Betty Jane Harper

Betty Jane Harper, 73, of Riverton died Tuesday, June 27, 2006, at Winchester Medial Center at Winchester, VA.

Born Aug. 17, 1932, at Macksville, a daughter of the late Baxter and Artie Miller Hedrick.

Mrs. Harper was a homemaker. She graduated as valedictorian from Circleville High School in 1950. She was a member of High Rock United Methodist Church.

Her husband of 55 years, B. Wright Harper, survives.

Surviving, in addition to her husband, are two daughters, Rebecca Funk of Rowlesburg and Lucy Kisamore of Riverton; two sons, Merlin Harper of Riverton and Berlin Harper of Seneca Rocks; one sister, Ella Griffith of Arlington, VA; five brothers, Hansel Hedrick and Joe Hedrick, both of Seneca Rocks, Hugh Hedrick and Dice Hedrick, both of Coshocton, Ohio, and Rev. Roy Hedrick of Harrisonburg, VA; eight grandchildren, four stepgrandchildren, four great-grandchildren and five step-great-grandchildren.

She also was preceded in death by one brother, Donnie Hedrick; one half brother, Guy Hedrick; one sister, Hazel Hedrick; and two half sisters, Elizabeth Alander and Mabel Harper.

Funeral services were held Saturday at the High Rock United Methodist Church with the Rev. Barbara Rexroad officiating. Burial was in North Fork Memorial Cemetery, Riverton, by Basagic Funeral Home, Franklin. 

Memorial donations may be made to High Rock United Methodist Church. Basagic Funeral Home in Franklin is in charge of the arrangements.  

Mrs. Goldie A. Kesner, 92

Goldie Arbutis Kesner, 92, of Maysville, and formerly of Moorefield died Monday, June 26, 2006, at Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg.

Mrs. Kesner was born Jan. 16, 1914, in Pendleton County and was the daughter of the late Albert M. Whetzel Sr. and Martha J. Alt Whetzel. 

She was a member of the Walnut Grove Church of the Brethren.  

She was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Edward Kesner in November 1984.

Survivors include a daughter, Evelyn Franz of Maysville; five sons, Delmer Kesner of Moorefield, Charles Thurman Kesner, Elwood Kesner and Curtis "Mouse" Kesner, all of Rig and Gerald Kesner of Maysville; four sisters, Ruth Engle of Old Fields, Anna Bennett of Moorefield, Clara Nell Ours of Cabins and Cloda Belle Kisamore of Arthur; two brothers, Vernon Whetzel of Petersburg and Albert M. Whetzel Jr. of Arthur; 17 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren.

Pastors Don Knotts and Robert Borror conducted the funeral Thursday at Walnut Grove Church of the Brethren.  Burial followed at Walnut Grove Gardens adjacent to the church.

Memorial donations may be made to the Walnut Grove Church of the Brethren Fellowship Hall Building Fund, P.O. Box 733, Moorefield, WV 26836.

Condolences to the family may be left at Mrs. Kesner's obituary at www.fraleyfuneralhome.com.

Fraley Funeral Home in Moorefield was in charge of the funeral arrangements.

Dr. June Patterson Bucy, 77, of Harrisonburg, VA, was called home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, June 28, 2006. She died at home with her family following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was born Oct. 14, 1928 in Timber Ridge, VA, and was the daughter of the late Reverend T. Henry and Susan Patterson. 

Dr. Bucy attended Queens College in Charlotte, NC, earning a dual degree in psychology and philosophy. Following her work as the Director of Christian Education in Midland, TX, she earned her Masters in Sociology and began her lifelong passion of working on behalf of disconnected youth. In Texas, she directed the Galveston Shelter for Youth where, during her service, over 4,000 abused, homeless, and troubled youth were given temporary shelter and a chance to begin their lives anew.

In 1982, she became Executive Director of the National Network for Youth in Washington, D.C.  For her work with youth, Queens University bestowed on her an honorary doctorate degree in 1986.

Following her retirement to Harrisonburg, VA, in 1990, she continued tirelessly to serve others.  She served twice as interim executive director of the Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center, a facility she helped to reopen in 1991. Dr. Bucy served as Interim Executive Presbyter for Shenandoah Presbytery, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) located in Harrisonburg, VA and has served the larger church as moderator of the Presbyterian Women, moderator of the Presbytery of Shenandoah, and moderator of the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic.

Dr. Bucy was president of the Massanetta Springs Cottage Community Association and an active member of the board of trustees at Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center.  She was treasurer for the Presbytery and served on the Synod's board of Trustees.  On a recent trip to Washington, DC, she was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Network for Youth.  

June was an endless supply of kindness and love to all those that knew her. Many came to rely on her as a solid rock in times of trouble and looked to her for guidance in times of uncertainty. She was an exceptional servant of Christ, her community, and her family. She will be deeply missed.

On June 5, 1951, she married the Reverend Dr. Ralph D. Bucy. She leaves behind her three sons, Ralph Patterson "Pat" Bucy and wife, Judy, of Birmingham, AL; John Flynn Bucy and wife, Lorraine, of McLean, VA; Robert Thomas Bucy of Santa Barbara, CA, and six grandchildren: Cole Bucy, Julie Bucy, Jason Bucy, Ben Bucy, John Bucy, and Elizabeth Bucy. June was preceded in death by her vibrant and inspiring granddaughter, Allison Ann Bucy who passed on April 21, 2006.

A service celebrating June’s life will be conducted Saturday, July 8 at 2:00 p.m. at Massanutten Presbyterian Church in Penn Laird by Rev. John Leggett, the Reverend Ann Pettit and the Reverend Dr. Thomas D. Hay. Interment will follow in a private service by the Reverend Dr. Fred A. Holbrook at the Columbarium at Massanetta Springs, VA.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Patterson-Bucy Endowment Fund, Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center, 712 Massanetta Springs Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.

Ralph Curtis Hammer, a noted Shellfish biologist who led the old Maryland Tidewater Fisheries Commission's efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay's dwindling oyster population died of Alzheimer's disease Sunday at Genesis Eldercare-The Pines, Easton, MD.  The Centreville, MD, resident was 92.

Mr. Hammer was born in Franklin and raised in Cumberland, MD, where he graduated from Allegheny High School in 1933.  He earned a bachelor's  degree in zoology in 1940 and a master's in 1942 from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD. 

In 1941, he began his career working for the state Department of Research Education and Development at Solomons Island.  

In 1948, he joined the Tidewater Fisheries Commission and eventually headed the State's oyster-framing program that included growing seed oysters.  

In 1961, Mr. Hammer left the commission to become a project manager for C. J. Langenfelder & Son Inc., Contractors to head  its oyster  shell-dredging program.  The shells were used to form new oyster beds.  

Mr. Hammer spent the last seven years of his career as DNR's chief extension agent and retired in 1977. 

For his long service in Bay conservation efforts, he was awarded the Maryland  Wildlife Foundation's Conservationist of the Year Award in 1973.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Mr. Hammer worked as a commercial crabber, then took up beekeeping. 

Mr. Hammer volunteered with Hospice of Queen Anne’s County. He was a member of Centreville United Methodist Church and the Queen Anne’s County Farm Bureau and the Kent Island Idlers, a social club and enjoyed fishing and traveling.

Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Mary Margaret Lible of Easton, MD; a son, Dr. Edward Hammer and his wife, Bette, of Centreville, MD; two daughters, Holly Hammer Hagelin of Stevensville, MD and Christine H. Wolff of Nags Head, NC;  five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Services were held at e:00 p.m. June 21 at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, in Centreville, MD.

Obituaries are used with the permission of the Pendleton Times.

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2001, Janet Cooper

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