Joella G. Taylor
Joella G. Taylor, age 72, of South Charleston, passed away on Monday, March 25, 2024, at Hubbard Hospice House West at Thomas Hospital, surrounded by her loving family, due to a short illness.
She was born August 17, 1951, in Beckley, daughter of the late Joseph Kerr Gallaher and Norma Phillips Gallaher.
She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, where she was the secretary for many years. She also was a secretary for the West Virginia Department of Health.
Joella is survived by her husband, Eugene Taylor; daughters, Gwendolyn Sue Taylor and Tammy Lynn Bias; brother, Charles Eugene Gallaher (Cassie); Seven Grandchildren, and two Great Grandchildren.
A service to honor Joella’s life will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Snodgrass Funeral Home with Pastor Steve White officiating. Interment services will be held following, at 2:30 pm at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, Beckley, WV. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the services at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to HospiceCare at HospicecareWV.org.
Friends may share condolences at our website www.snodgrassfuneral.com.
Snodgrass Funeral Home is assisting the family with these arrangements.
John William Stone
John William Stone, 86, of Charleston, WV, died on March 17, 2024, at Charleston Memorial Hospital.
He was born on January 14, 1938. Valedictorian of his 1955 class at Stonewall Jackson High School, he received the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award, was the winner of the Science Clubs of America 1955 Science Talent Search, was one of 50 finalists in the 1955 Westinghouse National Science Search, and that year, achieved West Virginia’s top Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score.
He received a physics degree from Haverford College in 1960, and a physics master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin. He was an associate professor of physics at West Virginia State College (now University) in the early 1960s, and was an adjunct physics professor there in the 1990s. He was on staff at the inaugural Centennial National Youth Science Camp in 1963.
John’s greatest joy was promoting and supporting arts in the Kanawha Valley. As a young man, he danced in the corps of the Charleston Ballet, and held several leading roles in area theatre productions.
He served on the boards of Friends of Old Time Music & Dance (FOOTMAD), the Charleston Chamber Music Society, the WV International Film Festival (WVIFF), and at one time served on the marketing committee of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra. In 2010, the Charleston Area Alliance recognized his tireless volunteer efforts with the “Arts to the Max” Individual award.
His greatest passion was film. He worked on documentary film crews in West Virginia and New York City, where he maintained part-time residence for many years. In 1964, he was active in Mississippi’s Freedom Summer, helping to register Black voters, and working crew on a documentary of the events surrounding this important civil rights movement.
John will be remembered by his many friends as loyal, kind and generous to a fault, scrupulously honest, and unaffectedly eccentric.
He was preceded in death by his father, Attorney Arthur Guy Stone, and his mother, Greta “Gigi” Stone.
He is survived by Rhoda Gilbert, his faithful companion of some thirty-five years, and Malcolm Butler, his son. Rhoda’s son, James Gilbert, and Malcolm’s wife, Jennifer Butler, are among his immediate family, which also includes his sister, Mary Louise Stone Keesaer, niece Mary Katherine Keesaer, and nephews Robert William Keesaer II, and John Newton Stone Keesaer.
Family and friends will gather to celebrate his life on Saturday, July 6, 2024, by walking in his memory in the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta’s Funeral Parade, to be followed by a memorial potluck at a location to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to FOOTMAD, POB 1684, Charleston, WV 25326 (www.footmad.org/donate).
Memories of John may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
John Daniel Johnson
John Daniel Johnson, born in Flint, MI and residing for the last eighteen years in Charleston, WV, died at Charleston Area Medical Center, surrounded by his family, on March 19, 2024, at the age of 90. John was a loving husband to Claire for nearly 67 years, and a proud father of six daughters and one son.
Early Life
John was born on April 25, 1933 to Frank and Margaret Johnson.
Margaret died in 1942, when John was just nine years old. After her death, Frank enlisted and was sent to Billie Mitchell Army rehab hospital in Milwaukee where he met and married army nurse Heliene Lombard. When he was later deployed to Guam, a very pregnant Heliene went to Cadillac, MI to live with Frank’s sister Mary who was caring for John, his brothers Mark and Gordon, and sister Mary Ann. When Frank returned from World War II, the family, which now included toddler Heliene Marie, moved to Flint MI, where John’s youngest sister Kathryn was born.
During high school, John was the photographer for the Flint Central High School newspaper and yearbook. He also captured many photographs of his two younger sisters, all of which he developed and printed himself. His work in sports photography caught the attention of the local newspaper, who wanted to hire him straight out of high school.
Though John remained a lifelong photographer, his professional interests lay elsewhere. Intrigued by the newly emerging field of biochemistry, John studied at and graduated from the University of Michigan, where he also did postgraduate work.
While still an undergrad, John tried an Arthur Murray dance class, more to meet girls than to learn dancing. During a break in his first class, John’s friends asked how he was doing. John replied, “I’m doing great. I’m standing here with my future wife.”
In 1957, John married his dance partner, Claire Elaine Campbell. John and Claire soon began raising their family in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, MI.
John and Claire’s growing family in Michigan
By 1964, John and Claire were the proud parents of five daughters. Their only son Joseph came along in 1967. When the kids were old enough, John introduced them to some of his favorite things in Ann Arbor. He took them to watch the University of Michigan marching band on the practice field, to count dinosaur bones at the Natural History Museum, and to visit art museums.
One of his sisters gave John a recording of The Fiddler on the Roof, in honor of John’s five daughters at the time, the same number as Zero Mostel’s character Tevye. The family played the record on what seemed almost endless repeat, with the result that nearly fifty years later, John’s daughters can still sing many of the songs from memory.
The family grew vegetables in a corner of the backyard and John planted and cared for roses wherever he lived. Peace roses, with their beautiful yellow blossoms and pink highlights, were John’s favorite.
Working for peace is an important part of John’s legacy. From whenever his family first asked him until the last time anyone asked him what he wanted for Christmas or his birthday or Father’s Day, John’s response was nearly always that he wanted “Peace on Earth.” Occasionally, depending on the volatility of the siblings at the moment, John would change his response to, “Peace in this family.” John forbade playing cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, or any violent play. John always encouraged the siblings to settle their differences and no one was allowed to leave the room of an altercation until an apology had been offered and accepted.
For several of John’s daughters, one of their earliest memories is of their dad taking them for peace marches in Ann Arbor, to pray for the swift end of the Vietnam War. John would hoist the youngest on his shoulders as they all carried candles and sang in the winter wind. The daughters still remember leaving their candles in the snow, in the shape of a peace sign, and returning the next day to see the wax melted in the snow.
Professionally, John’s first job post-graduation involved doing medical research for the Veterans’ Administration. Several years later, he started Johnson Instrumentation Specialties, a business he ran from the basement of the family’s Ann Arbor home. He designed research equipment, often for doctoral candidates or post-doc researchers. Sometimes this involved buckets full of frog eggs in the basement, which before too long brought delight to his girls as the eggs turned into tadpoles circling the buckets. Claire was grateful that the tadpoles disappeared before the basement was overrun with frogs.
Sometimes John would have his children practice the new diagnostic techniques he was developing, reasoning that if his young daughters could perform the tests, an adult lab tech should be able to do the same.
Recognizing his talent for inventing instrumentation for medical diagnostics, a new company, Helena Laboratories, first bought John’s designs and then hired him as their first employee. The new company would be based in Beaumont, Texas.
The Johnson Family in Texas
Hauling the entire Johnson clan of eight from Ann Arbor to Beaumont, Texas in 1970 was quite an adventure, the kids all packed into the station wagon, a U-Haul trailing behind.
Getting settled in Texas was not without its challenges. It took a while to decipher the Texas accent, and John could always be identified as an out-of-stater by his speaking voice, though eventually many in the community wanted to claim him as an honorary Texan. Claire gave birth to one more daughter during their second year in Beaumont, and the family was now complete.
South Park School District in Beaumont was among the last in the country to desegregate — not until 1981, when that youngest daughter was in fourth grade. She became something of a poster child for integration efforts when a camera crew caught footage of her running to catch the bus, a reel that was frequently replayed on local television during news stories about desegregation.
Though the family lived within the parish lines of a predominately white congregation, John made arrangements with church officials to have his family registered as parishioners of St. Pius X, a parish further from their home, but with a more diverse community. The Johnson family remained active members of St. Pius until most of the children were grown.
In 1975, while working a summer job at Helena, John’s eldest daughter saw firsthand how everyone in the company, from the engineers to the immunologists, the marketers and the sales consultants, always approached John when they encountered an intractable problem. She says that her dad knew how to think outside the box — and perhaps never saw boxes at all. John was inclusive and creative, never limited by the “normal” way of doing things, and he helped grow Helena Labs into a global leader in its field, making particular contributions to the diagnosis of sickle cell anemia.
John’s openness and inclusivity were also evident in the way he raised each of his children to be their own unique selves, to develop their personal talents, to love in their unique ways, and to eventually become very different people. John and Claire raised seven children who each knew that no matter how diverse were the paths they might choose, they would always be loved.
John’s faith motivated nearly everything in his life. He especially loved the passage from the first epistle of John where the apostle writes, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God… for God is love…. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
John loved all those he served, beginning with his family, continuing in his parish, at work, and throughout the community. In Beaumont, John brought communion to the residents of a home for people with mental health challenges. Claire and John co-led prayer groups and John served on the founding committee of the Diocese of Beaumont’s Retreat Center. When Vietnamese refugees begun to arrive in the US in vast numbers, the Diocese of Beaumont began an extensive resettlement program, and John and Claire took their family with them to help clean an old Catholic high school and stock it with beds and blankets, food and clothing. When the refugees arrived, the Johnsons helped teach them English and they taught the Johnsons (with varying degrees of success) how to eat with chopsticks.
As important as the things John did were, what was even more important — both to him and to his family — was that John treated everyone he met with respect, and knew how to speak words of encouragement that went straight to the heart.
A caring man with a good sense of fun
The family treasures many random memories of John, memories that build an image of a caring man with a good sense of fun. John would often pause to pray when he encountered a friend in need, whether it was in church or in a grocery store aisle. John not infrequently invited folks without families for Thanksgiving dinner. Watching Star Trek with John offered opportunities for both entertainment and education, with its lessons of inclusivity and its emphasis on exploring, not conquering, the universe. Daughter Samira is especially grateful that her dad helped her see the living spirit of love in each person.
John delighted in any sort of wordplay, and especially enjoyed really, really bad puns. John read Dr. Seuss books to the little ones until everyone in the house had all the words memorized. When John planted beautiful spring bushes, daughter Cindy heard that he was planting “For Cynthia,” so she claimed the forsythia bushes as a personal gift from her dad.
Each morning John would greet the kids with his perpetually off-key wake up songs, at which the middle child Dorothy would throw pillows at her dad, with a high degree of accuracy. John quickly learned to use the door as a shield against pillows to the head. The kids miss the fragrance of the coffee cake or blueberry pancakes he often made on Sunday mornings, and the taste of the chicken cacciatore he would prepare according to his stepmom’s recipe. John loved ice cream, and thought it a perfect way to end each and every day.
His daughter Kathy particularly remembers John’s scientific influence in her life, and will never forget when John helped the kids build a rocket ship from cardboard boxes in the living room. Homemade morse code devices helped keep communication flowing between the spaceship and the family.
John often joined Claire for local quilt guild meetings where they frequently served as elected officers. More often than not, John was the only male member of the guild — but by this time he had become fairly comfortable in a room with high estrogen content. The quilts he and Claire designed and sewed often won quilt show prizes. John’s quilts were known for their bright colors and nature scenes, often featuring frogs.
John and his son Joe shared a love of gardening and of indoor plants. One day Claire told Joe that she needed somewhere to put some beautiful plants. Joe and John disappeared into the garage. After a couple of hours, they emerged with two gorgeous plant stands for her. John’s daughters still remember how he created beautiful rings for them from peach pits, drilling out the center and edges, and finishing them with oils until they were smooth and shiny.
John shared his love of photography with his children and grandchildren. While Samira was in middle school, he taught her how to compose the different elements of a photo. John loved close-ups of flowers and bugs, and taught Samira to see nature in a new way. Over the years, John and Margaret also swapped nature photos including favored close-up shots of flowers with insects. On a cruise to Alaska in 1996, Dorothy and John tried to outdo each other, vying to see who could capture the most beautiful photo of glaciers reflecting on the water.
When John’s granddaughter Jenny was assigned a school science experiment, John helped Jenny make a simple camera and then turn a bathroom into a photo processing room, teaching her how to process film and print the images. Years later, when Jenny helped her mom Kathy, who was John and Claire’s primary caregiver, John gave Jenny his last camera, and taught her how to use it. Jenny enjoys nature photography, and she and her grandfather would review the daily pictures of deer, turkeys, and other wildlife.
Nearly every year, family summer vacations involved driving around the country with everyone crammed into a station wagon for two weeks. John loved sharing Mammoth Caves, the Ozark Mountains, Niagara Falls, Florida beaches, and seemingly every Dinosaur Park in the country. There were also visits to New York City and Washington D.C. and “Oh so much camping.”
A move to Charleston, West Virginia
In 2006, John and Claire moved yet again, this time to Charleston, West Virginia, where their daughter Kathy became their primary caregiver.
In Charleston, John and Claire continued to be active in the local quilt guild, and also in the Church community, including eighteen years at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in South Charleston.
To his family, John continued to be a mountain of stability and love on whom they could always rely. This was especially true during the family’s recent losses. The middle child, Dorothy Heliene Scheiman, died in 2020, after a lengthy struggle with leukemia. In 2021, John’s only son Joseph Johnson died of lung cancer.
During his years in Charleston, John’s connection to frogs continued to evolve. He adopted an acronym that both encapsulated his love of frogs and his outlook on life: FROG = “Fully Rely On God.” John began collecting frogs made of various materials as more and more people began gifting John with frogs. John also began incorporating frogs more frequently into his quilts.
Official Family Listing and Memorial Mass Details
John is survived by his wife Claire Johnson and their children Mary Johnson (Lucas Lund), Kathryn Johnson (Carl Offutt), Cynthia Joy (Corwin Joy), Margaret Johnson (Murat Cil), Samira Heather Johnson (Stefan Fuegi), and his sister, Heliene Houdek (Gary Houdek).
John was predeceased by his daughter Dorothy Johnson Scheiman (David Scheiman), his son Joseph Johnson, his sister Mary Ann Iverson (Merlin Iverson), his brother Mark Lawrence Johnson (Jean Johnson), his brother Frank Gordon Johnson (Jan Johnson), and his sister Kathryn Johnson Straine (Fred Straine).
John was lovingly cared for by his daughter Kathryn and her daughter, Jenny Hock, who loved her gramps fiercely. Other grandchildren include Jon Hock (Alyssa Hock), Isaac Fuegi, Gabriel Joy, Noah Cil, Sarah Cil, and Ethan Joy.
John’s Memorial Mass will be March 26, 2024 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 305 E Street, South Charleston, WV. Family and friends will gather to remember John at 11:00, followed by the Memorial Mass at noon and a lunch in the church hall.
John’s Memorial Mass will be live streamed on Blessed Sacrament’s Facebook page.
Donations may be sent in John’s honor to Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.
Margaret Hornick Slaymaker
Margaret Hornick Slaymaker, 91, of Dunbar, WV, passed away on March 19, 2024, at her residence. She was born in Elkhorn, WV, to the late Steve and Annie Semonco Hornick.
Margaret was employed by the State of West Virginia for over 32 years as a legal secretary in the Workers’ Comp division. She was also a member of the Dunbar Church of the Nazarene.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Fredrick Slaymaker; her four brothers; and three sisters. She is survived by her son, David Mellert; sister, Helen Burnop; Goddaughter (niece), Karen Blizzard; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Her son, David, would like to thank Margaret’s many friends for their kindness, love, and the friendship they shared with her over the years.
As per Margaret’s wishes, she will be cremated and laid to rest beside her late husband at Grandview Memorial Park in Dunbar at a later date.
Memories of Margaret may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
Joseph Zaleski
Joseph Zaleski, 82, of Charleston, WV passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
He was born to Dr. Joseph and Juanita M. Zaleski in Morgantown, WV on June 22, 1941. He graduated from University High School in Morgantown. Joe graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1962 and received his Masters of Public Administration from the University of Dayton.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Joe is survived by his loving wife of over 60 years, Margaret Sue Rossie Zaleski of Charleston; brother, Charles D. Zaleski (Pat) of Los Angeles, California; nieces, Kelly Sullivan (Darryl) of Jacksonville, Oregon, Kristen Ryan of Phoenix, Arizona, Lara Hamb Jett (Craig) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; nephew, Michael Zaleski of San Francisco, California; 4 grand nieces and 1 grand nephew.
To honor Joe’s wishes there will be no formal services. The family will carry out his wishes in a private celebration of his life.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donation be made to HospiceCare, 1606 Kanawha Blvd., W, Charleston, WV 25387-2536 or The Kanawha Charleston Human Association, 1248 Greenbrier Street, Charleston, WV 25311.
Memories and online condolences may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
James Turley
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of James Turley, of South Charleston. James entered his heavenly home on March 15, 2024, at the age of 72.
Jim was retired from Walker Machinery after 43 years of service. He was proceeded in death by his parents, Thomas Lee Turley and Vada Turley.
Jim is survived by his wife of 49 years, Deborah Turley; sister, Margaret (Robert) Milam; brother, Matt Mazzeo; sisters-in-law, Martha Shaffer and Teresa Blankenship; nieces, Heather, Kristi and Joann; nephew, Jason; many cousins and lifelong friends; and his best cat, Izzybell, aka “Supercat”.
A special thanks to Joe Lawrence for introducing Jim, 53 years ago, to that great summer where Jim became known as “number one son” - Romans 8: 38-39.
A visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. at Snodgrass Funeral Home in South Charleston. Immediately following the visitation, a committal service and entombment will take place at Graceland Memorial Park in the mausoleum chapel, with Pastor Greg Hudson officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the charity of your choosing.
Memories and condolences of Jim may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting his obituary.
Snodgrass Funeral Home of South Charleston is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements.
Clayton Uhler
On March 13, 2024, Clayton J. Uhler, 89, passed away peacefully at his South Charleston home.
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Clayton went to Penn State University where he met his wife, Peggy. Peggy and Clayton were married for 67 years prior to her death in 2022. Clayton spent most of his career with Union Carbide and also taught at West Virginia State College.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Mary Elizabeth Painter Uhler; his daughter, Janice Uhler; and his daughter-in-law, Dorie Uhler.
Clayton is survived by his children, Susan Dickey (T.O.), South Charleston, WV , Kenneth Uhler, Glen Burnie, MD, Joan Uhler, Alameda, CA, Judy McGimsey (Randy), Doyline, LA, Robert Uhler (Nicole), South Charleston, WV; his sister Barbara Parke (Tom ), Pittsburgh, PA, his sister-in-law, Ellen Belisle, Hookstown, PA; his grandchildren Jennifer Dickey (Abdul), Meg Dickey-Kurdziolek (Wes), Beth Dunaway (Spencer), Kimberli Williams (deceased), TJ Solod (Roman) and Jon-Robert Williams (Liz); 11 great-grandchildren, his nieces, nephews and friends.
A memorial service to Honor the Life of Clayton will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Blessed Sacrament Church, South Charleston with the Very Rev. Fr. Paul J. Wharton officiating. Clayton and Peggy will be interred together following the service in Blessed Sacrament Church Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, please honor Clayton with a donation to HospiceCare (hospicecarewv.org).
Memories and online condolences may be shared by visiting https://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
Gary Rogers
Gary Rogers, 76, of South Charleston went to be with his Lord and Savior on March 11th 2024 at Harmony Assisted Living surrounded by family, friends, and loving staff.
He was born January 12th 1948 to the late Mary Delaney Rogers and Ted Rogers of South Charleston.
His memory will live on with wife, Dalona "Dee" Rogers of South Charleston; son, Chris (Laura) Rogers and grandsons, Nikau and Fischer and granddaughter, Savanah all of Salt Lake City, Utah; son, Chad (Ashley) Rogers and grandson Waylon all of Victor, Idaho.
A graduate of South Charleston High School and West Virginia State College, he went on to serve in the Navy. He worked for the West Virginia Department of Veterans Affairs and then was the Harbor Master at the Charleston Boat Club. He was also a member of Bible Center Church and sang with the Kanawha Kordsmen.
A service to Honor the Life of Gary will be held at 1:00 pm, Sunday, March 24 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston with Pastor Richard Riffe officiating. Burial will follow in Tyler Mountain Memory Gardens, Cross Lanes. Friends and family may visit from 12 to 1 prior to the service at Snodgrass Funeral Home.
Memories and online condolences of Gary may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuenral.com. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.
Stella Irene Snuffer Lewis
Stella Irene Snuffer Lewis was born on February 5, 1959, in Charleston, WV, and passed away on March 10, 2024.
Stella was a graduate of South Charleston High School, class of 1975, and worked as an employee of the State of West Virginia her entire career. She loved her pets and her friends, and loved cooking for everyone, just like her mother.
Stella was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Frederick Snuffer and Mrs. Hazel Snuffer Crowley; and brothers, Barry Snuffer and George Crowley.
Stella leaves behind her sisters, Melissa Northern of Denton, TX/South Charleston, WV, and Joan Higgenbotham of Odenton, MD; brothers: Dr. Robert Snuffer of Weston, WV, James Crowley of Rolla, MO, John Crowley of Colorado Springs, CO, Robert Crowley of Charleston, WV, Michael Crowley of Rolla, MO; nieces: Destiny Higgenbotham, Caitlyn, Kieleen, and Helen Crowley, Elyse Northern, and Meera Alhayek; nephews: Jack Crowley, George Crowley, Jr., John Paul, Patrick and Vincent Snuffer, and Thaer and Wasseem Alhayek.
To Honor the Life of Stella, a private family graveside service was held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Graceland Memorial Park, with Pastor Greg Hudson officiating.
Friends may share condolences by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is assisting the family with these arrangements.
Patricia Violet Clendenen
Patricia Violet Clendenen, 81, of Elkview, West Virginia, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at Hubbard Hospice House of Charleston.
She was born on April 17, 1942, daughter of the late Virginia Banks Farley and Joseph French Farley Sr. of Seth, West Virginia. She is also preceded in death by her husband, John K. Clendenen; brother, Joseph Farley; mother-in-law, Indra Clendenen; father-in-law, Clarence Clendenen; and sister-in-law, Frances Clendenen.
Left to cherish her loving memory are her three daughters, Tricia Clendenen Kingery, Jennifer Clendenen-Williams, and Johnna Clendenen Stickler; son-in-law, Michael Stickler; sister-in-law, Jeannie Lanyi; grandchildren, Alexandra Kingery, Mackenzie, Lilly, and Kailey Williams, Noah, Christian, and Silas Stickler; niece, Robin Turturice and family; and her beloved dog, Coal.
Patricia graduated Valedictorian from Sherman High School, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Morris Harvey College. She met the love of her life in her ninth-grade English class, and after a courtship through high school and college, they married on June 17, 1964. They shared a love of Christ, taking weekend road trips throughout West Virginia, canning vegetables from their garden, and long walks on the beach. Most importantly, they loved spending time with their family, educating youth, and investing in their community. As a loving, attentive mother and grandmother, she loved hosting tea parties, playing piano, reading books, teaching the Bible, and embracing everyday moments that brought joy and laughter.
Patricia was a devoted English teacher for Kanawha County Schools at Elkview Junior High and Elkview Middle School for forty years. She was an inspiration to her students, where she instilled a passion for learning through poems like Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, teaching grammar, and reciting the definition of discipline: “Discipline is doing what you are told to do, when you are told to do it, with the right heart attitude.”
She was a devoted Christian and member of the Heritage Baptist Church of Pinch. In retirement, her greatest joy came from spending time with her grandchildren and a multitude of family and friends, along with playing with Coal. She loved holidays and family get togethers, bird watching, attending Bible Study and Women of Faith conferences, cooking, reading, and shopping. The last four years of her life, she lived in Florida with her daughter, Jennifer, three granddaughters, and Coal, where she enjoyed attending church, school events, family dinners, and sitting in the sun with her toes in the sand by the ocean. As a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, teacher and friend, she reminded us every day that life is about counting our blessings and spending time with those you love.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, March 14, 2024, at Bible Center Church, 100 Bible Center Drive, Charleston, WV, 25309. Burial will follow in Pineview Cemetery, Orgas, WV. Friends may call two hours prior to the service at the church. A celebration of life will be held at The Retreat WV, Northgate Business Park, One Creative Place, Charleston at 6:00 p.m.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.