Wytheville Enterprise Obituaries

Harold F. Garner
Harold F. Garner, 88, of Wytheville died Thursday, July 28, 2010, in Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Funeral service will be held Saturday, July 31, at 3 p.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tom Ballard officiating. Interment will be in West End Cemetery with American Legion Post 9 conducting graveside military rites.
He was a veteran of World War II having served in the U.S. Navy, Pacific Theatre. He worked for Burlington Industries for 25 years in Chilhowie, Marion, Salem and Green Cove Springs, Fla.
He was owner-operator of the Western Auto store in Bristol, Va.-Tenn. He worked in the nursing home business in Salem and Lynchburg and for Hillhaven Corp. in the Virginia Beach regional office. He retired from Hillhaven as district director in 1987 and moved to Wytheville.
A devoted member of St. Paul United Methodist Church since 1987, he served as chairman of the stewardship committee, chairman of the administrative board and board of trustees. He completed Discipline I, II and III classes and taught Discipline I classes.
He was a member of the Monday Night Bridge Club, Wytheville Golf Club and American Legion Post 9.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Marie Lawson Garner; parents; a half brother, L.A. Workman Jr.; and a special aunt, Evelyn Myers; and a sister-in-law, Lucy Martin, formerly of Marion.
Survivors include a special daughter, Paula Pruitt and husband, Donnie, of Wytheville; two sons, Harold Frank Garner Jr. of Key West, Fla., and Phillip T. Garner of Kingsport, Tenn.; three granddaughters, Susan Pruitt Stringfellow of Cary, N.C., Erin Garner DeJesus of Floyd and Christen Garner of Roanoke; two grandsons, Preston Pruitt of Wytheville and Scott Garner of Roanoke; five great-granddaughters, Jessica, Emily and Sydney Stringfellow, all of Cary, N.C., and Ava and Layla DeJesus, both of Floyd; and three sisters-in-law, Gladys Crawford and Patsy Hensley, both of Kingsport, Tenn., and Barbara Workman of Lexington, N.C.
The family will receive friends Saturday, July 31, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Barnett Funeral Home.
The family suggests that those who prefer may make memorial donations to the American Legion Post or the St. Paul United Methodist Church Building Fund.
Barnett Funeral Home in Wytheville is in charge of the arrangements.

Alec Hilditch
In loving memory of Alec Hilditch, husband of Cecily, father to Karen Greenlee and June Perritt, father-in-law to Don and Chris.
Alec was born on Sept. 10, 1915, to Alec Sr. and Lettie Hilditch in Cleveland, Ohio. He moved from Wytheville to Florida in 1992. He passed away peacefully at age 94 on Tuesday, July 13, 2010.
A World War II veteran, he served as 1st Lieutenant with the 81st Army Infantry Division (Wildcat) in the Pacific theater-Peleliu.
An efficiency expert in gold mining work in South Africa preceded his career and retirement as an engineer from the power house at Republic Steel in Cleveland, Ohio.
He was the best Dad two girls could have. His deep love for his wife showed itself in adoring sentiments. He charmed all who met him with his laughter, his humor, and his real joy in life. He was intellectually curious, smart and perceptive. He was tenacious, determined and strong.
We miss him terribly and will always hold him in our hearts.
Memorial donations may be made to Cornerstone Hospice, 601 Casa Bella, The Villages, FL 32162.

Mattie P. Newberry
Mattie Pearl Potts Newberry, 90, died Wednesday afternoon, July 28, 2010, at her home in Wytheville.
Funeral service will be Saturday, July 31, at 1 p.m. at the Grubb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Rusty Mullins officiating. Interment will be in West End Cemetery.
Pearl, as she liked to be called, was born March 27, 1920, in Yadkinville, N.C., to the late Charlie Henry and Inez Burton Potts. She graduated from Yadkinville High School in 1937 and Mae’s School of Beauty Culture in North Wilkesboro, N.C., soon after.
In 1941, she came to Wytheville and worked in the Cinderella Beauty Shop for 10 years during which time she met and married her husband, Albert Lafayette Newberry Sr., in 1948. She was an active member of the Wytheville Baptist Church up until her health began to fail her.
She served in the Laura Harrison Circle, the PTA, Junior Woman’s Club, Helen Trinkle Music Club and various bridge clubs.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and elder sister, Helen Margaret Madden.
Survivors include a son, Albert Newberry Jr.; daughter-in-law, Pam Brooks; a granddaughter, Julie Kaye Newberry; three sisters, Minnie Leigh Shores of Raleigh, N.C., Nettie Rufini Butchar of Clark Summit, Pa., and Hattie Inez Watts of Tobaccoville, N.C.; three sisters-in-law, Catherine Newberry Trevillan and Lovetta Copenhaver Newberry, both of Wytheville; and several nieces, nephews and close cousins she loved very much.
The family will receive friends Saturday, July 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (service time) at the Grubb Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Southwest Virginia, 600 W. Ridge Road, Wytheville, VA 24382; or Wytheville Baptist Church, 205 Church Street, Wytheville, VA 24382.
The family thanks Hospice of Southwest Virginia for the love and care given Pearl during her long illness and special friends, Shirley Stroupe and Cathy Howard.
Grubb Funeral Home in Wytheville is in charge of the arrangements.

James C. Shaffer
James Cecil Shaffer, 63, of Max Meadows died Tuesday, July 27, 2010.
Funeral service was held Friday, July 30, at 1 p.m. at the Barnett Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Richard Collins officiating. Interment was at the Shaffer home place.
He was born Aug. 12, 1946, in Wythe County, son of the late Edgar Robert and Laura Farmer Shaffer. He was a lifelong farmer.
Survivors include his wife, Katie Shaffer of the home; a daughter, Stacey Shaffer and fiancé, Eric Blair, of Ivanhoe; a son and daughter-in-law, James Robert “Bubba” Shaffer and Denna of Max Meadows; three grandchildren, Cody Sexton, Dylan Shaffer and Chance Blair; three sisters, Jane Hartman and Marie Pruitt, both of Roanoke, and Mary Margaret Anderton of Ormond Beach, Fla.; two brothers, E.R. Shaffer of Max Meadows and Carl Shaffer of Austinville; and several nieces and nephews.
Barnett Funeral Home in Wytheville was in charge of the arrangements.

Andrew B. Sheffey
Andrew “Mutt” Blaine Sheffey, 95, of Max Meadows, the Walton Furnace community, died Monday, July 26, 2010.
A graveside service was held Thursday, July 29, at 11 a.m. at the Davis Cemetery with the Rev. Gary Cope officiating. Grover King Post 1115 VFW conducted graveside military rites.
He was born July 19, 1915, in Ivanhoe, son of the late John Robert Blaine and Effie Frances Hughes Sheffey. He was raised in the Huddle community of Wythe County, his early years spent farming and attending the Huddle School.
As a young man, he worked at the rayon plant near White Sulfur. In April 1940, he married Geneva Thompson.
From 1942 to 1944, he served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Inch, a destroyer escort in the Atlantic Ocean. After the war, he became employed by New Jersey Zinc Co., working in the Austinville Lead Mines for 32 years as a miner and later as a powder man.
After retiring, he continued working the land and helping others. He enjoyed hunting and fishing on the New River.
During the last years of his life, he enjoyed rocking in his rocking chair on the front porch and whistling the old hymns he learned as a child.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Geneva Thompson Sheffey; a son, Roger; a grandson, Joe; two brothers, Hensel Sheffey and Lawrence Sheffey; and a sister, Sara Ann Clark.
He was a great-grandson of Preacher Robert Sawyers Sheffey, a well-known circuit-riding preacher in Southwest Virginia and West Virginia.
Survivors include two daughters, Becky Upton of Chesapeake and Brenda Jenkins of Austinville; three sons and daughters-in-law, John B. Sheffey and Tommie of Ivanhoe, Robert S. Sheffey and Laura of the Walton Furnace community of Wythe County, Kenneth L. Sheffey and Jamie of Woodlawn; eight grandchildren, Robyn, Crystal, Veronica, Sara, Emily, Ethan, Chase and Cody; six great-grandchildren, Austin, Noah, Kaylee, Andrea, Kristin and Joni; three great-great-grandchildren, Konstanz, L.J. and Dayle; four sisters, Catherine Brown, Mildred Humphrey, Zola Wright and Zada Joyce; many nieces and nephews; and cousins too numerous to count.
Reese Funeral Home in Austinville was in charge of the arrangements.