George Fitzpatrick

Oct. 9, 2019– Feb. 26, 1932

George Marion Fitzpatrick, 87, of Venice, Florida, formerly of Marion and Ironton, passed away Oct. 9, 2019 at Sunset Lake Health and Rehab Center in Venice, Florida.

Mr. Fitzpatrick, a native of Ashland, Kentucky, was born Feb. 26, 1932, a son to the late Thomas Young Fitzpatrick and Agnes (VanHoose) Fitzpatrick. He was also preceded in death by two brothers; three sisters; and his wife of 60 years, Joyce (Ferrel) Fitzpatrick, whom he married July 2, 1955.

Mr. Fitzpatrick graduated from Ashland High School in 1950 and was a member of the National Guard in Kentucky, Texas and Florida, for which he was honored earlier this year. He was a Mason and member of the Elks Lodge 32 in Marion, where in 1972, he was elected to the highest office. He was an avid golfer and animal lover. The family always had multiple pets including dogs, cats, birds, and a horse.

George started his career in the telecommunications industry in 1955, hiring on with Automatic Electric, a job which would entail several years of travel. His first assignment took him to Texas, then Florida, where the couple’s first son, Thomas, was born and many stops along the east coast, including North Carolina, the birthplace of their second son, Mark.

George, a talented technician was soon offered a job with GTE that would bring him back to southern Ohio. Promotions followed and he ended his career with GTE in Engineering Special Services Supervision in Marion. Soon thereafter, George and Joyce retired to Venice, Florida in 1992, where they resided together until Joyce’s death in 2015.

He is survived by two sons, Thomas Richey Fitzpatrick and wife, Laurie, of Christiana, Tennessee, and Mark Alan Fitzpatrick and Cynthia Wall, of Marion; a brother, James Fitzpatrick of Jeffersonville, Indiana; two grandchildren, Tyler Fitzpatrick and his wife, Stephanie, of Nicholasville, Kentucky, and Emily Fitzpatrick, of North Bergen, New Jersey; and one great granddaughter, Ava, of Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Phillips Funeral Home, 1004 S. Seventh St., Ironton, with Rev. Dave Lambert. Burial will follow in Sugar Creek Cemetery and visitation will be Saturday, 11 a.m. until time of the service at the funeral home.

To offer the Fitzpatrick’s condolences, please visit www.phillipsfuneralhome.net

Donna Spergin

Jan. 17, 1947– Oct. 21, 2019

Donna Kaye Spergin, 72, of Haverhill, passed away Monday, Oct. 21, 2019 at St. Mary’s ER in Ironton.

Donna was born Jan. 17, 1947 in Ironton to the late Earl Lavender Sr. and Goldie Mae Adkins Lavender. Donna was a nurse for Green Local School District and was a member of Ohio Furnace Enterprise Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, Donna was preceded in death by two brothers, Earl Lavender Jr. and Larry Lavender; and a sister, Joyce Sprouse.

Donna is survived by her husband, Thomas Joe Spergin, whom she married Oct. 30, 1971 at Ohio Furnace Enterprise Baptist Church. She is also survived by two sons, Randy (Tonya) Spergin and Joey (Melissa) Spergin; a daughter, Jacqui (Keith) Skeans; a brother, Roger Lavender; two sisters, Patricia Gannon and Linda Corn; nine grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Harrison-Pyles Funeral Home in Wheelersburg with Pastor Gary Arthurs and Pastor Roger Lavender officiating. Interment will follow in Haverhill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home 6–8 p.m. Thursday and one hour before the service on Friday.

Condolences to the family may be made at www.harrison-pyles.com.

Dale Neal

June 6, 1949–Oct. 21, 2019

Dale S. Neal, 70, of Wheelersburg, formerly of Coal Grove/Ironton, passed away Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, after a short battle with cancer. Dale was born June 6, 1949, to the late John and Inez Neal.

He graduated from Dawson Bryant High School in 1967. He married Shirley Daniel Neal on July 24, 1968. He worked for JRB Trucking in Ashland, Kentucky for 25 years as a diesel mechanic. He attended Sandhill Christian Baptist Church, where he had a loving “church family”.

In addition to his mom and dad, he was proceeded in death by two brothers, Sammy John Neal and Robert Lee Neal.

He is survived by, and will forever be loved and missed, by his wife of 51 years, Shirley Daniel Neal. His daughter, Roxanne (Randolph) Scott; his son, John (Amanda) Neal; his grandchildren, Megan Dayle Butler, Mason Butler, Abby Neal, J.W. Neal and Collin Essa; one great-granddaughter; his special sidekick, Eden Adele Smith; and countless friends and neighbors.

Dale was a hard-working, family man, who was loved and adored by everyone who knew him. He loved his kids and he loved being a Poppaw!

Services will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Tracy Brammer-Monroe Funeral Home, 518 S. Sixth St., Ironton, with Pastor Ronnie Blevins, Pastor Jared Timberlake and Pastor Gary Arthurs officiating. Burial will follow in Haverhill Cemetery. Visitation for friends and family will be 11 a.m. until time of the service at the funeral home.

To offer the Neal family condolences, please visit: www.phillipsfuneralhome.net

Raymond Thacker Jr.

Raymond Lee Thacker Jr., 72, of South Point, died Oct. 21, 2019. He is survived by his wife, Lorna Brooks Thacker.

Memorial service 1 p.m. Monday at Slack and Wallace Funeral Home, South Point.

www.slackandwallace.com.