Alma Chandler
Alma Marie Chapman Chandler, 89, of South Charleston, WV passed away on January 17, 2023 at Hubbard Hospice House of Charleston.
She was born to the late Oran and Pearl Lowers Chapman in South Charleston, WV. She worked as a Surgical Technician at CAMC- Memorial Hospital for over 30 years before retiring. She was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church where she had taught Sunday School and participated in the Palm Sunday classes. She was an avid Mountaineer Fan. She enjoyed being outside in the sunshine and traveling to the beach. She was a great cook and baker and would often share delicacies with her family, friends and neighbors.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Jefferson Chandler, Sr; son Harold Jefferson Chandler, Jr.; and four siblings.
Alma is survived by her daughter, Lesley Marie (Jeff) Hunt of Fraziers Bottom, WV; sons, Wesley Chandler of Greenville, South Carolina and Scott (Sheila) Chandler of Salisbury, NC; 12 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; sister and best friend, Barbara Chapman Nunn of South Charleston, WV.
A service to Honor the Life of Alma will be held at 1:00 pm, Friday, January 20, 2023 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston with Rev. Paul Mateer officiating. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, South Charleston. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.
Gina Marie Cruise Schrader
Gina Marie Cruise Schrader, of Charleston and Hillsboro, West Virginia, died on January 13 of injuries sustained in a fall on January 2, in Charleston. Born April 14, 1945, Gina packed several lives’ worth of living into her 77 youthful years.
A tiny sprite with an outsize personality and warm, engaging smile, Gina was a resourceful woman who made her own way throughout her life, supporting herself by her wits, energy, and sales talents. She successfully raised a daughter as a young, single mother in a time when such a feat was rare.
She earned a BS degree in geography and sociology from the University of Charleston where she was introduced to arts, crafts, and, her life-long passion, West Virginia traditional music. For several years, she worked as an agent for top West Virginia bands, co-founded a bluegrass and traditional music booking agency, initiated a hugely successful bluegrass festival featuring John Hartford and Bela Fleck, and learned firsthand the difficulties of making a living as a music promoter.
In the span of her long and varied career, Gina worked as an advertising sales rep for WTIP/WTIO FM Radio in Charleston, then made friends of business owners in Parkersburg and the greater Charleston metro area through her work with the direct mail company, Val-Pak.
After selling her West Virginia Val-Pak franchise, she took on the job of developing partnerships for the Midland Trail Scenic By-Way Association. Described as “a hummingbird” by members of the association of business operators along the 189-mile federal scenic highway, Gina worked tirelessly to make the organization a success.
She got her first 35mm camera in the early 1970s, and began taking photographs for fun. She could capture the brightest, best spirit of her friends in images, many of whom were working musicians, so her photographs sometimes were used on album covers and promotional posters.
She loved organizing and painting, and never hesitated to jump in to help friends downsize and refurbish. She was a certified master gardener, and was quick with advice and often with labor, and generously shared plants. She loved presenting friends with thrift store treasures, and she was famous for her yearly Saturday night parties following official Memorial Weekend Vandalia Gathering activities.
The last 15 years of her life were her happiest, as she shared them with her great love, photographer Doug Chadwick. She assisted him with his panoramic photography business, and they traveled together throughout the United States, Central and South America, Europe, and Australia. She died thirteen days after his January 1 death.
Friends and family were of utmost importance to her. She cultivated them as carefully as a garden. As a result, she had a wide network of people who were always happy to see her, whom she popped in to visit whenever she was in their neighborhood, and who came to her aid when she suffered two life-threatening health crises. The FOGgers, Friends of Gina, took shifts sitting by her bedside around the clock during a month-long ordeal in 2015, following surgery for a second ruptured brain aneurism.
Gina is survived by her daughter, Michelle Schrader and grandson, Corey Hardie of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; by cousins in West Virginia, Virginia, Florida and New York City; by her childhood pal, Judy Galloway, with whom she shared many an adventure; by longtime friend, Pam Hutton; by Doug Chadwick’s sister, Deborah Clearman of New York City; and a host of dear friends from here to Australia. She made everybody feel special.
At the end, the people in the room were Judy, Pam, and Michelle. Holding the long vigil were Kate Long, Cheryl and Scott Williams, Becky and Bill Kimmons, Alice Hypes, Paul and Becky Flaherty, Carter Zerbe and Maureen Conley, Ginger and Bob Must, and by long distance, Sallie Sublette and Beccy Wilfinger. Her beloved Anton Shelepov and his wife, Irena, were among the many who were there for her, in person and in spirit.
She will be remembered as a generous, energetic peacemaker who loyally and enthusiastically supported her friends through thick and thin.
Gina’s family and friends wish to thank the staff in the Surgical-Trauma ICU at Charleston General Hospital who showed visitors unusual kindness during Gina’s stay, and those who came forward to help defray travel expenses for Michelle.
A memorial gathering will be announced at a later date. Friends wishing to memorialize Gina may send donations to The Greenbrier River Watershed Association, greenbrier.org; the Friends of Old Time Music and Dance, FOOTMAD.org; or Manna Meal, mannameal.org, in Charleston, WV.
Memories and condolences may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary.
Snodgrass Funeral Home of South Charleston is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements.
Peter Silman White
Peter Silman White, 89, passed away in Sarasota, Florida, on January 12, 2023, after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Pete was born in Falling Rock, West Virginia, on March 16, 1933. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Fred and Helen, sister, Betsy, and brother Fred.
Pete is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Jo, daughter Anne, and son Brad (Heather). He was a man of deep faith and a devoted member of Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Charleston and All Saints Episcopal Church on Longboat Key, Florida.
From an early age growing up in Clendenin, Pete learned the value of hard work, from shining shoes to raising rabbits during the Depression and World War II. In his free time, he and his sister Betsy shared a love for basketball, shooting at a rim and backboard on a Sycamore tree by the house. It paid off. Pete starred for Clendenin High and was First Team All-State as a Senior. He had collegiate offers across the country – from Princeton University to the University of Kentucky under Coach Adolph Rupp. Because of his loyalty to his home state, he chose West Virginia University.
In his senior year under first-year Head Coach Fred Schaus, Pete was elected Captain. He was only one of a handful of players during that era to start every game and is one of only 10 Mountaineer players to average a double double in scoring and rebounds for an entire season. A 6’5” Center, on January 29, 1955, he scored 29 points and 27 rebounds leading WVU to beat Pitt. One statistic not recorded was that Pete broke his nose three times in 9 days and never missed a game in that memorable season. With a win over nationally ranked George Washington to win the Southern Conference Championship, he led the Mountaineers to their first-ever NCAA Tournament. This ushered in the Golden Era of WVU basketball with stars like Rod Hundley, Rod Thorn and Jerry West.
He also was outstanding in track and field and a four-year letterman as a high jumper and hurdler. While a student, Pete was a member of Mountain, Sphinx, and president of the Sigma Chi fraternity. For his lifetime achievements, Pete received the highest honor from his National Fraternity – The Significant Sig Award.
At WVU Pete met his wife Jo in English Class. As the story goes, the professor apparently didn’t like “jocks” and was tough on Pete. She failed him the first semester. Jo, a future teacher, took Pete under her wing. He passed the class, and the rest was a beautiful life together where they raised their children. Pete loved teaching his children about sports so much that they were quick to finish their homework after school because when Dad got home from work it was time for fun and games. The routine was basketball before dinner followed by ping pong then billiards and usually a game of gin or hearts before bedtime.
Daughter Anne achieved worldwide fame as the best Professional tennis player to come from West Virginia. She was an All-American at the University of Southern California, played at Wimbledon, all the major international tournaments, and was ranked 19 in Singles and 9th in Doubles in the World. She is currently Director of tennis at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club where she nurtures many young players. She is also an accomplished film documentary producer. Son Brad played Lacrosse at Vanderbilt where he was a two-year Captain, 1988 Southeastern Lacrosse Conference Champion, a leading conference scorer and later played at the highest non-professional level for the Washington Lacrosse Club. In 1996, Brad returned to West Virginia from government service as a legislative assistant to Senator John Glenn and later a Readiness Analyst for the Secretary of Defense, to join his father in the life insurance business, the White Planning Group. He has coached Lacrosse at George Washington High School since 2008. Pete was proud of his children and spared no expense or passion to support their goals.
After WVU, Pete was drafted by the NBA’s St. Louis Hawks but he declined the invitation to fulfill his ROTC commitment to the Air Force. He was immediately recognized for his brilliance with numbers analysis, critical thinking and trained to become an electronics countermeasure officer on one of the first 8 operational B-52s in the Strategic Air Command with the 93rd Bombardment Wing at Castle AFB. Pete would jam Soviet intercept frequencies/radars to deter surface to air missile attacks so his B-52 could make it to the target. He was also responsible for managing mid-air refueling on missions that lasted for dozens of hours.
After active duty, Captain White served his nation in the West Virginia Air National Guard with 130th Airlift Wing as a navigator on C-119s. In the 1960’s during the Cold War, one of the 130th’s chief missions was the airborne insertion of Special Forces behind Soviet lines, should they invade Western Europe. Their training was grueling and involved extremely low altitude flying, so low that one night over Sissonville, Pete jumped into the cockpit to alert the pilot that the plane was flying too low and they would hit a ridge. The correction was made, the C-119 took the tops off trees and limped back to now-Yeager Airport, “using every foot of that runway.” Pete stopped by St. Matthews Church that night on the way home to give thanks for the Grace of God.
Following his active duty, Jo returned to finish her undergraduate education at WVU and Pete enrolled in WVU graduate school studying Industrial relations. In Morgantown, he began his insurance career with Northwestern Mutual Life as a statistician, part time agent and worked the front desk night shift at the Hotel Morgan.
Pete had an exceptional career in finance and insurance for over 60 years, with an extensive background in business, estate and charitable planning. He was a Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy.
In 1973, he joined Connecticut Mutual as General Agent for West Virginia. Under his leadership, the agency’s production tripled in under 8 years. “Tired of babysitting people who didn’t want to work,” Pete moved to St. Petersburg, FL where he returned to Northwestern Mutual, specializing in executive benefits planning for public and private corporations. In 1987, Pete was honored to be recruited by longtime friend Gaston Caperton to return to West Virginia to run the life insurance division of McDonough Caperton. There, he enlisted his best office manager, Donna Whited, who loyally worked with Pete until her retirement in 2020.
With his son Brad, Pete established the White Planning Group in 1996. The firm joined PartnersFinancial, where they assisted clients with optimal results as they ‘sat on the same side of the table’ as the client. Pete was grateful for his enduring friendships made at Partners. During his career, he achieved the insurance industry’s most prestigious awards: Top of the Table, Court of the Table and was a life, and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Roundtable. Pete was a Lion in the Life insurance industry.
Pete loved his diverse community and was active and held offices in the following organizations: The Association of Advanced Life Underwriters, the Society of Financial Service Professionals, The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, The Charleston Estate Planning Council, West Virginia State Heart Association, Kanawha County Heart Association, The Charleston Army Navy Club, Sunrise Museum, Fund for the Arts, Charleston YMCA Development Committee, Charleston Rotary, West Virginia Allergy Foundation and West Virginia Senior Olympics Board.
Among all these fine organizations, one that stood out was West Virginia University. Pete was the longest seated member of the Foundation, 42 years. In 2016 he received the Foundation’s Outstanding Volunteer Philanthropist Award. He was a member of the Irvin Stewart Society and in 2001, he achieved the highest honor at WVU – the Order of Vandalia. In 2019, Pete was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame for his basketball achievements. In total, there are less than 5 people in Mountaineer history who have amassed as many accolades from WVU. To Pete it was straightforward – he wanted to give back for all he had received.
Pete warmed a room with his big heart and quick wit, lessened tensions with his calm demeanor and loved all, from his dogs and cats to all walks of life. And he loved to travel, sharing in trips around the world with Jo’s successful travel business in the company of great friends and beloved clients. Never stopping, Pete played Senior Olympics basketball well into his 70’s and charged the net in tennis to his early 80’s.
The family thanks many who cared for Pete, especially Mary Shaheen, who moved to Florida with Pete and Jo. She is a kind soul who gave so much. The family expresses its gratitude to The Inn at Sarasota Bay and its incredible staff who loved Pete. He was their “Gracious Man,” as the Mayor of the Inn.
In his humble way Pete always thought about others and paved a path of philanthropy. If you would like to share in your love for Pete and his inspiration, the family recommends donations to the Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute for Parkinson’s Research, c/o the WVU Foundation, Attention Tim Bolling, (PO Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507-1650) and St. Matthews Episcopal Church (36 Norwood Road, Charleston, WV 25314).
A Memorial Service to Honor the Life of Pete will be at 11:00 am, Thursday, June 1, 2023 at St. Matthews Episcopal Church, Charleston, WV.
Memories may be shared by visiting snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home of South Charleston is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements.
Sharon Charbonniez
Sharon Lee “Cookie” Charbonniez of Charleston, WV, passed away on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. She was born on November 30, 1944 to the late John Glenn Hebb I and Edna Eloise “Babe” Hebb. She was also predeceased by her brother, John Glenn Hebb II and nephew, Joel Lee Myers.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Anne Marie Charbonniez and granddaughter, Sophia LeeAnne Charbonniez of St. Albans; sisters, Patricia Ann Ruddle (John David) of Yorktown, VA, Sandra Ka Myers of Virginia Beach, VA and sister-in-law, Donna Broom Hebb of St. Albans, WV.
She is also survived by nieces and nephews, John G. Hebb III (Angie), William Hebb ( Laurie), Hollie Hebb-Thompson (Bobby), Michael Hebb (Erica), Elizabeth Ruddle Kortz (Steve), Katherine Ruddle O’Dea (Shawn), David Ruddle ( Chantel); great nieces and nephews- Peyton Hebb (Stephanie), Madison Hebb, MaKayla Moss, Taylor Thompson, Damon Hebb (Amanda), Caleb Hebb, Aubrie Hebb, Andrew Kortz (Kate),Robert Kortz (Damar), Brittney Merindino (Anthony); great-great niece & nephew – Noah Kortz and Madelyn Merindino.
She was employed by The C & P Telephone Co. as soon as she graduated from St. Albans High in 1962. She frequently went to The Outer Banks of N.C. and attended many WVU football games with friends and family. She was devoted to her granddaughter, Sophia and her beloved Bichons, Chablis and Christophe’.
A service to Honor the Life of Sharon will be held at 3:30 pm, Saturday, January 21, 2023 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston with Celebrant H. R. Whittington officiating. Friends may visit from 2:30 to the start of the service at the funeral home.
Memories may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and select the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.
Bradford Gene Stewart
Bradford Gene Stewart, 74, of Milton, West Virginia, passed away peacefully on January 10th, 2023, at home after a brave battle with cancer.
Brad was born in Charleson, WV, to Donald and Martha Stewart on December 2nd, 1948. He graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School while working as a carrier for the Charleston Daily Mail. After high school, Brad diligently worked retail to support his family until he was accepted to the Police Academy in 1970 and went on to serve as a Kanawha County Deputy Sheriff. Continuing his undying dedication to service, he distinguished himself as a Fire and Rescue Professional for the City of Charleston in 1972. In 1978, he explored other opportunities as a representative for Kraft and also for Peerless Packing, where he excelled as a leader in the industry. In 1982, Brad returned to his true calling as a Fireman, culminating in a decorated 27-year career at the rank of Captain. A man of deep faith and love of his fellow man, he dedicated his time to enhancing his community through his leadership in the Church, the Milton Lions Club, and the Pumpkin Park Committee. He never met a stranger and brought joy to all that met him with that friendly smile and fun nature. He deeply loved God, his Family, his Friends, Country, and Cavalier Kings. He was a faithful follower of Christ until the end. The world is a lesser place without him.
Brad is preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Martha Stewart.
Brad is survived by his devoted wife, Connie; their children: Jason (Annemarie) Stewart, Wendy (Kevin) Casterline, Jeremy (Christina) Carte, and Brittany (Lee) Edwards; his brothers: Steve, (Joan), Doug, his sister, Donna; his in-laws: Barry (Toni) Harlin, Terry (Kermit) Smith, and Jason (Amy) Griffith; his many beloved grandchildren: Emily, Johnathan, Jordan, Sydney, Brent, Owen, Logan, Kayla, Megan, Abigail, Daniel, Christopher, Loren, Ryan, Parker, and Ava; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Milton United Methodist Church or the Milton Lions Club. Brad’s family wishes to thank CHH Oncology and 4 South Tower staff, the faithful neighbors, and everyone for their prayers.
A service to honor the life of Brad Stewart will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 16, 2023 at Milton United Methodist Church with Rev. Nancy White officiating. Burial will follow the funeral at Sunset Memorial Park in South Charleston.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 15th, 2023 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Milton United Methodist Church.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Snodgrass Funeral Home.
Memories of Brad may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting obituary.
Everett A. Evans
Everett A. Evans, 89, of Saint Albans, WV, passed away on Monday, January 9, 2023 at home. He went to be with his wife, Doris, that he was married to for 65 years.
He was born on August 19, 1933 to the late Everett and Catherine Evans.
Everett was an Army vet in the Korean War.
He was proceeded in death by his wife, Doris; his parents, as well as his brother, Bill Evans, and sisters, MaryJo Lambert and Ann Sibio.
He is survived by his sons, Roddy (Nicci) Evans and Jeff (Jill) Evans; grandson, Rodney Evans; his brother, Gary; and his sisters Janie, Vickie and Fran.
A committal service to honor the life of Everett will be held at 11:45 AM, on Friday, January 13, 2023, at the upper Chapel at Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans, WV. The family will receive friends from 11:00 am to 11:45 am at the cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association, 1248 Greenbrier Street, Charleston, WV 25311.
Memories and condolences can be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Snodgrass Funeral Home in South Charleston is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Anna R. Mills
Anna R. Mills, of St. Albans, passed away surrounded by her family on January 4, 2023, after a short illness. Born on January 22, 1935, in West Virginia, Anna was the daughter of the late Oscar and Inez Rose.
She had a lifelong career in the insurance industry. She volunteered her time to many charities and events over the course of her life, but she loved volunteering at Christmas, filling baskets for the patients of Thomas Home Health. She will be missed everyday by the people whose lives she touched.
Surviving are her two amazing children that she was so proud of: Beverly D. Stevens of St. Albans, WV, and Joseph M. Mills of Munday, WV. Anna is also survived by her two granddaughters: Jamie B. Stevens and Sarah M. Moles, both of St. Albans; her two great granddaughters that she absolutely adored and doted on: Laila A. Stevens and Lexi M. Moles; and her sister, Dottie (Robert) Radabaugh, of Belpre, OH.
A Service to Honor the Life of Anna R. Mills will be held on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. at Snodgrass Funeral Home, with the Rev. Rod Campbell officiating. Friends may visit one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery South, in Parkersburg, WV.
Memories of Anna may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in the care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
Douglas Bartlett Chadwick
Douglas Bartlett Chadwick, of Hillsboro, West Virginia, died January 1 in Charleston, West Virginia, of pneumonia. Doug was a fine photographer in numerous genres, a filmmaker, a patron of the arts, and a kind and loyal friend with a keen sense of humor. He was 70 years old.
Born August 19, 1952, in Durham, North Carolina, he was the son of Donald and Betsy Chadwick of Union, WV. His father was a doctor specializing in public health and his mother a farmer who raised horses and cattle. The family moved to West Virginia in 1970, where Doug has lived ever since.
Doug’s work in panoramic photography established him as one of West Virginia’s premier photographers, well known for his longtime association with Goldenseal, the State of West Virginia’s publication focusing on folklore and history. He mastered the complicated techniques of a giant 1920’s model rotating Cirkut Panoramic Camera, which produces a 10-inch by five-foot negative and uniquely sharp contact prints. He used the Cirkut camera to photograph large groups of people such a state legislatures, a presidential inauguration, the 2004 Republican convention, car clubs, air shows, and many other events. His commissioned work kept him on the road a great deal, as he photographed a dozen different state legislatures in their chambers. He liked to say that he had friends in most states. His fine art photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums including the Huntington Museum of Art, where his photograph “Seafood Trucks on the Eastern Shore” won best of show one year, the Gallery at Sunrise, the Cultural Center in Charleston, and the Henri Gallery of Washington D.C.
Doug graduated from Washington’s Evergreen State College where he studied photography, with a semester in Rome studying filmmaking. He worked as a photographer for the Fayette Tribune, The Raleigh Register, and the Beckley Register Herald in the 70s. He delighted in making interesting photographs on mundane assignments. An artist in residence fellowship brought him to Pocahontas County in 1984. There he bought property and designed and built a home overlooking the Greenbrier River. He took countless panoramic photographs of the river and forest in all seasons.
In 1979 he co-produced the film documentary, “True Facts in a Country Song,” the story of West Virginia musician Everett Lilly and his Lilly Brothers band, which aired on West Virginia Public Television. He joined with B.J. Gudmundsson to produce four more documentaries: “Out of the Storm” (2001), in which a West Virginia lumber company goes to New England to salvage lumber after a 1938 hurricane and two communities bond; and three documenting the story of America’s last hand-set newspaper, the Pocahontas Times—“An Evening with Cal Price,” (2002), “Cal Price and the Pocahontas Times” (2004), and “Look What They’ve Done” (2006).
Doug had a lifelong interest in motor vehicles, as his art photos of old trucks, vintage cars, and tractors demonstrate. He became a beloved member of the Lotus car community, owning several of these lightweight sports cars handmade in England and photographing Lotus events throughout the United States. His technological skills combined with a unique sense of design and composition set his photographs apart from the usual.
For the last fifteen years Doug shared his life with Gina Schrader, photographer, gardener, lover of Appalachian old-time music, and like Doug an avid bird watcher.
Doug is survived by Gina, and by his sister Deborah Clearman of New York City, his nephew Sam Clearman of San Francisco, niece Tess Clearman and two great nieces Thea and Phoebe Deyle of Milton, Massachusetts.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Friends wishing to memorialize Doug may send donations to The Greenbrier River Watershed Association, the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, or the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute, which is dedicated to introducing young people to classical music.
Memories of Doug may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary.
Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
Virginia Cobbs
Virginia Ellen Cobbs, departed this earth on December 31, 2022, after a short illness. She was born in Charleston, West Virginia on June 24, 1942 to Basil and Mildred Underwood. She was the youngest of four children. She had three older brothers, Jack, Jim and Bob, that she looked up to and loved dearly.
She grew up in Charleston, WV and attended Stonewall Jackson High School. After high school, she married Thurman Cobbs and together they had one son, Randy. Virginia worked in the Charleston area at various jobs including a long career as a Realtor and also as a Mary Kay Consultant. Virginia enjoyed traveling, and would pretty much go anywhere as long as she had someone to travel with her. She loved taking cruises with her and Thurman’s high school classmates and always came back with fun stories to share. However, if you were to ask her what her favorite thing in her life was, undoubtedly, she would tell you it was being a mother, aunt and grandmother. Her son, nieces and grandsons were the light of her life and she looked forward to every minute she got to spend with them.
Virginia was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers. She is survived by her devoted, patient and loving husband of 55 years, Thurman, her son Randy and her three grandsons Ian, Owen and Evan and her dog Bella and many loving friends.
A celebration of life service is being planned for a later date, and will be announced when the details have been finalized. Please do not send flowers. To honor Virginia’s love of children, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, you consider making a donation to the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia, 1422 Kanawha Boulevard, East, P.O. Box 2942, Charleston, WV 25330.
Memories of Virginia may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston.
James M. "Mike" Shock
James M. (Mike) Shock, 79, of Hurricane, WV, passed away on December 29, 2022 at home.
He was born on April 27, 1943 in Summersville, WV. Mike was preceded in death by his mother, Lura Maxine Pitzer; grandparents, Rev. Claude and Edith Pitzer; special aunt, Ella Love; nephew, Ethan Spradling.
He was retired from the state of WV where he was employed by the Bureau of Senior Services and The West Virginia Air National Guard. Mike was a recipient of the Distinguished West Virginian Award from Governor Bob Wise.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly Spradling Shock of 54 years; sons, James (Teresa) Shock of Cannonsburg, Kentucky and Mike (Heather) Shock of St. Albans, WV and Jeff (Nellina) Shock of Scott Depot, WV; grandchildren, Abagail and Noah Hollandsworth, and Evelyn Shock; great grandson, Xavier Smith; numerous other family members.
Mike was a graduate of Morris Harvey College (University of Charleston), a member of the Theta Xi Fraternity; Elks Lodge # 313 Huntington, WV; The NRA; The American Legion James E. Marshall Post 187 Winfield, WV; The Military Officers Association of America; The WV Committee for Employer Support of Guard and Reserve.
A Visitation will be held from 11:00 am to 12:00 Noon, Thursday, January 5, 2023 at Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston. Interment will follow in Graceland Memorial Park, South Charleston with Military Honors.
Special thanks to the Kanawha Hospice for their wonderful care and support.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229 or online at https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/.
Memories may be shared by visiting www.snodgrassfuneral.com and selecting the obituary. Arrangements are in care of Snodgrass Funeral Home.