Virginia, U.S., Marriage Records, 1936-2014
Mary Puryear
SOUTH BOSTON, Va. - Mary Elizabeth Chandler Puryear, 72, of 14810 Rockahock Road, Lanexa, died Friday, April 9, 1999, at Williamsburg Community Hospital.
Born Oct. 23, 1926, in Halifax County, she was the daughter of Walter Chandler and Patsy Osborne Chandler.
She was married
to Richard Clayton Puryear Sr. She was a member of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include two sons, Richard C. Puryear Jr. of Robertsdale, Ala., and Calvin Lewis Puryear of Lanexa; eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. today at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Frank Riley officiating. Burial will be at Black Walnut Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends at the home of her sister-in-law, Susan Puryear Clark, 3206 North Main Street, South Boston.
Ernest Ward
DANVILLE, Va. - Ernest Childs Ward, 75, of Mount Cross Road, died Sunday, April 11, 1999, at Danville Regional Medical Center. He was in declining health for several years.
Born April 12, 1923, in Pittsylvania County, he was the son of William Tazewell Ward and Etta Hammock Ward.
He spent most of his life in the Danville area where he was employed by Dan River Inc.
An Army veteran of World War II, he was a member of the American Legion Memorial Post No. 325 and V.F.W. Post No. 647.
He was a member of Arlington Baptist Church.
He was married
to Lena Taylor Ward, who predeceased him in December 1994.
Survivors include a daughter, Shirley T. Mills of Danville; four brothers, Austin L. Ward of Mount Airy, N.C., Addison B. Ward of Hurt, Woodrow N. Ward of Rocky Mount, and Isaac W. Ward of Gretna; and one sister, Doris W. Dearing of Forest.
In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by two brothers, William T. Ward Jr. and Stuart M. Ward; and one sister, Wilmouth L. Dalton.
A funeral will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday at Swicegood chapel with the Rev. Dr. Samuel L. Greeson officiating. Burial will be in Danville Memorial Gardens where military honors will be given by the American Legion Post No. 325.
The family will receive friends at the home of his daughter, 304 Tamworth Drive.
Henry Bennett
BLAIRS, Va. - Henry "Pig" Bennett, 74, of 191 Witt Lane, died Sunday, April 11, 1999, at Danville Regional Medical Center.
He was born August 10, 1924 in Pittsylvania County, a son of the late James Roy Bennett and Rosa Lovelace Bennett. He was married
to Frances Jones Bennett, who survives.
Mr. Bennett was a contractor and owner of Henry Bennett and Sons Construction Company.
In addition to his wife of the residence, he is survived by five daughters, Juan Smith of Gretna, Barbara Harper and Joan Robbins of Danville, Sandra White of Blairs, and Brenda Bennett of the residence; four sons, Charlie Bennett of Danville, Albert Bennett of Keeling, Hugh Bennett of Blairs, and Donald Bennett of the residence; two sisters, Georgia Davis of Danville and L.B. McLauglin of Blairs; three brothers, James Wister Bennett of Ringgold, Roy Bennett Jr. of Martinsville, and Isaac Clifton Bennett of Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Funeral services for will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Oak Grove Baptist Church. Interment
will follow in the Bennett Family cemetery.
Fisher and Watkins Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Tom Bray
KEELING, Va. - Charlie Thomas Bray, 70, formerly of the Keeling community, died Sunday, April 11, 1999, in Roman Eagle Memorial Home after several years of declining health.
Born June 11, 1928, in Pittsylvania County, he was the son of Daniel Webster Bray and Frances Elizabeth Cox Bray.
He served in the United States Army during World War II. He lived most of his life in the Keeling community where he was a retired tobacco farmer. He was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include one daughter, Frances B. Krenenburg of Winston Salem, N.C.; five brothers, William Bray of Pelham, N.C., Harry Bray and Julian Bray, both of Danville, and Carrol Bray of Reidsville, N.C. and Bobby Bray of Lexington, N.C.; two sisters, Mildred B. Dowell of Martinsville and Ruby B. Cline of Danville; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren.
A funeral will be held at 4 p.m. today in the Dalton Family cemetery, Keeling, with Matt Dalton and the Rev. Albert Moser officiating.
Vickie Gourley
DANVILLE, Va. - Vickie Saunders Gourley, 43, of 608 Pocahontas Road, died Sunday, April 11, 1999 at her residence of breast cancer after five years of declining health.
Born March 21, 1956 in Martinsville, she was the daughter of Robert Duncan Saunders Sr., who is deceased, and Lois Clark Bowen of Danville, who survives.
On June 12, 1956, she was married
to E. Vincent Gourley, who survives.
She lived her entire life in Danville. She worked as a registered nurse at Danville Regional Medical Center. She was a member of Cathedral of Praise Assembly of God.
In addition to her mother, of Danville, and husband, of the residence, survivors include a step-father, Milton Bowen of Danville; a daughter, Amanda D. Glenn of Danville; a son, Michael Vincent Gourley of Danville; three sisters, Teresa S. Stegall of Fort Worth, Texas, Denise S. Verdi of Danville and Donna S. Starns of Fort Myers, Fla.; a brother, Robert D. Saunders Jr. of Tennessee; and three half-sisters, Lisa J. Robertson of Fredericksburg, Kim Webb of Danville, and Jennifer Bowen of Lynchburg.
A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel with Pastor Ted Manning officiating. Interment
will follow at Danville Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 7-8 p.m. today at Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel, and at other times they will receive friends at the residence.
Kenneth Welch
BLAIRS, Va. - Kenneth Lee Welch, 73, of 752 Hall Farmer Road, died Monday, April 12, 1999, in Danville Regional Medical Center after 11 months of declining health.
Born June 11, 1925, in Franklin, N.C., he was the son of Wilburn E. Welch and Alice Kimsey Welch.
He was married
June 10, 1951, to Nell Ray Welch, who survives.
He lived in Franklin before joining the military. He was a veteran serving in the United States Marine Corps, the United States Army in World War II and the Korean Conflict as a major. He had been a resident of Danville and Pittsylvania County since 1956. He was a member of Moffett Memorial Baptist Church where he had served as Sunday school teacher and deacon. He was retired from the Pittsylvania County Service Authority where he worked as a civil engineer.
In addition to his wife of the residence, survivors include two daughters, Kaye Welch Gusefski and Joan Welch Williams, both of Winston-Salem, N.C.; two sons, Phillip Ray Welch of Buena Vista and Ward Kimsey Welch of Brooklyn, N.Y.; five brothers, Ralph Welch, Thomas Paul Welch and William L. Welch, all of Franklin, N.C.; Louis B. Welch of Jefferson City, Tenn., and Fred Welch of Salisbury, N.C.; three sisters, Maude W. Baldwin and Muriel Welch, both of Franklin, N.C. and Joanna Welch Hedrick of Charlotte, N.C.; and eight grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Highland Burial Park with the Rev. Lee Ellison officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the Fort Lee Honor Guard.
The family will receive friends at the residence. Wrenn-Yeatts North Main Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Viola Gammon
DANVILLE, Va. - Viola Mize Gammon, 94, formerly of 5555 Riverside Drive, died Tuesday, April 13, 1999, after a four day stay at Danville Regional Medical Center and four months of declining health.
Born Aug. 29, 1904, in Rockingham County, N.C., she was the daughter of Jack Mize and Nannie Hanks Mize.
She was married
to George Daniel Gammon, who predeceased her June 23, 1983.
She spent most of her life in the Vandola Road community of Pittsylvania County, where she was a housekeeper and a charter member of Westover Hills Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Myrtle Gammon Hudson of Danville, Cleo Gammon Coleman of Pelham, N.C., and Margaret Gammon Dalton of Keeling; three sons, Julian M. Gammon of Richmond, Curtis S. Gammon of Danville, and Benny Gammon of Vandola Road; 41 grandchildren, 76 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by one daughter, Evelyn Gammon Hardy; and four sons, James D. Gammon, Paul E. Gammon, Carleton Gammon and Tony Gammon.
A funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Swicegood Funeral Home Chapel with Matteo Pacifico officiating. Burial will be in Danville Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home and at other times at the residence of Evelyn Hardy, 103 Cambridge Drive.
Howard Logan
DANVILLE, Va. - Howard Eddie "Dude" Logan, 78, of 2950 West Main St., Apt. 16, formerly of Java, died recently.
Born Aug. 11, 1920, in Pittsylvania County, he was the son of James Logan and Cassie Whitehead Logan.
He was a retired employee of Lane Company, Altavista. He was a member of the Shockoe Baptist Church.
Survivors include three sons, Howard Logan Jr. of Java, Va., Ezekiel Logan of Lithonian, Ga. and Carl Logan of Danville; five daughters, Sandra Lanier, Janice Logan, Lisa Robertson and Calandra Williams, all of Danville and Elsie Logan of Chatham, Va.; four brothers, Carl Bernard Logan and Alcy Logan, both of Java, Henry Logan of Landover, Md. and James Logan of Baltimore, Md.; four sisters, Sallie Miller, Clara Dawson and Endy Dodson, all of Java, and Carrie Dawson of Chatham, Va; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Elijah Logan, Smiley Logan and Elisha Logan.
A funeral will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Shockoe Baptist Church with the Rev. G.H. Pass officiating. Burial will be in church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the residence of a daughter, Sandra Lanier, 2950 West Main St., Apt. 16, and at his sister's residence, Sallie Miller of Java.
Miller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Hazel Mercer
RINGGOLD, Va. - Hazel Reed Mercer, 93, died Monday, April 12, 1999, at Riverside Health Care Center.
Born June 29, 1905, in Grayson County, she was the daughter of the Rev. William A. Reed and Allie Richardson Reed.
She was married
to Howard Lindsey Mercer, who predeceased in 1975.
She made her home in the Ringgold community for 50 years. She worked for 20 years as a designer for Dan River Inc. She was a member of the First Church of the Brethren on Glen Oak Drive where she was a Sunday school teacher and sang in the choir.
Survivors include one sister, Selma R. Prather of Ringgold; two brothers, John M. Reed of Ringgold and Clayton B. Reed of Danville.
A funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Swicegood Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Richard Berkley officiating.
A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Mill Creek Church of the Brethren cemetery, at Green Creek, N.C., with the Rev. Joe Rinehart officiating.
The family will receive friends 7-9 p.m. today at Swicegood Funeral Home.
