Aug. 4, 1917-May 10, 2002 – COAL GROVE -- The Rev. Stephen Gates Black, 84, of Coal Grove died Friday at a local health center. The Huntington, W.Va., native was born Aug. 4, 1917, the son of the late Benjamin Willard and Eliza Myrtle Marrow Black.

He was the husband of Madge D. Spears Black, who survives.

He was a former employee of Henrites in Ironton and he worked in the missionary field in West Africa for six years and in Moncton, Canada, for 8 1/2 years. He was a local pastor for many years. He was an interim pastor at Rockwood Missionary Baptist Church in Chesapeake, Culloden Missionary Baptist Church in Culloden, W.Va., Riverview Missionary Baptist Church in Catlettsburg, Ky., and Sheridan Missionary Baptist Church in Sheridan. He was a member of Jeffersonville Missionary Baptist Church in Coal Grove since 1949 and was a home missionary for the church for several years. He attended Ashland High School, the Alliance Francas School in Paris, France; and he also had one year of education in Canada.

He also was preceded in death by his first wife, Louise Matney Black; three brothers, Franklin Black, Joseph Black and Ben Black; and three sisters, Alene Mercer, Mary McClellan and Alberta Young.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, include three children, Sharon Kay Jones of New Brunswick, Canada; Stephen Gates Black Jr. of South Shore, Ky., Timothy Paul Black of Coal Grove; three step children, Daniel William Bruce and Dean Allen Bruce, both of Richmond, Va., and Deatra Mae Bruce Chambers of Jacksonville, Fla.; three grandchildren; nine step grandchildren; one great-grandson; three step great-grandchildren; three brothers, Marvin Black of Charleston, W.Va., Harold Black of Ironton and John Black of Ironton; and two sisters, Maxine Wallace of Ironton and Kathryn Beals of Dayton.

Funeral will be 1 p.m. Monday at Jeffersonville Missionary Baptist Church in Coal Grove, with the Revs. Clifford Gore and Roger Pierce officiating. Burial will be in Highland Memorial Gardens in South Point. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. today at Phillips Funeral Home. The body will lie in state one hour before the service at the church on Monday. Memorials may be made to charity to one's choice.