Obituaries – Their Stories Live On

Mrs. Emily McCoullum Parker was the second of five children born March 11, 1919 in Opelousas AL to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis and Odessa Hill McCoullum. She died Sunday, December 15, 2019. Mrs. Parker was ra...

Sandra Keith O’Neal, lovingly known as Sand or Sandy, was called from labor to reward on December 14, 2019. As the Lord and the ancestors waited with open arms, she departed peacefully at Calvary H...

Mr. Melvin Thomas “Bootney” Woodson, 84, of Beckley, WV died Saturday, December 14, 2019. Born June 1, 1935 in Kaymoor, WV, he was the son of the late Charles “Charlie” and Virginia “Virgie...

Mrs. Betty Burns of Beckley, WV died Thursday, December 12, 2019. As per her request, she has been cremated. There will be no service or visitation. Email condolences to ritchie-johnson@suddenlinkm...

Rev Avaurn S. Staples, 89, of Beckley, WV died Wednesday December 4, 2019. Born November 19, 1930 in Arlington, WV (McDowell County) to the late John Lee and Bertha Davis Stewart, she was the oldes...

Ms. Whakitha Mishawn Lewis, also known as “Kiki” was born September 20,1970, in Corona, Queens NY. Kiki was the second oldest of the remaining six, out of ten children, to the late Leon Baruch Bro...

Mrs. Donna “Ebony Fox” Walton McKayhan, 62, of Mt. Hope, WV died Monday, November 25, 2019. Born June 3, 1957 in Beckley, WV, she was the daughter of the late Hubert and Gertrude Armstead Walton...

Denise Helena Price, 53, our loving mother and grandmother, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, November 25, 2019, peacefully at Bowers Hospice House, Beckley, after her courageous fight wi...

Mr. Daniel Frazier, 73, of Beckley, WV died Thursday, November 21, 2019. As per his request, he was cremated. There will be no service or visitation. Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie & Johnson Fune...

Mr. James Edward Shannon, 45, of Beckley, WV died Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at Raleigh General Hospital. He was preceded in death by his parents, Linda Ann Shannon and Edward Pittman Jr. ; two dau...

Mr. Donald Lee Thompson Sr. , 65, of Beckley, passed away Wednesday, November 13, 2019, spreading his wings and taking his heavenly flight to be with the Lord. Born April 21, 1954 in Beckley, he was...

Mrs. Theola Mae Coleman Echols, 95, of So. Charleston, formerly of Beckley, died Saturday, November 8, 2019. Born June 29, 1924 in Lochgelly, WV, she was the daughter of the late James Edward and Ma...

Mr. Douglas Joe Ezell Smith, 90, of Beckley, WV, died Friday, November 1, 2019 in Beckley, WV. Douglas was born August 9, 1929 in Beckley, WV, he was the son of the late Joe Ezell and Mary Jennie Hu...

Ms. Lucille Cleo Loving, 84, of Beckley, died Thursday, October 31, 2019 at Bowers Hospice House, Beckley. Born April 23,1935 in Summerlee, WV, she was the daughter of the late Alice Thompson, Lando...

Mr. John Archie Gray, 78, of Mount Hope, WV departed this life on Monday, October 28, 2019 following a sudden illness. He was born in Cabin Creek, WV to the late John D. and Clementene Spencer Gray on...

Mrs. Shirley Sue Wilborne-Frazier, 77, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, October 21, 2019 while at home with her husband, Clarence and her niece, Wanda. She was born October 23, 1941 in Scoob...

Alberta Murray Casey took her rest on the morning of October 14, 2019 after a long illness. She was born December 19, 1956 at the U. S. Naval Hospital in St. Albans, New York to Rev. Thomas R. Murray...

Mr. Edward Franklin Giles, 82, of Glen Morgan, WV, died Sunday, October 13, 2019. Born June 2, 1937 in Chester County, PA, he was the son of the late Julia Barton and John Giles. Mr. Giles was a m...

Ms. Ruby Mae Jefferson, 96, of Fayetteville, died Sunday, October 13, 2019. Born January 22, 1923 in Birmingham, AL, she was the daughter of the late John and Marie (Martin) Jefferson. Ms. Jeffers...

Mr. Kenneth Lee Borders Sr. , 85, of Beckley WV died Friday, October 11, 2019. Kenneth was born May 15, 1934 in Eccles WV, he was the son of the late Foster and Mary Grant Borders. Kenneth was a...

Mr. Michael Sumpter of Burnsville, WV died Thursday, October 10, 2019. As per his request, he was cremated. There will be no service or visitation. Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie & Johnson Funera...

Ms. Anna B. Thompson Gwinn, 91, of Beckley, died Sunday, October 6, 2019. Born May 10, 1928 in Dorothy, WV, she was the daughter of the late Stanford and Willie Ellen Hall Thompson. Ms. Anna Gwinn a...

On October 1, 2019, Bernice Sue Evans Taylor, received her heavenly wings and entered into eternal peace in Beckley, West Virginia. On March 20, 1937, she was welcomed as the third daughter to the lat...

Mrs. Lois Lorene Holmes, 85, of Beckley, WV, was called home, Saturday, September 21, 2019. Lois was born February 24, 1934, in Lenoir, NC. She was the seventh child of seventeen children born to the...

Mr. Bobby McKeever of Beckley died Friday, September 20, 2019. Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley

Mr. Bobby Lamont Hoover, 44, of Beckley, died Tuesday, September 17, 2019. Born March 27, 1975 in Beckley, WV, he was the son of Robert and Euretta Wilkes Hoover. Bobby was a tire and lube technic...

Ms. Joann Steelman, 74, of Beckley, died Sunday, September 15, 2019. Born March 26, 1945, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Julia Mae Moore Steelman. A retired daycare provider, she was ...

Mrs. Alder Irene Harrison Allen, 86, a long-time resident of Greentown, WV, passed away on August 15, 2019 at Bowers Hospice House, Beckley, WV. Born on May 26, 1933, she was the daughter of the lat...

Mrs. Ethel L Gilbert Kidd, 81, departed this life on Monday, August 12, 2019 after an extended illness. Ethel was born August 13, 1937 in Winding Golf, WV, she was the daughter of the late Walter and...

Ms. Norma Lee Dues Anderson Smith, 77, of Beckley, died Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Born December 2, 1941 in McAlpin, WV, she was the daughter of the late William H. and Annie Dues. Sister Smith was a d...

Mr. Edward Allen Hosey, 89, of Minden, WV, died Tuesday. July 23, 2019. Born November 4, 1929 in Summerlee, WV, he was the son of the late Ed and Odessa Hooper Hosey. Mr. Hosey was a coalminer. ...

Pastor Alfred Taylor, 72, of Harper Heights, died Monday, July 22, 2019. Born April 9, 1947 in Beckley, he was the son of the late Alfred and Hattie Howard Taylor. He was the Pastor of Church of God...

Mr. Ed Allen Grasty of Oak Hill (Harlem Heights), WV departed this life at his home Sunday, July 21, 2019. Ed was born May 18, 1957 in Oak Hill, WV, he was the son of the late Hewitt Melvin Grasty Sr...

Mr. Charles Arthur “Charlie” Ross, 82, of Mt. Hope, WV went home to be with the Lord on Friday, July 12, 2019 at Cornerstone Hospital in Huntington, WV. Born April 5, 1937 in Mt. Hope, he was t...

Mr. Eugene Ashe, known to his fellow veterans as “Hard Rock”, was born to Virginius S. Ashe Sr. and Theresa Louise Bland Ashe on May 22, 1938 in The Bronx, NY. After a brief illness, God calle...

Mr. Zachary Kellen, 41, of Beckley, WV died Wednesday, June 26, 2019. As per his request, he was cremated. There will be no visitation or service. Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie & Johnson Funera...

Ms. Barbara Karen Walters, 62, of Beckley, gained her angel wings Sunday, June 23, 2019 at Bowers Hospice House following a long illness. Born May 1, 1957 in Beckley, she was the daughter of the late...

Dr. Margaretta Seay-Bell, 93, daughter of the late William McKinley and Lucy Rose Puryear Pankey, was called to her heavenly home on Friday, June 21, 2019. In addition to her parents, she was prec...

Ms. Peggy Ann Staunton, 77, of Ingram Branch, died Wednesday, June 19, 2019. Born February 15, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Oscar Garland and Mattie Christine Staunton. She attended Ingram ...

Mr. Arthur Devon Young Sr. went home to be with the Lord as he slept peacefully during the night on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 in his home. Born October 1, 1955 in Ansted, WV, he was the son of the la...

Mr. Phillip “Phil” Aubrey Carson, 59, of Beckley, died Monday, June 17, 2019. Born October 31, 1959 in Beckley, he was the son of the late William Hugh and Frances Aretha Carson. Phil was a memb...

Zen Daya Ah' Love Wilson Hatcher, stillborn infant daughter of Ada Wilson and Jeremiah Hatcher, departed this life Sunday June 9, 2019. Graveside service will be 2:00pm Thursday June 13, 2019 ...

Mrs. Audrey “Robin” Scott Christian of Charleston, WV died Thursday, June 6, 2019 Born December 18, 1954 in Covington, VA to Dorothy Penn Scott of Huntington, WV and the late Joe L. Scott. Rob...

Mrs. Ebony Lashea Leftwich, 41, of Beckley died Saturday, June 1, 2019. Born January 10, 1978 in Beckley, WV, she was the daughter of Raymond Day and Sherry Diane Sweatte. Ebony worked ...

Mrs. Ollie Mae Moore, 84, of Lanark, went home to be with the Lord, Wednesday. May 22, 2019 after a long illness. Born April 27, 1935 in Spratt, AL, she was the daughter of the late James Richard and...

Mr. Maurice Emmanuel Webster, 22, of Beckley, WV died Friday, May 17, 2019. Born April 27, 1997 in Beckley, WV, he was the son of James Crider and Lisa Webster Crider, both of Beckley. Maurice was...

Mr. Jarrod Darin Bradley, 50, of Beckley, WV died Tuesday, May 14, 2019. Born February 3, 1969 in Beckley, WV, he was the son of Sandra Bradley Wallace of Beckley, WV and the late James Kirkpatrick...

Mr. Theodore Mack “Ted” Pinckney, 76, of Beckley departed this life on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Ruby Memorial Hospital, due to a serious illness. Born August 10, 1942 in SC, raised in Queens, ...

Mr. Alfred “Les” Taylor, 49, of Harper Heights died Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Born April 10, 1970 in Medina, OH, he was the son of Pastors Alfred and Billie Paris Taylor. He was preceded in death...

Mr. Carman Maurice Moss, 69, of Beckley, WV died Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Born December 9, 1949 in Beckley, WV, he was the last of six children born to the late John E. and Viola Clark Moss. In a...