Thomas Stephenson

Thomas B. Stephenson, 86, of Moundsville, West Virginia, husband of Vandalia Faverty Stephenson, entered into eternal rest on Sunday, March 15, 2015.

His funeral will be held at noon Thursday at the Schneider-Griffin Funeral Home at 313 Big Branch Road, Chesapeake. Burial will follow in Langdon Cemetery, Chesapeake. The family will receive friends before the funeral from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. on Thursday. In addition, a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Moundsville Baptist Church, Fourth Street and Annadale Avenue, Moundsville.

Mr. Stephenson was born Jan. 8, 1925, in Ironton, to the late Frank and Emma Stephenson. He graduated from Ironton High School and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Mr. Stephenson was employed by AEP-Ohio Power for 37 years. He was an active member of Moundsville Baptist Church, where he served as deacon.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Stephenson is survived by his daughter, Teresa (Peter) Sutton of Charleston, West Virginia; his sons, Michael (Julie) of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and Paul (Stephanie) of Hanahan, South Carolina; his grandchildren Stephanie (Kevin) Cantrell and Anna Sutton of Charleston, West Virginia, Nikki (Steven) Driggers of Hanahan, South Carolina and William Stephenson of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; his great-granddaughters, Elliott and Sailor Driggers of Hanahan, South Carolina, and Sadie Cantrell of Charleston, West Virginia; and his sisters, Laura Jane Fullerton of Coal Grove and Nancy Hammonds of Ironton.

He was predeceased by his sister, Emma Harvey and his brothers, John, David, William and Frank Stephenson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Moundsville Baptist Church Memorial Fund, Fourth St. and Annadale Avenue, Moundsville, WV 26041 or the American Diabetes Association, 1701 North Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.schneidergriffin.com.

 

 

Ray Bryant

Ray Franklin Bryant, Sr., 81 of Muskogee Oklahoma, passed away Monday, March 2, 2015, surrounded by his family. He was born Jan. 11, 1934 in Ironton, to John Will and Ollie C. (Holbrook) Bryant. He was 18 months old when his mother died and he was raised by his Grandmother Susan Bryant and his Uncle Jack on a farm in Kentucky. In his teens they moved to a farm in Ohio closer to his father and siblings.

Ray married Dina May Knipp on May 13, 1951, in Greenup, Kentucky. They enjoyed 57 years of marriage and together raised five children.

On March 21, 1953, Ray received an honorable discharge from the Army of the United States. He served his country faithfully during the Korean War. After the war, he attended a technical school receiving his certification in welding. Ray enjoyed welding and was known as an expert welder on castings for commercial oil rigs. Prior to retiring, he worked for Bendix Corporation of Elyria.

Ray’s hobbies included gardening, fishing and repairing small engines. His family remembers how he could repair pretty much anything that needed to be fixed. He was a devoted family man and enjoyed spending time with his family. Ray is a longtime member of the VFW of Grafton and Cornerstone Church in Muskogee, where he served as an elder.

Ray loved visiting with people and always had a joke to tell. He made it a point to regularly visit the local nursing homes in Muskogee, where the residents looked forward to his visits.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his paternal grandmother, Susan Bryant; his uncle, Jack Bryant; his brothers, Chester Bryant and Denver Bryant, Kenneth (Junior) Bryant and Roy Bryant; and his sister, Liddie Bryant; and his son-in-law, Jess Grunauer.

Ray is survived by his sister, Clarice (Bryant) Carroll of Dayton; former wife, Dina M. (Knipp) Bryant of Muskogee; his children, Sue (Bryant) Grunauer of Muskogee, Kathy (Bryant) Burton and her husband Jack of West Fork, Arkansas, Ray F. Bryant, Jr. of Muskogee, Dianna (Bryant) Ashing and her husband Rick of Muskogee, Timothy John (TJ) Bryant and his wife Desiree of Winslow, Arkansas; his grandchildren, Valerie (Burton) Manasco of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Jennifer (Burton) Hinkle and her husband Rob of Hindsville, Arkansas, Heather Grunauer of Locust Grove, Virginia, Rebecca (Ashing) Engman and her husband Brian of Muskogee, Stephanie Ashing of Muskogee, Angela (Ashing) Daniel and husband Adam of Muskogee, Athena Bryant and Gabriel Bryant both of Winslow, Arkansas; his great grandchildren, Orion Manasco, Amethyst Manasco, Sierra Hinkle, Zoe Hinkle, Amber Engman, Elizabeth Engman, Kursten Daniel and Rilie Daniel; and numerous other family members and friends.

Memorial services will be 4 p.m. Friday, at Cornerstone Church, 1501 E. Broadway, Muskogee with Minister Larry Ford officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Ray F. Bryant, Jr., Jack Burton, Rick Ashing, Rob Hinkle, Brian Engman and Orion Manasco. A private family service is planned for his interment at Fort Gibson National Cemetery.

 

Hazel Delong

Hazel Mae Neal Delong, 72, of Russell, Kentucky, passed away March 15, 2015, at Community Hospice Center in Ashland. The Russell native was born Feb. 14, 1943, a daughter of the late John and Josephine Sturgill. Hazel was a homemaker and a graduate of Coal Grove High School.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by husband, Curtis Leroy Delong; sister, Beulah Ann Neal; sister, Joyce Ann Taylor; and grandson, Kyle Matthew Watkins.

Hazel is survived by daughter, Mrs. Shari and Allen Vanhoose of Wilmington; daughter, Rebecca Susan Brown, of Ironton; daughter, Sarah Delong, of Russell, Kentucky; son, Edward Delong, of Columbus; sister, Charlotte Sturgill, of Ironton; sister, Brenda Schwab, of Ironton; sister, Vickie (Denny) Hay, of Ironton; several nieces and nephews; and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral service will be 4 p.m. Thursday at Phillips Funeral Home with elder Roger Vanhoose officiating. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.phillipsfuneralhome.net.

 

 

Amy Beckett

Amy C. Dexter Beckett, 40, of Proctorville, died Monday, March 16, 2015, at home. She is survived by her husband, Mark Beckett. Funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Fatima, Huntington, West Virginia with Father Paul Yuenger officiating. Burial will follow in Rome Cemetery, Proctorville. Visitation will be held 6-8 p.m. today at Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, Proctorville. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/hall.

 

 

Randy Clark

Randy Emerson Clark, Sr., 66, of Ironton, died Saturday, March 7, 2015, at Community Hospice Care Center, Ashland. A visitation will be from 1 – 2 p.m. Thursday at Slack and Wallace Funeral Home, South Point.

 

 

Charles Cozad

Charles Bradley “Brad” Cozad Jr., 24, of Ashland, died at his residence on Sunday, March 15, 2015. The funeral will be at noon on Thursday at Bailey Family Funeral Home in Flatwoods, Kentucky, with Brother Dennis Miles officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Burial Park in Ashland. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time, at the funeral home. Condolences may be left online at baileyfamilyfuneralhome.com.