Obituaries from the Parsons Advocate,
10 October 2007
Betty V. Absher
Betty Virginia Absher, 71, of Mocksville, N.C., died Oct. 7, at Ardell Hospital in Statesville, N.C.
She was born April 5, 1936, at Red Oak, Md., daughter of the late John Henry Shupp Sr. and Bessie Sue Hartley.
Survivors include one son, James M. (Donna) Absher of Jonesville, N.C.; two daughters, Karen Absher of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Libby (Gus) Harris of Mocksville, N.C.; five brothers, Charles (Emma) Shupp of Baltimore, Md., Cliff (Margo) Shupp of Parsons, John Henry (Linda) Shupp of Thomas, William Albert Shupp of Taylor, Mich., and Jerry (Fran) Shupp of Thomas; three sisters, Hilda Jean (James) Diffenbaugh of Bellaire, Md., Emma (Larry) Stemple of St. George and Sue (Bob) Young of Thomas; grandchildren, James, John, Sherry, Crystal, Janie and Katie; and eight great-grandchildren,
She was preceded in death by one sister, Helen English.
Funeral services will be held Oct. 10 at noon at Hinkle Funeral Home in Davis. The Rev. James Martin will officiate. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery at Thomas.
Harold Berry 
Harold Ross Berry, 81, of Thomas, passed away Oct. 4 at Garrett County Hospital in Oakland, Md.
He was born March 13, 1926, at Kanawha Head, Upshur County, a son of the late Leonard and Nathan and Donise Opal Curry Berry.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Berry, in 1990 and a granddaughter, Sherry Lynn Riley.
He is survived by three sons, William (and Barbra) Berry of Parsons, David (and Maureen) Berry of Sciuate, Miss., and Ralph Berry of Davis; three daughters, Patricia (and John) Williamson of Windsor, Va., Cathy Phillips of Thomas and Sandra (and Joe) Cooper of Harman; five brothers, Kemp Gaunt of Lewes, Del., Harry Gaunt and Gary Gaunt, both of Buckhannon, Tom Berry of Virginia Beach, Va., and James Berry of Elkview; two sisters, Louise Bottomly of Melbourne, Fla., and Doris Cutright of Mogadore, Ohio; 14 grandchildren, Jerry Allen Pifer, Melissa Baetiong, David Berry, Caroline Berry, Ellen Berry, Micki Nelson, Robert Riley, A.J. Riley, Craig Berry, Laura Riddel, Kathrina Phillips, Tiffany Albertson, Daniel Cooper and Nathan Cooper; 11 great-grandchildren, Maverick Pifer, Shasta Pifer, Autumn Pifer, Samantha Nelson, Cody Nelson, Alex Riddle, Kevin Riddel, Luke Phillips, Jennifer Albertson and Evan Cooper.
Mr. Berry was employed as a pipe liner for Columbia Gas. He served his country in the Navy during World War II on board the USS Granville. He was a member of the Master Masons, Rock Cave Lodge #81 AF&AM, OES 43 and Knights Templar.
Friends were received on Sunday, Oct 7 from 2 to 7 p.m. Funeral services were held on Monday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. at the Hinkle Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Gloria Roy officiating. Interment followed in the Rose Hill Cemetery. Hinkle Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements. From 5 Oct 2007.
Wanda L. Evans
Wanda Lovelle Evans, 85, of Horse Shoe Run, passed away Oct. 3, in Cortland Acres Nursing Home, Thomas.
She was born June 27, 1922, at Elkins, a daughter of the late Leo Clinton and Mary Dove Harper.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecil Alford Evans, on May 17, 1983.
Survivors include three sons, Roger (and Connie) Evans, Stephen (and Diane) Evans all of Horse Shoe Run and Harper (and Jane) Evans of Charlton Heights; three sisters, Twyla Stemple of Leadmine, Doris Newdeck of San Diego, Calif., and Charolette Gibson of Casa Grande, Ariz.; eight grandchildren, Roxanne K. Wilson, Rochelle K. Workman, Brandie L. Lively, Bryan W. Evans, Toby A. Evans, Stephanie Arnett, Melissa Dean and Beth Evans; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Evans was a member of Red House Lutheran Church.
Friends were received at Hinkle Funeral Home on Friday, Oct 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Funeral services were held on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. at Hinkle Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Paul Poerschke officiating. Interment followed in Davis Cemetery. Hinkle Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Richard Sakal Sr.
He was born Saturday, June 30, 1928, at Phoenixville, Pa., a son of the late John Stephen Sakal and Mary Catherine Klup Sakal. On July 24, 1972, he was married to JoAnne Grace Parsons, who survives.
Also surviving are one son, Richard “Rick” Sakal Jr.; one daughter, Deborah Pizzica and husband Frank, all of Pheonixville, Pa.; one step-son, William DeJohn and wife Sheree of Gilbertsville, Pa.; two step-daughters, Lynn DeJohn and husband David Wilson of Denver, Co., and Shelly DeJohn of Pottstown, Pa.; one brother, Eugene Sakal and wife Mary of Phoenixville, Pa.; one sister, Anna Broncato of Long Island N.Y.; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother Johnny Sakal.
Richard left school (Phoenixville High School) in 1944, served with the United States Merchant Marines until the end of the World War II in 1945. He returned to school in 1946 to finish his education, and he played football there. While still in school, he joined the Pennsylvania National Guard (PANG). He was one of the first members to join Co. B, 2nd Battalion, 111th Infantry of PANG, which was being reorganized after the war. He graduated from high school in 1948 and served in the United States Coast Guard until 1952. He worked for the Iron Co. at Phoenixville and for the Boiler Engineering & Supply Co. at Phoenixville for thirty years. He then worked for the Montgomery County Geriatrics at Royersford, Pa., for several years before retiring. He loved fishing, making woodcrafts, and he was a Harley Davidson enthusiast.
The family received friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Parsons on Friday, Oct. 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 6, Mr. Sakal was moved to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church at Parsons, where the mass of Christian burial was celebrated at 10 a.m. The Rev. Father Timothy Grassi will be the celebrant and interment followed in Parsons City Cemetery at Parsons. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements for Richard Paul “Dick” Sakal Sr. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com.
Isabel Wheeler
Isabel Lucille Wheeler, 91, died Friday, Sept. 28, 2007, at Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge, Fla.
Lucille was born May 31, 1916 to Hermon and Isabel (Moir) Lake, in Lowell, Mass.
In 1931, she graduated from Lowell High School, where she set attendance records and served as a girl officer in the military drill team. She graduated from Bryant & Stratton Commercial College in Boston in 1936 and was employed over time, by several law firms, mostly in the Washington, D.C. area.
Lucille's Girls Scout leader, Mrs. Blanche Wheeler and her friend, Ruth Wheeler, arranged a blind date for Lucille and their son/brother, Lawrance Abel Wheeler, while he was on a furlough from the Pacific Theatre in world War II. Married ten days later, Lucille and Commander Lawrance Wheeler (USNR) celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary prior to his death on Nov. 25, 2004.
Lucille and Larry were the proud parents of Nancy Lucille Wheeler, Robert Lawrance Wheeler (Brother Theophoros Emmanuel) and Capt. Bradford Lawrance Wheeler (USMM).
Nancy preceded her mother in death on Sept. 27, 2006, exhibiting great strength and tenderness, compassionately cared for both Larry and Nancy during their final illnesses.
Lucille actively supported Larry in his military and civilian careers, moving her family to Palo Alto, Calif.; Newport, R.I., Vina Del Mar, Chile and several assignments in the Washington D.C. area.
She held her family together maintaining her good humor and dry New England wit. While living in McLean, Va., Lucille was active in the Women's Club of America and Kiwanis. A member of the Great Falls Presbyterian Church, she also volunteered for Meals on Wheels.
Lucille and Larry enjoyed traveling the world. In retirement, the divided their time between their beloved farm in Tucker County and their home in the Indian River Colony Club in Melbourne, Fla.
An animal lover, Lucille found special pleasure in humming birds and shore birds. She will be sorely missed by her devoted terrier, Ginger Snap.
In addition to her sons, Lucille is survived by her niece, Judy (Ed) Bush and family, nephew, Bruce (Rachel) Wheeler and family and sister-in-law, Doris Wheeler.
The family is grateful for the care Lucille received from the Wuesthoff Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice, 8060 Spy Glass Hill Road, Viera, Fla. 32940. Services for Lucille Wheeler were held at 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, at the faith Viera Lutheran Church. A reception followed at the Indian River Colony Club Hall.
Her remains will be inurned with those of her husband at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007.
Obituaries reprinted courtesy of the Parsons Advocate.
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Copyright Notice2001, Janet Cooper
This Page was last updated -- Wednesday, 24-Oct-2007 20:31:09 MDT.