Smyth County obituaries for Aug. 2, 2008

Ellis

Grace “Katherine” Richardson Ellis, 77, died Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at Smyth County Community Hospital.
She was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church and Furnace Hill Lutheran Church. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, who always cared about other people putting them before herself.
She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary and loved bingo.
Survivors include her husband, Joseph Francis Ellis Sr. of Marion; four sons, Joseph Francis Ellis Jr. and wife, Susie, Dennis Wayne Ellis, Anthony Ellis and wife, Pam, and Damian Keith Ellis, all of Marion; two sisters-in-law, Georgia Richardson and Pat Richardson; seven grandchildren, Ferris, Michael, Brittney, Morgan, Kelly, Derick, and Katie Ellis; one great-grandson, Owen Ellis; and several nieces and nephews including two special nieces, Kathy Oakes and Cindy Combs.
Funeral services were conducted Friday, Aug. 1, at 11 a.m. at Seaver-Brown Chapel with Father Paul Maier and the Rev. Neville Mozingo officiating. Burial followed in Attoway Cemetery, Marion. 
The family received friends Thursday evening from 6 until 8 p.m. at Seaver-Brown Chapel. 
Flowers were accepted or donations may be made to St. John’s Catholic Church, 124 Park Boulevard, Marion, VA 24354 or Furnace Hill Lutheran Church, 214 East Buck Avenue, Rural Retreat, VA 24368. 
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at http://www.seaverbrown.com. 
Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.

Hester

Belle Leann Hester, 11 months, died Sunday, July 27, 2008 at Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke. 
She was preceded in death by her great-grandfathers, J.B. Keyes and Jack Hester, and her great-grandmothers, Essie Hester and Arleen Anderson.
Survivors include her parents, Travis and Crystal Hester of Marion; her grandparents, Danny and Tammy Miller of Sugar Grove, Gary and Lisa Quillen of Atkins, Larry Hester of Marion, and Deborah Hester of Abingdon; her great-grandparents, Jerry and Betty Jones of Rich Valley, Paul and Mary Quillen of Marion, Ivalee Miller of Marion, and Charles Anderson of Abingdon; uncles and aunts, Adam Miller and wife, Brittney, of Sugar Grove, Jeremy Miller of Sugar Grove, Steven Quillen of Marion and Nathan Quillen of Atkins, Angela Simerly and husband, Greg, of Elizabethton, Tenn., Jessica Sexton of Atkins, Tracy Stallard and husband, Michael, of Marion, Jessica Quillen of Rural Retreat, and Shannon Tate and husband, John, of Marion; and a host of other great-uncles, great-aunts and cousins.
Funeral services were conducted Thursday, July 31, at 2 p.m. at Valley View Baptist Church in Sugar Grove with the Rev. Roger Frost officiating.
Burial followed in Slemp Cemetery, Sugar Grove. 
The family received friends Wednesday evening from 6 until 8 p.m. at Seaver-Brown Chapel. 
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at http://www.seaverbrown.com. 
Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.

Reedy

Juanita Blanche Reedy, 101, died on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at Francis Marion Manor, where she spent the last nine years.
She was born on June 11, 1907 in Piney Creek, N.C., to the late John Parsons and Carrie Halsey Parsons.
She was married to the late Glenn Reedy and they attended the Sugar Grove Baptist Church. Most of her adult life was spent in the Sugar Grove and Marion area.
Preceding her in death was one grandchild, Michael, five sisters and three brothers.
Survivors include three children, William Reedy of Marion, Evelyn Widener of Marion, and Jewell Bach of Lindale, Texas; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted at 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, at Bradley’s Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Neville Mozingo and the Rev. Billy Gwinn officiating.
The family received friends Wednesday evening from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. A graveside service was conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at Roselawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Sugar Grove Baptist Church, P.O. Box 168, Sugar Grove, VA 24375 or Sugar Grove Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 257, Sugar Grove, VA 24375 will be greatly appreciated. 
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at http://www.bradleysfh.com.
Bradley’s Funeral Home of Marion was in charge of arrangements.

Rowland

Anna Rouse Rowland died on Thursday, July 31, 2008.
She was born in Smyth County on Oct. 6, 1918, the daughter of Lillie Rosenbaum Rouse and Clayborne Rouse.
She was noted for her culinary talents sharing them often with the sick and bereaved families in the community.
Although born in Smyth County, she and her husband lived many years in the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania before retiring back to the Adwolfe area of Smyth County in 1980.
She assisted her husband in Transport for Christ and other lay ministries for many years distributing Bibles and Christian tracts and writing notes of encouragement. Her life was a testimony of her love for Jesus Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, A. Clay Rowland, four sisters, Nell Redding, Charmie Oaks, Myrtle Hash, and Evelyn Dye, and three brothers, Meek Rouse, Ray Rouse and Paul Rouse.
Survivors include two sons, the Rev. Doug Rowland and wife, Shirley, of Rural Retreat, and Bob Rowland and wife, Brenda, of Charlotte, N.C.; a daughter, Carolyn Rowland Johnson and husband, Jim, of Lynchburg; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and one brother, C.B. Rouse and wife, Juanita.
The family will receive friends and family at Bradley’s Funeral Home on Saturday, Aug., 2 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. followed by a memorial service to celebrate her life at 1 p.m.
The Revs. Kevin Elswick and Jeffery Rowland will conduct the service. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery. The Valor Trio will bring the music.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at http://www.bradleysfh.com.
Bradley’s Funeral Home of Marion is in charge of arrangements.

Walton

James Pitzer Walton III, 28, died Thursday, June 26, 2008 at WMHS-Memorial Campus.
He was a member of the Cresaptown United Methodist Church and was a 1998 graduate of Allegany High School where he was a member of the basketball, baseball, and cross-country teams.
He was employed by UPS and Ares Security at FEMA.
He was also a former member of the Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department. He loved the beach, hunting, and fishing.
Born April 20, 1980 in Cumberland, Md., he was the son of James P. Walton Jr. and Becky (Wyatt) Walton of Cresaptown, Md.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Jim and Mary Catherine Walton of Cresaptown, Md., and his maternal grandparents, Irene “Cricket” and John Walter Wyatt of Marion.
Survivors include his fiancée, Stacy Adams of Ridgeley, W.Va.; one sister, Staci Alt and husband, Pete, of Cresaptown, Md.; two aunts, Linda O’Neal and husband, Jim, of Potomac Park, Sandi Cook and husband, Jim, of Cresaptown; many cousins; his best buddy, his pit bull, Louie, and his English pit bulldog, Rosie.
Funeral services were conducted at Scarpelli Funeral Home, Cresaptown, Md., on Sunday, June 29, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Harold R. McClay Jr. officiating with the burial held in Sunset Memorial Park.
This is a courtesy announcement from Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory.

Whisman

Jack Whisman, loving husband, father and grandfather, died on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at home with his family by his side.
He was retired from General Motors after 28 years in the shipping and receiving department.
Funeral services were conducted 11 a.m., Monday, July 28, at Owosso Church of the Nazarene with Pastor Roger DeVore officiating. Burial followed at Oak Hill Cemetery.
The family received friends at Nelson-House Funeral Home on Saturday from 6 to 8 pm, and on Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
He was born on Oct. 18, 1932 in Marion, the son of Howard and Virginia (York) Whisman.
After high school, he went on to serve in the United States Air Force as a staff sergeant during the Korean War. He loved his country and mankind.
On July 26, 1958 he married Marie Inhulsen in Owosso.
He was a volunteer for Respite and for Memorial Healthcare, driving the courtesy cart for 16 years. He was very active in his church and Relay for Life. He was also a foster parent for 10 years and loved to go fishing.
He enjoyed being with his family and helping friends.
Survivors include his wife, Marie; children, Kim Whisman Hurd, Chris (Beth) Whisman, and Kevin (Adele) Whisman; grandchildren, Ashley Whisman of Tennessee, Jared, Abby, Kayla and Jake Whisman of Texas, Chelsea, Janae and Breanna Hurd of Owosso; and special extended family members, Caytlin, Clinton and Alyson Deering of Owosso; brothers, Fred (Margaret) Whisman of Cleveland, Tenn., James (Evelyn) Whisman of Geneva, Ala., David Whisman of Marion, Harold (Dee) Whisman of Owosso, Paul (Donna) Whisman of Bluff City, Tenn. and Curtis (Theresa) Whisman of Henderson, Nev.; and sister, Shirley (Emmett) Peake of Radford; mother-in-law Rena Inhulsen; and many loving family members and friends.
He is predeceased by his son, Mark Whisman, and his parents, and father-in-law, Lambert Inhulsen.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Respite and Memorial Healthcare Friends of Hospice.
This is a courtesy announcement from Bradley’s Funeral Home of Marion.