Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, August 11, 1994                   TAG: 9505090025
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

OBIT

ANDREWS, Miss Frances Ellen, 81, of Roanoke, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994. She was affiliated with the family business, Andrews Oil Company, for many years, and later retired from the International Union of Operating Engineers. Miss Andrews was a member of the Melrose United Methodist Church and later Greene Memorial United Methodist Church, where she was a member of the choir for many years, and a member of the Virginia Asher Bible Council. She is survived by one nephew, Jack E. Andrews, Virginia Beach; two great nephews, John M. Andrews, Roanoke and Michael E. Andrews, Salem; one stepgrandniece, Lynn O'Rourke, Roanoke; one great-great-nephew, John Christopher Andrews, Roanoke. Funeral services will be conducted at the graveside 11 a.m. Friday, August 12, 1994, in Sherwood Memorial Park with the Rev. Walter M. Lockett, Jr. officiating. The family will receive friends Thursday from 2 - 4 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m. at Oakey's Roanoke Cha pel.

BARBOUR, Willie S. Jr., of New Jersey, formerly of Franklin Co., passed away Monday, August 8, 1994. Arrangements by Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home.

DOYLE, Hubert Rex, 59, of Vinton, died Wednesday, August 10, 1994, at a local hospital. He was a member of Vinton Baptist Church and an employee of the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Salem, a United States Army Veteran, and an avid hunter and fisherman. Surviving are his wife, Billie Sue Doyle; sons and daughters-in-law, Donald Rex and Susan Wade Doyle, Kenneth Brian and Lisa Marie Doyle; a daughter and son-in-law, Susan C. and Phillip Leffell; grandchildren, Heather, Drew, and Nicholas Leffell, Gina and Daryl Doyle, all of Vinton; father, Rex W. Doyle, Roanoke; brother, Dennis C. Doyle, Richmond; sister, Charlene Wolfe; foster sister, Martha McGeorge, both of Vinton; a number of cousins. Funeral services will be conducted from Oakey's Vinton Chapel, 11 a.m., Friday, August 12, 1994, with the Rev. Ken Butterworth officiating. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery. Friends may call at Oakey's Vinton Chapel.

DUGGINS, Jesse W., (Jake), 75, of Roanoke, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994, in a Salem nursing home. He was a veteran of WWII. Surviving are two devoted sisters, Mrs. Bill B. (Juanita) Thomas, Roanoke and Mrs. Margaret Surrette, Long Island, NY,; two sister-in-law, Mrs. Virginia Duggins, Charlotte, N.C. and Mrs. Lucille Duggins, Roanoke Funeral Services will be at the Graveside Cedar Lawn Memorial Park, 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 12, 1994 with Rev. Frank W. Feather officiating. Friends may call at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel.

GARBER, Dorothy Faw, 82, of Roanoke, passed away Wednesday August 10, 1994. She is survived by her husband Dr. Merlin E. Garber; son and daughter in-law Leland F. & Patricia Garber of Emmittsburg, MD; daughter and son-in-law Elaine and Wallace Thompson; grandsons Gregory Garber, Derek Garber, Dr. James Thompson and Dale Thompson; four foster children, Robert E. Richards, Waco, TX, Rollend Walters, San Diego, CA, Landy Barredo Romero, Cancun Mexico and Ana Pizzano, Central Islip, NY. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 12, 1994 at Central Church of the Bretheren with the Rev. J. Richard Gottshall officiating. Interment will follow in Evergreen Burial Park. Family to receive friends 7-9:00 p.m. Thursday at Oakey's Roanoke Chapel.

GRUBBS, Robert Joe, 64, of Radford, died August 9, 1994 at home. He was born January 8, 1930 in Radford to Virginia Ramsey of New Jersey. Mr. Grubbs was retired from the Lynchburg Foundry with 23 years of service and was a U. S. Army veteran. He was a member of New Mt. Olive Methodist Church. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Miller Grubbs, Wytheville; three daughters, Jean E. Grubbs, Radford, Brenda J. Grubbs, Radford, Michelle A. Carreras, N.Y.; four sons, Edward Johnson, Jr., Pittsburgh, Robert W. Grubbs, Radford, Gerald L. Grubbs, Radford, Kenneth L. Grubbs, Radford; two brothers, Guy Crocket Hall, Radford, Lewis Ramsey, Roanoke; two sisters, Robinette Barnes, N.J., Fanny Ingram, Radford; and a dear, close friend, Freddie Hubbard, Radford; 16 grandchildren; 12 great-gran dchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Funeral will be 3 p.m. Friday, August 12, 1994 at New Mount Olive Methodist Church with the Rev. Lyle Morton officiating. Burial will follow in Sunrise Burial Park. The family will receive friends Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. at New Mount Olive Methodist Church. Arrangements by Claytor-Dean Funeral Home.

HAMLET, Mrs. Gardner Van Shook, 71, of Radford, Virginia, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994. She is survived by her four sons, C. Eugene Shook, Lawrence H. Shook, both of Richmond, David A. Shook and John W. Shook, both of Pulaski; her daughter, Peggy V. Howell, Richmond; two sisters, E. Louise Godsey and Wanda J. Burnett, both of Richmond; 13 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Her remains rest at the Joseph W. Bliley Funeral Home's Chippenham Chapel, 6900 Hull Street Road, Richmond, VA where funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday. Interment Richmond National Cemetery.

HARRIS, Lewis R., 62, of Abingdon, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994. Graveside service 11 a.m. Friday in Knollkreg Memorial Park. Campbell Funeral Home, Abingdon in charge of arrangements.

HURT, Ethel P., 73, of Rural Retreat, died Wednesday, August 10, 1994. Funeral 3 p.m. Friday, Lindsey Funeral Home Chapel.

JOHNSON, Mary Griffith, 99, of Grant, passed away Tuesday, August 9, 1994. Funeral 11 a.m. Saturday, Grant United Methodist Church. Arrangements by Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home, Independence.

KINZER, Kyle J. Rev., 78, of Route 1, Independence, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 1994. Arrangements by Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home, Independence.

LETCHER, John Seymour, Brigadier General, USMC (Ret)., 90, of Glasgow, died Wednesday, August 10, 1994, at his residence, Marlbrook Farm, after a short illness. General Letcher was born November 20, 1903, in L exington, Va., the son of Capt. Greenlee Davidson Letcher and Katherine Paul Letcher, and the grandson of John Letcher, Civil War Governor of Virginia. He attended Lexington Public Schools, then Virginia Military Institute, where he graduated in 1924 with a B.S. in chemical engineering. He attended Washington and Lee University, where he was co-captain of the rowing team. He passed the Virginia Bar in 1927 and for a short period practiced law in Lexington. In 1927, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. In the years before World War II, he served in Nicaragua, at Quantico, at the Field Artillery School in Ft. Sill, Okla. and on board the battleship USS Oklahoma. During his service in Nicaragua, he was awarded the Navy Cross (1928) and the Medallo De Merito for his exceptional bravery and leadership during an engagement in which the horse he was riding was killed by machine gun fire. Letcher believed that he was the last U.S. serviceman to have his horse shot from under him in battle, as by World War II all U.S. forces were completely mechanized. In 1936, he married Elizabeth Worthington Marston of Annapolis, Md. From 1936 to 1939, he was stationed with his family in Peking (Beijing), China, where he was assigned to the American Embassy Detachment. During World War II, Letcher served in the South Pacific in the Third Marine Division and the Fifth Amphibious Corps in the Guadalcanal, Bougainvile, Guam and Iwo Jima campaigns. During the planning of the Guam invasion, Letcher proposed novel battle control methods addressed to tactical coordination of field artillery, aerial bombardment and naval gunfire. His methods proved extremely effective both in allocation of firepower to targets, and in minimizing friendly fire casualites. As a consequence, for the invasion of Iwo Jima, Letcher was selected as Corps Artillery Officer, in overall command of all three bombardment forces. For his combat service in the South Pacific, Letcher received the Legion of Merit (1943), the Silver Star (1944) and the Gold Star (1945) in lieu of a second Legion of Merit. In the citation awarding the Gold Star for his role in the Iwo Jima campaign, Maj. Gen. Holland M. Smith wrote, ``Col. Letcher's personal valor and professional competency were responsible, in great measure, for the success of our forces."" Letcher was promoted to Brigadier General on his retirement in 1947. He settled in Lexington with his family, where he became involved in the business, political and civic affairs of the community. He served for 27 years as a director and, vice-president of the First National Bank; was local campaign manager for many candidates including Governor John S. Battle and Senator Harry F. Byrd Sr. and was president of the Rockbridge Historical Society from 1982 to 1986. General Letcher is the author of two books of memoirs: ``Only Yesterday in Lexington, Virginia,"" and ``One Marines's Story."" An avid hunter, fisherman and conservationist, he made a special contribution to the state in 1954 when he mobilized a successful campaign to block logging operations in Goshen Pass, a scenic and recreational area near Lexington, now under state ownership for conservation purposes. Elizabeth M. Letcher died in 1979. In 1982 General Letcher married Sallie Tompkins Koontz, who survives him. He is also survived by four children from his first marriage, Katherine Letcher Lyle, Lexington, John S. Letcher Jr. , Southwest Harbor, Maine, Elizabeth Letcher Greenlee, Ann Arbor, Mich., Peter M. Letcher of Lexington; and nine grandchildren. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Friday, August 12, 1994, at Stonewall Jackson Cemetery with the Rev. D. Holmes Irving Jr. and the Rev. George Tompkins officiating. The family will receive friends at his home on Forge Rd. (State Rt. 608) near Glasgow. Arrangements by Lomax Funeral Home, Buena Vista, Va.

MABE, Raymond Rixie, 74, of Fries, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994. Funeral Services, Friday, August 12, 11:00 am, Vaughan-Guynn Chapel.

MARSHALL, Nellie Marie, 78, of Hillsville, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 1994 at Twin County Community Hospital, Galax. She was born November 2, 1915 in Carroll County and was the daughter of Eulas Quesenberry and Cittie Reece Quesenberry. She is survived by four daughters and sons-in-law, Mildred and Grant Largen, Hillsville, Opal Quesenberry, Willis, Janet and Chester Quesenberry, Dugspur, Judy and Edward Gardner, Fancy Gap; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Guida Harrell, Pulaski, Effie and James Duke, Pulaski; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Mrs. Marshall was preceded in death by her husband, Levi Marshall and son-in-law, Russell Quesenberry. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, August 12 at the Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel, Hillsville with the Rev. J. Alfred Pinkerton officiating. Interment will follow in the Cox Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, August 11 at the Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel, Inc.

MEEKS, Emmett L. 92, of Roanoke, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994. Funeral will be Thursday, August 11, 1994. Arrangements by Oakey's Vinton Chapel.

PAGE, Mary Elizabeth, 58, of Roanoke, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 1994. Survivors include one son, Hal ``Tony"" Cabbler; one daughter, Joann Cabbler; two sisters, Mary E. Harvey and Annie Godsey; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild all of Roanoke; and a host of other relatives and friends. Graveside services will be held 11 a.m Friday, Williams Memorial Park. Arrangements by Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home.

PEARMAN, Clara Belle Barnett, 81, of Prices Fork, died Wednesday, August 10, 1994. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.

POWELL, Revan S., 92, a resident of Eldercare of Franklin County and formerly of the Penhook community, died Wednesday, August 10, 1994 at Eldercare. He is survived by one sister, Mrs. Ruby P. Perdue, Roanoke. Funeral services will be conducted at Penhook United Methodist Church, 2 p.m. Friday, with Rev. Betty Marshall officiating. Interment will follow in Mount Zion Cemetery. There will be no vistation at the funeral home. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to services. Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service, Rocky Mount.

RITTER, Lewis E. 44, of Radford, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 1994. Arrangements by Seaver, Sanders & Mullin Funeral Home, Radford.

SHEPPARD, Elden Smalley, 62, of Pulaski, passed away Wednesday, August 10, 1994. Memorial service will be held Friday, 2 p.m. from the Fairlawn Baptist Church. Bower Funeral Chapel, Pulaski, in charge of arrangements.

SHOWALTER, Milton Edward, 78, of Roanoke, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994. He retired from the City of Roanoke after 37 years service. He was a traffic officer with the Police Department and retired as Superintendent of the Sanitation Department. He served during World War II in the U.S. Navy Shore Patrol and was stationed at Quantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was preceded in death by his parents, the Rev. Albert H. and Venie F. Showalter and a sister, Orpha Falwell. Surviving are his wife, June Evelyn Newton Showalter; daughter and son-in-law, Dale and William R. Crisp, Sao Paulo, Brazil; granddaughter, Amanda Crisp, Fairview, Pa.; grandsons, Jonathan and Joshua Crisp, Sao Paulo, Brazil; great-grandson, Gregory; brother and sister-in-law, Homer and Frances Showalter, Roanoke; sisters and brother-in-law, Nedra S. Caldwell, Betty S. and Galen Ronk, all of Roanoke; a number of brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Showalter Memorial Fund, c/o Masons Cove Church of the Brethren, 3630 Bradshaw Rd., Salem, Va. 24153. Funeral services will be conducted 3 p.m. Friday at Oakey's North Chapel by the Rev. Sidney A. Loggins and the Rev. Paris E. Bain. Interment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Oakey's North Chapel.

SMITH, James Artis, 83, of Rocky Mount, died Wednesday, August 10, 1994 in Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke. He was born the 15th of February 1911, the son of the late James W. and Sarah T. Smith. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served overseas. He is survived by his wife, Lena Smith, of the home; one stepdaughter and her husband, Laura and Glenn Weaver, Boones Mill; two sisters, Ocie Richard and Viola Poindexter, both of Rocky Mount; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Donald and Alvie Smith, Bassett, and Raymond Smith, Rocky Mount; three grandchildren, Brian Weaver and his wife, Sharon, Scott Weaver and Jeremy Weaver, all of Boones Mill; several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 12, 1994 at 2 p.m. at Lynch Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. A. Dave Snead and Gary Milstead officiating. Burial will follow in Maple Grove Church Cemetery, Ferrum. The family will receive friends Thursday, August 11, 1994, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lynch Funeral Home Chapel, where friends may call after 3 p.m. Lynch Funeral Home, Rocky Mount is in charge of arrangements.

STABLES, Frederick Earl, 82, of Narrows, died Wednesday, August 10, 1994. Arrangements by Riffe's Funeral Service, Narrows.

WISS, Henry Harold, 81, of Blacksburg, died Tuesday, August 9, 1994 at Virginia Veterans Care Center, Roanoke following a long il lness. Mr. Wiss was a Professor Emeritus of the College of Architecture at V.P.I. & S.U. Mr. Wiss was born in Morristown, N.J. on April 7, 1913, a son of the late Victor A. Wiss and Elizabeth Dustan Wiss. Henry, was a well known photographer and lecturer, graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He taught at Clemson University before coming to V.P.I. where he was a registered architect and taught architecture for 37 years, before retiring in 1983. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Art Association and International Student Club. He was a long time advisor to campus groups and the International Student Club, advisor to the student honor society, Tau Sigma Delta, advisor to the social fraternity, Theta Xi; past member of the Vestry at Christ Episcopal Church and Chairman of the Commission of Church Architecture of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Gentry Wiss; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Keene Wiss, Morristown, N.J.; a niece, Mrs.. Gretchen Warmouth and husband, Dwane, Hancock, N.Y.; a nephew, Victor K. Wiss, Jr. and wife, Anne, Nashville, Tenn.; six great-nephews. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 12, 1994, at Christ Episcopal Church with the Rev. Clare Fischer-Davies and the Rev. Gary Schroeder officiating. Interment will follow in Westview Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 164, Blacksburg, Va. 24060 or Episcopal Boys Home, Inc., Route 3, Covington, Va. 24420. The family will receive friends Thursday at the home at 1515 E. Clay Street. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.

WITCHER, Joseph Nathaniel, 74, of Roanoke, passed away Monday, August 8, 1994. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Frank and Gloria Witcher, Burbank, Calif; his mother, Hattie Austin Witcher, of Roanoke; three brothers and a s ister-in-law, Prince T. and Rosalia Witcher, William L. Witcher, all of Roanoke, and Elton C. Witcher, Washington, D.C.; two grandchildren, Larissa and Mariah Witcher, both of Burbank, Calif.; one brother-in-law, William Amos, Roanoke; a devoted friend and ex-wife, Audrey Harris, Portsmouth, Ohio; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be Saturday 11 a.m. at the Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. William L. Lee will officiate with interment in Williams Memorial Park. The procession will assemble at the funeral home. The family will receive friends 30 minutes prior to the service at Hamlar-Curtis