New River Obituaries ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- CUNNINGHAM, Melvin, 54, of Shawsville, died Thursday, February 15, 2001. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Mary Marie Cunningham; son, Kenneth Richards; daughters, Leslie Howell, Mary Mabry, Liz Gallaher, Jennifer Woods; thirteen grandchildren; two brothers, Donald Cunningham, James Cunningham; three nephews; a niece; and a host of other relatives and friends. Visitation will be Sunday, February 18, 2001 from 4 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted February 19, 11 a.m. with the Rev. Bill Williams officiating at the Valley Funeral Service Chapel. Interment will follow in the Congregational Holiness Church Cemetery, Shawsville. Arrangements by Valley Funeral Service, 1609 Peters Creek Road. 562-1182. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- DAVIS, Elsie, 68 of Pulaski passed away Friday evening, February 16, 2001 at the Pulaski Community Hospital. Arrangements are pending at the Bower Funeral Chapel, Pulaski. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- GODBEY, David Lee, 67, of Radford, passed away Friday, February 16, 2001 at Roanoke Community Hospital. He was a retired machinist with Inland Motor with 19 years of service. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph T. and Kate McGraw Godbey. Survivors include his wife, Joyce Eller Godbey; two sons, David Timothy Godbey and Matthew Craig Godbey, both of Radford; and a daughter and son-in-law, Kelly G. and Jerry Reed, Radford; three sisters, Mary Price, and Dorothy Godbey both of Radford and Lois Spence of Akron, Ohio; and a sister-in-law, Hazel Godbey. Funeral services will be held Monday, February 19, 2001 at 2 p.m. at the Friendship Baptist Church with Rev. Jimmy Davis and Rev. Dennis Martin officiating. Interment will follow in West View Cemetery in Radford. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Mullins Funeral Home in Radford. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- HAMLIN, Irene L., 83, of Christiansburg, died Friday, February 16, 2001 at Heritage Hall Nursing Home. She is survived by her husband, Silas F. Hamlin; children, Donald McGuire of North Carolina, Robert Harrison of South Carolina, Wanda Guezara, Barbara Harrison, both of Texas, Juanita McGuire of Florida; stepchildren, Dorothy Albert of Virginia, Betty Yopp. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday, February 19, 2001 at the Horne Funeral Chapel with burial to follow in Belmont Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday evening at the Horne Funeral Service. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- HART, Henry Rexford, (Rex), 49, of Christiansburg, journeyed to the top of the mountain Wednesday, February 14, 2001 at Wythe County Community Hospital. He was born in Christiansburg, on February 7, 1952. He was preceded in death by his father Henry "Bill" Goldman Hart and his grandmother, Juanita "Granny" Daingerfield. Rex was an investigator for the Pulaski Public Defenders Office where he received the Phillip M. Sadler Award for Investigator of the Year. He is survived by his wife, Janice Boone Hart of Blacksburg; a son, Forrest Rexford Hart; a daughter, Shannon Elizabeth Hart, both of Christiansburg; his mother, Ann Daingerfield Hart of Christiansburg; two sisters, Pamela H. King of Christiansburg, Frances M. Hart of Bedford; a brother, William Matthew Hart, of Christiansburg; an aunt, Elizabeth H. Ferguson of Fairfax; and other aunts, uncles, and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be conducted Monday, February 19, 2001 at 4:20 p.m. in the Blacksburg Baptist Church with Dr. Tommy McDearis officiating. Interment will be private. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday at the Blacksburg Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to his children, Shannon and Forrest. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- HUGHETT, Cathy Renee, 35, of Christiansburg, passed away Saturday, February 17, 2001 at her home. She was preceded in death by her father, Lewis Clifton Hughett and a brother, Phillip Wayne Hughett. She is survived by her mother, Irene Collins Hughett; three sisters, Nelva Layne of Nicholsville, Va., Debra Smith of Peterstown, W.Va., Anita Holcomb of Christiansburg; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Ennis Victor and Carolyn Hughett, Charles Alvis Hughett, all of Christiansburg. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, February 20, 2001, at the Horne Funeral Chapel conducted by the Rev. Leslie Shelton with burial to follow in West View Cemetery, Radford. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday evening at the Horne Funeral Service, Christiansburg. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- PALMER, Dana Odell, 31, of Radford, left this life Sunday, February 11, 2001 at the Carilion Cancer Center of Western Virginia. He retired from the Sheriff's Office of Montgomery County Jail. He was a member of the New Mount Olive United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his brother, Craig Maurice Palmer. Survivors include his wife of nine years, Robyn R. Palmer; four children, Jasmine R. Ramsey, Dayna (Patty) Palmer, Dana (DJ) Odell Palmer, II, Darrien (Craig) Palmer; his father, Odell W. Palmer, Jr.; mother, Patricia C. Palmer; and brother, Keith Darnell Palmer; grandparents, Odell and Pauline Palmer; three uncles; five aunts; numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; nieces, nephews, and a host of relatives and friends. Also leaving a special friend, George Hindle and his son, John. The body is available for viewing Wednesday morning at Mount Olive UMC, Russell Ave., Radford, Va. The family will be receiving friends from 1 p.m. with funeral services beginning at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at Highland Memory Gardens, Dublin, Va. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to be made to the American Cancer Society. Arrangements by Claytor-Dean Funeral Home, Radford. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- WILSON, Robert F., 65, of 123 Ivy Drive, Pearisburg, died Saturday evening February 17, 2001 at his home in the loving care of his family after a long illness. Born on March 25, 1935 in Giles Co., he was a son of the late Homer R. and Estie Dulaney Wilson. He was a veteran of the US Army and was self-employed in home construction and was the developer and was the developer of Hidden Meadows Estates. He was preceded in death by a brother, Homer R. Wilson, Jr. He is survived by his devoted wife, Nettie Gautier Wilson; one son and daughter-in-law, Rodney F. and Barbara Hobbs Wilson of Pearisburg; three grandchildren, Amy, Sarah, and Robert; two great-grandchildren, Ivy and Jacob; one brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Cathy Wilson of Pearisburg; five sisters, Rowena Akers of Radford, Marjorie Talbert of Mechanicsville, Lula Kessinger of Newport, Gracie Vaught of Floyd, Elizabeth East of Pearisburg. Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 11 a.m. in the Kendall Funeral Home at 605 Snidow St. in Pembroke with the Rev. Shahn Wilburn officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery at Narrows. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- YATES, Sarah Jane Matney, 91, of Pulaski, and formerly of Grundy, died Friday evening February 16, 2001 in the Pulaski Health Care Center. She was born in Grundy on June 27, 1909 and was the daughter of the late Charlie and Mahalia Matney. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Lester "Red" Lawrence Yates; a daughter, LaVeda Jean Edwards; a son--in-law, Olney Wade Edwards; two sisters, and eight brothers. Surviving are son and daughter-in-law, William C. "Bill" and Jeane Yates, Pulaski; daughter and son-in-law, Betty Y. Keenah Burns, Chatham, Mass.; sister, Ocie Barker, Bluefield, W.Va.; nine grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren. A graveside service will be held Monday at 2 p.m. from the Greenhills Memory Gardens, Claypool Hill, with Rev. Johnny Howlett officiating. Visiting will be Sunday evening from Stevens Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Arrangements by Stevens Funeral Home, Pulaski. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- YOUNG, Valerie LaDonne Baker, 63, formerly of Pulaski, died Tuesday, February 13, 2001 in Arlington, Va. after a short illness. She was born November 22, 1937 in Pulaski, the oldest child of Gladys V. Baker and the late William R. Baker. LaDonne began her Christian experience at an early age, becoming a member of the First Baptist Church, Magazine Street, Pulaski where she served on the Junior Usher Board and singing with the youth choir. In later years she united with the Tenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. She attended the public schools of Pulaski and Montgomery Counties (Calfee Training and Christiansburg Institute) and also Morristown College in Morristown, Tenn., where she received a degree in Business Education. After college, LaDonne relocated to Washington, D.C. where she began her career with the Federal Government. She worked for several agencies, the Department of the Navy, the U.S. Civil Service Commission, and the Department of Commerce from where she retired after 40 years of service. She leaves to cherish her memory her devoted husband of 34 years, William C. (Buddy) Young; her mother, Gladys V. Baker; one brother, William R. Baker, Jr. Funeral service will be Monday, February 19, 2001 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, Magazine Street, Pulaski with Dr. Anthony Daniels officiating. Burial will be at the Pinehurst Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Magazine Street. Penn's Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Local content copyright © 2000 The Roanoke Times