Obituaries from the Parsons Advocate,
21 January 2009
James Dumire
James Wayne "Jim Bob" Dumire, 32, of Leadmine, went to be with the Lord on Jan. 12, 2009, in Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh. Pa.
He was born Aug. 5, 1976, at Morgantown, a son of James A. "Crow" Dumire of Leadmine and Christina Exline of Clarksburg.
Surviving are his fiance of 10 years, Stephanie Dragovich Arman; two sons, Jacob Matthew Dumire at home and Jeremy Andrew Watson of Elkins; step-son, Jamie Arman at home; three sisters, Melissa (Bobby) Isner of Elkins, Arvita Pifer of Parsons and Danetta Sosinski Jocys; four nephews, Hunter and Wyatt Rose and Robbie Isner, all of Elkins and a very special little bubby and nephew, Eli Dragovich "Lawrence;" and one niece, Chelsey Isner of Elkins. He also had a very special friend and family member Neil Dragovich.
He loved spending time with his family, Jacob and Jamie. He loved to hunt and fish and ride 4-wheelers when he was able.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Andrew Dumire and Dovie "Bessie" Dumire Miller; and maternal grandmother, Virginia Sosinski.
The family received friends at Hinkle Funeral Home on Friday, Jan 16 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services were held at Hinkle Funeral Home on Saturday, Jan 17 at 3 p.m. with the Rev. Neal Precht officiating. Interment followed at the Shaffertown Cemetery at Leadmine. Hinkle Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Violet Johnson
Violet Louise Champ Johnson, 73, a resident of Parsons, departed this life Tuesday evening, Jan. 13, at her home. She had been in declining health.
She was born Wednesday, June 19, 1935, at Bemis, a daughter of the late Wilbert Ernest and Hazel Adamson Champ. On July 5, 1951, at Shavers Fork, she was married to Willard "Lee" Johnson, who survives. They had celebrated fifty-seven years of marriage.
Surviving are one son, Steven Lee Johnson and wife Marlene of Columbus, Ohio; one daughter, Cheryl Ann Clark and husband Jeff of Louisville, Ohio; three brothers, Roger "Buck" Champ and wife Sula, Fred Champ and wife Wanda and Arthur Dale Champ, all of Weirton; two sisters, Sandra Tustin and husband Bill and Linda Pearson and husband Larry, all of Weirton; four grandchildren, Joseph, Joanna, Aaron and Jillian; and nine great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death was one daughter, Debra Ella Johnson.
She attended the schools of Randolph and Tucker counties. She was a former employee of Kmart and she was a homemaker. She was a member of the Tucker County Senior Center. She was a collector of antiques.
The family received friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Parsons on Thursday, Jan 15 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Final rites were conducted at the funeral home parlor on Friday, Jan. 16, at noon. The Rev. Jeff Anderson officiated and interment will follow in Parsons City Cemetery at Parsons. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Violet Louise Champ Johnson. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com.
Thomas Miller Jr.
Thomas (Tommy) Edgar Miller Jr., 21, of Elkins, passed away Jan. 17 at his home.
He was born Aug. 30, 1987, at Elkins, a son of the late Thomas Edgar Miller Sr. and Mary Grace Chisholm Miller, who survives.
Also surviving are his step-father, Larry Pennington; two brothers, Dwight (Heidi Marie) Miller of Colora, Md. and their children, Michelle, Donna, Dwight Jr., Joe (Wanda) Bishop, Thomas (Becky) Miller and Steven Miller; brother Craig Alan Miller of Harman; one sister Pamela Kay Taylor of Thomas and her daughters, Elizabeth (Glen) Felton, Jamie (Charles) Trader, Teresa (Moe) Young and Sharlice (Allen) Humphrey; aunts, Susie Chisholm. Jennifer (Howard) Cutright; uncle, John (Priscilla) Chisholm; step-father's sister, Lucy (Paul) Chew and their son, Jimmy Chew; cousins, Mickala Miller and Adriana and Jenna Cutright; and his best friends, Josh Howell and Becky Walters.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Regina Jewel Varner; and his grandmother, Velma Chisholm.
Tommy was loved very much and will be missed dearly.
Friends were received Tuesday, Jan. 20 at the Dry Fork Assembly of God Church from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 11 a.m. at the Dry Fork Assembly of God Church with the Rev. Ric Lewellen and Phillip Lynn Ryder officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. State Memorial Gardens. Hinkle Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Robert Smith 
Robert Charles Smith, 84, passed away Monday, Jan 5. Bob was born to Charles Gray and Ella (Parsons) Smith on Feb. 6, 1924 in Davis.
He graduated as valedictorian from Davis High School in June 1941 and enrolled in the College of Engineering at WVU in Sept. He attended classes until he entered in the U.S. Army Reserves. He returned and graduated with a B.S. in mechanical engineering.
He is survived by his wife Hilda; sister Nancy Hutz and John; three daughters Karen Foust and Jan, Diane Miranda and Barb Kaftan and Rick; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Kelly Snyder
Kelly L. Snyder, 79, died surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, Jan. 15 from a massive stroke at St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, Pa.
Born May 2, 1929, in West Virginia to the late Oley and Rachel Snyder, he was a Bristol Boro resident for 45 years, prior to moving back to West Virginia in 1996. He was very proud to have served his country in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army 79th Division in Germany during WWII. Mr. Snyder retired from Castle Metals in Morrisville in 1991 and prior to that was employed by Patterson Parchment Paper Co. for many years. He was a member of the VFW, Post 812, the Bristol Moose Lodge No. 1169 and the Ruritans in West Virginia. He volunteered his craftmanship at the Veteran Memorial Wall in Parsons. Mr. Snyder was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting and fishing. He was mechanically inclined and could build and fix anything. He will be remembered as a kind and self-less man, and he was a caretaker to his family and friends and always there when needed.
He is the beloved husband of 53 years to Viola F. (nee LaRosa) Snyder; and loving father of Marianne Young and her husband, James R. of Langhorne, Pa., Kelly C. Snyder and his wife Christine of Florida, Lisa Liberty and her husband Patrick of Langhorne, Pa., and Kevin M. Snyder, of Langhorne, Pa. Devoted grandfather of Brian, Kelly and Dylan Snyder, Rachel and Sophia Liberty and Kevin and Kaitlyn Synder; and great-grandfather of Kayla and Emily. He is also survived by one brother, Donald Snyder (Mary); and three sisters, Kathleen Stonesifer, Eileen Walton (Harry) and Viola Kyle, along with many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Snyder was preceded in death by two brothers, Virgil and Delmar Snyder.
His funeral service was held Monday, Jan. 19 at 11 a.m. at Wade Funeral Home, 1002 Radcliffe St., Bristol Boro, Pa. Interment was private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the USO, for care packages to be sent to the soldiers serving overseas. For more information, call 1-877-USO-GIVE or visit www.uso.org/carepackage. (www.wadefh.com)
Connie Sommerville
Connie Lucille Waggy Sommerville, 85, a former resident of South Kerens Avenue, Elkins, and more recently a resident of Belington, where she made her home with her daughter, Phyllis Winans, departed this life early Friday morning, Jan. 16, at her home.
She was born Tuesday, Dec. 18, 1923, at Purseglove, a daughter of the late William Lloyd Waggy and Mable Irene Sullivan Waggy. She was twice married. First, to Harlan Ray Snyder, who preceded her in death Aug. 17, 1970. Second, on Jan. 28, 1954, at Huttonsville, she was married to James Willis Sommerville, who preceded her in death March 4, 1982.
Surviving are one son Henry Waggy of Bowden; two daughters, Phyllis Winans and husband Richard of Belington and Renee Mick and husband Tom of Parsons; one sister Renona Arbogast and husband Gene of Nettie; eleven grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren; and a special friend Willodean Blankenship.
Preceding her in death are one son, Harlan Ray Snyder; one step-son, Carl Sommerville; three brothers, Robert and Frank Waggy and Junior Sullivan; and two sisters, Etta May Wasmer and Mary Salisbury.
She attended the schools of Brady Gate and Valley Head, was a homemaker and a babysitter and a Methodist by Faith. She loved Avon, yard sales and watching Eloise Mann and Jerry Gibson on Sunday evenings and reading the Country Weekly magazine.
The family received friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Elkins from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19. Final Rites were conducted at the funeral home chapel Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m. The Rev. William Sullivan officiated and interment followed in Mountain State Memorial Gardens at Gilman. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Connie Lucille Waggy Sommerville. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com.
Theodore Topper
Theodore Arthur Topper, 86, of Martinsville, Va. died Friday Jan. 16, at Golden Living Center in Martinsville, Va.
He was born April 10, 1922 in Thomas, to the late Albert Marion Topper and Mary Stuart Topper.
He had served in the United States Navy and was a WWII Veteran. He graduated from West Virginia University with with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology. He had previously been employed by Plymouth Oil Comjpany as a Geologist and HErcules Incorporated as a Safety Engineer.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by nine siblings and his wife Barbara Ann Carpenter Topper who he met at West Virginia Univeristy and married on Sept. 5, 1948.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Ted A. Topper II and Diane L. Topper, missionaries in Burkina Faso, West Africa; his daughter and son-in-law Helenmary T. Brown and Brian C. Brown; and six grandchildren.
Services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. at the Ingram Funeral Home in St. Marys, with Rev. Marvin Rollins officiating. Interment will be in the St. Marys I.O.O.F. Cemetery. Calling hours will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Zion International Ministries, P.O. Box 70, Waverly, NY 14892 c/o Ted and Diane Topper. Online condolences may be sent by going to www.ingramfh.com
Sister Jeanne Wagner
Sister Jeanne Marie Wagner, the second of fourteen children of the late Herman and Angela Weiss Wagner, was born in the Elm Grove section of Wheeling on Nov. 20, 1914. Upon her baptism at St. Vincent de Paul Church she received the name of Louise Mary. She died at Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday, Jan.14, in her 95th year.
Sister Jeanne Marie received her elementary education at St. Vincent de Paul School and graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Wheeling. She entered the Congregation of Joseph on July 1, 1931. When she began her novitiate experience there on Dec. 31, 1931, she received the name of Sister Jeanne Marie. Two years later on that date she made her first profession of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience as a member of the congregation. By 1940 two additional siblings had entered the congregation, Sisters Gabriella and Anna.
Sister Jeanne Marie earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Duquesne University of Pittsburgh. From 1933 until 1979, she served as principal and / or teacher in elementary schools of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese. During that time she ministered at: St. Agnes School in Charleston; St. James and St. Mary Schools in Clarksburg; St. Francis Borgia School in Grasselli; St. Joseph School in Fairmont; St. Thomas School in Thomas; St. Patrick School in Weston; Blessed Trinity, Cathedral Grade, Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart Schools in Wheeling.
From 1979 until 1983 she cared for her mother in the Wagner family home in Triadelphia. Subsequently she moved to Charleston where she lived in a local convent while serving as a receptionist until 1994 and then as a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital. Since 2004 Sister Jeanne Marie has lived a life of prayer and community service at Mount St. Joseph in Wheeling.
In addition to her parents, Sister Jeanne Marie was preceded in death by her siblings Herman, Anna, George, Joseph, Paul and Martha.
Along with the other members of her congregation, she is survived by four sisters Sister Gabriella Wagner, Rita Wright of Doraville, Ga., Marie Kennedy and her husband John of Overland Park, Kan. and Dorothy Fitzsimmons of Wheeling; three brothers Jerome Wagner of Stow, Ohio, John Wagner and his wife Mary of Medina, Ohio and Charles Wagner and his wife Pat of Wheeling; a brother-in-law Frank Ross of St. Clairsville, Ohio; and three generations of nieces and nephews.
Family and friends were received from 1 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, at Mount St. Joseph, 137 Mount St. Joseph Road, Wheeling, where Vigil Services were held at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the Mount St. Joseph Chapel with Rev. Walter Buckius, SJ as celebrant. Interment in the Sisters of Stg. Joseph section of Mount Calvary Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Wheeling Foundation, 137 Mount St. Joseph Road, Wheeling, WV 26003. Funeral arrangements by Altmeyer Funeral Home, Fourteenth and Eoff Streets.
Obituaries reprinted courtesy of the Parsons Advocate.
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Copyright Notice2001, Janet Cooper
This Page was last updated -- Tuesday, 17-Feb-2009 18:50:04 MST.