Obituaries – Their Stories Live On

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 preceded in death by sisters, Elizabeth W. Fairfax and Rose B. Seay; brother, William K. Pankey; devoted sister-in-law, Mary J. Pankey-Brown; nephews, Charles E. Fairfax III, John Wesley Seay and Clarence Edward Seay. Under the pastorate of the late Bishop Robert J. Patton, Deliverance Church of Christ, Gladstone, VA, Dr. Bell preached her initial Sermon on November 15, 1986. She was ordained on August 19, 1990 at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Amherst, VA under the Pastorate of the late Dr. John I. Austin. At the time of her death, she was a member of Heart of God Ministries, Beckley, WV under the Pastorate of Bishop Fred T. Simms.

Dr. Bell earned a BS Degree in Business Education from Longwood College, Farmville, VA; Master of Divinity Degree from Virginia Union University, School of Theology and Master of Arts Degree from Presbyterian Graduate School of Christian Education, both in Richmond, VA. She earned a Doctorate in Ministry from School of Divinity, Howard University, Washington, DC. She also held collegiate professional license in VA and WV.

Left to cherish her memory are two loving and devoted sons and daughters-in-law, Ronald (Sabrina) of Mitchellville, MD and Mark (Sallie) of Waldorf, MD; granddaughters, Jennifer, Leigh, Meredith and Samantha Matthews; great-grandson, Chase Matthews of Waldorf, MD; nephews, William (Marilyn) Pankey, Jeffery Pankey, both of Charlotte, NC; nieces: D. Ann (Frank) Smith of Springfield, NJ, Elizabeth Pankey of Summerlee, WV and Christine Thomas of Newport News, VA and other nieces and nephews.

Private (invitation only) viewing for family and special friends will be from 5:00PM – 6:00PM Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at the Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor Chapel 748 S. Fayette St. Beckley with Pastor Richard Stevens officiating.

Graveside service will be 1:00PM Wednesday June 26, 2019 at the Pankey Family Cemetery, Gladstone, VA with Pastor Lena Patton, Deliverance Church of Christ, Gladstone, VA officiating.

Email condolences to ritchie-johnson@suddenlinkmail.com

Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley, WV.