Wirt County Journal September 29, 1999 Obituaries Emma I. Belt Emma I. Belt, 86, formerly of Elder St., Parkersburg, died Sept. 26 at Parkview Nursing Center. She was born in Wirt County, a daughter of the late Silas Alfred and Kanzada Minerva Sees Pepper. She was a homemaker, a member of Broadway Nazarene Church and had also attended the Evangelical Methodist Church. She is survived by two brothers, Willard Pepper of Belpre and Silas Pepper of Tampa, Fla.; and two sisters, Osa Morrison of Cleveland and Valetta Slavy of Barberton. She was preceded in death by her husband, Delbert F. Belt; one brother; and two sisters. Services were held Sept. 28 at Ogdin-Kimes Funeral Home, Parkersburg, with Dr. Harold Custer officiating. Entombment was in Sunset Memory Gardens. Violet Coplin Violet Honaker Coplin, 61, of Elizabeth, died Sept. 23 at Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital, Parkersburg. She was born Dec. 21, 1937, in Parkersburg, a daughter of the late Archie Clay Honaker and Georgia Ruth Sommerville Honaker Burrows. She was a 1956 graduate of Wirt County High School and a longtime member of the Elizabeth United Methodist Church, where she was church historian, a member of the choir and the Esther Circle. She was also very active in the civic activities of Wirt County and was past regent and presently serving as trustee of the Elizabeth Beauchamp Chapter, Daughters of American Pioneers, having served as editor, chairperson and development coordinator of the Wirt County, West Virginia History Book (1981). She was past first and second vice president general of the National Society Daughters of American Pioneers and a member of the West Augusta Historical and Genealogical Society in Wood County. She was very interested in local history and genealogy and served as a docent for many years at the Beauchamp Newman Museum of Elizabeth. She was also a member of the Blennerhassett Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Parkersburg, the Woman's Club of Elizabeth and Wirt Chapter 113, Order of the Eastern Star. She was an avid reader and enjoyed collecting antiques. She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Dearman Coplin; one son and his wife, Craig and Marty Coplin of Elizabeth; one daughter, Tanya Coplin of Elizabeth; one sister, Janet Honaker Barr of Elizabeth; one granddaughter, Ashley Coplin of Belpre, Ohio; one grandson, Matthew Dettman of Elizabeth; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services were Sept. 26 at Elizabeth United Methodist Church with the Rev. David A. Stackpole officiating. Burial followed in the Knights of Pythias Cemetery, Elizabeth. Arrangements were entrusted to the Busch Funeral Home of Elizabeth. Mary E. Daggett Mary Elizabeth Daggett, 85, of Mineral Wells, died Sept. 16 at her residence. She was born May 1, 1914, a daughter of the late Elias Forrest and Elizabeth Melrose Morris. She was a homemaker and former employee of the American Viscose Corp. and DeSales Heights. She had worked at the voting poll at the Rockport precinct for 30 years. She was a member of the Rockport Church of Christ. She is survived by two sons, Earl L. and Delbert D. Daggett; three daughters, Charlotte J. Leasure, Neva R. Leasure and Jewell E. Aylward of Mineral Wells; 14 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Alpha E. Daggett; four brothers, Samuel, Edward, Omer and Monroe Morris; two sisters, Vera Keenan and Barbara Ruble; and one grandchild, Todd A. Daggett. Services were held Sept. 19 at Lambert-Tatman Funeral Home, Pike Street, with Evangelist Steve Morgan officiating. Burial was in Big Tygart Cemetery. James E. Fought James E. Fought, 72, of Mineral Wells, died Sept. 25 at his residence. He was born June 6, 1927, in Wood County, a son of the late Averil and Grace Black Fought. He was retired from the Parkersburg police department following 21 years of service. He was a member of the FOP lodge 79 of Parkersburg and had served two terms in the U. S. Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife, Sandi S. Fought; one daughter, Susan Rogers of Parkersburg; five sons, Steve, Jeff, Timothy, Christopher and Patrick, all of Parkersburg; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and one sister, Mary Lou Houchin of Columbus. He was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Fought. Services were held Sept. 27 at Lambert-Tatman Funeral Home, south Parkersburg, with the Rev. Tom Gribble officiating. Burial was in Beulah Hill Cemetery, Wirt County. Vestal Lockhart Vestel L. Lockhart, 73, of Canton, died Sept. 20. He was born April 17, 1926, and raised in Wirt County, a son of the late Elza and Blanche Williams Lockhart. He is survived by his twin, Olan Lockhart; five children; several grandchildren; four brothers; and three sisters. He was preceded in death by two sons; one brother, and one sister. Graveside services were Sept. 23 at Mount Pleasant (Ground Hog) Cemetery in Wirt County with the Rev. Delmas Stutler officiating. Debhra Jones Shaffer Debhra Ann "Debbie" Jones Shaffer, 42, of Elizabeth, died Sept. 23 at Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. She was born August 17, 1957, at Spencer, a daughter of Donald and Vonda Metz Jones of Elizabeth. She was a member of the Two Ripple Baptist Church and TOPS WV #149, Elizabeth. She is survived by one son, Ben Jones of Elizabeth; three brothers, Michael Jones and Ernie Waggoner, both of Elizabeth, and Donnie Jones of Ft. Drum, N.Y.; one sister, Jennifer Boner of Cisco, Texas; four nephews, Ethan, Alex and Dillon Waggoner and Shawn Jones; and three nieces, Natasha Jones, Hope Boner and Paige Boner; and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her mother, Vada Starcher Jones; paternal grandparents, Benjamin and Ada Jones; and maternal grandparents, Gay and Pearl Starcher. Funeral services were Sept. 25 at Busch Funeral Home, Elizabeth, with the Revs. Lewis Villers and Ed Starcher officiating. Burial followed in Pisgah Cemetery, Palestine. In lieu of other memorials, the family requests that donations be made to the Debbie Jones Shaffer Memorial Fund, c/o Busch Funeral Home, P.O. Box 43, Elizabeth, W.Va. 26143. Claude Sheppard Claude Sheppard, 92, of The Willows, Parkersburg, formerly of Mineral Wells, died Sept. 20 at The Willows. He was born at Windy, Wirt County a son of the late Jonah and Alice Hendricks Sheppard. He was a 1928 graduate of Wirt County High School and a member of the football team. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed gardening. He was a partner in Sheppard Brothers Hereford Farm and a self-employed building contractor. He was a member of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church for 55 years, where he taught Sunday school, and was an honorary trustee and served on various boards and committees. He is survived by two sons, Eddy Sheppard and wife Ruth Ann of Mineral Wells and William Sheppard and wife Barbara of Athens; five grandchildren, Eric Sheppard and wife Kim of Mineral Wells, Randy Sheppard and wife Kelly of Mineral Wells, Brian Sheppard and wife Michelene of Bridgeport, Brett Sheppard of Colorado and Heather Sheppard of Virginia; four great-grandchildren, Derek, Megan and Ty of Mineral Wells and Hunter of Bridgeport; and a close friend, Minnie Ross of Parkersburg. He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Beatrice Sheppard; three brothers, Theodore, Russell and Robert; and one sister, Alma Albright. Services were Sept. 23 at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church, Mineral Wells, with the Revs. Chris Mullet and Helen Oates officiating. Burial was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Mineral Wells. Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg, was in charge of arrangements. Delcie E. Wayne Delcie Ellen (Hall) Wayne, 57, of Portsmouth, Va., died Sept. 18. She was a former resident of Calhoun County. She was born July 21, 1942, in Nicholas County, a daughter of the late Okey Clyde and Nancy Ann (McCune) Hall. She is survived by three sons, Robert Rocky Wayne, Stoney Glen Wayne and Brian Sandy Wayne, all of Portsmouth, Va.; four sisters, Essie Ann Skiera and Svy Virginia McCumbers of Parkersburg, Delphia Jean Yost of Cumberland, Ohio, and Ocie Eloise White of Elizabeth; two brothers, Lester Ralph Hall of Ravenna, Ohio, and Chester Fountain Hall of Parkersburg; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by one son, Ricky Dean Wayne; three sisters, Stella Hall, Ruthie Grace Cunningham and Esther Genevieve Henderson; and one brother, Cecil Hall. Services were held Sept. 21 at Sturtevant Funeral Home chapel, Portsmouth, Va., with the Rev. Frederick Dixon officiating. Burial was in Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens. Those attending services from the area were Jean Yost and Eloise White, sisters; Danny and Danny McCumbers, nephews; and Debbie Copen, family friend.