Deborah Ann Edwards
(Big Rock)

  Deborah Ann Lester Ed-wards, 38, of Big Rock, died Sunday, February 5, 2006 at her home.
  Born in Buchanan County, she was the daughter of Polly Ann Vandyke Lester of Big Rock and the late Franklin D. Lester. She was a 1985 graduate of Grundy High School, was of the Christian faith, and a homemaker.
  In addition to her mother, she is survived by her husband, Leslie A. Edwards; paternal grandmother, Ocie Lester of Big Rock; mother-in-law, Claudett Edwards of Big Rock; one brother, Jeffery Lester of Grundy; two sisters-in-law, Teresa Casey and husband, Jason, of Big Rock and Evelyn Sargent and husband, Danny, of Hurley; two nephews, two nieces and one great-nephew.
  Services were held Wednesday, February 8 at Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home Chapel in Grundy with Evangelist Michael Trent and the Revs. Tony Lowe and Shea Shrader officiating. Burial followed in Mountain Valley Memorial Park, Big Rock.
  Active pallbearers were Keith Stollings, Don Powers, Mark Phillips, Rick Grizzle, Bill Johnson and Ronnie Phillips.
  Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
 

  Sonny Joe Yates, 58, of the Little Prater section of Buchanan County, died Friday, February 3, 2006 at his home following an extended illness.
  Born in Buchanan County, he was a son of the late Sidney Ralph and Daisy Viola Yates, both Buchanan County natives. He was a life-long resident of Buchanan County and a member of Victory Baptist Church. He was a disabled coal miner.
  He is survived by his wife, Judy Diane Stiltner Yates; one daughter, Deanna Jolene Yates of Vansant; two sons, Brian Keith Yates of Grundy and Sidney Ralph Joseph (Joey) Yates of Bowie, MD; three sisters, Inez Mae Yates Pugh of Grundy, Juanita Virginia and husband, Glade Metz of Vansant and Leona Omalene and husband, Aven Viers of Prater; two brothers, Paul Robert and wife, Stella Vandyke Yates of Grundy and Ralph Dewey and wife, Janet Yates, of Vansant; several nieces and nephews.
  Services were held Monday, February 6 at Victory Baptist Church at Vansant with the Rev. Larry Ratliff and Evg. Michael Trent officiating. Burial followed in the Yates Cemetery on Little Prater.
  Active pallbearers were Marshall Lineberry, Brandon Yates, Keith Viers, Clinton Dotson, Jim Stiltner, Tim Herring, Billmon Elswick, Fred Coleman, James "Stretch" Mounts and Roger Yates.
  Honorary pallbearers were Terry Looney, Lilly Dotson, men of Victory Baptist Church, Special Care Hospice and employees of Buchanan Health Care.
  Grundy Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
 

Retha O. Miller
(Mulkeytown)

  Retha O. Ratliff Miller, 68, of Mulkeytown, died Wednesday, January 4, 2006 in Saint John’s Medical Center in Saint Louis.
  Born in Grundy, she was the daughter of the late James and Pricy (Stiltner) Ratliff. She was of the Baptist faith and had worked at Maytag for 23 years.
  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Ame and Ercell Ratliff; and two sisters, Villa Weavers and Eula Wright.
  She is survived by two sons, Robert A. and Anja Homes of Germany and Eugene and Tonya Miller, of Benton; two daughters, Linda Bagby and husband, Gordan, of Waterloo and Karla Donaldson of Benton; seven brothers and sisters, Udell Darnell of Big Rock, James Ratliff of Grundy Jerrell Anderson of Lick Creek, KY, Marie Recant of Williamsburg, Emil Ratliff of Menardsville, Tenn., Ruth McColl of Steeleville, and Lester Ratliff of Louisa, KY; five grandchildren.
  Services were held Saturday in Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher with burial in Mulkeytown Cemetery.
 

Robert Lee May
(Hurley)

  Robert Lee May, 77, of the Paw Paw section of Hurley, died Sunday, February 5, 2006 at Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy.
  Born in Kelsa, he was the son of the late Joseph Harrison and Ella Hurley May Cole-man. He was a retired merchant, owner/operator of Hazel D. May Grocery, was a trucker, deputy sheriff and coal miner.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two granddaughters; four brothers; and one sister.
  He is survived by his wife, Hazel Davis; three sons, Earl Dean May and wife, Nancy, of Paw Paw, Bobby Lee May of the home and Thomas Edward "Tommy" and wife, Katrina, of Camp Creek, KY; two daughters, Sherry Robin Sullivan and husband, Tony, of Race Fork, Kathy Robertta Sullivan and husband, Charles E. "Dusty" of Bland County; two half-brothers, Billy Joe May of Paw Paw and Billy Coleman of Bland County; one sister, Ruby Steele of Richmond; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
  Services will be held today (Thursday), February 9 at 12 noon at Bethany Bible Church, Paw Paw, with Pastor Paul Rife, Elders E.C. Honaker and Harold Thornsbury and the Revs. Donnie Prater and Ronnie Hurley officiating. Burial will follow in the Lee Davis Cemetery at Slate Creek.
  Active pallbearers will be Brandon May, Matthew Justus, Samuel Justus, Andrew Justus, Mitchell May, Russell May, Timmy Smith and Keith Fields.
  Honorary pallbearers will be Auburn Ratliff, Cecil Dotson, Sheriff Ray Foster, Bobby Hall, Terry Hall, Tommy Blankenship, Dusty Sullivan, Walter Honaker, Herbert May, Jerry M. Lester, Clell Blankenship and Dr. Clint Sutherland.
  Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home, Grundy, is in charge of arrangements.
 

Ralph W. Compton
(Deel)

  Ralph W. Compton, 82, a resident of Deel and a Buchanan County native, died Tuesday, January 31, 2006 in Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy, following a brief illness.
  Born near Whitewood April 16, 1923, he was a son of the late Hannibal A. and Celia Cox Compton.
  He was a veteran employee of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, having retired in 1989. He was a graduate of Whitewood High School’s Class of 1942, studied Electrical Engineering at Virginia Tech and entered his first employment with DJB Collieries, Feds Creek, KY.
  He served in the United States Army during World War II from early 1943 through 1945, was assigned to the 36th Field Artillery Division, serving in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and France and participated in the invasion of Southern France in early 1945.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Goldie Ball Compton, on January 13, 2004; one brother, Victor H. Compton; one niece and a nephew.
  He is survived by three brothers, W. Ray Compton and wife, Betty, of Norton; Lodge Compton of Vansant and William B. Compton and wife, Shelby, of Elkins Branch; a devoted cousin, Ralph H. Cox and wife, Alta, also of Elkins Branch; six nieces and three nephews.
  Funeral services were held Saturday, February 4 at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Danny Hess officiating. Burial followed in Greenhills Memorial Gardens, Claypool Hill. Members of John Ratliff Post 164 of the American Legion conducted military rites at the cemetery.
  Active pallbearers were Timothy Compton, Steve Jones, Steven Smith, Ronald Compton, James M. Bevins, Jr., Charles Compton, Sam Bartley, Bob Cole, Bobby G. Reece, and Jonathan Comp-ton.
  Honorary pallbearers were Calvin Compton, Lonnie Love, Omer Bunn, Carl Cartwright, Jr., George Stewart and Elmer Simmons.
  Grundy Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
 

Rev. Cecil C. Presley, Sr.
(Abingdon, VA)

  The Rev. Cecil C. Presley, Sr., 79, of Abingdon, died Sunday, February 5, 2006 at a Chilhowie health center.
  Born in Council, he was a son of the late P.E. Presley and Maude Wampler Presley. He was a retired pastor, having pastored several churches throughout southwest Virginia and Maryland.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Violet Mullins Presley; one brother, C.A. "Ashby" Presley; and one half-sister, Emma Tiller.
  He is survived by his wife, Gay Presley; three daughters, Lana Clear and husband, Charles, of Saltville, Brenda Dawkins of West Columbia, SC and Sarita Surber and husband, Tim, also of Saltville; two sons, Timothy Presley and wife, Mary, of West Columbia and Clyde Presley and wife, Reva, of Chilhowie; one step-daughter, Patty Mumpower of Bristol, VA; sister-in-law, Shirley Presley of Charlottesville; one nephew, one uncle, 12 grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, four step-great-grandchildren.
  Services were held Tuesday in Honaker with the Revs. Kyle French and Tim Surber officiating. Interment followed in the Presley Cemetery at Council.
  Pallbearers were relatives.
 

Aven Owens
(Abingdon, VA)

  Aven Owens, 70, of Abingdon, formerly of Buchanan County, died Saturday, February 4, 2006 at his home.
  Born in Buchanan County, he was the son of the late John Henry and Nancy Viers Owens. He had lived most of his life in Grundy until moving to Abingdon. He was the owner of the former ANS Furniture in Grundy for 38 years, served on the Buchanan County Housing Authority and the Buchanan County Social Services Board.
  He was ordained as a minister in 1990 and was pastor of Christian Service Center in Grundy for several years. After moving to Abingdon, he served as the Sunday School Superintendent at Holston Valley Baptist Church before becoming assistant pastor there. He was also a choir member there and had a radio ministry outreach in Grundy and Bristol, VA. He was honorary chaplin at Johnston Memorial Hospital and was a volunteer on the critical care unit.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Claudia Jozan; three sisters, Hattie Looney, Cleo Looney and Merle Owens; two brothers, Clayton Owens and Clinton Owens.
  He is survived by his wife, Jo Owens; two sons, Kem Owens and wife, Doris, of Richlands and Cory Owens and wife, Diane, of Augusta, GA; four sisters, Clara Looney, Ellen (Parley) Meadows, Evelyn (Avery) Wimmer and Pat (Fayne) Viers; one sister-in-law, Maxine Owens; one brother-in-law, Harvey Loon-ey; five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
  A memorial service was held Tuesday, February 7 in the Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral Service in Abingdon with the Rev. Paul Ketron officiating. A committal service was held at Holston Valley Baptist Church.
  Active pallbearers were Timothy Owens, Timothy Vandyke, Andrew Owens, John Owens, Frank Elswick, Arthur Phillips, Parley Meadows and Hunter Brown.
  Honorarary pallbearers were John Cornette, Jason Dunn, Jerry England, Randal Keyte, Junior Lowe, Ray Montgomery, Jerry Sanders, Fayne Viers, James Ward and men of Holton Valley Baptist Church.
  Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of memorial contributions to the building fund of Holston Valley Baptist Church, State Road 665, 18396 Cleveland Road, Abingdon, VA 24211.
  Farris Funeral Service - Main Street Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
 

Junilee P. Fletcher
(Abingdon, VA)

  Junilee P. Fletcher, 81, of Abingdon, died Thursday, February 2, 2006 in Johnston Memorial Hospital, Abingdon.
  Born in Elkhorn Creek, KY, she had resided in Buchanan County most of her life before moving to Abingdon in 1977. She was of the Primitive Baptist faith.
  She was preceded in death by her parents, Guy and Florence Sykes Potter; and two brothers, Percy Potter and Atlas Potter.
  She is survived by her husband, Earl Fletcher of Abingdon; four sons, Roger Fletcher of Vansant, James C. Ratliff and Teddy Fletcher, both of Bristol, VA and Mikeal Fletcher of Abingdon; three daughters, Linda Gail Farmer of Rowe, Earla Kay Stacy of Abingdon and Myra Jane Fletcher of Tannersville; one brother, William Patton Potter of Elkhorn City, KY; three sisters, Audrey Newberry of Vansant, Mildred Wallace of Toledo, OH and Wanda Jo Warren of Pound; 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
  Services were held Sunday, February 5 in the Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral Service.
  Pallbearers were family members.
  Farris Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements.
 

Marie Shortt Lowe
(Swords Creek, VA)

  Marie Shortt Lowe, 89, of Swords Creek, died Monday, January 30, 2006 in a Lebanon hospital.
  She was a daughter of the late Elbert Lee and Clara Virginia Coleman Shortt. A lifelonglong resident of the Swords Creek area, she was a member of Horton Ridge Church of God.
  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Leonard Salyers; her second husband, Claude Lowe; two daughters, Innas Bernice Vance and Ocie Mae Vance; three sisters, Ocie Mae Shortt, Ida Belle Newberry and Stella Keen; two brothers, Lawrence Shortt and Roy Shortt; one grandson, Rick Miller; and one great-grandson, Desperado Gage Miller.
  She is survived by two daughters, Doris Yvonne and husband, Larry G. Miller, of Honaker, and Wanda Carol and husband, Ferd Ellis Miller of Knoxville, TN; one sister, Hazel Beatrice Dugger of Oak Lawn, IL ; one brother, Elbert Lee Shortt, Jr. of Raven; 12 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren.
  Services were held Friday in Honaker with the Revs. Carl Robinson, Ancil Childress and Dennis White officiating. Interment followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens, Claypool Hill.
  Pallbearers were grandsons.