1. "The Welch News"; Welch, WV; 18 Dec 2020; On-Line Version.
"Ronnie Craighead, 67, of Powhatan, WV passed away at Bower’s Hospice House on Sunday, December 13, 2020. He was born on July 13, 1953 in Powhatan, WV to the late Hosea Craighead and Avis Smith."Ronnie was the youngest of six siblings. He was a graduate of Northfork High School and a star basketball player. He served in the Army and spent a great number of years employed at DSCC as a Supervisor in Columbus,OH before returning back home to Powhatan, West Virginia. Ronnie was a true sports fan who loved the Pittsburgh Steelers, Boston Celtics, and Ohio State. He was a free spirit who enjoyed music, traveling on the highway, good conversation, laughter and telling stories as only he could. Ronnie had an incredible sense of humor and loved spending time with his family and friends. He always had some kind of saying or joke for any situation. He was always ready and willing to hit the highway at a moment\’s notice as long as you had gas money! He enjoyed the big city life but would always say that he was a country boy at heart. Ronnie lived his life on his own terms until the very end. His personality will be missed by all who knew him.
"He is survived by his five children; Justin Craighead, Keria Craighead (Lyna Brooks), Michael Craighead, Raquel Johnson,and Ronnie M. Craighead.
"Grandchildren; Kianna Robinson, Mikala Norton, Jade Craighead, Kaseem Norton, Deaire Craighead, Savion Craighead, Savon Craighead, Sirron Craighead, and Damai Craighead.
"Ronnie is preceded in death by his parents; grandmother: Blanche Wade, sisters: Betty “Peggy” Pleasant and Irma “Freda” Mathews.
"Ronnie leaves to cherish in his memory two brothers; Charles Smith and Larry Craighead, and sister; Marva Ann (David) Ransome along with a host of nieces and nephews, relatives and special friends.
"A Memorial Service celebrating Ronnie’s life will be determined at a later date.
"Words of comfort may be offered to his family at www.meltonmortuary.com Melton Mortuary and Cremation Center have the honor of serving the family."
1. Bland Co, VA; Marriage License #74-022256; Ancestry.com Website.
Herman Lee West; age 31; born 18 Jan 1943 in Coal Mountain, WV; single; this his 1st marriage;
1 yr HS education; living at Simon, WV; son of Clarence and Jinny West; married on 21 Jun 1974 in
Bland, VA; Judy Gail Cline; age 20; born 22 Dec 1953 in Pineville, WV; single; this is her 1st marriage;
3 yrs HS education; living at Simon, WV; daughter of Bert and Etheline (Hatfield) Cline.
2. FindAGrave.com Web Site; submitted by Kim Hunt; 1 Sep 2014.
" Herman L. West
Birth 18 Jan 1943
Death 27 Dec 2012 (aged 69)
Burial
Hot Coal Cemetery
Sophia, Raleigh County, West Virginia, USA
Memorial ID 135261343 "
1. Bland Co, VA; Marriage License #74-022256; Ancestry.com Website.
Herman Lee West; age 31; born 18 Jan 1943 in Coal Mountain, WV; single; this his 1st marriage;
1 yr HS education; living at Simon, WV; son of Clarence and Jinny West; married on 21 Jun 1974 in
Bland, VA; Judy Gail Cline; age 20; born 22 Dec 1953 in Pineville, WV; single; this is her 1st marriage;
3 yrs HS education; living at Simon, WV; daughter of Bert and Etheline (Hatfield) Cline.
1. 1930 Census, Mercer Co, WV; Rock District; taken on 7 May 1930; Page 245B; Image 54 of 66;
Family #530/550.
Listed as Bernard L. Hanks; age 6; born in WV; in household of grandfather, James H. Fowler,
with mother.
2. McDowell Co, WV; Marriage Records; Vol #__(1951); Page 222; WV Archives Web Site.
Bernard Lee Hanks; age 27; born in Goodwell, WV; single; living at Big Sandy, WV;
married on 4 Jun 1951 at Welch, WV; Emma Bishop; age 22; born at Capels, WV;
single; living at Big Sandy, WV.
1. McDowell Co, WV; Marriage Records; Vol #__(1951); Page 222; WV Archives Web Site.
Bernard Lee Hanks; age 27; born in Goodwell, WV; single; living at Big Sandy, WV;
married on 4 Jun 1951 at Welch, WV; Emma Bishop; age 22; born at Capels, WV;
single; living at Big Sandy, WV.
2. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007; Ancestry.com Web Site.
"Name: Emma Bishop Hanks
[Emma May Hanks]
[Emma Hanks]
[Emma Bishop Bishop]
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birth Date: 2 Dec 1929
Birth Place: Capels McDow, West Virginia
[Caples McDow??, West Virginia]
Death Date: 18 Nov 1995
Father: Noah Bishop
Mother: Cindy Mullens
SSN: 236903439
Notes: Mar 1971: Name listed as EMMA BISHOP HANKS;
Jan 1973: Name listed as EMMA MAY HANKS;
15 Apr 1993: Name listed as EMMA HANKS"
3. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014; Ancestry.com Web Site.
"Name: Emma Hanks
SSN: 236-90-3439
Last Residence:
24701 Bluefield, Mercer, West Virginia, USA
BORN: 4 Feb 1930
Died: 18 Nov 1995
State (Year) SSN issued: West Virginia (1970)"
4. Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current; Ancestry.com Web Site.
"Name: Emma Hanks
Birth Date: 1929
Death Date: 1995
Cemetery: Belcher Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place: Coaldale, Mercer County, West Virginia, United States of America
Has Bio?: N
Spouse: Bernard Lee Hanks
Children: James Hanks
Sylvia Marie Schultz
URL: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-..."
1. "The Welch News"; Welch, WV; 16 Dec 2020; On-Line Version.
"Lillian Pearl Burks, age 79, gained her wings around 2:pm, on Monday December 7th, 2020.She was a resident of Princeton and had been living at Princeton Healthcare Center since March 2019.Born February 12, 1941 in McDowell County, she was the daughter of the late Jesse James Smith and Laura Ann Mullins Smith of Carswell Hollow in Kimball."Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings Lena Watkins, Orban Smith, Clarence Smith, and Garland Smith, and one grandson D.J. Cartwright.
"Lillian was a Beautician with her own shop for over 40 years and was well loved by her customers from McDowell, Mercer, and Raleigh Counties. She was very artistic, an avid gardener, a great cook, and read daily. She was a strong, loving, self made woman, whom was loved and respected by many. Her great- grandchildren Jax and Bailee have said “Mamaw Lilly and her marshmallows will be missed dearly.
"Survivors include sons Jeff Burks and wife Tina of Mooresville, NC and Michael Burks and wife Vicky of Bluefield, and daughters Carla Hamilton and husband Tommy of Princeton, Lori Burks of Princeton, Joni Belcher and husband Eddie of Green Valley, and Heather Burks-Keatley and husband John of Princeton; sisters Evelyn Champ of Mt. Ulla, NC, Pansy Belcher of Onstead, Mich., and Vicky Smith of Kimball, and her brother Ray Smith of Hart. Lillian Burks was blessed with five children, ten grandchildren, the oldest being Heather Burks- Keatley whom she loved and raised as her daughter, and the youngest being Nicholas Rash with whom she shared a special bond, eight great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and a special group of lifelong friends.
"In Honoring the wishes of Lillian Pearl Burks, cremation occurred upon her passing. A memorial service will be held at Widener Funeral Home Chapel in Northfork on Friday, December 18, 2020 from 6: until 8:pm. Social Distancing enforced and Mask are required.
"The family plans to bury her ashes and place her marker in the Green-Hill Cemetery on Burke Mountain in the Spring.Assisting the Burks family isWidener Funeral Home Northfork, WV."
1. Ohio, U.S., Marriage Abstracts, 1970, 1972-2007; Ancestry.com Website.
"Name: James W Cook
Age: 35
Birth Year: abt 1939
Residence County: Out of State
Spouse's Name: Sara L Courtney
Spouse's Age: 23
Spouse's Birth Year: abt 1951
Spouse's Residence County: Wood
Marriage Date: 6 Apr 1974
Marriage License County: Wood
Certificate Number: 23872
Volume Number: 7697"
2. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007; Ancestry.com Website.
"Name: James Willard Cook [James Cook]
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birth Date: 11 Dec 1936
Birth Place: Welch McDowe, West Virginia
Death Date: Jun 1978
Father:
Earl Cook
Mother:
Corbie H Rotenberry
SSN: 236546216
Notes: Jul 1952: Name listed as JAMES WILLARD COOK;
29 Dec 1987: Name listed as JAMES COOK"
3. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010; Ancestry.com Website.
"Name: James Cook
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 11 Dec 1936
Death Date: 27 Jun 1978
SSN: 236546216
Branch 1: A
Enlistment Date 1: 14 Aug 1973
Release Date 1: 27 Jun 1978"
4. FindAGrave.com Website; submitted by Matsuyama; 20 May 2020.
"CSM James Willard Cook
Birth 11 Dec 1936
Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia, USA
Death 27 Jun 1978 (aged 41)
Unteraltertheim, Landkreis Würzburg, Bavaria (Bayern), Germany
Burial
Beaver Creek Cemetery
Grand Rapids, Wood County, Ohio, USA
Memorial ID 210283388"Additional Information Posted:
"Command Sergeant Major Cook was one of nine killed when their Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopter crashed on the edge of a field near Unteraltertheim while flying from the unit's barracks at Baumholder to the Army training grounds at Grafenwöhr. He was from Welch, Canada (sic, WV) and married at the time of his death."