Continuing Nitro High School WV news, obits, and updates Feb. 2012

Margaret June Lanham Jackson, 84, of Cross Lanes passed away March 14, 2012, at 1:20 a.m. at CAMC General. Margaret was born in Charleston, the daughter of the late Russell and Rev. Oma Parsons Lanham. She was a faithful and longtime member of Fairview Methodist Church, Cross Lanes. She loved the Lord, and lived a life of service to Him. Margaret was an avid reader, and enjoyed cross stitching "art" for each member of her family. Margaret has so many wonderful family and friends who will sorely miss her. She shared her entire life with her childhood friend, Dortha McNeil of Florida. Others who held a special place in her heart are Kathy Turley, Sherry Lucareli and Dr. Sarah Neace, who cared for her many years. Survivors include two sons and their wives, Jim Jackson and Suzan Jackson of Franklin, Tenn., and Eddie Jackson and Pat Jackson of Milton; brother and his wife, Bill and Dean Lanham of Cross Lanes; sister and husband, Doris and Clyde Ash of Greenville, S.C.; brother-in-law and wife, Harold and Dreama Turley of Cross Lanes; grandchildren, Margaret adored, Cindy, Jamie, Joey, David and Angie and their families. Margaret was the proud great-grandmother of eight great-grandchildren. She loved her nieces and nephews, Bev, Chuck, Lisa, Dreama, Bruce, Susan and Jane.

Mabel Louise Sizemore Finney, 87, of Nitro passed away Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at Hubbard Hospice House West, South Charleston. Mabel was a 70-year resident of Nitro, and a former employee of Frankenberger's, Valley Bell and Nitro Church of God. She was a member of Nitro Church of God, the CWC and Friendship Sunday School Class. Mabel was also a member of the Women's Auxiliary of the Nitro Post of the VFW. She was the daughter of the late William and Caroline Riser Sizemore, and was also preceded in death by her sisters and brothers, Margaret Buckley, Virginia Akers, Mattie Jeffers, Owen, Guy, Eli, John, Danny and Bill Sizemore; and granddaughter, Tracy Ann Meadows. Mabel is survived by her daughter, Karen Finney Hartney and husband, Joe, of Scott Depot; son, Ivan Meadows and wife, Sally, of Nitro; grandchildren, Dean Meadows, Doug Meadows, Joe Hartney and Mary Beth Browning; and great-grandchildren, Zach Meadows, Bradley Meadows, Bryson Meadows, Ethan Hartney and Emma Hartney.

Phyllis Nottingham Dawson, 82, of Nitro completed her earthly journey on Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at Hubbard Hospice House. She has gone to be with our Lord God in Heaven to suffer no longer on this earth. Born May 13, 1929 in Swandale, W.Va., she was the daughter of the late Coleman D. and Victoria Mae Nottingham. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Dennis E. "Tom" Dawson. She was retired from General Electric Credit Corporation, Heck's Inc. and the Poca River Hunting and Fishing Club. She was a 1946 graduate of Clay County High School, often riding to school in the steam engine of a logging train from Swandale to Clay. Phyllis' greatest pleasure in life was her family. Always sacrificing her needs and wants to take care of and provide for them through the good times and those that were sometimes difficult. She thoroughly enjoyed and loved cooking for her immediate family, as well as her extended family, which consisted of many, many people who she loved and cared for greatly. A complete master at culinary improvisation, she would cook any time you were hungry. It was well known by all who had the pleasure of experiencing her home cooking, if you ever left PD's house hungry, it certainly wasn't her fault. She was the consummate big meal specialist, always ready to feed the masses with a come one, come all attitude. Her love for cooking shall live on forever, as she spent many hours putting together and printing PD's Country Cooking Cookbook for her family and friends to enjoy. In her cookbook, one can find most of the ingredients for her top "secret" recipes. She leaves to cherish her memory her three children, Melanie and her husband, Allen Rader, of Eleanor, Dennis E. Jr., "Denny," and his companion, Mara Pauley, of Nitro and Larry and his wife, Debbie, of St. Albans. She also cherished and dearly loved her grandchildren, Carina Ferrell and husband, Thomas, Matt Dawson and wife, Angie, Elizabeth Morgan and husband, Scottie, Michael Dawson, Krysta Dawson and Mauro Medina, Eric Rader and wife, Stephanie, Rebecca and husband, Yonne McHenry, Jason Rader and Travis and Tony Stone. Just as special to her were her great-grandchildren, Cailey, Arika and Bubba Ferrell, Stephen and Norah Rader, Brandon and Jake Dawson and Maurito and Javier Medina.


Bridget Beth Melvin, 27, of Mooresville, N.C., passed away Wednesday, February 22, 2012, after a courageous battle with lupus. She was born September 24, 1984, in Charleston to Paul Robert and Patricia Melvin of Charleston. She was a first grade teacher at Troutman Elementary School, Troutman, N.C. She was a collegiate swimmer with Wingate University, and was also a member of the Nitro High School State Championship Swim Team, Nitro. She was a former member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Nitro, and attended St. Therese Catholic Church in Mooresville. In addition to her parents, she is survived by her fiance, Jarod William Demmons of Mooresville; sisters, Melissa Melvin of Raleigh, N.C., and Pamela Melvin and husband, Jacob Martin Morris, of Durham, N.C.; and her beloved dogs, Piper and Bailey.

William "Bill" P. Harris, 91, of Cross Lanes departed this life Sunday, February 19, 2012, at his home following a short illness. He was a loving and devoted father who will be greatly missed by family and friends. He was a retired World War II Seabee Navy veteran. Over the years, he had affiliations with the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was a retired pipefitter, having worked at Union Carbide in South Charleston for over 43 years. Bill faithfully attended Calvary Baptist Church in Hurricane, where his wife is a member.
Survivors include his loving wife of 64 years, Ruby Harris; and three children, Pamela Harris Radford Anderson of Hurricane, Barbara Harris Jones of Catlettsburg, Ky., and Patrick Harris of Charleston. Bill is also survived by four grandchildren, Sara Austin of Saline, Mich., Missionary Nathan Radford of Kitale, Kenya, East Africa, Christy Reed of Mt. Orab, Ohio, and Michael Jones of Cincinnati, Ohio; as well as seven great-grandchildren.