Norman E. Wratchford

Norman Edward "Bud" Wratchford, 67, of Moorefield, died Wednesday, June 14, 2006, at his residence.

Mr. Wratchford was born Jan. 18, 1939, in Moorefield, and was the son of the late Ervin J. Wratchford and Bessie Gochenour Wratchford.

He had retired as an equipment operator for the C.D. Alt Corporation and had served in the United States Navy from 1957 to 1959. He was a member of the Moorefield Church of the Brethren.

Surviving are a companion, Wanda L. See; seven sisters, Lena Hinkle, Virginia Baldwin and Bonnie Hines, all of Moorefield, Lila Ann Sine of Winchester, VA, Alice French of Baltimore, MD, Phyliss Shobe of Richmond, VA, and Dorothy Ritchie of Harrisonburg. VA; two brothers, David Wratchford of Stephens City, VA and Walter Wratchford of Walkersville, MD; a half-brother, Johnnie Wratchford of Franklin, and several nieces and nephews.

Pastor Ted Osgood conducted the funeral Sunday at the Elmore Funeral Home in Moorefield, W.Va. Burial was in the Olivet Cemetery in Moorefield.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Moorefield Volunteer Fire Company No. 46.

Tiffany Y. Koontz

Tiffany Yvette Bryant Koontz, age 35, of Kingston, TN passed away Wednesday, June 14, 2006, at Methodist Medical Center following a lengthy illness.

She was a member of Luminary United Methodist Church of Ten Mile. She faithfully attended Caney Ford Baptist Church of Harriman, TN.

She is survived by her husband, Jack L. Koontz and daughter Hannah McKenzi Koontz; father and mother, Wayne and Judy Bryant; father and mother-in-law, Jack and Jean Koontz; grandmother, Edith Adcox; grandmother-in-law, Shirley Joseph; brother and sister-in-law, Keith and Angie Bryant; brother and sister-in-law, Mason and Angie Bryant; sister and brother-in-law, Courtney and Terry McPherson; brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Dolly Rexrode and a host of nieces and nephews that she treated like her own children, Haley and Tanner Bryant; Holley, Kayla and Axton Bryant; Corey and Kerrigan Spurling and Caden McPherson, Krista Owens, and Casey Rexrode.

Funeral services were held Friday at the Kyker Chapel in Kingston, TN. The interment was Saturday at Willard Park Cemetery in Harriman, TN.

Virgie Ella Harper, 98, of Franklin, passed over into the next life on Sunday, June 18, 2006, at Pendleton Nursing Home.

She was born November 4, 1907, in Riverton and was the daughter of the late Frank and Nola White Harper.  She was the second of 10 children.

She spent her childhood in Riverton. 

She married Martin Gray in 1928 and they had one son, Paul Gray.  Their marriage ended in diivorce. 

In 1932, she married Harold Wayne Utterback of Delroy, OH.  They had one daughter, Edith Utterback Bowers. Mr. Utterback died in 1970.

In 1978, she married Ralph Harper of Riverton. Mr. Harper had five children by his first wife. Mr. Harper died in 1981.

In the 1930s, Mrs. Harper lived in many places in West Virginia and Ohio but moved to Franklin in 1939 and has remained their ever sicne.  Throughout her life, she worked many jobs, including housecleaning, laundry and farming.

She was a skilled hunter, enjoying solo forays into the woods wsith her rifle tucked under her arm well into her late 70s.  AS a native West Virginian, she also walked most of Pendleton County, in her early years because of the lack of roads and in her later years as a hunter and because she enjoyed traveling by foot.  She did not acquire a driver's license until her 60s and gave it up of her own accord in her early 80s. 

She and Mr. Utterback built  home in Propst Gap south of Franklin in the early 1950s, where she lived until she entered the Pendleton Nursing Home in November 2005. 

She was preceded in death by all three husbands and her son, one grandchild, as well as eight of her nine siblings. 

She is survived by her daughter, Edith Bowers of Manassas, Virginia; five step-children, Alice Ratliff, Elwood Harper and Orville Harper, all of Riverton, Kenneth Harper of Seneca Rocks, and Mamie Smith of College Park, MD; one sister, Ramona Hedrick of Courtland, OH; 21 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

She joined Faith Lutheran Church in Franklin in the 1940s and remained a member until her death. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church with Pastors Craig and Wendy Richter officiating.  Burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery at Franklin.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Kimble Funeral Home in Franklin.

Throughout her life, Mrs. Harper enjoyed receiving greeting cards from her friends and family.  Those wishing to remember her with cards are invited to bring them to the funeral home or church.  Those wishing to make donations in her name are encouraged to make donations to the Pendleton Nursing Home or Mountain Hospice, both of whom cared for well for her up unto her final moments.

Vernon Denver "John" Kimble, 53, of Riverton, died Saturday, June 17, 2006, at his home.

Mr. Kimble was born June 5, 1953, in Upper Tract, and was a son of Earl D. Kimble Sr., and Katherine Foor Kimble of Upper Tract.

In addition to his parents, survivors include his wife, Brenda Sue Mick Kimble, whom he married in 1986; a son, Darrell Wayne Kimble; three sisters, Elizabeth Mongold of Dorcas, Barbara Mitchell of White Post, VA, and Linda Kimble of Grafton; six brothers, Earl Kimble Jr. and Jerry Kimble, both of Franklin, Clinton R. Kimble of Upper Tract, Timmy Kimble of Riverton, Phillip Kimble of Keyser, and Johnny Kimble of Petersburg; and Danny Mitchell of Virginia, whom he raised.

His body has been cremated.

The funeral will be private, and burial will be at the Warner Cemetery in Hunting Ground, Circleville.

Arrangements are by the Kimble Funeral Home in Franklin.

Lester Huddleston, 76

Lester H. Huddleston, 76, of Craigsville died Tuesday May, 30, 2006, of a sudden illness, while at their camp on North Mountain, Franklin. 

Mr. Huddleston was an avid hunter, fisherman and gardener.  He loved Pendleton County and retired there in 1985 after working for 33.5 years at General Motors in Cleveland, OH.  He and Helen lived there for seven years--Helen working at Hanover Shoe cafeteria while he was busy doing the things he loved outdoors.

He was a coal miner served three years in the Army (in Korea).  His 21 years of retirement were wonderful, happy years for him and Helen. 

Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Helen Adams Huddleston of Craigsville; step -daughter, Sue Adams and step-son and wife, Russ and Betsy Adams of Craigsville; daughter-in-law, Linda Adams of Elizabeth widow of Danny Adams, who passed away May 29, 2005, after a long bout with cancer; two granddaughters, Alycia Adams of Huntington and Lindsey Adams Bragg and husband, John of Fairmont; two sisters, Virginia Hayes of Rand and Mae and husband, Tommy Barnett of Shrewsbury; many nieces and nephews and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Gertrude Huddleston; three sister; five brothers; and a step-son, Danny C. Adams.

Services were held at June 3 at the Simons Coleman Funeral Home in Richwood with the Rev. Keith Williams officiating.  Burial was in the Rssell Cemetery at Craigsville.  

Obituaries are used with the permission of the Pendleton Times.

© - Copyright Notice
2001, Janet Cooper

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