New River Obituaries ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- BALDWIN, Vernon LeRoy, of Blacksburg, died Saturday, June 2, 2001. He was born on December 24, 1911. He is survived by his wife Lois, of 61 years; one son, LeRoy; his wife Emmelyn ; and one granddaughter, Emily. Vern was preceded in death by his parents, Grant and Etta Baldwin; one sister Lavilla; two brothers, Emory and Victor; two daughters, Alice Ann and Lavilla. In 1927 Vern received one of two National 4-H leadership awards presented to him at the Chicago Club Congress by Cyrus B. McCormick, Jr. Vern graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in animal science. He taught high school at Hawley Minnesota for three years. He became an agricultural extension agent in 1940, after seven years he accepted a sabbatical leave to complete his Ph.D. Vern came to V.P.I. in 1955 and retired in 1973. Vern accepted an assignment with the American Embassy as a consultant in Jamaica, W.I. He was assigned to Quito Ecuador as a consultant for I E S C (International Executive Service Corp.). Vern also lectured at the University of Australia, Brisbane Campus, the University of London, Wye Campus, Kent Co., England. Since retirement, Vern has written a very pertinent book "Basic Genetics and Genetic Therapy Opportunities" from the Genome Project of the U.S. National Institute of Health, now ready to be published. Vern's second book is one-third finished, it will not be completed. Vern was a dear friend to so many and he will be remembered very lovingly by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Blacksburg Rescue Squad, 200 Progress Street, N.E., Blacksburg, Va. 24060 or to the Blacksburg Senior Center, 725 Patrick Henry Drive, Blacksburg, Va. 24060. Vern helped to get the great senior center started. He was a Rotarian, Torch Club Member, as well as, N.A.R.F.E., A.A.R.P. Vern was a man who made a difference. A memorial service will be held Sunday, June 17, 2001, Father's Day, at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church at 2 p.m. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- DICKERSON, Dexter Arlington, 92, of Floyd, went to be with his Lord on Thursday, June 14, 2001. He passed away on one of his favorite spots-"out on the Hill"- of his farm. He was a life long farmer and member of the Floyd Baptist Church since the mid 1930's. He retired from N & W Railway with 30 years of service. He dearly loved his family and his family had a lot of love and respect for him. Mr. Dickerson was born July 17, 1908, the youngest of 14 children of Julius and Teauta Amos Graham Dickerson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lydia Webb Dickerson. Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Deronda and Clyde Thomas of Floyd; son and daughter-in-law, Julius and Eunice Dickerson of Floyd; grandchildren, Lynette Webb and husband, Jeff, Calvin Thomas and wife, Lisa, Mary Caitlin Dickerson, Leah Dickerson, all of Floyd; great-grandchildren, Scarlett Gibbs, Candace Gibbs, Skyler Webb, all of Floyd; sisters-in-law, Maude Dickerson and Edith Webb of Floyd; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 3 p.m. Sunday, June 17, 2001 at the Floyd Baptist Church with the Rev. Alton Griffin and the Rev. Richard Thomas officiating. Burial will follow in Jacksonville Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Maberry Funeral Home. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- DUNCAN, Mozelle East, 67, of Pulaski, died Thursday, June 14, 2001. Funeral 3 p.m. Sunday at the Stevens Funeral Chapel, Pulaski. Visiting at the funeral home Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m. Arrangements by Stevens Funeral Home, Inc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- PATTON, Eula Mae Marshall, 62, of Narrows, peacefully went to her eternal home from Cox Medical Center in Springfield, Mo. Thursday, June 14, 2001 after a long and hard fought battle with diabetes and its complications. Eula was born in Giles County on December 3, 1938 and grew up in the Celco Heights Community in the nurture of her large and extended family and church. After graduation from high school as a proud member of the Narrows Green Wave Class of 1957 she also graduated from National Business College in Roanoke. She held various positions in public service an retired as an Administrative Assistant in the U.S. Department of Labor. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale Thomas Patton; her mother, Edna Mills Berry; and her stepfather, Claude Berry. She is survived by a beloved sister, Henrietta Marshall of Narrows; her father, Ted H. Marshall; stepmother, Nona Link Marshall of Narrows; a stepson, Steve Patton of Kansas City, Mo.; a stepdaughter, Ellen Carter of Boulder Creek, Calif.; and many beloved cousins. Funeral services will be conducted Monday, June 18, 2001 at 11 a.m. in the Kendall Funeral Home in Pembroke with Eddie Kendall officiating. Burial will follow in the Peterstown Cemetery at Peterstown, W.Va. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. and at other times at the home of her sister at 305 Maple Street in Narrows. The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be sent to the American Diabetes Association. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- RILEY, Samuel Gayle Jr., of Blacksburg, was born in Columbia, Mo., on January 13, 1910 to Samuel Gayle, Sr. and Anna McConnell Riley. His father was at that time on the faculty of Stevens College. Most of his early years were spent in Gainesville, Ga., the home town of his late father and mother. In 1920 the family moved to Raleigh, N.C. where Mr. Riley, Sr. taught history at Meredith College. Mr. Riley attended Murphy School. He graduated in 1927 from Hugh Morson High School and attended the Textile School at North Carolina State College, from which he graduated in 1931. He began working for the textile firm of Collins and Aikman in June 1931 in Roxboro, N.C., which is where he met his wife, Janie Ruth Blalock. Days before his death, he remarked that the day he met Janie was the best day of his life. The couple married on June 16, 1934. In 1934 they relocated to Raleigh, where he became the textile designer for Pilot Mills Company. He became Superintendent in 1942, General Manager in 1953, and President in 1970. When Pilot was acquired in 1970 by Crompton, Inc., he became Vice President and General Manager for the Pilot Plant. He was a member of Pilot's Board of Directors from 1957 until the firm closed the mill in 1972. The stockholders of Pilot Realty, which owned the mill's land and buildings, formed a new investment company, P.M.C. Inc.; he served on that company's Board of Directors from 1968 until 1990, when he retired at age 80. Mr. Riley is survived by his wife of 67 years, Janie Blalock Riley; his son, Sam G. Riley, III of Blacksburg; two grandchildren, Heather Marie Riley Chadwick and Daniel Blalock Riley; two great-grandchildren, Janie Salyer Chadwick and Mary Wilson Chadwick, all of Atlanta. Graveside services will be conducted Sunday, June 17, 2001 at 2 p.m. in the Montlawn Memorial Park, Raleigh, N.C. with the Rev. Eric Carson officiating. Local arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home. Arrangements in North Carolina by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Raleigh, N.C. 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