Friday, July 04, 2008

Willadean ‘Billie’ Neisz Abbott

Willadean “Billie” Neisz Abbott, 78, of Dawson Springs died Thursday, July 3, 2008, at Jennie Stuart Hospital in Hopkinsville. She was a homemaker and member of Lafayette Missionary Baptist Church in Dawson Springs.

Survivors include a daughter, Sherry Francine Harris; three sons, Duane Stanley Travis, Jeffery Abbott and Joseph Gabriel Abbott; and two sisters, Irene Peyton and Imogene Clevenger.

Funeral: 2 p.m. Sunday at Beshear Funeral Home in Dawson Springs. Burial: Lafayette Cemetery, Dawson Springs. Visitation: From 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home and after 9 a.m. Sunday.

Paul Armstrong

Paul Armstrong, 74, of Madisonville died Thursday, July 3, 2008, at Regional Medical Center in Madisonville. Funeral arrangements are pending at Barnett-Strother Funeral Home.

Mary Helen

Furgerson

Mary Helen Furgerson, 87, of Hanson passed away at 7 a.m. Wednesday July 2, 2008, at Harborside Nursing Home in Madisonville. She was born April 27, 1921, in Hopkins County to Dexter and Maude Nance Gill. She attended Suthards Christian Church in Suthards and was a homemaker. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene A. Furgerson in 1977; her son, Larry Furgerson; four sisters, two brothers and a great-grandson.

She is survived by her daughter, Ann Rickard of Hanson; two sons, Bob Furgerson of Richland and Barry Furgerson of Madisonville; a sister, Iris Gill of Earlington; two brothers, Dudley Gill of Earlington and Pete Gill of Newburgh, Ind.; four grandchildren, David Furgerson, Bill Rickard, Gene Rickard and Jamie Howell; three great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Reid-Walters Funeral Home in Earlington with the Rev. Jerry Easley officiating. Burial will be in New Salem Cemetery in Nortonville. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday and after 11 a.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to the Shriners Hospital of Lexington. Online condolences can be made at www.reid-waltersfuneralhome.com.

Ila Louise Hopper

Ila Louise Hopper, 84, of Nortonville died Wednesday, July 2, 2008, of natural causes at Ridgewood Terrace Nursing Home in Madisonville. She was a homemaker who was preceded in death by her husband, Marion Hopper; her parents, Thomas Richard Choate and Verna Jackson Choate; a brother; three sisters; a grandson; and a great-granddaughter.

Survivors include a daughter, Sandra Hammond of Valparaiso, Ind.; three sons, Gaylon Hopper (Elaine) of White Plains, Aubrey Hopper, (Barbra) of Nortonville and Curtis Hopper (Debbie) of Greenville; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Pleasant Hill General Baptist Church in Nortonville with Bro. John Culbertson and Bro. Eddie Knowles officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Nortonville. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Bandy Funeral Home in Nortonville and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church. Pallbearers will be Jody Darnell, Blake Major, Scott Hammond, Mike Hammond, Kevin Hammond, Mark Hammond, Eddie Dulin, Tim Brown and Ricky Major.

Gracie M. Johnson

Gracie M. Johnson, 93, of Madisonville died at 10:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, 2008, at NHC Healthcare in Madisonville. She was born Jan. 9, 1915, in Crofton. She worked as a doughnut maker at the Donut Shop & Sunmart and was member of Madisonville First Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ellis and Amanda Wells; her husband, Adam “Red” Johnson in 1965; a son, Elmer Johnson in October 2007; four sisters, Mamie Traylor, Opal Hutchcraft, Minnie Ford and Myrtle Hopper; and a brother, Ernest Wells.

Survivors include two daughters, Sue Thomas of Madisonville and Sandi Sansbury of Louisville; three sons, Billy Johnson of Tennessee, Gene Johnson of Madisonville and Jimmy Johnson of Florida; 14 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Harris Funeral Home in Madisonville, with Dr. Joe Leonard officiating. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery. Visitation will be after 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to Madisonville First Baptist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

Mina McCoy

Mina McCoy, age 76, a lifelong devoted Christian, went on to be with her Savior on Sunday, June 29, 2008. She was born in Springfield, Tenn., and graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. She was preceded in death by her first grandchild, Mahlon Keith McCoy.

She raised two sons, Dr. Mark McCoy and Phillip McCoy, an ordained minister. Her greatest love was for her grandchildren, Mahlon Keith, Jesse, Megan, Jennifer, Colin Mark and Sarah Elizabeth McCoy.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Grace Community United Methodist Church in Fort Smith, Ark. Burial will follow in Roselawn Cemetery, Fort Smith. Visitation will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. today at Edwards Funeral Home, Fort Smith.

Although she will be greatly missed, her death is viewed as a transition rather than a loss, as in Christ there are no real good-byes.

Linda Lou Tirey

Linda Lou Tirey, 69, of Mortons Gap left to be with the Lord at 4:50 a.m. Wednesday, July 2, 2008, at Regional Medical Center in Madisonville. She was born Aug. 24, 1938, in Hopkins County to John Edward and Mabel Jane Evans Fugate. She was of the Baptist denomination and worked at Enro Shirt Company in Madisonville and last worked as a cook at Grandma’s Kitchen in Mortons Gap. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles William Tirey, in 1996 and by a sister and two brothers.

She is survived by two daughters, Pamela Haley of Mortons Gap and Kimberly Clark of Nortonville; a sister, Martha Baize of White Plains; two brothers, Red Fugate of Mortons Gap and John Paul Fugate of Nortonville; two granddaughters, Stephanie Head and her husband, Roger, of Quantico, Va., and Whitney Clark of Nortonville; three great-grandchildren, Jasper Head, Jenna Head and Jillian Head, all of Quantico; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Reid-Walters Funeral Home in Earlington, with Pastor Ellis Payne officiating. Burial will be in Salem Cemetery in Mortons Gap. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today and after 9 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Rocky Jones, Mike Martin, Edward Fox, Clayton Smith, David Fugate, David Wayne Fugate, Jerod Austin and Wesley Scott. Online condolences can be made at www.reid-waltersfuneral home.com.