Leonard Stilton
(Oakwood)

  Leonard (Ralph) Stilton, 74, of Oakwood, died Wednesday, February 21, 2007 at his home.
  Born in Buchanan County, he was the son of the late Grover Cleveland and Molly Belle Wilson Stilton. He was a retired coal miner and a member of UMWA.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister.
  He is survived by his wife, Mae Adams Stilton; three sons, Denver Stilton and wife, Cindy, of Haysi, Wayne Stilton and wife, Lisa, of Drill and Nelson Stilton and wife, Susie, of Honaker; two daughters, Roberta Hubbard and husband, Greg, of Swords Creek and Angelia Stilton of Lebanon; one step-son, Stanley Adams and wife, Paula, of Swords Creek; one brother, G.C. Stilton of Oakwood; six sisters, Ester Hess and husband, Harlen, of Cambridge, OH, Dorothy Wilkinson and Shirley Blankenship, both of Honaker, Jerline Whited of Swords Creek, Jeanette Coleman and husband, Donald, of North Carolina and Betty Boyd and husband, Richard, of Oakwood; five grandchildren and five step-grandchildren.
  A song service was held Monday, February 26 at Buchanan Funeral Service Chapel at Keen Mountain. Burial followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill.
  Pallbearers were Randall Blankenship, Harlen Blankenship, Ray Horn, Coty Adams, David Street and James Johnson.
  Buchanan Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements.

Granville Burns Stiltner
(Grundy)

  Granville Burns Stiltner, 77, of Grundy, died Monday, February 26, 2007 at his home following an extended illness.
  Born in Buchanan County, he was the son of the late William Cecil and Hettie E. Stiltner. He was a lifelong resident of Buchanan County and was of the Old Regular Baptist faith. He served in the United States Army where he was stationed in Germany and is a member of the Disabled American Veterans. He was a retired coal miner and was the last surviving member of his immediate family.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by five brothers, George, Arvil, Lawson, Kermit and Charlie Stiltner.
  He is survived by his wife, Jeanette Stiltner; three sons, Billy and wife, Linda Stiltner, of Grundy, Jerry and wife, Sherry Colley, of Hurley and Mike and wife, Carolyn Colley of Cedar Bluff; two granddaughters, Anna Stiltner and Rebeckah Dotson; four grandsons, Steven Stiltner, B.J. Smith, Brad Crowder and Matt Crowder; two great-granddaughters, Emellie Stiltner and Alexia Dotson; several nieces and nephews.
  Services will be held Friday, March 2 at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel at 1 p.m. with the Rev. J.D. Keene officiating. Burial will follow in the Stiltner Cemetery on Poplar Creek near Grundy. Full military rites will be held at the cemetery by members of John Ratliff Post No. 164 of the American Legion.
  Evening services will be held at the funeral home Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m.
  Active pallbearers will be Steven Stiltner, Matt Crowder, B.J. Smith, Jeff Stiltner, Brad Crowder and Josh Dotson.
  Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department, Dr. Clint Sutherland, David Rice, Brad Vandyke, Donnie Stiltner and Donnie Blankenship.
  Grundy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Edith Yates
(Big Rock)

  Edith Breeding Yates, 79, of Big Rock, died Monday, February 19, 2007 at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Grundy, following an extended illness.
  Born in Buchanan County, she was a daughter of the late Walter and Lydia O'Quinn Breeding. She was a life-long resident of Buchanan County and a member of the Primitive Baptist Church.
  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Edward Yates, July 4, 2002; three brothers, Marion, Ira and Paris Breeding; and four sisters, Cora McClanahan, Ethel Honaker, Edna Ramey and Florence Breeding.
  She is survived by one daughter, Rebecca, and husband, Steve Stiltner of Big Rock; two sons, Teddy and wife, Emma Jean Yates of Big Rock and Jeffrey and wife, Melissa Yates of Cedar Bluff; one brother, Edgar Breeding of Abingdon; and one granddaughter, Emily Stiltner.
  Services were held Wednesday, February 21 at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with Elder Buford Stacy and Elder Elza Mullins officiating. Burial followed in Mountain Valley Memorial Park, Big Rock.
  Active pallbearers were family and friends.
  Honorary pallbearers were Dr. D. Patel, Dr. H. Patel, Dr. J.N. Patel and the staff of Heritage Hall Nursing Home.
  The family suggests expressions of sympathy be made in the form of donations to the Alzheimer's Foundation, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871 or to Mountain Mission School, 1 Hurley Street, Grundy, VA 24614.
  Grundy Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Cephas M. Anderson
(East Palatka, FL)

  Cephas M. "Andy" Anderson, 89, of East Palatka, FL, died Monday, February 19, 2007 at his daughter's home in Palatka following an extended illness.
  A native of Tenso, VA, he had been a resident of Palatka for the past 54 years, relocating from Lick Creek, VA. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army 78th Infantry Reconnaisance Division, having been stationed in France and Germany during which he was engaged in the Battle of the Bulge where he was wounded. He was awarded the Purple Heart. Prior to moving to Florida, he was a coal miner and truck driver. He had been employed as a day oiler with the Georgia-Pacific Corp. in Palatka and had retired January 1, 1984 following 30 years of service. Following his retirement, he worked as a bagboy at Miller's (now Hitchcock's) in East Palatka. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of East Palatka.
  In addition to his parents, Noah and Fannie Anderson, he was preceded in death by one infant son, Richard Dean Anderson; and one brother, Dewey Powell Anderson.
  He is survived by his wife, Gay Anderson; one son, Jerry "Randy" and wife, Linda Anderson of Hollister, FL; two daughters, Nickie and husband, Michael Don-el Driggers of Duck River, TN and Lelia Marlene and husband, Dave Ryan of Francis; one sister, Ethel "Allene" Anderson of Hollister; four brothers-in-law, Danny Gray, Bruce, Mack and Larry Edwards, all of Haysi; two sisters-in-law, Theta Jewel Childress of Haysi and Lena Nell Paquette of Michigan; five grandchildren, Richard Christopher Anderson and wife, Jennifer, of Hollister; Shannon Dean Anderson and wife, Mary Anna, of Hollister, Michael Shane Driggers of Duck River, TN, Jenyfer Danyal Driggers of Murfreesboro, TN and Jessica L. Ryan of Cleveland, GA; eight great- grandchildren, one niece and one nephew.
  Services were held Saturday, February 24 at Masters Funeral Home of Palatka with the Revs. Ira Ramey and Willie McKinnon officiating. Interment followed in Palatka Memorial Gardens with military honors bestowed by the U.S. Army.
  In honor and celebration of his life, a video tribute was shown.
  Further expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of contributions to Haven Hospice, 6400 St. Johns Ave., Palatka, FL 32177.
  Masters Funeral Home of Palatka was in charge of arrangements.

Gregory Bruce Boyd
(Winchester, VA)

  Gregory B. Boyd, 41, of Winchester, formerly of Buchanan County, died Thursday, February 22, 2007 at Winchester Medical Center in Winchester.
  Born in Grundy, he was the son of Arthur F. Boyd of Grundy and the late Barbara Blankenship Boyd.
  In addition to his father, he is survived by his wife, Rebecca Leith Adams Boyd; father-in-law, C. Douglas Adams of Winchester; one son, Douglas Arthur Boyd of Winchester; three sisters, Colleen Dunford of Manassas, Penny Boyd and Hope Boyd, both of Grundy.
  A Celebration of Life memorial service was held Monday, February 26 at the Old Town Event Center in Winchester. A private interment service was held.
  Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of contributions to Douglas Arthur Boyd College Fund, c/o Richard Bell, 303 South Loudoun St., Winchester, VA.
  Cartwright Funeral Home, Winchester, was in charge of arrangements.

Willard Coleman
(Wilkesboro, NC)

  Willard “Wig” Coleman, 72, of Wilkesboro, NC, formerly of Mudfork, WV, died Saturday, February 24, 2007 at Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital.
  Born in Buchanan County, he was the son of the late Drewey and Eliza Singleton Coleman. He lived in Mudfork most of his life. He was a coal miner for many years and worked in logging with his sons. He had resided in Wilkesboro for the past 12 years.
  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Sythia Coleman; one son, Willard Robin Ray Coleman; one daughter, Charlene Lynn Coleman; two sisters, Alma Ashby and Icie Lester; three brothers, Maston, Vastin and Leonard Coleman; and one brother-in-law, Rayburn Justice.
  He is survived by six sons, Richard Coleman and wife, Crystal of Mudfork, Joseph Coleman and wife, Kathy and Steven Ray Coleman, all of Bullcreek, WV, Steve Randall Coleman of Panther, WV and Johnny Justice and wife, Diane, and Stoney Justice and wife, Terri, all of Roderfield, WV; four daughters, Mrs. Steve (Patty) Bailey and Mrs. Larry (Shelia) Coleman, of Panther, WV, Mrs. Lee (Lisa) Justice and Mrs. David (Tammy) Cline, both of Roderfield; one brother, Clifford Coleman and wife, Patty, of Hurley; two sisters, Mrs. Richard (Freddie Ray) Reynolds and Arizona Justice, both of Panther; 27 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren; companion, Fannie Reed of Wilkesboro, and her daughter, Patricia Burnette of Wilkesboro.
  Services will be held today (Thursday), March 1 at 11 a.m. at Little Dove Old Regular Baptist Church with Elders Kermit Lester, Dave Gibson, Danny Hurley, Danny McCoy, Paul Boggs, Herman West and Roger Coleman officiating. Burial will follow in the Rife Cemetery at Hurley.
  Pallbearers will be Joe, Richard, Steven, Steve, Brandon, Dwight and Larry Coleman, Steve Bailey, James Ashby and Buddy Bailey.
  Virginia Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.