at the church. Pallbearers will be family and
friends.
The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV.
Holland E. “Holly” Blankenship, 83, of Sunhill, WV went home on Wednesday August
17, 2011 at his home. He was born July 26, 1928 in Simon, WV a son of the late Bruce and
Josephine Acord Blankenship. Holly was a Korean War Veteran having received the
Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in combat. He was a life member of the Disabled
American Veterans Southern WV Chapter 56 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. His wife of
59 years Ethelene “Ethel” Blankenship also preceded him in death in May of 2011, along
with two brothers Bruce “Sam” Blankenship, Jr. and Bill Cook and two sisters Margie Rowe
and Geneva Cole. He loved the outdoors especially to hunt and fish. Survivors include a
son Randy (Katrina) Blankenship of Beckley; a daughter Pam Craft of Crouches Farm; two
granddaughters Melinda and Melissa Blankenship; a grandson Cody Craft; two great
grandchildren Kaylea Skaggs and Jackson Gambrell; two sisters Patsy Looney and
Kathleen Hatfield; a brother Robert Blankenship; and a host of other loving family and
friends. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday August 22, 2011 in the
Chapel of Stafford Family Funeral Home with Pastor Jay Blankenship officiating. Holly
will be laid to rest beside his loving wife in the Palm Memorial Gardens Mausoleum,
Matheny, WV. Military rites will be conducted by the Wyoming County Veterans Honor
Guard. Friends may gather with the family from noon until service time at the funeral home.
The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV.
Joyce Devon Toler, 73, of Lynco, WV passed away on Sunday August 21, at CAMC
Memorial Hospital, Charleston, WV. She was born June 10, 1938 in Simon, WV a
daughter of the late Lee Morgan and Josie Pearl Cline Morgan Blankenship. Joyce was a
loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She was also preceded in death by her
husband David Milton Toler; a son Jeffery Ray Toler; a daughter Rhonda Kay “Susie”
Toler; two sisters Barbara Toler and Nancy Morgan; and a granddaughter Tanisha Conn.
She was a homemaker. Survivors include two daughters Donita Toler of Oceana and
Maretta ( Joel) Higley of Newark, OH; two sons Delmas Toler and fiancée Tonya Acord of
Lillydale and Arland (Judy) Toler of Rockhouse; five sisters Jone (Joe) Morgan of Simon,
Maretta (Monroe) Cole of Clear Fork, Lugetta (Ernest) Blankenship of Lynco, Annette
(Dennis) Lester of Hanover, Lane (Harold) Graley of Pineville; three brothers Chuck
(Glenda) Blankenship and Eddie Morgan all of Simon, and Gregory Rico (Tiffany)
Blankenship of Slab Fork; grandchildren Adam (Becky) Toler, Kelly (Kellen) Conn, Valerie
Pennybaker, Rhonda Toler, Gavin Toler, Skylar Toler, Reva Lester, Pricilla Toler, Travis
Lester, Derek (Tashawna) Lester, Serena Lester, Christy (Landon) Cline, Holly Hurley,
Joshua (Nicole) Lester, Barbie (Bobby) Higley, Jeremey (Morgan) Higley, Dameron
(Sammi) Higley; great grandchildren Kristen, Aston, Adin, Mag, Ethan, David, Charles,
Nathan, Ethan, Markellan, Alexis, Erin, Alexandria “Ally Cat”, Cameron, Tyler, Connor,
Cloe, Kinlee, Riley and Alyssa Johnson; and a host of other loving family and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM Thursday August 25, 2011 in the Long Branch
Freewill Baptist Church with Rev. Barry Brooks and Minister Richard Massey officiating.
She will laid to rest in the Morgan Family cemetery, Long Branch Mountain. Friends
may gather with the family after 6:00 PM on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at the
church.
The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV.
Jacob Allen Koone, 9, of Kopperston, WV left this world to play in God’s playground on
Friday August 26, 2011 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was born
June 10, 2002 in Beckley, WV a son of Julie May Lasley. Jacob was a fourth grade student
in Mrs. Cline’s class at Berlin McKinney Elementary School, Oceana, WV. He loved fishing
and playing with his family and friends. Survivors include his mommy and daddy Julie May
Lasley and Rodney Steven Osborne of Kopperston; a brother Evan Franklin Koone of
Kopperston; grandparents Douglas and Sandra Lasley of Artie and Randall and Deloris
Osborne of Beckley; great grandmother Beulah Lasley of Artie; an aunt and uncle Jessica
Scott and husband Matthew of Rock Creek; two uncles Toby and Little Randall Osborne
both of Beckley; three cousins Shara Jefferys, Warren “Bubba” Jefferys and Marcie Scott;
his best friend Dalton Ryan Shumate; and a host of other loving family and friends. Funeral
services will be held at 1:00 PM on Friday September 2, 2011 in the White Oak Advent
Christian Church, Artie, WV with Rev. Joe Barnette officiating. Jacob will be laid to rest in
the Lasley Family cemetery, Artie, WV. Friends may gather with the family from 6 – 9:00
PM on Thursday September 1, 2011 at the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV. E-
mail letters of sympathy may be sent at www.staffordfamilyfuneralhome.com. The family is
being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV.
Kennith Graydon Lyons, 61, of Crouches Farm went home to be with Jesus on August
31, 2011. He was born on September 5, 1949 at Marianna, WV. Those left behind to
remember a great man is his loving wife of 43 years, Judy Lyons of Crouch’s Farm. His dad
and mom, Graydon and Garnett Lyons of Crouch’s Farm; four children Angela Shumate of
Belle, WV, Kennith Jr. (Amber) of Hurricane, WV, Tammy Bailey (Billy) of Canvas, WV and
James of Crouches Farm; eight grandchildren Leslie Lyons Toler (Richard) whom he helped
raise, Kenny, Becky, Tommy, Austin Lyons, BJ, Hannah and Allie; four great grandchildren;
a brother Roy Lyons (Marcella) of Brenton, WV; four sisters Sally Cox of Crouch’s Farm,
Margie Pendry (Jerry) of Damascus, VA, Lena Gaye Melton (Ronnie) of Lilly, KY and
Dianna Coleman (Jerry) of Glades Springs, VA; his special niece/girlfriend Brittany and a
host of other loving family and friends. He had many nieces and nephews who called him
Uncle Bubby. Bubby was of Jesus Only Faith. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and wood
working. He loved spending time with his grandchildren. He will be sadly missed. Funeral
services will be held at noon Sunday September 4, 2011 in the Chapel of Stafford Family
Funeral Home, Lynco, with Rev. Doug Steele and Rev. Ronnie Steele officiating. He will
be laid to rest in Lyons cemetery, Brenton, WV. Friends may gather with the family from 6-
9:00 PM on Saturday September 3, 2011 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers donations
can be made to the American Cancer Society. The family is being served by the Stafford Family
Funeral Home, Lynco, WV.
Posey Berman Lusk, 77, of Cyclone, WV passed away August 31, 2011 in Trinity
Healthcare, Logan, WV. He was born July 23, 1934 in Cyclone, WV, a son of the late
Crede and Merlie Bailey Lusk. He was a member of the Cyclone Church of God, a retired
coal miner and a member of the UMWA. In addition to his parents he was preceded in
death by his loving wife Waveline Lusk; three children Karen Cook, Ellery Lusk and Teddy
Ray Lusk; three grandchildren Ronnie Joe Boothe II, Sherry Lusk and Renea Chapman;
two sisters Lorie and Rosie Lusk and a brother Roy Lusk. Survivors include five children
Teddy Gunnoe and his wife Kathy, Frances Stewart, Sharon Harrison all of Cyclone, WV,
Berman Lusk and his wife Lou of Oceana, Tony Lusk and his wife Kathy of Ritchie County;
eighteen grandchildren Curtis Gunnoe, Amanda Blankenship, Jessica Lusk, Lora Acord,
Cassandra Gray James Harrison, Jr., Jason Coburn, Stephanie Murphy, Maranda Cook,
Mitchell Cook, Ronnie Lusk and Marina Lusk; twenty eight great grandchildren and three
brothers Kennis Lusk and Serdon Lusk both of Cyclone, WV and Delmas Lusk of Summers
County, WV; two sisters Andrene Walls of Oceana, WV and Eleanore Lusk of Cyclone,
WV; and a host of loving family and friends. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on
Tuesday September 6, 2011 in the Cyclone Church of God with Rev. Jackie Lusk
officiating. Posey will be laid to rest beside his wife in Palm Memorial Gardens, Matheny,
WV. Friends may gather with the family from 11:00 AM until service time at the church.
The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV.
Martha Elizabeth “Lizzie” Steele, 80, of Panther, WV passed away August 31, 2011 at
Welch Community Hospital, Welch, WV. She was born February 19, 1931 in Rock Ridge,
WV, a daughter of the late Andy and Florence Collins Cole. She attended the Church of
the Living God at Horse Creek, WV. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death
by her husband Louie Herbert Steele; a son Roger Steele and a daughter Judy Steele.
Survivors include three daughters Imogene (Ervin) Powell of Horse Creek, WV, Shirley
(Ralph) Cline of Mingo County, WV and Sadie (Dwight) Elliott of Horse Creek, WV; four
sons Orvil A. (Georgia) Steele of Horse Creek, WV, Quincy (Irene) Steele of Horse Creek,
WV, Edward “Keister” (Wilma) Steele of Coon Branch, WV and Orban “Duce” (Twila)
Steele of Mohawk, WV; a stepson Dino Keene; three sisters Hazel Baker of Richlands, VA,
Georgia Asbury of Kendallville, IN and Elsie Bryant of Kendallville, IN; a brother John
“Hobert” (Lucille) Cole of Rome City, IN; a friend James Richie and a host of loving family
and friends. Funeral services will be held at noon Monday September 5, 2011 at the
Church of the Living God, Horse Creek, WV with the Rev Billy Ward and Rev. Granville
Mullins officiating. She will be laid to rest in Cole cemetery, Paynesville, WV. Friends
may gather with the family after 6 on Sunday September 4, 2011 at the church.
The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV
Julian Lunnard "JJ" Daugherty, Jr., 42, of Oceana passed away September 7, 2011 at
his home. He was born September 25, 1968 in Welch, WV, a son of the late Julian Lunnard
and Nyrmal Kizzy Blankenship Daugherty. Also preceding him in death a brother Jerry
Daugherty and a niece Nyrmal Ann Daugherty. Survivors include a daughters Tracy White
of Logan, WV; two sisters Ivy Osborne (Vaughn) of Crouches Farm, WV and Robin Hatfield
(Jerry) of Coal Mountain, WV; three brothers Johnny Daugherty (Ethel) of Pineville, WV,
Joseph Daugherty of Oceana, WV and Matthew Daugherty (Shelia) of Kopperston, WV and
a host of family and friends. Memorial services will be held at 7:00 PM Tuesday September
12, 2011 in the Chapel of Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, with Pastor Louie
Collins officiating. Friends may gather with the family from 5-8:00PM Tuesday at the funeral
home. The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV.
