Alta Charles Matney
(Grundy)

   Alta Charles Matney, 54, of the Slate Creek section of Buchanan County, died Friday, July 14, 2006 at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville following an extended illness.
   Born in Buchanan County, she was a daughter of the late Wayne and Frankie Stacy Charles. She was a life-long resident of Buchanan County and a member of the Slate Creek Church of God. She was a former employee of Dixie Drive Inn Restaurant, Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy Baptist Church and was a homemaker.
   In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Berdie Spencer and Chloe Hurley; and two brothers, Miles Charles and Robet Charles.
  She is survived by her husband, Herman Lee Matney; one son, Christopher Issac Matney of Grundy; two sisters, Laurnie Mae Charles of Grundy and Pricy and husband, George Justus of Forks, WA; one brother, Waldon and wife, Ginger Charles, of Big Rock; one grandson, several nieces and nephews.
   Services were held Monday, June 17 at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jeff Mullins and Evgs. Hobert Kennedy and Michael Trent officiating. Burial followed in Mountain Valley Memorial Park, Big Rock.
   Active pallbearers were Wayne Charles, Jeff Charles, Issac Charles, Ray Charles, Benny Charles and Timmy Charles.
   Honorary pallbearers were Dan Moorefield, Monroe Stacy, Charles Wilmer, Ray Matney, Carter Matney, Kennith Stacy, Ira Matney, Richard Matney, Andrew Stacy, Bill Smith and Jerry Matney.
   Grundy Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

    Emil Ethan Presley, 46, of Vansant, died Thursday, July 13, 2006 in Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy.
   Born in Tazewell County, he was a son of Howell and Gola Hale Presley. He was a mining equipment welder and was of the Baptist faith.
   In addition to his parents, he is survived by one sister, Justina (Freddie) Fuller of Vansant; one nephew, Jimmy Fuller; one niece, Lana (Lucian) Reed; fiance', Lora Gilbert; daughter, Cassandra (Bill) Lester; grandson, Payton Lester; three uncles, Matawaska Presley, Herbert Hale and Carl Hale; three aunts, Juanita Tiller, Draper Street and Lee Ora Newton; and four grand-nieces.
   Services were held Sunday, July 16 at Haysi Funeral Home with Elders Franklin Viers, Bob Arrington and Garnell Gilbert officiating. Burial followed in the Presley Cemetery at Vansant.
   Pallbearers were Rick Hale, Roger Hale, Michael Newton, Palmer Lockhart, Tim Ratliff, Keithel Breeding and Jeff Ray.
   Honorary pallbearers were Clinton Barton, Denton Barton, Linton Deel, Timmy Ratliff, Jr., J.C. Hale, Wayne Hale, Shawn Deel and Jason Jackson.
  Haysi Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

        
Eugene Cline
(Hurley)

   Eugene Cline, 72, of Hurley, died Saturday, July 15, 2006 in Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy.
   Born in Buchanan County, he was the son of the late Lou Bergess Cline and Ella Marrow Cline. He was of the Holiness faith and was a retired coal miner.
   In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Mildred McGraw Cline; several sisters and brothers; and one grandson, Steven Michael Cline.
   He is survived by his wife, Rachel Fortner Cline; two daughters, Quanna Selby of Salem and Eugenia Brown and husband, James, of Tazewell; one son, Billie Cline of Tazewell; two step-daughters, Evelena McCoy of Grundy and Dedria Hensley of Hurley; three step-sons, Dale Rife of Hurley, James Rife of Grundy and Jeffery Rife and wife, Kathy, of Honaker; two sisters, Helen Hann of Haysi and Pearl Cline of Martinsville; four grandchildren, 11 step-grandchildren, one great-grandchild and six great-step-grandchildren.
   Services were held Wednesday, July 19 at Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Hufford Rife and Carl Kennedy officiating. Burial followed in the Blankenship Cemetery on Main Knox at Hurley.
   Active pallbearers were family and friends.
   Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Shirley Jean Matney
(Abingdon, VA)

   Shirley Jean Boyd Matney, 62, of Abingdon, formerly of Vansant, died Monday, July 17, 2006 in North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Winston Salem, NC following an extended illness.
   Born in Buchanan County, she was a daughter of George Ellis Boyd of Council and the late Hattie Victoria Tiller Boyd. She had been a resident of Buchanan County several years prior to moving to Abingdon. She was a member of Little Prater Church of Christ and attended First Christian Church in Abingdon. She was a graduate of the Council High School Class of 1962, was a former school bus driver for the Buchanan County School System and was a licensed beautician. She was a volunteer at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon.
   In addition to her mother, she was preceded in death by one sister, Beverly Boyd, and one brother, E.E. Boyd.
   She is survived by her husband, Ellis Fred (Shy) Matney; two sons, Terry Ellis and wife, Cammie Matney and Shawn Allen Matney, all of Abingdon; one step-daughter, Anita Lynn Gross of Tazewell; two sisters, Norma Gay and husband, Hershel Potter of Tazewell and Vicky Dee Boyd of Greenville, TN; two brothers, Vernal Lee and wife, Thelma Boyd of Council and Michael Keith and wife, Robin Boyd of Vansant; two grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousin.
   Services willbe held today (Thursday), July 20 at 1 p.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with Evgs. Michael Trent, Mike Rife and Dennis Wheeler officiating. Entombment will follow in Greenhills Memory Gardens Mausoleum, Claypool Hill.
   Active pallbearers will be Gerald Lester, Dean Lester, Hershel Potter, Steve Thomas, Vernal Lee Boyd, II, Steve Dawson, Charles Proffitt and Sonny Matney.
   Honorary pallbearers will be employees of Matney Construction Co.
   Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of donations to the Heavenly Helpers Relay for Life Team at P.O. Box 1016, Grundy, VA 24614.
   Grundy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

   Hattie R. Viers, 82, of Birchleaf, died Saturday, July 15, 2006 at Maple Grove Nursing Home in Lebanon.
   Born in Dickenson County, she was a daughter of the late Calvin and Mattie Skeens Rasnake. He was a homemaker and was of the Baptist faith.
  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Hardin Viers; two sisters, Nellie Barton and Lorraine Hypes; and two brothers, Virgil Rasnake and Buster Rasnake.
  She is survived by four sons, Larry Kelly and Mark Kelly, both of Abingdon, Robert Wayne Rasnake of Lebanon and Jeff Kelly of Rogersville, TN; one brother, Thurman Rasnake of Stanton; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
  Services were held Monday, July 17 at Haysi Funeral Home with the Rev. Roy Lee Wilson officiating. Graveside services were held Tuesday, July 18 at Russell Memorial Cemetery in Lebanon.
  Pallbearers were Jason Bush, Eric Rasnake, Jerry Jessee, Howard Jessee, Scotty Campbell and Tim Edwards.
  Haysi Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

  Phoebe Margaret Fuller Owens, 87, of Abingdon, formerly of Haysi, died Saturday, July 15, 2006 at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon.
   Born in Dickenson County, she was the daughter of the late George Washington and Louanna Deel Fuller. She had been a resident of Dickenson County most of her life before moving to Abingdon in 1981 and was a member of Holston Old Regular Baptist Church. She was a homemaker.
   In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Barney Owens; one daughter, Polly Owens; one brother, Garland Fuller; and sisters, Martha Deel, Bertha McFadden, Pruda Blankenship and Lucy Deel; one grandon, David Simon Clark; and one son-in-law, Dillard Clark.
  She is survived by two daughters, Molly Taylor of Abingdon and Sally Clark of Kingsport, TN; one son, Scotty Owens and wife, Deborah of Vansant; one brother, Earl FLuller of Dungannon; two sisters, Louisa Yates of Tarpon and Vina Thacker of Gray Court, SC; one grandson, one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter.
  Services were held Monday, July 17 at Haysi Funeral Home with Holston Old Regular Baptist Church officials officiating. Burial followed in the Bailey-Owens Cemetery at Haysi.
  Active pallbearers were nephews: Jennings McFadden, Clinton McFadden, Carrol Deel, James Deel, Dennis Thacker, Darrell Thacker, Junior Thacker, Donnie Thacker, Jeffery Thacker, Victor Thacker, Ray Yates and Mike Fuller.
  Honorary pallbearers were Jack Fuller, Eugene Edwards, Kendall Looney and Ellis Owens.
  Haysi Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

   Lois D. Carroll, 74, of Defiance, OH, died Thursday, July 6, 2006 at Defiance Regional Medical Center, Defiance.
   Born in Thacker, WV, he was the son of the late Millard Carroll and Bertha McCoy Carroll. He was a member of Faith Tabernacle Church in Defiance, had worked as a coal miner in Feds Creek coal mines, Big Creek, KY, was was a core setter at GM, retiring in 1993.
   In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Berdaina Carroll; and one step-son, Gene Hagerman
   He is survived by his wife, Emma Hardin Carroll; four daughters, Octavia Carroll, Tammy Davis and Diane Owens, all of Defiance, and Debbie Clevinger of Florida; three sons, Johnny (Debbie) Carroll of Michigan, Brian Carroll and Greg Carroll, both of Defiance; six step-sons, Emmett (Kathy) Hagerman of Hamler, OH, David (Janice) Hagerman  and William Hagerman, all of Defiance, Rocky (Alicia) Hagerman of Virginia, Jeff (Tammy) Hagerman of New Bavaria, OH, and Joe (Lisa) Hagerman of Indiana; five step-daughters, Sue Grey of Indiana, Lynn Miles and Ruth Reynolds, both of Defiance, Elizabeth Keller of Las Vegas, NV and Jane Foster of Lima, OH; three brothers, Dallas (Pearl) Carroll and Ray Carroll, both of Defiance and Bill (Nancy) Carroll of Las Vegas; one sister, Glen (Ann) Miller of Defiance; 37 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and several step-grandchildren.
   Services were held Sunday, July 9 at Mast-Mock-Hoffman Funeral Home in Defiance with the Rev. Isaac Shelton, Sr. officiating. Burial followed in Marion Twp Cemetery in Henry County, OH.
   Mast-Mock-Hoffman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

   Amanda Jean Whited, 20, of Buford, GA, died Saturday, July 8, 2006 at Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital, Duluth, GA, following a brief illness.
   Born in Hollywood, FL, she was the daughter of Fayne Clark Whited of Buford, GA and Leslie Jean Keith Whited of Mountain View, HI. She was a member of Clark Memorial Presbyterian Church at Roseann and the Church of God in Mableton, GA. She was a student of Gwinett Technical College in Lawrenceville, GA.
   She was preceded in death by maternal grandfather, Asa Clark Keith.
   In addition to her parents, she is survived by maternal grandparents, Eddie and Bonnie Castillo of Honokaa, HI; paternal grandparents, Fayne Buford Whited of Rt. 1, Grundy and Patricia Lucas Whited of Rt. 3, Grundy; several aunts, uncles and cousins.
   Services will be held today (Thursday), July 13 at 11 a.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Phyllis Canter officiating. Burial followed in the Rosehill Cemetery at Bastian.
   Active pallbearers will be Nicholas Young, Aaron Young, Matthew Whited, Daniel Whited, Christopher Whited, II, Mitchell Whited, Patrick Whited, Sean Whited and Christopher Whited.
   Honorary pallbearers will be Bobby Whited, Kevin Whited, Allen Whited, Clarence Whited and Clark Keith.
   Grundy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

   James Wade (Bubby) Mullins, 15, of Panther, WV, died Friday, June 30, 2006 in Paynesville, WV.
   Born in Welch, WV, he was the son of Jim Wade Mullins of Paynesville and Teresa Carol Vance Mullins of Panther, WV.
   In addition, he is survived by three sisters, Kellie Denise Mullins, Kayla Earlene Mullins and Kristen Nicole Mullins, all of Panther; one step-brother, J.R. Bryant of Paynesville, WV; maternal grandparents, Valedia Mullins of Paynesville, Kermit Franklin Vance and Marlene Vance, both of Bradshaw, WV and Andy Edison Mullins of War, WV; paternal grandparents, Earl Thomas and Harriet Mullins of Paynesville; step-father, Terry McCoy of Hurley; step-mother, Karen Bryant of Paynesville; one nephew, several cousins, uncles and aunts.
   Services were held Friday, July 7 at Bradshaw Community Baptist Church, Paynesville, with Pastor Bob Blevins officiating. Burial followed in the John R. Stacy Cemetery on State Line Ridge #1 in Paynesville.
  Pallbearers were Shane Mullins, Michael Paul Lester, J.R. Bryant, Ryan Rowe, T.J. Rowe, Douglas Kennedy, Jody Matney, Jeremy Delp, William Michael Mullins and Dwayne Bailey.
  Honorary pallbearers were Kermit David Vance, William Mullins, Thomas Mullins, George Coleman and Randy McCoy.
  Virginia Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Delores Ann Keller
(Memphis, TN)

   Delores Ann (Dee) Newberry Keller, 61, of Memphis, TN, died Thursday, July 6, 2006 in Methodist General Germantown Hospital following an extended illness.
   Born in Buchanan County, she was the daughter of Willard and Audrey Potter Newberry. She was a 1962 graduate of Grundy High School and a 1995 graduate of Radford College. She was a retired employee of the Internal Revenue Service.
   She was preceded in death by one brother, Winfred Lee Newberry.
   She is survived by her husband, C.J. Keller; one daughter, Audra Ann (Scott) Spielburger of Memphis; two sisters, Donna (Nelson) Vest of Vinton and Marlene (Harold) McCall of Kingsport, TN; one sister-in-law, Vicki Newberry of Vansant; and one granddaughter.
   Burial was in the Veterans National Cemetery in Memphis.
   Bartlett Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Arlen Richard Blankenship
(Honaker, VA)

   Arlen Richard "Slim" Blankenship, 76, of Honaker, died Friday, July 7, 2006 in a Lebanon hospital.
   Born in Buchanan County, he was a son of the late Benjamin and Minnie Hess Blankenship. A lifelong resident of the area, he was of the Christian faith. He was formerly employed as a coal miner and member of the UMWA of Jewell Valley. In his generation, he was the last surviving member of his immediate family.
   In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one son, Danny Michael Blankenship, and one brother, Howard Blankenship.
   He is survived by his wife, Shirley Stiltner Blankenship; one son, Keith, and wife Rita Faye Keen Blankenship of Rowe; three daughters, Rita Musick and Tina Blackburn and husband, Anthony, all of Honaker and Patty Dial of Gloucester; six grandsons, three granddaughters, two great-grandchildren, one step-grandson, several nieces and nephews.
   Services were held Monday in Honaker with the Revs. Arvil Arwood, Leonard Meadows and Ancil Childress officiating. Interment followed in Greenhills Memory Gardens, Claypool Hill.
   Pallbearers were Danny Musick, Jonathan Musick, Joshua Musick, Bradley Dial, William Dial and Greg Street.

Virginia Pauline Ramey
(Mouthcard, KY)

   Virginia Pauline Brown Ramey, 68, of Mouthcard, KY, died Sunday, July 9, 2006 in Pikeville Medical Center, Pikeville, KY, following an extended illness.
   Born in Buchanan County, she was a daughter of the late Edward Kelly and Lucy Fields Brown. She had been a resident of Pike County several years and was a member of Harman Holiness Church. She was a retired Licensed Practical Nurse who had been employed at the former Grundy Hospital and at Buchanan General Hospital. She was a homemaker.
    She is survived by her husband, Plenna Autry Ramey; one son, Gregory Allen and wife, Ruby Ramey of Mouthcard; four sisters, Dora Emiline and husband, Woody Slone and Margaret Nola Ramey, all of Mouthcard, Della and husband, Howard Thompson of Chicago, IL and Helen Howard of Charleston, SC; one brother, Edward Jesse and wife, Shirley Brown of Lick Creek, KY; three grandchildren.
   Services were held Wednesday, July 12 at State Line Pentecostal Church with the Rev. Danny Hess and Jesse Taylor officiating. Burial followed in Big Hackney Creek Cemetery on Big Hackney Creek, KY.
   Active pallbearers were family and friends.
   Grundy Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Earl Blankenship
(Haysi, VA)

   Earl Blankenship, 78, of Haysi, died Monday, July 10, 2006 in Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Norton.
   Born in Kentucky, he was a son of the late Jarvey and Lizzie Blankenship. He was a disabled coal miner and was of the Freewill Baptist faith.
   In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Ilene Joyce Blankenship; second wife, Goldie Blankenship; one daughter, Angela Stanley; two sisters, Lexie Owens and Revie Mullins; and one brother, Hillard Blankenship.
   He is survived by one son, David Earl Blankenship, of Haysi; one sister, Gilvie Dingus of Tarpon; seven grandchildren, several special great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.
   Services will be held today (Thursday), July 13 at Haysi Funeral Home with Jerry Robinson and Willie Rose officiating. Burial followed in the Owens Cemetery in Tarpon. VFW Post $8979 of Clintwood will conduct military graveside rites.
   Pallbearers will be Joey Blankenship, Jacob Blankenship, Ken McFadden, Jonah Rose, Junior Blankenship and Brad Stanley.
   Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Owens, Wess Hall, Clayton Fleming and Phillip Stanley.
   Haysi Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.