Obituaries

Edward Ashton “Butch” Smith, age 77, of Brodnax, VA, passed away Saturday, October 31, 2020. He was preceded in death by his parents, George B. and Josephine Moore Smith, and a sister, Dorothy Smith Adkins. Butch served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was a retired welder and pipe fitter for Newport News Shipbuilding. After retiring, he...

William Thomas Baird, Jr., 69, of Richmond, VA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 after declining health due to cancer. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Thomas “Bill” Baird, Sr. and Mary G. Baird. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Kidd Baird; two daughters, Martha Rogers (JC) and Wynn Norris (Joe); granddaughters, Mary and...

Angela Clary Coltrane, age 74, of Brodnax, VA, passed away Monday, October 19, 2020. A lifelong resident of Brunswick County, she was the daughter of the late Alton Patchett and Ella Mae Lynch Clary. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie Harrison Coltrane. She is survived by her daughter, Michelle Coltrane and a sister, Marilyn Callis. The...

Douglas Edward Harrison, age 61, of Dolphin, VA, passed away Tuesday, October 13, 2020. The son of the late Edward Oliver and Fannie Bell Woodruff Harrison, Doug was a lifelong farmer and a member and officer of Dolphin Hunt Club. He will be remembered by his family as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his wife...

James Hamilton “Bootie” Archer, 64, of Matoaca, VA, passed away Friday, October 9, 2020. A lifelong resident of Chesterfield County, he was the son of the late James Madison and Mabel Lee Hall Archer. He was also preceded in death by his first wife, Kathy Archer (21 years), and a son, Christopher Luke Glasscock. Bootie was the proprietor of Archer’s...

Abner G. Fisher, age 74, passed away on Monday, October 5, 2020 at Duke Hospital in North Carolina. He was born June 16, 1946, in Dinwiddie Virginia, to Abner Mitchell and Elnora (Anderson) Fisher. He married loving wife, Betty Lou Christopher on July 31, 1964. AG worked in tobacco and manufacturing, moving into management and director roles. He went on...

Sara Jane Clary, born November 24, 1953, died September 26, 2020 from a long battle with Small Cell Lung Cancer. She is preceded in death her mother, Gladys Louise King Clary, father, Willie Ross Clary, a brother, Larry Ross, and three nephews. She is survived by a daughter, Kimberly Renee and husband Thomas W. Matthews Jr.; a son, Warren H....

Darnell Whitby Long, age 96, of South Brunswick, VA, passed away Friday, September 25, 2020. She was a beloved mother, sister, aunt, and “Grandma.” She was preceded in death by her parents, Jenner and Ida Clary Whitby, husband, Edward G. Long, Sr., two sisters, Doma Allison and Annie Clary. She is survived by a son, Edward G. Long, Jr. and...

Mrs. Jane Thomas Roberts Riegel went to be with the Lord on Monday, September 7, 2020. Jane was born January 5, 1937 to the late Price McGuire Thomas and Ruth Rebecca Harris Bryant. Jane was preceded in death by her husbands, Alvin “Hambone” Roberts and Franklin S. “Egg” Riegel, her daughter Becky Tuma and her sister Helen Moore. Jane was...

Sandra Clary Griffin, age 67, of Bracey, Virginia, passed away on Friday, September 11, 2020. Born on November 10, 1952 in Roanoke Rapids, NC, she was the daughter of the late John Keith and Claudine Havens Clary of Blackstone, VA. Sandra was a retired teller of Citizens Bank & Trust. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and friend. Sandra is...

Shirley Curran Webster Wray, age 90, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at Petersburg Homes for Ladies. She was born on November 26, 1929 in Bluefield, West Virginia. Shirley was a beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Shirley is predeceased by her husband, Hubert Ingram Webster whom she married on April 20, 1946 and her late-in-life-love, Maclin...

Donald Franklin Thomas, 82, of Lawrenceville, VA, passed away Friday, September 4, 2020. A lifelong resident of Brunswick County, he was the son of the late Maria Short Thomas and Otis Alexander Thomas. He was also preceded in death by five brothers, Wilbur, Buck, JC “Red,” Dick, and Billy; and seven sisters, Mary, Velma, Nellie, Ruth, Ella, Lorene, and Ann....

Donald Earl Gede of McKenney, Virginia, formerly of Bowie, Maryland died on August 30, 2020, just after his 92nd birthday. Don was born in Deerfield, Illinois to Rudolph and Bessie Gede and was the third of six children. In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by his first wife, Joy Tanis Gede; a daughter, Joanne Gede; a...

Louise Whitby Clary, 87, of Lawrenceville, VA, widow of Thurston Chester Clary, passed away Thursday, August 20, 2020. A lifelong resident of Brunswick County, she was the daughter of the late Charlie Peebles and Jenny Mae Wilson Whitby, and was also preceded in death by nine of her siblings and many nieces and nephews. She is survived by her children,...

Rev. Gene C. Tatum, 73, of Amelia, VA, died August 19, 2020. He was a native of Dinwiddie County, the only son of the late James F. and Cecil Chappell Tatum. He entered the ministry at the age of 20. Appointments served include Surry, Associate at Washington Street Petersburg, Cartersville, Burkeville, Waverly, Amelia, Woods, and Ocran. During his 16 years...

Margaret Green Driskill, 84, of DeWitt, VA, loving Wife, Mother and Nana, passed away Saturday, August 15, 2020 at her home. A lifelong resident of Dinwiddie County, she was the daughter of the late William F. and Alice Clay Green. She was also preceded in death by her son, William L. Driskill, Jr., and her brother, Billy Green. Margaret was...

Billy Corrinne Sheely Johnson, formerly of Lake City, Florida, Prince George County, and Colonial Heights, Virginia, went home to be with the Lord on August 5, 2020. Billy was born October 22, 1944, in Lake City, Florida (Columbia County). She was the daughter of the late William F. “Bill” Sheely (KIA in WWII European Theater) and Mildred Irene Little Crews,...

Donald Edward Rountree, Jr., 80, of Henrico, NC, (and previously of Franklin, VA) departed this life and went to his Heavenly Home on Thursday, July 30, 2020. He was born on March 8, 1940, in Franklin, VA. Don was preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Johnson Rountree, and his father, Donald Edward Rountree, Sr., both of Franklin, VA. He...

Ola Mae Parks Draper died on July 27, 2020 at the age of 91. Mae is survived by her children, Brenda Byrum (Joe) of Margarettesville, NC, Donna Newsome (Glenn) of Huntington, WV, and Calvin Draper (Betsy) of Emporia, VA, ten grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, July 30, 2020 at...

Bennie Burton Moore, age 72, of Gasburg, VA, passed away Saturday, July 18, 2020. A lifelong resident of Brunswick County, he was the son of the late Bennie Givens and Agnes Clary Moore. He was also preceded in death by a son, Bennie Burton “Buddy” Moore, Jr., a sister, Eleanor M. Bowman, and a brother, Willie G. Moore. He is...