Newton D. Ruddle

Newton Decatur Ruddle, Jr., 76, of Franklin died June 11, 2011 at Pendleton Manor in Franklin, where he had been a resident for two years.

He was born Feb. 25, 1935, in Franklin, the son of the late Newton Decatur “Dick” Ruddle and Mary Dunkle Ruddle.

He graduated from Franklin High School, class of 1955. For 15 years, he was a volunteer fireman in the Franklin squad. He was a faithful member of the Franklin Presbyterian Church.

Over the years, although he had to cope with many health problems, he enjoyed life; beach vacations with his family, holiday gatherings, watching the Redskins and Mountaineer games, going to the library, reading his Bible and greeting his many friends with “Have a good day.”

At the Manor, he enjoyed the activities; devotions, music appreciation, bingo, playing cards and the sing-a-longs with church choirs. He will be remembered at the Manor for his enjoyment of classic country and gospel music and his spontaneous outburst of song.

Surviving are five sisters, Mary Lee and Carolyn Ruddle, both of Franklin, Helen McGhee of Rockville, MD, Joanna Rinaldi and husband, Charles of Adamstown, MD, and Nancy walter and husband, Dan of Vienna, VA; a brother, Maurice Ruddle and wife, Louise of Bassett, VA; 13 nieces and nephews; and 18 great-nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Friday at 1 p.m. at the Franklin Presbyterian Church with Vicar Jessie Hamm and Sean Walker, candidate for ordination in the Presbyterian Church, USA, officiating. Interment will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Franklin.

Memorials may be made to Mountain Hospice, PO Box 416, Franklin, WV 26807 or the Franklin Rescue Squad, PO Box 966, Franklin, WV 26807.

Born April 22, 1964, in Bethesda, MD, he was the son of Arlie L. Ruddle of Oak Flat and the late Joyce V. (Whittington) Ruddle.

Surviving are his wife, Debra “Bobo” Ruddle; two sons, Charles Ruddle and Brandon Ruddle of Lake City, FL; a step-son Robert Smith, II, of Moorefield; a daughter, Joyce “Mickey” Ruddle of Oak Flat; a step-daughter, Sabrina Varner of Moorefield; four brothers, Russell Ruddle and Lester Ruddle of Ft. Seybert, Jeffrey Ruddle of Franklin and Michael Ruddle of Derwood, MD; and a sister, Tracy Ruddle of Oak Flat.

Funeral services were conducted Sunday at the Fraley Funeral Home Chapel, Moorefield, with Pastors Jay Parkins and Brian Hipp officiating. Interment followed at the Woerner Cemetery, Fisher.

Condolences to the family may be left at Mr. Ruddle’s obituary at www.fraleyfuneralhome.com

Charles Reid Fleisher, 61, of Franklin died Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at Harrisonburg Health and Rehab Center in Harrisonburg, VA.

He was born May 25, 1950, at Cave and was the son of Eston S. Fleisher of Franklin and the late Anna Lynn Hoover Fleisher.

Mr. Fleisher was a 1969 graduate of Franklin High School and had worked at Hanover Shoe Company for over 23 and one-half years, was a carpenter, a farmer and a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Also surviving are a stepmother, Thelma Mitchell Fleisher of Franklin; one daughter, Stephanie L. Fleisher of Franklin; one son, Charles Westley Fleisher and wife, Carla of Franklin; two stepsons, Kevin R. Sponaugle and wife, Cindy of Brandywine, and Kirby S. Sponaugle and wife, Lisa of Franklin two special aunts, Maxine Huffman of McDowell, VA, and Geraldine Neil of Franklin; three grandchildren, Lane Hunter Fleisher, Kelsey Nicole Sponaugle and Kaley Marie Sponaugle.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kimblefuneralhome.com.

Levene Sponaugle Butcher, 91, of Riverton passed away peacefully on June 8, 2011, at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport.

She was born on the Hunting Ground on Dec. 16, 1919, the daughter of the late Harman and Etta Warner Sponaugle.

On June 28, 1941, she married Herbert Stern Butcher, who preceded her in death on Feb. 4, 1998. 

Surviving are a daughter, Sherry Lynn Murray and husband, Hank of Bridgeport; a son Douglas Mark Butcher and wife, Lori of Riverton; a daughter-in-law, Judy Butcher of Crofton, MD; five grandchildren, Benjamin and Bradley Butcher of Hanover, MD, Ashley and Julia Murray of Morgantown and Meredith Veltri and husband, Mark of Bridgeport; two great-grandchildren, Presley “P” Veltri and Sean “Bubby” Veltri of Bridgeport, who were “MeMaw’s pride and joy; a sister, Idelta Lambert and husband, Keith of Circleville; a brother, Roscoe Sponaugle and wife, Phyllis of Charlottesville, VA; a sister-in-law, Helen Ingram of White House, TX; and many nieces and nephews.

She was also preceded in death and welcomed home by a son, Chester Hugh Butcher; and three brothers, Marvin, Ray and McClure Sponaugle and seven sisters, Beulah Simmons, Alpha Bennett, Kerlin Landes, Myrtle Phares, Kitty Waybright, Elsie White and Ruth Harper.

Funeral services were held Saturday at the Basagic Funeral Home in Franklin with Rev. Earl Bible and Rev. Robert Baer, Jr. Officiating. Interment was at North Fork Memorial Cemetery, Riverton.

Words of comfort and memories may be left at www.basagic.com.

Kenneth “Kenny” Franklin Moyers, 56, of Dayton, VA, passed away on Sunday, June 12, 2011. He had not been well for the past several months.

He was born on Jan. 27, 1955 in Harrisonburg, VA, and was the son of the late Harold Kenneth and Anna Mae Conley Moyers.

Mr. Moyers grew up in the Lacey Springs community and graduated from Broadway High School. He had made his home in Dayton, VA, since 1985. He was a supervisor at Shenandoah Food Processors for many years and was a pressman at Branner Printing in Broadway, VA. He was a member of the Harrisonburg Moose Lodge.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing playing men’s softball, Nascar and the visiting with family friends at the cabin in West Virginia.

Also surviving are a stepdaughter, Amy N. Davis, and her son, Cayden of Dayton, VA; a son, Brian Puffenbarger and his daughter, Brynelle of Harrisonburg, VA; three sisters, Doris Rodeffer, Pat Clinedinst, and Cathy Hoover,

He was also preceded in death by a sister, Connie Taylor, a foster brother, Donnie Conley; and mother-in-law, Doreen Pope.

A memorial service was held Tuesday at the chapel of the Lindsey Funeral Homes and Crematory in Harrisonburg, VA, with Rev. Mark Landis and Rev. Cliff Poirot officiating.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.lindseyharrisonburg.com.

Pauline Grace Huffman, 81, of Seneca Rocks passed away on Wednesday, June 8, 2011, at Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg.

She was born at Roaring Creek (Onego) on Nov. 4, 1929, the daughter of the late Robert C. And Zernie Vance Long.

Mrs. Huffman attended Onego School and was a member of Seneca Rocks Presbyterian Church. She worked for 17 years at Harper’s Store and was a restaurant worker and a homemaker.

Also surviving are three daughters, Anita Warner and husband, David of Riverton, Peggy Sue Nelson and husband, Kenneth, and Sarah Rotruck, all of Seneca Rocks; a son, Herbert Greg Huffman and wife, Amanda of Seneca Rocks; three sisters, Thelma Tingler and husband, Lewis of Bowden, Mabel Cooper of Harrisonburg, VA, and Orpha Long of Cumberland, MD; 10 grandchildren, Leslie Parker and wife, Amy Nelson, Jason Glen Nelson and Krista Hiner. Adrian Huffman and wife, Brandi, Brian Warner and wife, Crystal, Nathaniel Warner, Julie Bland and husband, Andy, and Travis, Tiffany, Ethan and John Huffman; and five great-grandchildren, Mikayla Nelson, BJ Nelson, Cameron Huffman, Caylee Huffman and Cayden Warner.

She was also preceded in death by three grandsons, Robert Ray Nelson, Brandon Jay Huffman and Cameron Ray Huffman; two brothers, Ray Long and Harvey Long and two sisters, Ruth Johnston and Margie Sites.

Memorial may be made to the family, c/o Park Huffman, HC 81, Box 65, Seneca Rocks, WV 26884 or to the North Fork Rescue Squad.

Memories and words of comfort may be left at www.basagic.com.

Leora Florence Grogg, 88, of Sugar Grove died Saturday, June 11, 2011, at the UVA Hospital in Charlottesville, VA.

She was born Oct 12, 1922 at Sugar Grove and was the daughter of the late James P. Puffenbarger and Tina Simmons Puffenbarger.

Also surviving are one daughter, Judy Austin, and husband, Thomas of Harrisonburg, VA; one brother, Harold Puffenbarger of Harrisonburg, VA and one grandson, Marshall Austin.

She was also preceded in death by six brothers, Hubert, Earl, Harlan, Lester, James B. And Clyde Puffenbarger and one sister, Shirley Eckard.

Funeral services will be held today at 11:00 a.m. at the Calvary Lutheran Church at Sugar Grove with Vicar Jessie Hamme officiating. Burial will be at the Crummetts Run Cemetery.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kimblefuneralhome.com.

She was the first in her immediate family to graduate from a university, which she did with honors as president of the home economics honorary Phi Upsilon Omicron.

After graduation from West Virginia University in 1938, she moved to Franklin to work for the federal assistance program, Farm Security. Her home economics professors had recommended her for this work because of her own life experience with the endemic poverty and subsistence agriculture typical of that time.

She married John Dice Bowman in Franklin in 1940, and together they began an adventure that took them to seven western states, until her husband’s death in 1968. As they formed their family, she continually sought opportunity to use her artistic and intellectual talents. Her first loves were teaching sewing and tailoring. In later life, she had a distinguished career as a beekeeper, producing award winning honey under her “Roving Iris” brand.

Mrs. Bowman was also matriarch of a small and loving family: children, Fran Bowman and Willa and Stuart Pettygrove and grandchildren, Will Bowman and Grace and Margaret Pettygrove. 

In 2000, she moved to Rancho Yolo, CA to be closer to her family.

She was also preceded in death by an infant son, John Wolfe Bowman; her husband, John; two sisters; and a brother.

Ingeborg “Inge” Paula Bankhead, 86, of Elkins, died Saturday, June 4, 2011, at Life Care Center of Plano, TX, due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

She lived through World War II in Germany. Later, as a young woman, she met Martin “Mike” Bankhead while he was in the United State Army stationed in Germany. The two married on March 30, 1957, and remained together until Mrs. Bankhead’s passing.

The two of them had many adventures together. Leaving Germany in late 1957, she followed her husband around the world, first to the United States, where in 1958 the couple’s son, Marty Bankhead, was born. The family lived in North Carolina and Ohio, later moving to Kenya in 1975 for three years, Iran for one year, Nigeria for 10 years then to Egypt for a little over two years, due to Mr. Bankhead’s job with Union Carbide.

She passed her time in these countries designing jewelry, learning the local languages, and keeping her husband on his toes. Along with her ability for designing jewelry, she also was rather adept for art, designing multiple pieces and creating some of her own. Her ability with language and her lack of an American accent helped spare the couple from many a tough situations, especially in Iran when even the Shah had to leave the country to survive the turmoil. For vacation, while living in Nigeria, she even convinced him to sail around the world in 30 days, a trip she much enjoyed, her favorite stop being India.

After years of travel and learning and enjoying cultures around the world it was time to settle down. Relaxing into retirement, the Bankheads moved into a lovely cabin in Upper Tract, where they spent many years. She enjoyed growing plants to add to the cabin’s natural beauty, such as pretty flowers, blue spruce trees and her favorite tree, the cherry blossom. She enjoyed the beautiful scenery that the rural cabin offered, and she also enjoyed having dogs especially Yorkshire Terriers.

Surviving are her husband, Mike Blanhead, their only son, Marty Bankhead and wife, Kathy Bankhead, and grandchildren, Diane Bankhead and Michael Bankhead of Plano, TX.

Flowers and condolences can be mailed to the Bankhead household at 3924 Sagamore Hill Ct. In Plano, TX 75025.

Memorial gifts may be made to West Virginia University Foundation, California Rare Fruit Growers or the 4-H Foundation.

Obituaries are used with the permission of the Pendleton Times.

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2001, Janet Cooper

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