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Sunday, July 03, 2011

July 2011, Nitro WV new, obituaries, and noteworthy events

Ralph "Jack" Higginbotham, 66, of Cross Lanes, WV passed away July 20, 2011, after a long illness.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia; son, Patrick Higginbotham; daughter, Paula Higginbotham Minner; granddaughter, Shannon Minner; stepchildren, Rodney (Cathy) Hurd and Michelle (Brian) Barton; stepgrandchildren, Dylan and Corey Hurd and Hannah and Ben Barton; two brothers, Bob Higginbotham (Rosalee) and Arnold Higginbotham (Frances).

Phyllis J. Drake Yates of Nitro passed away Friday, July 22, 2011, at her home after a courageous battle with cancer.
She graduated from Nitro High School in 1944 and Charleston School of Commerce. She was a former employee of McClanahan Insurance, Insurance Exchange, and later was a caregiver in the area.
Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Bertha Steele Drake; and sisters, Catherine Drake, Geraldine Drake, Ruth Drake Gandee.
She is survived by her children, Beverly Yates Stamper and husband, Don, of East Bank, Johnny Yates and wife, Ginny, of Hiram, Ga., Miriam Yates Thornton and husband, Rick, of Charleston and Sally Yates McDonald and husband, Mike, of Hurricane; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and one on the way; sisters, Delores Burdette and husband, Clarence, of Cross Lanes and Carol Young and husband, Charles, of St. Albans; sisters-in-law, Garnet Yates of Poca, June Yates of Sissonville and Betty Yates Deen of Eleanor.

Sidney Stephenson, 81, of Cross Lanes passed away on Friday, July 8, 2011.
He was the son of the late Newton J. and Marie Stephenson. He was also preceded in death by his daughter, Laura Stephenson Thomason; and brother, David Stephenson.
He was a teacher and counselor for Kanawha County public schools. He was also a Navy veteran of the Korean War and a retired member of the Air National Guard.
Surviving: son and his wife, Sam Stephenson and Susan Stephenson of North Carolina; daughter and her husband, Lydia Stephenson and Steve Rzucidlo of Ohio; son-in-law, Joel Thomason of South Carolina; grandchildren, Lindsey, Philip, Rachel, Elizabeth and Drew; sister, Nancy Salai of South Carolina; and brother, Jack Stephenson of Charleston.

Dollie D. Hunt Vanoy, 86, of Cross Lanes passed away peacefully on July 8, 2011.
She attended Emmanuel Baptist Church, loved music and played guitar.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edgar James Vanoy; son, Eddie Charles Vanoy; parents, Arnold Harvey and Gertrude Ethel McCoy Hunt; brothers, Woodrow Wilson, William Arnold and Lafayette Staten Hunt; and sisters, Sadie Mae McKenzie, Pearl Juanita Pence, Laverne Elisabeth Ferrell, Evelyn Alice Moles and Ruby Ellen Smith.
Surviving her are son, Elvis Wayne Vanoy of Cross Lanes; daughters, Linda Faye Vanoy Jenkins of Live Oak, Florida, Carolyn Ann Vanoy Clemons of Fort Myers, Florida, Lorene Vanoy Miller of Cross Lanes and Geneva Rachel Vanoy Barefield of St. Albans; 14 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

William Bill Kenneth Dempsey II, 47, passed away July 1, 2011 in Murrell's Inlet, S.C., after a short illness.
Bill was a graduate of Nitro High School and attended NIT. He was a builder by trade, but will be remembered as a man who would give the shirt off of his back for a friend. He had a heart of gold and will be deeply missed by his family.
He was preceded in death by his father, William Kenneth Dempsey; paternal grandparents, Faye H. and Joe W. Dempsey Sr.; maternal grandparents, Irene and Clarence Ryan; and daughters, Miranda Louise Dempsey and Crystal Dawn Dempsey.
He is survived by his son, William K. Dempsey III of Hurricane; mother, Shirley Hall of Milton; brothers, Brian Dempsey of Roanoke, Va., and Rick Dempsey of Cross Lanes; sister, Jan Dempsey Woodruff of Hurricane; niece, Brittany McCown; nephew, Ethan Cole Dempsey; and aunt, Marian Cavender of Cross Lanes.

Mrs. Loretta Aileen Bowles, 77, of Nitro passed away Thursday, June 30, 2011.
Loretta lived in the area her whole life, and attended First Baptist Church in St. Albans. She loved her family and enjoyed her antiques and her flowers.
Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, Roger and Oval Joseph; and sister, Francis Harrison of Nitro. She is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, Carrol Gene Bowles; daughter, Tammy Bowles and husband Cary "Doug" Sharp of Nitro; brother, Roger Lee Joseph of Nitro; two grandsons, Justin Sharp of Nitro and Joshua Sharp of Teays Valley; and great-granddaughter, Jane Marie Sharp of Nitro.

The Mountaineers have lost their biggest fan, Bobby Wayne Massengill Sr., 68, of Cross Lanes. Bob passed away at home on July 1, 2011. He was born on November 10, 1942, in Morristown, Tenn., to Dallas and Letha Massengill. In 1963, Bob left the surf and sun of Myrtle Beach to follow the love of his life, Patsy, back to West Virginia, where they would spend 47 blessed years together. Bob was a graduate of East Tennessee State University and was an active member of Cross Lanes Baptist Church. Bob worked as a successful clothing salesman for over 40 years. Bob was a loving husband, father and uncle, and will truly be missed by his family and friends who loved him very much. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dallas and Letha Massengill; his brother, Joe E. Williams Jr.; his sister, Mary Jo Williams; and his beloved dog, "Sassy." Bob is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Patricia Tucker Massengill; his son, Bobby Wayne Massengill Jr.; sister, Brenda Kay Dancy of North Wilkesboro, N.C.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

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