Ballinger, Lidia Mae
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 125
October 30, 1980
Mason County Native Dies
Lidia Mae Ballinger, 78, a resident of Addison, died Tuesday at 7:30 pm in Pleasant Valley Hospital. She had been ill the past two years.
She was born Nov. 18, 1901, in Mason County, daughter of the late Frank and Laverna Jividen Hill.
She was married twice, first to George Knapp in 1920. Children surviving from this union are Carl Knapp and Josephine Stidham, both of Columbus. Three children from this union, along with her husband preceded her in death.
She married Orville Balllinger, who survives.
Three sisters survive: Mrs. Mary West, Canal Winchester; Mrs. Ginther Goehring, Middleport; Mrs. Catherine Burns, Akron; one brother, Early Boles, Cincinnati. Thirteen grand, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild survive.
Burial will be in Reynolds Cemetery.
The body will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the services.
Friends may call at the Miller's Home for Funerals between 6 and 9 tonight

Bechtle, Garland G
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 73
January 2, 1980
Southside Man Dies Tuesday
Garland G Bechtle, 77, Southside, died Tuesday at 6:45 an in the University Hospital at Columbus, Ohio.
He was a retired farmer and a member of the Concord Baptist Church. Born Nov. 8, 1902 in Mason County, he was the son of the late John W and Virgie Dabney Bechtle.
Mr. Bechtle's wife was the late Sally Kinnaird Bechtle who died March 23, 1978.
He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Leona Maxine King of Lancaster, Ohio; a son, Garland E Bechtle of Henderson; a sister, Mrs. Jewell Caudill of Marion, Ohio; four brothers, Lawrence, Gilbert and Charles Bechtle, all of Henderson and Jack Bechtle of Middleport, Ohio; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 1 pm Friday in the Concord Baptist Church with the Rev. Fred D … follow in the Concord Cemetery. Friends may call at the Crow-Hussell Funeral Home after 1 pm …

Benedict, Harry S (Bill)
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 73
January 2, 1980
Bill Benedict, 77, Succumbs
Harry S (Bill) Benedict, 77, Gallipolis Ferry, died Tuesday afternoon at his home following a short illness.
A retired farmer, Mr. Benedict was a member of Jordan Baptist Church at Gallipolis Ferry. He was born Jan. 21, 1902 at Lesage in Cabell County, a son of the late Bob and Grace Crawford Benedict.
Survivors include his wife, Opal Reed Benedict; four daughters, Mildred Benedict, at home, Mrs. Ruby Jeffers, Tornado, W.Va., Mrs. Doris Farrar, Reedsville, S.C., and Mrs. Joyce Harold, Bedford, Texas; four sons, Thurman of Kenova, Max of Huntingron, Charles of Columbus, Ohio and Richard of Charleston, S.C.; four sisters, Mrs. Lilly Lawrence, Olive Benedict, Mrs. Esther Booth and Mrs. Georgie Bazemore, all of Huntington; and 15 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be conducted Friday at 1 pm at the Wilcoxen Funeral Home in Point Pleasant by the Rev. Bud Hatfield and the Rev. Charles Moses. Burial will be in Beale Chapel Cemetery at Apple Grove.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 6 pm Thursday.

Bletner, Christopher
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 78
February 8, 1980
Well-Known Mason Resident, Christopher Bletner, Dies
Christopher Bletner, 91, Mason, died Thursday at Pleasant Valley Hospital.
He was the former owner and operator of Bletner Block Company, Mason, a member of the Mason United Methodist Church, served on the Mason Council for many years, and was a member of the Mason County Board of Education. He was instrumental in the building of Wahama High School while serving on the Board of Education.
Born April 10, 1888, in Mason, he was the son of the late Edward Bletner Sr. and Elizabeth Wolfe Bletner.
His wife, Margaret E Gress Bletner, preceded him in death, as did four brothers and two sisters.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Russell (Mary Elizabeth) Capehart, Mason; two grandchildren, Jackie Sisson and Diane Troy; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Teresa Stoeckl, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mrs. Amelia Gabelein, Bristol, Va.
Funeral services will be Monday, 1:30 pm in the Foglesong Funeral Home with the Dr. John Wildman officiating. Burial will follow in the Kirkland Memorial Gardens.
Friends may call at the funeral home Sunday from 3 to 5 pm and 7 to 9 pm.

 

Boggess, Iva
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 73
January 8, 1980
Death Claims Iva Boggess
Iva Boggess, 67, Point Pleasant Rt. 1, wife of Griffith Boggess, former head of the local Farmers Home Administration office, died this morning at Pleasant Valley Hospital.
Mrs. Boggess was born Feb. 28, 1912 in West Virginia and was a member of the First Methodist Church in Sutton.
Surviving, in addition to her husband, are three sisters, Lena Hildreth and Mamie McGonigal, both of Shinnston, Ruby Strum, Whipple, Ohio, and Erma Lee Murphy, Belle, W.Va.; and a brother, Donald McCartney, Salem, W.Va.
Funeral arrangements will be under the direction of the Harmer Funeral Home at Shinnston.

 

Boles, Lewis P
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 117
August 16, 1980
Lewis P Boles, 90, Leon, Dies
Lewis P Boles, 90, Leon died Friday afternoon at Pleasant Valley Hospital.
Mr. Boles was a retired New York Central Railroad employee and a farmer. He was a member of the Leon Baptist Church.
He was born July 6, 1890, the son of the late Robert and Mahala Wheeler Boles. He was preceded in death by his wife Louisa Schultz Boles.
He is survived by two daughters: Mrs. C A (Helen) Herdman, Leon and Mrs. John A (Sallie) Hussell, Point Pleasant; four sons: Herbesrt Boles, Columbus, Ohio, Homer Boles, Columbus, Ind., Robert Boles, Point Pleasant and Franklin Boles, Leon; 31 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, two sisters and four brothers.
Services will be conducted 11 am Monday at the Crow-Hussell Funeral Home with the Reverend Cecil Jaques officiating. Burial will follow in the Pine Grove Cemetery, Leon.
Friends may call… (rest cut off)

Brown, Caroline Eva
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 73
January 12, 1980
Death Claims Caroline Brown
Caroline Eva Brown, 82, Letart, died Friday in Pleasant Valley Hospital.
Born Dec. 23, 1897 at Ada, Ohio, she was a daughter of the late James W and Clara Clingler Stonehill. She was a member of Graham Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Homer C Brown; three daughters, Mrs. Ralph (Helen) Wears, Hurricane, Mrs. Roy (Mary) Rickard, Denver, Colo., and Mrs. Bill (Eileen) McDaniel, Stony Point, N.Y.; three sisters, Mrs. Fairie S Stager, Buffington, Ohio, Mrs. Helen Inman and Mrs. Minnie Gaskins, both of Bradenton, Fla.; one brother, George Stonehill, Bradenton; and nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, George W Brown.
Services will be held Monday at 1 pm at the Foglesong Funeral Home at Mason with the Rev. Herman Jones officiating. Burial will be in Longdale Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home Sunday 2 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm.

Canterbury, Hattie Dabney
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 117
August 16, 1980
Hattie Canterbury Dies Saturday
Hattie Dabney Canterbury, 87, Southside, W.Va., died at 4 am Saturday at Pleasant Valley Hospital.
Mrs. Canterbury, born March 3, 1893, in Clay Township, Gallia County, Ohio, was the daughter of the late Andy J and Susan Henry Forth. She operated a store at Southside for 50 years, was a cream operator for 29 years and served as assistant postmistress at Southside. Educated in Mason County, Mrs. Canterbury was a member of the D of A Lodge in Point Pleasant and the Illahee Farm Women's Club.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Canterbury was preceded in death by her first husband, Clyde Dabney, her second husband, John Canterbury, and two sons, Carl and Russell Dabney.
Surviving are three grandsons, Walter Dabney, Point Pleasant, Russell Jack Dabney of Mason and Tommy Lynn Dabney, Henderson; and a daughter-in-law, Hilda Dabney, Henderson.
Funeral services will be held at 2 pm Tuesday in the Stevens Funeral Home, Point Pleasant. Burial will follow in the Zion Baptist Church Cemetery, Gallipolis Ferry.
Friends may call from 2-4 and 7-9 pm Monday.

Castle, Charlene Lynn
Castle, Cynthia Lynn
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 83
March 8, 1980
Joint Services Set For Mother, Daughter
Joint services for Charlene Lynn Castle, 25, and Cynthia Lynn Castle, 4, Flatrock, will be conducted Monday at 1:30 pm at Wilcoxen Funeral Home with the Rev. John Icenhower officiating. Burial will follow in the Forest Hills Cemetery at Letart.
The mother and daughter lost their lives in a fire which destroyed their home early Friday morning.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 pm Sunday.

Casto, Vida
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 125
October 1980
Funeral services were held today, 11 am, at the Wilcoxen Funeral Home for Vida Casto, 74, 2302 Jefferson Ave., Point Pleasant, who died unexpectedly Saturday following a heart attack.
Burial followed in the Kirkland Memorial Gardens.

 

Copley, Wilma Jean
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 79
February 25, 1980
Death Claims Columbus Woman
Wilma Jean Flora Copley, 40, Columbus, Ohio, died early Saturday morning in the Delaware Park Nursing Center of Delaware, Ohio.
She has been in failing health since an automobile accident on Aug. 9, 1979. She was a former resident of Point Pleasant, and a 1958 graduate of Point Pleasant High School.
Surviving are her parents, Delbert and Edith Flora of Rt. 2, Leon; two daughters, Ruth and Alice, at home; four sisters, Pauline Stewart, Huntington, Peggy Blankenship of Columbus, Virginia Glass, Parkersburg, and Dorothy Ward of Columbus, Ga.; three brothers, George of Mississippi, Delbert Jr. and Teddy of Southside.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, 10 am at the Graumlick Funeral Home, Columbus, with graveside rites schedules for 2:30 pm at the Resthaven Memory Gardens, Avon, Ohio.

Cossin, Vinton Andrew
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 73
January 9, 1980
Vinton Cossion (sic), Leon, Succumbs
Vinton Andrew Cossin, 85, of Route 1, Leon, Mason County, died Tuesday in Pleasant Valley Hospital after a long illness.
He was a retired farmer and a veteran of World War I. He was a member of Tabor United Methodist Church.
Surviving are wife, Barbara Kathern Sayre Cossin; sons, Lee, Curtis and Orville V., all of Leon, Herbert of Red House, Donald of Point Pleasant, Eugene of Buffalo; daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Stutler and Mrs. Ruby Craig, both of Buffalo, Mrs. Ruth Kimberling of Leon; brother, Otho of Rt. 1, Evans; sister, Mrs. Dola Snyder of Columbus, O.; 23 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 pm Thursday in Casto Funeral Home, Evans, with the Rev. Warren Baker officiating. Burial will be in Mount Tabor Cemetery. Friends may call after 2 pm today at the funeral home.

 

Crump, Charles A
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 110
July 10, 1980
Charles Crump Succumbs At 78
Charles A Crump, 78, Point Pleasant, died at 10:20 pm Wednesday at Pleasant Valley Nursing Care Unit.
A retired deckhand for the Poff and Smith Towing Co., Crump was born Feb. 7, 1902 in Putnam County, a son of the late Andrew J. and Elsie Cochran Crump.
Survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Ernest (Edna) Fetty, Point Pleasant, and Mrs. Ralph (Edith) Riley, Delaware, Ohio; two brothers, Harley Crump, Point Pleasant, and Brady Crump, Ostrander, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held Saturday at 2 pm at the Crow-Hussell Funeral Home. Burial will be in Beale Chapel Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 pm Friday.

Crump, Carla
Crump, Howard
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 83
March 15, 1980
Two children are dead as the result of a fire which destroyed their home at Ambrosia early this morning.
The fire, the second fatal blaze in Mason County in little more than a week, took the lives of Howard Crump, 9, and Carla Crump, 8.
The children's parents, Charles and Betty Crump, were treated at Pleasant Valley Hospital for scratches and shock.
The blaze was spotted shortly before 4 am by Mason County deputy sheriffs Paul Krimm and S. R. Legg while on routine patrol on Route 62. At that time the entire top floor of the two-story, log structure was said to be engulfed in flames.
The deputies reportedly made an attempt to enter the house but were driven back when the top floor of the building collapsed.
Although events surrounding the fire are still uncertain, it has been reported that the parents made unsuccessful attempts to rescue the children who were in another part of the house.
The bodies were found in what appears to have been a bedroom, according to a spokesman for the Point Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department, which was notified of the fire at 4 am.
All that now remains of the house located in a isolated hollow just off the main highway, is a chimney and smoldering ruins. The area has been cordoned off by firemen in anticipation of an investigation by the State Fire Marshall's office. There has been no speculation at this point as to what may have caused the fire.
Sheriff James Hall, whose department is handling the investigation locally, said a preliminary examination of the children's bodies was made by Dr. Richard Slack, acting as Mason County coroner in Dr. Grubb's absence, but "the bodies were burned so badly it was difficult to tell the cause of death." He said the bodies are being sent to the State Medical Examiner's office in Charleston for further examination.
"We plan a complete investigation of the fire," Hall said.
Assisting Point Pleasant firemen and the Mason County Sheriff's Department at the fire scene were the Leon Volunteer Fire Department and the Point Pleasant Rescue Squad.
On Friday, March 7, Charlene Lynn Castle, 25, and her daughter, Cynthia Lynn Castle, 4, were killed when a fire gutted their home at Flatrock. Two other children Brett Castle and Clint Castle, survived the blaze

Donigan, Lula Belle
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 117
August 25, 1980
Lula Donigan, 89, Succumbs
Mrs. Lula Belle Pauley Donigan, 89, Point Pleasant, formerly of Hamlin, Lincoln County, died Saturday in Pleasant Valley Hospital following a short illness.
She was a member of the Main Street Baptist Church, Point Pleasant.
Surviving are a son, Eugene of Charleston, S.C.; two daughters, Mrs. Lucille Dean, Point Pleasant, Mrs. Francis Kellogg, West Palm Beach, Fla.; three grandchildren, Don C. Kingery, Point Pleasant, Cathe Dean Moreland, James R Kellogg, West Palm Beach, Fla.; and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, 11 am, at the Koontz Funeral Home, Hamlin, with the Rev. J. W. Burch officiating. Burial will follow in the Lincoln Memorial Park, Hamlin.
Friends may call at the funeral home from 6 to 9 pm today

Fridley, Elva
Violette S Machir Obit Collection
Mason County Library, Point Pleasant, WV
Page 79
February 15, 1980
Death Claims Elva Fridley
Mrs. Elva Thornton Fridley, 62, Rt. 2, Point Pleasant, died Thursday evening in Pleasant Valley Hospital after a short illness.
Born June 19, 1917, in Mason County, she was a daughter of the late Louis and Anna Keeling Thornton.
She attended the Baptist Church.
Surviving are her husband, Ray Fridley; two daughters, Mrs. Dick Hall, Point Pleasant, Mrs. Karen Sparks, Point Pleasant; one son, Lloyd Ray Fridley, Point Pleasant; a brother, Denver, Thornton, Chicago, Ill.; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by four brothers.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, 2 pm, at the Wilcoxen Funeral Home with the Rev. John H Icenhower officiating. Burial will follow in the Forest Hill Cemetery, Letart.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 pm Saturday.

Last Update: October 12, 2005