Smyth County obituaries for April 30, 2008

Clapp

Ruth Worley Clapp, 90, died Monday, April 28, 2008, in Valley Health Care Center in Chilhowie. 
She was a native of the Oak Grove section of Rich Valley in Smyth County. She was the daughter of Frank Muncy Worley and Ella Nora Wampler Worley, and was born Sept. 28, 1917. She was the widow of Willard E. “Buss” Clapp. She was a faithful member of Quarry United Methodist Church before her illness and was a former employee of the Mathieson Company Store, Berry’s Super Market, and Food City. 
In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by three sisters, Margaret Worley Walker, Nell Preston Worley and Louise Worley Snead; one brother, William Albert Worley, and a nephew, Merle William Walker.
Survivors include one son, Jimmy Clapp and wife, Betty, of Saltville; two grandchildren, Tony Clapp and wife, Chris, of Saltville and Vicki Kinder of Saltville; two step-granddaughters, Carolyn McVey and husband, Tim, and Tammy Jones and husband, Doug; one great-granddaughter Shelley Clapp; three step-great-grandchildren, Lindsey McVey, Trayton McVey and Tanner Paschal; six nieces, Eleanor W. Jones, Sue W. Stanley, Sara S. Swanson, Mary L. Snead, Rita Lawrence and Patsy McThenia; one nephew, Randy Clapp; and special friends, Betty Church, Ella Lee and Joyce Lee.
The family received friends from 6 until 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, at D.R. Henderson Funeral Homes in Saltville with a funeral service conducted at 8 p.m. with the Rev. John Roe officiating.
Interment will be conducted Wednesday, April 30, at 11 a.m. at the Elizabeth Cemetery. 
D.R. Henderson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Kirby

Martha C. Kirby, 71, of Virginia Beach, died April 27, 2008 in her home.
A native of Marion, she was the daughter of the late Martha and Francis J. Copenhaver. She was a graduate of Marion High School, attended Emory & Henry College and graduated from the College of William & Mary. She was a member of Thalia United Methodist Church and the Myrtle Matthews Circle of the United Methodist Women.
She is survived by her husband, Raymond H. Kirby; two daughters, Ann Lorean Hartness and husband, Stephen, of Miami, Okla., and Susan F. Kaufman and husband, Edward, of Norfolk; a son, Raymond Mark Kirby of Virginia Beach; and three grandchildren, Thomas C. Elliott of Joplin, Mo., Krystal L. Lesniak of Waukegan, IL and Charles F. Kaufman of Norfolk; one sister, Lucile C. Stinson and husband, Edward, of Roanoke; a brother, F. Joseph Copenhaver Jr. and wife, Karen, of Marion; her aunt, Roberta M. Copenhaver of Roanoke; and a number of dear, supportive friends.
A funeral service will be conducted Thursday at 2 p.m. at Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home Lynnhaven Chapel with the Rev. Arthur Wolz Jr. officiating.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Wednesday from 7 until 8 p.m.
Condolences may be offered to the family at http://www.hollomon-brown.com.
Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Lovelace

Donald Zane Lovelace, 74, of Salem, died Thursday, April 24, 2008. 
He was a master mechanic and was retired from Brad Ragan Tire Company in Salem. He was a faithful member of Community Church in Salem where he gained an extended family. His life was his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his wife, Christine G. Lovelace, son, Charles C. Lovelace, brother, Grady W. Lovelace, and sister, Irene L. Martin. 
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-Law, Wayne and Brenda Lovelace; daughter and son-in-law, Patty and Randy Carroll, all of Salem; brother, Robert J. Lovelace, of Roanoke; sisters and brother-in-law, Margaret Cressell of Marion, Irene and Moyer Taylor of Palatine, Ill., and Mary Pat Pennington of Troutville; grandchildren, Shannon W. Lovelace, Nicolas and Sylvia Lovelace, Leann and Scott Alford, Timmy Lemon and his darling Kimberly Lemon; great-grandchildren, James, Chloe, Kayla, MacKenzie and Leia. 
Funeral services were conducted Monday, April 28, at 11 a.m. at Lotz Funeral Home Chapel in Salem with Pastor Tom McCracken officiating.  Interment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens.
The family received friends on Sunday, April 27, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home. 
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the building fund of Community Church in Salem. 
Lotz Funeral Home, Salem, was in charge of arrangements.

Overbay

Ella Mae Gillespie Overbay, 97, of Granite Falls, N.C., died Friday, April 25, 2008 at Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care.
She was born May 1, 1910 in Tazewell to the late Blair and Jossie Sheets Gillespie.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Clause E. Overbay, three sisters, Mattie Sawyers, Nancy Hagar and Margie Bolden, and three brothers, Fred, Alex and Billie Gillespie, a son-in-law, Arthur January, great-grandsons, James Claude January and Nicholas and Tyler Overbay.
She was a homemaker and of the Church of God faith. She also was a volunteer at Caldwell Memorial Hospital and for the Red Cross. She loved her Lord and served him many years as a Sunday school teacher for all ages. She enjoyed growing many different flowers. She will be remembered as a loving and kind wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Survivors include three sons, T.J. Overbay and wife, Lillian, of Concord, N.C.; Alfread Overbay and wife, Shirley, of Boone, N.C.; and Larry Overbay and wife, Carole, of Lenoir, N.C.; a daughter, Trillian (Tillie) S. January; one brother, John Lee Gillespie of Hudson; 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted Sunday, April 27, at 4 p.m. at Greer- McElveen Funeral Home Chapel conducted by the Rev. Hoyt Runion, the Rev. Ron Leasure, the Rev. Mike Spicer and the Rev. Lee True. Interment followed at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens.
The family received friends from 2:45 until 3:45 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Gideons International, P.O. Box 169, Lenoir, N.C. 28645 or Children’s International Lifeline, 16106 Brookwood Drive, Buchanan, Michigan 49107.
Online condolences may be left at http://www.greer-mcelveenfuneralhome.com.
Greer- McElvneen Funeral home and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.
This is a courtesy announcement by Bradley’s Funeral Home of Marion.

Rhea

Joseph Albert (Joe Bert) Rhea Jr., 87, died Thursday, April 24, 2008 at his residence.
He was born in Damascus, the son of the late Joseph Albert (Ab) Rhea Sr. and Elizabeth Kathryn (Babe) Koozer Rhea.
He was a graduate of Damascus High School, a student at Virginia Tech and he completed his college degree at Emory & Henry College. He was a career officer in the U.S Air Force, serving in World War II, the Korean Conflict, and during the Vietnam Era, and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He served in numerous command positions including Japan and Burma.
He spent much of his life in public service. He was a former mayor of Damascus, and had served on the Washington County Board of Supervisors and the Virginia State Transportation Board. He was a Senior Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. He was a longtime member of the Damascus United Methodist Church and attended Highlands Fellowship.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty Jean McGuire Rhea, his second wife, Sally Mae Thomason Rhea, his third wife, Patricia Johnson Rhea, a grandson, William Todd Sparks, and two sisters, Rosalie Rhea Rush and Patricia Rhea DeBusk.
Survivors include six children, Joseph A. Rhea II and wife, Linda, of Tampa, Fla.; Joe Allen Sparks and wife, Carol, of Oviedo, Fla.; Thomas R. Rhea and wife, Joyce, of Bristol; Richard D. Rhea of Gulf Breeze, Fla.; Laura Reke Hodgson and husband, Tony, of Damascus; Tom Reke and wife, Vicki, of Lexington, S.C.; eight grandchildren, Brien A. Rhea, Joseph A. Rhea IV, Michelle Rhea Mullins, Christopher A. Sparks, R. Jason Rhea,
Jennifer P. Rhea, Madison T. Reke and Clay T.Reke; five great-
grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Funeral services were conducted at 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, in the Garrett Funeral Home Chapel with his nephew, Mike Rush, officiating.
The family received friends at the Garrett Funeral Home from 3 p.m. until the time of the service on Sunday evening. A private graveside service for the family was conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 28, at Knollkreg Memorial Park in Abingdon.
The family requests those who wish to make memorial contributions to The American Cancer Society, 230 Charwood Drive, Abingdon, VA 24210 or to a charity of their choice. Online condolences may be sent and viewed and a video memorial tribute may be viewed by visiting http://www.garrettfuneralhome.com.
Garrett Funeral Home, 203 N. Shady Ave., Damascus, was in charge of arrangements.

Robbins

James Robbins, 50, died Saturday, April 26, 2008 at his home in Marion.
He was born in Smyth County to Dorothy Kestner Robbins and the late James Alexander Robbins.
He was a kind and loving person who would do anything for anyone in need. He loved the mountains and his dogs. He attended East End Baptist Church.
Survivors include his loving wife, Della Woods Robbins; one daughter, Jennifer Lynn Burgess and husband, Michael, of Saltville; his mother, Dorothy Kestner Robbins of Chilhowie; one brother, Steve Robbins of Chilhowie; one sister, Nellie Wallin and husband, Jerry, of Chilhowie; two grandchildren, Chelsey and Skylar Burgess; two nephews, Greg Hunt of Chicago, Ill., Brett Hunt and wife, Danielle, of Saltville; one niece, Beth Rouse and husband, Daniel, of Glade Spring; great-nieces and nephews, Adam and Sara Rouse, Kayley and Owen Hunt; one stepdaughter, Melinda Ellis of Marion; three step-grandchildren, Donnie Bales, Shonna Martin and Amy Cale; and special friends, Clyde Keene and Mark “Bull” Myers.
Funeral services were conducted Monday evening, April 28, at 8 p.m. at Bradley’s Funeral Home Chapel in Marion with the Rev. Paul Jones officiating.
Graveside services were conducted Tuesday morning, April 29, at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.
The family received friends Monday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home in Marion. 
Flowers were appreciated or memorial contributions can be made to The American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231.
Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family at http://www.bradleysfh.com.
Bradley’s Funeral Home, Marion, was in charge of arrangements.

Warren

Cheryl Leigh Warren died April 25, 2008. 
She was preceded in death by her loving mother, Nancy Heldreth Warren, her brother, Brian Kevin Warren, whom she adored, four grandparents, two uncles and two cousins.
She was born April 2, 1957, the first of three children.
She grew up in Marion, graduated from Marion Senior High School and Radford University. 
Most of her professional life, prior to her long-term illness, was spent working in social service and related fields, which she loved very much.  She was the first director of the Smyth County Adult Literacy Enrichment program.
Survivors include her father and stepmother, Jimmy and Charlotte Warren, of Marion; her younger brother, Mark F. Warren, of Marion; her sister-in-law, Maria Ely Warren; two nephews, Kevin Logan Warren and Lee Harrison Warren, all of Knoxville, TN. 
Memorial services were conducted Sunday, April 27, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Jeff Lambert officiating at First United Methodist Church in Marion, where she was christened and grew up. Internment was at Rosewood Memorial gardens in Rural Retreat immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Brian Warren Children’s Education Trust Fund, AmSouth Bank, 9206 Parkwest Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37923, or the Humane Society of Smyth County, P.O. Box 1124, Marion, VA 24354 for the benefit of her little friends, all of whom she loved very much.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at http://www.seaver-brown.com. 
Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.