Barbara June Addis Merritt
Barbara June Addis Merritt, 86, of South Charleston, passed away on August 9, 2023.
She was born on May 22, 1937, to the late Carroll W. and Leona June Pringle Addis in South Charleston, where she resided most of her life.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Mike Merritt; brothers, Don and Phillip Addis; sister, Betty Kitchen; and niece, Rose Kitchen.
Barbara is survived by her niece, Judy Richards; and nephews, Phillip and Steven Addis.
A private family graveside service will be held at Sunset Memorial Park, South Charleston, where she will be interred beside her son, Mike.
Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in the care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
Angela Dawn Price
Angela Dawn Price, 45, of South Charleston, WV, passed away on August 14, 2023, at CAMC Memorial.
Angela was born on May 10, 1978, to the late Charles Price and Margaret Harris Price. She grew up in Spencer, WV, and graduated from Roane County High School, class of 1996.
Angela had a heart of gold and was a very giving person. Her personality was sassy, ornery, and she wasn’t happy unless she was picking on someone! Angela enjoyed spending time with family and friends, loved taking drives, and listening to music. She also loved skating, softball, drawing, movies, and farm animals (except chickens!). During football season, she cheered on her Cowboys and loved picking on her son, a Saints fan!
Angela was preceded in death by her father, Charles Price; mother, Margaret Harris Price; and sister, Brenda Price. She is survived by her fiancé, Tim Spencer; daughter, Brooke Anderson; son, Aidan Anderson; brother and sister-in-law, Bub and Dee Dee Price; sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Jeffrey Patrick; nephews: Jason, Damon, and Chris Price, Alex White, and Benny King; nieces: Margaret King, Brenda Walker, Alexis and Kailae King; several close cousins, friends, and fur babies.
At Angela’s request, there will be no service at this time.
Memories of Angela may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.
Benny J. Argento, Sr.
Benny J. Argento, Sr., 87, of South Charleston, WV, passed away on August 9, 2023 after a long illness.
Benny was born March 16, 1936 in Harewood, WV. He was a graduate of South Charleston High School, attended Morris Harvey College, and Graduated from West Virginia State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry.
Benny was a scientist who spent 40 years working in R&D, and product development, for Union Carbide, Bayer, and ARCO Chemical. He held several US patents and received awards in the field of polyurethanes and foams.
He was active in the community, coaching little league baseball and YMCA basketball. He was on the Scout Committee for Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop 242. He was also a volunteer chemistry tutor and a partner in the Rock Lake Community Life Center. Benny was an Elder at Rock Lake Presbyterian Church where he had been a member for 60 years.
Benny was also an avid aviationist. He served in the United States Air Force, was a private pilot, and owned and operated his own planes out of Mallory Airport in South Charleston.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe Argento and Ernie and Lillian Chieves; sisters, Linda Kersey and Darlene Bayes.
Benny is survived by his wife of 67 years, Donie; son, John Argento (Debbie) and grandchildren, Katrina (Josh), Benny, and Victoria, of North Carolina, and son, Scott Argento (Teresa) and grandchildren, Sarah and Nathan, of South Charleston; brother-in-law, Rick Bayes.
A service to Honor the Life of Benny will be held at 10:00 am, Saturday, August 19, 2023 in Cunningham Memorial Park Upper Mausoleum Chapel with Rev. Dr. Patricia Jarvis officiating. The family will receive visitors from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Friday, August 18, 2023 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
Online condolences and memories of Benny may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com/ and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.
Dennis Adkins
Dennis Adkins, Sr., 80 of Charleston passed away on August 10, 2023. Dennis was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 6, 1943, to Nolan and Thelma (Spurlock) Adkins. At the age of two, his family moved to Huntington, West Virginia. He attended Barboursville High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and track and graduated in 1961, before going on to Marshall University.
After leaving Marshall, he went to work for WSAZ TV. In 1968, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the Armed Forces Radio and Television for the Southern Command Network in the Canal Zone, Panama. During his service with Armed Forces Radio, he met the love of his life, Norma Vargas. After being discharged from the Army in 1971, he was employed by WCHS TV, Charleston, he worked his way from sales manager to president and general manager. During his tenure as general manager, he acquired property and built the current location of WCHS. Dennis retired in 1998 but in November 2003, he came out of retirement and went back into broadcasting and moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, as general manager for KREX. He returned to Charleston in 2007 and was appointed executive director of WVPBS by then Governor Manchin. He ended his extensive career in broadcasting working for his long-time personal friend and broadcasting colleague, Robbie Thomas, as general manager at WOAY. He retired from broadcasting in 2013. In October 2016 he was inducted into the West Virginia Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
After his military service ended, Dennis and Norma married on December 5, 1970. They built their life together in Charleston and had two children. Dennis was an avid fan of the Herd, Mountaineers and Cincinnati Reds. His hobbies included golfing, fishing, and NASCAR racing. He thoroughly enjoyed watching his grandchildren play sports and was so proud of them.
Anyone who knew Dennis knew he was always the life of the party with his quick wit and his ability to tell a joke and make people laugh. He was a sensitive and compassionate man. To know him was to love him.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, Nolan and Thelma Adkins, and his brother, C. Lee Adkins.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Norma; son, Dennis Adkins, Jr. (Billie Jo) and daughter, Kelsey Adkins; grandchildren, Tristan, Casey, Rylan and Brooklyn; and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws.
A service will be held at St. Timothy Lutheran church, Charleston, on Friday, August 18th, 2023, at 11 a.m. with Pastor Jamie Strickler officiating. Service will be livestreamed on the church’s Facebook page. Burial will follow at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Cemetery, 130 Academy Drive, Dunbar. Visitation will be at the church on Thursday, August 17th, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial donations be made to St. Timothy Lutheran Church, 900 Lawndale Lane, Charleston, WV 25314.
Memories of Dennis may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.
Phyllis Cowley
Phyllis Jean Murdock Cowley, 88, of Charleston, WV, passed away peacefully on July 29, 2023, after a long battle with Dementia.
Phyllis was born in Avella, Pennsylvania on October 25, 1934 to the late Harry Hunter and Nora Rosa Murdock. . She was a proud graduate of Charleston High School where she was a cheerleader and Homecoming Attendant. Phyllis worked for numerous years at the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department. She later worked for the Prosecuting Attorney’s office and retired from the Kanawha County Commissioner’s office. These years were some of her fondest memories and when she developed many wonderful lasting friendships.
Later in life, Phyllis gained a great appreciation for the great outdoors that the wonderful state of West Virginia has to offer spending hours walking, hiking and bird watching with friends and family. She loved helping other people and spending time with family and friends. She had a kind heart and was never a stranger to anyone, especially children. She loved being a part of the Herbert Hoover Huskies football “family” for many years.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Coach Joe Eddie Cowley.
Phyllis is survived by her daughter, Sharon Matthews of Selma, NC; son Jeff (Toni) Lester of Jupiter, FL; daughter, Kelley Lester of Sunset Beach, NC; step daughter, Susan Lynn (Matthew) Wingender of New York City; sister, Myrna Griffith of Wilmington, NC; brother, Richard (Lucky) Murdock of Melbourne, FL. She cherished her 5 grandchildren, Leah (Todd)Yates, Rachel (Brian) Goldstein, Sarah (Adam) Emanuels, Erica (Scott) Reynolds, Jake Lester and 9 great grandchildren, Abbey and Ryan Yates, Mason and Eleanora Goldstein, Addison and Aiden Emanuels, Palmer, Pierson and Price Reynolds.
A memorial service to Honor the Life of Phyllis will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Embassy Suites in Charleston, WV. A Celebration of Life reception will immediately follow from 2pm-4pm honoring this beautiful, great lady.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation can be made in honor of Phyllis to the Dementia Society of America at https://www.dementiasociety.org/donate.
Online condolences and memories of Phyllis may be shared by visiting https://snodgrassfuneral.com/ and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
Nancy Snodgrass Osborne
Nancy Mann Snodgrass Osborne, 87, of South Charleston, WV, passed away on August 3, 2023.
She was born on November 4, 1935 to the late Lyle and Virginia Snodgrass. Nancy was married to Captain John E. Osborne of the US Navy. Nancy had two sons. Ian Stuart Osborne and John E. Osborne II of Lebanon, Ohio.
Nancy was fortunate to travel the world as a Navy spouse. After her husbands’ death she returned to South Charleston to be near family and friends. She loved animals, enjoyed gardening and socializing with friends during her retirement.
Along with her parents she was preceded in death by her husband John E. Osborne and son Ian Stuart Osborne.
Nancy is survived by her son, John E. Osborne II of Lebanon, Ohio.
A memorial service to Honor the Life of Nancy will be held at 1:00 pm, Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Charleston Animal Shelter at https://adoptcharleston.com .
Online condolences and memories of Nancy may be shared by visiting https://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.
Jeffery DeGroat
Jeffery Lynn "Jeff" DeGroat, 70, passed away peacefully at home August 8, 2023. Born February 1, 1953 in Anchorage, Alaska to Oliver and Sally DeGroat, he was the eldest of his four siblings.
Jeff was a master craftsman mason for most of his career, specializing in all aspects of masonry. He then traded his trowel in for the keys to a big rig and became a long-distance truck driver for the final 7 years of his career.
Jeff is predeceased by his parents, Oliver and Sally. Jeff is survived by his four children and their families: Jason of El Centro, CA ; Niki (Jim) Riley of Charleston, WV; Matt of Anaheim, CA; Kyle (Diana) of Cheshire, CT. He will always be "Pop" to Aidan, Lexi, Liam, and Eli. His surviving siblings are: Randy DeGroat of Stillwater, NJ, Lisa DeGroat of Milford, PA, Dana DeGroat of Sandyston, NJ, Marla DeGroat of Dingman's Ferry, PA, as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Memories may be shared by visiting snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home is assisting the family with these arrangements.
William "Bill" Snyder
William “Bill” Snyder, 84, of South Charleston, WV, died July 30, 2023, surrounded by family and friends who lovingly knew him as “Poppy”.
Father, Leonard Snyder, mother, Erma Duncan Snyder, brother Leonard “Bucky” Snyder, sisters-in-law Jean Snyder and Kay Gibson have passed on prior to Bill.
Continuing on while cherishing his memory are his wife, Frances Sayre Snyder; son, Randy (Penny) Snyder, daughter, Robyn (Scott) Eckley, son, Rod (Jodi) Snyder; grandchildren, Daniel and Michael (Stacy) Snyder, Bailee (Grant) Wirth, Lauren and Dylan Eckley, Madison, Jackson, and Duncan Snyder; great-grandchildren, Reese, Dani, Lily, and Owen Snyder, Brooks Wirth; sister-in-law, Betty Snyder; brother-in-law, Larry Gibson; nephew, John (Amy) Snyder; nieces, Karen Snyder, Lisa (Forrest) Hall, and Beth (Eddie) Ferrari.
Born in South Charleston in 1939, Bill grew up on 4th Avenue and graduated from South Charleston High School in 1957, where he played football and basketball. Bill married his beloved wife Frances in 1959. They spent the next 64 years building a life and family together.
Through the years, Bill worked at FMC, Electronic Specialty Company, and Buchanan Sound & Communications, where he sold and serviced electronic systems. Bill was also a skilled mechanic and builder. He worked on his own cars and built the house where he raised his family and lived for 46 years.
Bill coached youth baseball teams in South Charleston and Winfield. He coached elementary and junior high basketball teams and started a league for junior high boys. In his retired years, Bill restored classic cars, including multiple Corvettes. He enjoyed golfing with family and friends.
The hallmark of Bill’s life from teenage years forward was his commitment to his Christian faith. He attended and was a board member at 5th Avenue Church of God in South Charleston and 1st Church of God in Charleston. Most recently, he attended the Teays Valley Church of God.
The family welcomes all friends to attend a visitation and memorial service at the Teays Valley Church of God on Friday, August 11th, to honor and celebrate “a life worthy of being followed.” Visitation will start at 5:30pm, followed by a memorial service at 7:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Teays Valley Church of God Building Fund, PO Box 270, Scott Depot, WV 25560.
Memories may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home is assisting the family with these arrangements.
Velma Jividen "Lulu" Westfall
Velma (Lulu) Westfall, 87, of Charleston, gained her heavenly wings after a long illness, on August 2, 2023. She was born June 18, 1936, to Austin and Pearl Jividen.
She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, Ray, oldest son Mike, daughter Terri Harrison, son-in-love John Hill, and grandson Johnny Hill
Lulu is survived by her loving children and caregivers for the past several years: Kevin and his wife Heather, and daughter Lisa Hill. She also leaves to cherish her memories: son-in-law Mike Harrison, Sister Lois and brother-in-law Bob Allen, 16 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews.
Velma worked for Frankenberger’s and later retired from Kanawha Valley Radiology after a number of years. She loved making porcelain dolls, camping, going to the beach, spending time with her family, and spent many, many hours shopping.
The family would like send a special thank you to her Hospice caregivers: Kim and Jennifer (The Dynamic Duo), Stephanie, and Cathy.
A Service to honor Lulu’s life will be Monday, August 14, 2023, at 1:00 pm at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, with Pastor Mayford Witt officiating. Graveside services will follow at Tyler Mountain Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 11:30 am until 1:00 pm at the funeral home before the service.
Memories may be shared by visiting snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home is assisting the family with these arrangements.
Ann Winn (Childs) Hyre
Ann Winn (Childs) Hyre (age redacted) passed away in Charleston, WV, on Friday, July 21, 2023, after a long illness.
A tiny spitfire who lived life to the fullest, Ann was a mother, grandmother, and partner loved beyond measure. Her irreverent sense of humor, unique ability to turn a phrase, and devotion to friends and strangers alike made her an adored pillar of the community. A lifelong Democrat, she was committed to making West Virginia a better place, and her contributions were many. You could always count on her to fight for the underdog… or actually, any dog. Ann never met an animal she didn’t love.
One of her proudest accomplishments was her work as Deputy Director of West Virginia Health Right. She raised tens of millions of dollars to bring critical medical services to those who needed it the most, tirelessly writing grants, securing in-kind donations, and shaking her friends down for the largest contributions they could muster. Her daughters joke that she personally helped spend every dollar she raised to ensure anyone in need got into Health Right to receive the quality care they deserved.
A sharp businessperson and entrepreneur, Ann also co-founded and led the Jobs Company, creating pathways for students who didn’t finish high school to earn their GEDs and receive vocational training. While her girls were young, she was the President of the Board for Children’s Theatre of Charleston, bringing fresh eyes and renewed fun to this crucial arts outlet for the city’s youth.
Ann is survived by her devoted partner of 25 years, Dennis Hicks; her ex-husband turned dear friend, Steve Hyre; her beloved daughters, Christina (Marc) and Stephanie (John); as well as the two greatest joys in her life, her grandsons, Jack and Benny. She is also survived by her brothers, David and Richard Childs of Summit Point, many nieces and nephews, and more friends than we could afford to list in print here. She is preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Bell (Johnson) Childs Laycock, and her father, David Burwell Childs.
A celebration of life will be held in memory of Ann Hyre on September 16, 2023, from 3-6 p.m. at The Hale Center (210 Hale Street, Charleston, WV 25301). The event will be an open house with a short remembrance ceremony at 4 p.m. Ann's friends and family are invited to share memories, drinks, and appetizers in honor of this tiny spitfire who holds claims to so much space in our hearts.
To honor her memory, her family asks that donations be made to West Virginia Health Right (https://wvhealthright.org/) in her name.
Memories of Ann may be shared by visiting http://snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.