Obituaries

May 22, 2019

Mary Elizabeth McLaughlin, 70, of Williams River, passed away Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at her residence surrounded by her family. She was born September 14, 1948 in Richwood, a daughter of Wanda “Betty” Sibert Wamsley and the late Eugene Wamsley.

Mary was a 1966 graduate of Cowen High School and a graduate of the Academy of Careers and Technology in...

May 20, 2019

Edward Lee “Chuck” Bragg, 79, of Cowen, passed away Monday, May 20, 2019 at his residence after an extended illness. He was born December 19, 1940 in Weston, a son of the late Herbert and Mary Rumbach Bragg.

Chuck was a retired coal miner, with over 30 years, from Island Creek Coal and was a proud member of the U.M.W.A....

May 10, 2019

William Edward “Bill” McCartney, 72 of Cowen, passed away Friday, May 10, 2019 at his residence surrounded by his family and friends, after a long illness. He was born May 8, 1947 in Webster Springs, a son of the late French and Retha Peck McCartney.

Bill was a former City Councilman for the town of Cowen and a U.S. Army...

Apr 29, 2019

William George Taylor, 82, of Cowen, passed away Monday, April 29, 2019 at Summersville Regional Medical Center after a long, hard fought battle with cancer.  He was born August 6, 1936 in Webster County, a son of the late Wilbert and Aretta Bell Taylor.

George retired from Island Creek Coal Company having worked over 40 years in the mining industry....

Apr 25, 2019

Aniello Guiseppa Romano Jr., 84 of Cowen, WV, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, April 25, 2019 at his residence. He was born October 29, 1934 in Camden on Gauley, a son of the late Aniello “Neal” and Angelina Feola Romano.

Jr. was a 1952 graduate of Cowen High School and attended Glenville State College. He was an US Army Veteran of...

Apr 23, 2019

Born in Grafton, Taylor County, WV, March 13, 1937; 1955 graduate of Cowen High School; Georganna passed away April 23, 2019 at home surrounded by her family.

She is survived by husband of 63 years Giovanno Romano; Children: Mike Romano of Craigsville, WV, Joseph L. Romano of Stuart, FL, James L. Romano of Craigsville, WV, Marilyn L. Barfield of Jupiter...

Apr 22, 2019

Ella Louise Conrad, Beloved Mother and Loving Grandmother, 74, of Birch River, went to her final resting place April 22, 2019, peacefully at her home. Born October 23, 1944 to parents George and Mamie Ramsey Harless. Ella is survived by sister Shirley (Bootsie) Hardy of New York, children, Betty (Steve) Selman of Birch River, Gerald Chapman of Charleston, Warren Chapman...

Apr 21, 2019

Kenneth Lee Riding, 78 of Cowen, west Virginia was gently released from his earthly body and returned home to his Heavenly Father Sunday April 21, 2019. He was born the youngest of three children to William Ernest Riding and Veva (Sue) Hamblin Riding on September 4, 1940 in St. George, Utah.

He spent his youth in Mountain View, Wyoming and...

Apr 16, 2019

Donnie Gene Harris, 65, of Erbacon passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at Summersville Regional Medical Center after a short illness. He was born February 11, 1954 in Erbacon, a son of the late Lorenzo Victor and Ella Jackson Harris.

Donnie was a former coal miner and logger. He was the president of the Erbacon Community Development. He was an...

Apr 2, 2019

Our precious mother and grandmother, Betty Jean (Carpenter) Lewis, 91, was welcomed into God’s Holy Kingdom 04/02/2019 to be reunited with her parents, John Morgan McGlaughlin “Doc” and Hallie Effie (Wilson) Carpenter, her infant sister Vada Mae Carpenter, her sister and brother-in-law Kathleen and Arthur Berry, her brothers James Edward Carpenter and Harold Daniel “Bato” Carpenter. Our mother was born...

Mar 31, 2019

Beatrice Geraldine Giles of Beckley, WV, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, March 31, 2019 at the Bowers Hospice House in Beckley following an extended illness. She was 92 years of age and in the company of her loving family when she passed.

She was born on March 24, 1927 in a Webster County logging camp at the...

Mar 26, 2019

Mar 23, 2019

Clarice Arlene Taylor, 79, of Cowen passed away unexpectedly Saturday, March 23, 2019 at her residence. She was born September 21, 1939 in Jumbo, a daughter of the late Otha L. and Hazel Ruth Schrader Cummings.

Clarice was a 1958 graduate of Cowen High School and went to work for the Webster County Board of Education as an aide at...

Mar 18, 2019

Mary Louise Miller, 76, of Cowen, passed away Monday, March 18, 2019 at Webster Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cowen, after an extended illness. She was born June 21, 1942 in Cleveland, WV, a daughter of the late William and Icey Mae Pearl Huber Wilt.

Mary was a 1960 graduate of Webster Springs High School and retired as the librarian from...

Mar 16, 2019

Jacob Alfred “Jake” Bragg, 80, of Cowen passed away Saturday, March 16, 2019 at Charleston Area Medical Center, after a short illness. He was born November 21, 1938 in Gassaway, a son of the late Herbert and Mary Rumbach Bragg.

Jake was a graduate of Cowen High School and Veteran of the US Army.  He retired from the railroad, with...

Feb 27, 2019

Rocky Hines, 62, of Cowen, WV passed away February 27, 2019 at his home surrounded by family and friends after an 8 year battle with cancer. He was born May 27, 1956 a son of Nancy Hines of Jumbo, WV and the late Bobby Hines.

Rocky was a 1973 graduate of Webster Springs High School and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree...

Feb 23, 2019

Camilla V. (Millie) Dyer passed away from this life into her eternal heavenly home at the Webster Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Cowen, WV, on February 23rd, 2019.  She was born April 14th, 1923, a daughter of the late Hazel B. and Deloris G. Donaldson.

She was  95 years, 10 months and 9 days old.  She always exhibited and practiced a...

Feb 20, 2019

Teresa Mae Tonkin, 50, of Cowen passed away Tuesday, February 20, 2019 at WVU Ruby Memorial Hospital, Morgantown after a short illness. She was born October 28, 1968 at Ravenna, Ohio a daughter of Carolyn S. Shriber and the late Randall Brent Williams.

Teresa was a homemaker and enjoyed reading, visiting friends and spending time with her grandchildren.

Surviving are...

Feb 14, 2019

Howard Donald “Don” Burgess, 73, of Belington, WV, passed away peacefully, February 14, 2019 at his residence, surrounded by his loving family. He was born June 11, 1945, in Montgomery, WV, a son of the late Okey and Elizabeth Keeling Burgess.

He was a graduate of Montgomery High School and attended WV Tech. He retired from Kenna Metals after 39...

Feb 12, 2019

Kenneth Mack Smith, 69, of Craigsville, passed away Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at the Hidden Valley Center, Oak Hill, West Virginia. He was born July 3, 1949 in Richwood, a son of Vanita Gaye Hinkle and the late Kendle Mack Smith.

Mack was a 1968 graduate of Richwood High School and attended Kent State University. He was a Vietnam Veteran,...