New River Obituaries ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- CALFEE, Robert Gooch, of Radford, Va., died Monday, March 5, 2001 at the New River Valley Medical Center. He was born February 26, 1919 in Wythe County, Va., the son of Riley Temple Calfee and Janie Peterson. He was preceded in death by his brother, James R. Calfee. He is survived by his wife, Mary Eleanor Bradley of Radford, Va.; son, John (Tem) Calfee of Ithaca, N.Y.; sister-in-law, Ruth Calfee of Kingsport, Tenn.; and a host of nieces and nephews. He graduated from Radford High School in 1936. He was a lifelong member of the Grove United Methodist Church, and was one of its eldest members. He also belonged to the Radford Lions Club for a number of years. He served in the United States Army in World War II as a sergeant in the 304 Port Company, 519th Port Battalion in a number of locations including Holland, Belgium, and France's Normandy Beach on D-Day + 1. After the war, he worked for the United States Postal Service in Radford for 35 years, and later for First & Merchant (Suntrust) Bank for 10 years. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 9, 2001 at the DeVilbiss Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Warren Stewart officiating. Interment will follow in Sunrise Burial Park. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, March 8, 2001 at the DeVilbiss Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Grove United Methodist Church, 1020 Tyler Avenue, Radford, Va. 24141. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- GRAVLEY, Lewis Fielding, 92, of Dublin, died Tuesday evening, March 6, 2001 in the Sunbridge Nursing Home, Dublin. He was born in Wythe County on May 31, 1908 and was the son of the late Charlie Gravley and Alberta Dalton Gravley. He was also preceded in death by his wives, Laura Alley Gravley and Ruth Farmer Gravley; one sister; and six brothers. Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Rodney and Annie Gravley of Pulaski; sisters, Dora Akers of Pulaski, Dorothy Wall of Pulaski, Shirley Arnold of Wytheville, Jennie Stillwell of Draper, Ruby Summers of Draper; brothers, Raymond Gravley of West Virginia, Hugh Gravley of North Carolina; grandsons, Rodney A. Gravley, II of Pulaski, Timothy Dale Gravley of Pulaski, Tony Randall Gravley of Dublin, Bobby Lee Gravley of Pulaski; and two great-grandchildren. Funeral service will be held Friday at 2 p.m. from Stevens Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Chester Linkous officiating. Burial will follow in the Thornspring Cemetery, Pulaski County. Visiting will be Thursday evening from the funeral home where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family wishes that memorials be made to the Carillion New River Valley Hospice, 707 Radford Street, Radford, Va. 24141. The family will be meeting at the residence of the son and daughter-in-law, Rodney and Annie Gravley, 3687 2nd Moorehead Lane, Pulaski. Arrangements by Stevens Funeral Home, Pulaski. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- KEFFER, Edna Hedge, 89, formerly of Blacksburg, Va., and a resident of Imperial Plaza Retirement Community, Richmond, Va., widow of Perry L. Keffer, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 7, 2001. She is survived by four sons, Tony W. Keffer and his wife Sandra of Moneta, Charles H. Keffer and his wife Sondra of Richmond, Johnny W. Keffer and his wife Beatrice of Charlottesville, Earl L. Keffer of Denver, Colo.; one daughter, Patricia K. Phelps and her husband Henry of Mechanicsville, Va.; two sisters, Dorothy H. Kirby and her husband John of Dublin, Va., Stella H. Wagoner of Fairlawn, Va.; 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Keffer was born in Radford, Va., one of nine children born of the Rev. Jessie Wade and Fairy Belle Hedge. She grew up on a farm in Wythe County and when she married, she and her husband, Perry, settled in Blacksburg, Va., to start a family. They made their home there for 26 years before moving to Richmond in 1960. She later went to work for the Miller & Rhoads Department store in downtown Richmond and spent the next 10 years there. She loved meeting new people and really enjoyed her work there and the friendships that ensued over the years. She retired in 1970 and she and her beloved Perry spent the next 14 years working in the church, traveling, and enjoying the fruits of their many years of labor. Mr. Keffer passed on in 1984 after their 51 years of marriage, but she continued with her work in the church. Her membership at the Ray of Hope Pentecostal Holiness Church in Richmond spanned 40 years, during which time she had served the Lord as a Women's Auxiliary Officer, Sunday School and Bible school teacher, along with other responsibilities. She and Mr. Keffer, until his passing, were active in supporting the church's sponsored orphanage in Falcon, N.C., with annual food, money, and clothing drives for the young residents of the home, and usually made the annual trek along with others to Falcon each Thanksgiving to deliver the donated gifts. She and Mr. Keffer, who was honored by the church as a Deacon Emeritus, were asked from time to time to represent the church as delegates to the denomination's Annual Convention. Remains rest at Woody's Parham Chapel, 1771 Parham Road, Richmond. The family will receive visitors Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and on Friday from 2 to 4 and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Services will be held at Woody's on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. with burial at Westhampton Memorial Park. The family would like to acknowledge with appreciation the loving and tender care provided to Mrs. Keffer by Hospice of Central Virginia during her stay at HealthSouth Medical Center. In lieu of flowers, contributions mat be made to the Ray of Hope Church, 3105 Chatham Road, Richmond, Va., in memory of Mrs. Keffer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- REED, Erma, 74, of Christiansburg, died Tuesday, March 6, 2001. Arrangements by Horne Funeral Service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- WRIGHT, Annie Ball, 73, of Newport, died Tuesday, March 6, 2001 at the New River Valley Medical Center. Graveside services will be conducted on Thursday, March 8, 2001 at 1 p.m. in the Birchlawn Burial Park, Pearisburg with the Rev. John LeMasters officiating. There will be no public visitation. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Blacksburg Christian School, 2120 North Main Street, Blacksburg, Va. 24060. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg. © 2001 Local content The Roanoke Times