Person Page - 2245

     Shirley Jean McGraw was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, 5250 Robert Centre Byrd Drive, Prosperity, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.² She was born on June 10, 1936 at Glen Daniel, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^1,2 As of December 28, 1956,her married name was Riffe.¹ She married John Robert "Bob" Riffe, son of Basil William Riffe and Etta Flora Roberts, on December 28, 1956 at Shady Spring, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^3,1,2 Shirley Jean McGraw died on November 9, 2017 at Fayette Co., West Virginia, at age 81.² She Shirley Jean Riffe, 81, of Oak Hill passed away Thursday, November 9, 2017. Born June 10, 1936, she was the daughter of the late Lonnie and Minnie Miller McGraw. Mrs. Riffe attended Mountain View Church of God. Shirley spent a lot of time at Raleigh County Commission On Aging. She was also a member of Beckley TOPS club. Shirley was an avid West Virginia Mountaineers fan who loved her dog Maizey, traveling, word search puzzles, sitting by the fire pit and trips to Pigeon Forge, TN. In addition to her parents Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, John Riffe Sr., and brother, Gerald Miller. Those left to cherish her memory include her sons, Lonnie Riffe and wife Angela and grandson Bradlee, John Riffe Jr. and wife Trish; daughter, Sharon Atkinson and husband Bill; six grandchildren; three great grandchildren and best friend Shirley McInnis. Friends may gather with the family from 1-2 PM on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at Mountain View Church of God, Oak Hill. Services will be held at 2:00 PM at the church with Pastor Rudell Bloomfield officiating. Burial will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. on November 11, 2017.²

     Lucille Garnet Davis was buried at Calfee Cemetery, Mount Tabor Road, Mount Tabor, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.⁴ Her Social Security Number was 213-42-7357.³ She was born on October 29, 1913 at Maben, Wyoming Co., West Virginia.³ As of July 15, 1934,her married name was Riffe.¹ She married James Edward Riffe, son of John Conrad Riffe and Cordelia "Delia" Davis, on July 15, 1934 at Mabscott, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^1,2 Lucille Garnet Davis died on April 30, 2004 at Maryland at age 90.³

     Ramon Arden "Ray" Looney was buried at Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.¹ His Social Security Number was 236-46-8843.⁴ He was born on March 25, 1932 at Looneyville, Roane Co., West Virginia.^1,4,2,3 He married Rosanna Riffe, daughter of Charles Walton Riffe and Alma Meadows, on May 25, 1957.¹ Ramon Arden "Ray" Looney died on January 8, 2007 at Crab Orchard, Raleigh Co., West Virginia, at age 74.^1,4 He On Monday, Jan. 8, 2007, Ramon Arden Looney of Redwood Lane, Crab Orchard, died at his home, following a courageous battle with cancer. He was 74 years of age. Known affectionately as “Ray,” Ramon was born on March 25, 1932, at Looneyville, the son of the late Mollie Looney Smith and the Rev. J. Herbert Smith of Clover. Ray spent his childhood at Looneyville, where he was a graduate of Spencer High School, Class of 1949. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served on the U.S. Midway. Following his stint in the Navy, he enrolled at Marshall University, graduating with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. While attending Marshall, he would meet his future wife, Rosanna Riffe of Crab Orchard. They would marry on May 25, 1957. He furthered his studies at the University of Michigan, where he received a Masters in Business Administration. After completing his college studies, Ray returned to Huntington, where he taught at Marshall for 3 years in the Business Department. He then began a career with the U.S. General Accounting Office in Atlanta, Georgia. While working in Atlanta, Ray, Rosanna and their son, Russell, resided in Stone Mountain, Ga. Retiring in 1992 with 30 years of service, he and Rosanna returned to this area, making their home in Crab Orchard. Ray became an active member of the Crab Orchard Baptist Church, teaching the Friendship Sunday School Class, and serving as chairman of the deacons. On his return to Beckley, Ray began a new career, teaching at Mountain State University in the Business Department. He retired in May of 2006 as chairman of the department. In his leisure time, he enjoyed landscaping, model trains, playing with his dogs and listening to Christian music. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his father and mother-in-law, Charles Walton and Alma Meadows Riffe; brother-in-laws, Carl Riffe and Don Lilly; sister-in-laws, Sandy Smith and Judy Riffe. In addition to his father, Rev. Smith, and his beloved wife Rosanna, he is survived by his dear son, Russell Looney of Nashville, TN; a sister, Louise Ward and her husband, Jim, of Clover; and members of the Riffe family, including Ruth Astle and her husband, David, and Ray Riffe and his wife, Jean, all of Grandview; Mary Ellen Ellifritt and her husband, Maywood, of Gainesville, FL; Orpha Loretta Lilly of Columbia, S.C; Rachel Patton and her husband, Dan, of Columbus, Ohio; Jean Riffe of Dowell, MD; Gene Riffe and his wife, Margaret, of Hague, VA; Jan Riffe and his wife, Margaret, of Dawson; Don Riffe of Roswell, GA; Vivian, Rebecca, Bill, Robert, Butch and Howard Riffe and his wife, Marcella, all of Crab Orchard. Many nieces, nephews, former students, friends and co-workers will also remember Ray with deep affection. Funeral service will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Crab Orchard Baptist Church with the Rev. Phil Shields and the Rev. Bob Matherly officiating. A eulogy will be offered by brother-in-law, Dan Pat-ton. Burial will follow in the Sunset Memorial Park in Beckley. Friends may call 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Melton Mortuary and one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Pallbearers will be family members and men of the church. Donations of sympathy can be made to the Building Fund of the Crab Orchard Baptist Church, P.O. Box 446; Crab Orchard, WV 25827 or the American Cancer Society, NCICFUL; P.O. Box 102454; Atlanta, Ga. 30368-2454. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. on January 9, 2007.¹

     His Social Security Number was 235-54-7546.⁹ Carl Lee Riffe was buried at Maryland Veterans Cemetery (also known as Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery), 11301 Crain Highway, Cheltenham, Prince George's Co., Maryland.^4,10 He was born on September 16, 1931 at Mabscott, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^9,2,4,5,10 He married Eleanor Jean Hampton on June 3, 1953 at Oak Hill, Fayette Co., West Virginia.^2,3,4 Carl Lee Riffe died on April 23, 2002 at Maryland at age 70.^9,4,10 He Chesapeake Beach, Md. - Carl Lee Riffe, 70, died Tuesday April 23, 2002. Born Sept. 16, 1931, in Mabscott, he was the son of the late Charles Walton and Alma Meadows Riffe. Mr. Riffe was raised in Crab Orchard. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Sandra Smith, and a brother Charles Walton Riffe Jr. He was the beloved husband of Jean Riffe and the devoted father of John C. Riffe and his wife, Wanda, of Chesapeake Beach and U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Robert A. Riffe and his wife, Clarissa, of Huntingtown, Md. He married the former Jean Hampton in 1953 and was a graduate of Marshall University, Huntington. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1948 to 1952 and worked as an engineer for 35 years, having retired from NASA in 1994. Mr. Riffe was a member of the Capital Area Light Flyers Club and American Legion Post No. 206 of Chesapeake Beach. He had been a resident of Huntingtown area of Calvert County, Md. since 1974. Mr. Riffe was a devoted and loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and brother. Friends may call 7 to 9 p.m. today at Rausch Funeral Home, 8325 Mount Harmony Lane, Owings, Md., where services will be 1:30 p.m. Friday with the Rev. Robert Hahn officiating. Burial will follow in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Cheltenham, Md. on April 25, 2002.⁴

     Sandra M. "Sandy" Riffe Sandra Riffe Smith, 56, of Golden Lane, Crab Orchard, died Monday, May 28, 2001, in a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born July 22, 1944, in Crab Orchard, she was the daughter of the late Charles Walton and Alma Meadows Riffe. Mrs. Smith was a lifelong resident of Crab Orchard and a member of Crab Orchard Baptist Church, the Fellowship Sunday School Class and the Helen Fitzpatrick Circle. She was previously employed by Gray Lumber Co., Raleigh County Public Service District and Raleigh General Hospital. She was preceded in death by an infant brother, Charles Walton Riffe Jr. Survivors include two sons, Larry Alan Smith and his wife, Michelle, of Crab Orchard and Gary Wayne Smith and his wife, Julie, of Elko, Nev; a daughter, Susan E. Fama and her husband, Andy, of Crab Orchard; five grandchildren, Allegra Smith, Adrianna Smith, Ashley Fama, Laura Smith and Hannah Smith; nine brothers, Ray Riffe of Grandview, Carl Riffe of Huntingtown, Md., Gene Riffe of Hague, Va., Bill Riffe of Crab Orchard, Howard Riffe of Crab Orchard, Jan Riffe of Dawson, Robert Riffe of Crab Orchard, Don Riffe of Roswell, Ga., and S.D. "Butch" Riffe of Crab Orchard; and seven sisters, Ruth Astle of Grandview, Rosanna Looney of Crab Orchard, Mary Ellen Ellifritt of Gainesville, Fla., Vivian Riffe of Crab Orchard, Orpha Loretta Lilly of Columbia, S.C., Rachel Patton of Columbus, Ohio, and Rebecca Schlenker of Crab Orchard. Service will be 11 a.m. today at Crab Orchard Baptist Church with the Rev. Phil Shields and Mr. Ray Arden Looney officiating. Burial will follow in Lester Cemetery. Friends called 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Melton Mortuary, Beckley, and may call one hour before service today at the church. Pallbearers will be Clark Sweptson, Wayne Davis, Alan Moye, Berman Cornett, Bob Martin and Jim Meadows. The family request donations of sympathy be made to the Building Fund, Crab Orchard Baptist Church, P.O. Box 446, Crab Orchard, WV 25827. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Beckley.²
Her Social Security Number was 232-70-3980.⁴ She was buried at Lester Town Cemetery, Lester, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.² Her married name was Smith.² She married Unknown Smith.² Sandra M. "Sandy" Riffe was born on July 22, 1944 at Crab Orchard, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^4,2 She died on May 28, 2001 at Beckley, Raleigh Co., West Virginia, at age 56.^4,2

     David Martin Astle Jr. David Martin Astle, Jr., 88, of Beckley, West Virginia, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at Bowers Hospice House. Born September 25, 1931, he was the son of the late David M. Astle, Sr. and Minnie Mensing Astle of Bridgeton, NJ. As a youth, he attended Friendship Finley Methodist Church in Bridgeton. A graduate of Bridgeton High School, he joined the U.S. Navy in 1949. He later attended the University of Georgia. As a Senior Citizen, he proudly attended classes at Mountain State University, Beckley, WV, and received an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts. Mr. Astle had an interesting and world-wide career as a Flight Engineer on C-130 aircraft. He was employed by Southern Air Transport, Eastern Airlines, the Lockheed Company, and the CIA before retiring. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Riffe Astle; a son, David M. Astle III and his wife Sarah; a daughter, Kelly Marie Astle Carlson, as well as the following grandchildren: Joseph Michael Gilliland, Cathleen Teresa Politino, Clara Maureen Politino, Katie Marie Carlson, Melissa Christine Weiberdink and Alexandra Marie Kamens. He is also survived by one brother, Charles F. (Sheryl) Astle of Alabama, and one sister, Jeanette A. Astle Gelin, of Texas. Additional survivors include Ruth’s children, Steve (Raamy) Winfrey of FL and Karen Sue (Leo) Martin of SC, and many brothers- and sisters-in-law locally. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Katie Elizabeth Mock Astle, in 1989, and his daughter, Kathy Jo Astle Gilliland in 2004. Mr. Astle had been a resident of Georgia for many years, but upon their retirement, he and Ruth made their home in West Virginia. They had many good friends and neighbors in beautiful southern West Virginia, and were most at home with their church family at Trinity Presbyterian Church at Shady Spring. Funeral services will be held at 11 A.M. Tuesday October 22, 2019 at the Melton Mortuary Chapel in Beckley. Friends may call from 10 A.M. until time of service on Tuesday. Burial will follow in the Sunset Memorial Gardens.¹ He was buried at Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.¹ He married Naoma Ruth Riffe, daughter of Charles Walton Riffe and Alma Meadows.^2,1 David Martin Astle Jr. was born on September 25, 1931 at Bridgeton, Cumberland Co., New Jersey.¹ He died on October 20, 2019 at Beckley, Raleigh Co., West Virginia, at age 88.¹

     Don Farmer Lilly was buried at Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^4,3 His Social Security Number was 235-52-2616.⁵ He was born on November 30, 1934 at Beckley, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^2,5 He married Orpha Loretta Riffe, daughter of Charles Walton Riffe and Alma Meadows, on December 4, 1964 at Beckley, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.¹ Don Farmer Lilly died on August 25, 2005 at Columbia, Richland Co., South Carolina, at age 70.^5,3 He Don Farmer Lilly, 70, passed away Thursday evening, Aug. 25, 2005, at his home in Columbia, S.C. He had been in failing health for several months. He is survived by his wife, Orpha Loretta Lilly; a son, Phillip Duane, presently residing in Iraq; and a daughter, Peggy Diane and her husband, Bruce Bales, of Columbia. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Tashina Bales of Narrows, Va., Kristin Bales of Columbia and Charles Walton “Walt” Lilly of Columbia; a sister, Judith Lilly Deal of Houston, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Lola Farmer Lilly and Orice Lilly; a sister, Betty Lilly McLean; and a brother, Jack Lilly. Mr. Lilly was a longtime resident of Beckley. He attended Woodrow Wilson High School of Beckley and Concord College of Athens. Mr. Lilly was a member of Northeast Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Elks for over 40 years. He was employed by Continental Insurance Co. until his retirement in 1998. Service for Mr. Lilly is scheduled for Sunday at Melton Mortuary, Beckley. Visitation is 1 to 3 p.m. and funeral service at 3 p.m. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Park, Beckley. on August 27, 2005.³

     His Social Security Number was 232-48-0830.⁵ Arnold Gene Riffe married Margaret Unknown.¹ Arnold Gene Riffe married Shirley Jean Denny.¹ Arnold Gene Riffe was born on October 28, 1932 at Mabscott, Raleigh Co., West Virginia.^5,1 He died on September 13, 2007 at Richmond, Virginia, at age 74.^1,5 He HAGUE, Va. — Arnold Gene Riffe, 74, died Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007, in a Richmond, Va., hospital due to complications of cancer. He was born Oct. 28, 1932, to the late Charles Walton and Alma Meadows Riffe at Mabscott. He was a graduate of Morris Harvey College (University of Charleston) and the University of Maryland School of Law. He was a retired federal employee, having worked as a certified public accountant. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Shirley Jean Denny Riffe, in 1991; an infant brother, Charles Walton Riffe Jr., in 1927; sister, Sandra Riffe Smith, in 2001; and brother, Carl Lee Riffe, in 2002. He is survived by his loving wife, Margaret S. Riffe. He was the loving father of Shirleen Gail Riffe, Vaughn Kyle (Diane) Riffe and Darleen (Brian) Riffe-Sheedy; stepfather of Christine (Dennis) Blunt, Gregg (Maggie) Schanne, Mark (Donna) Schanne and Troy (Kathy) Schanne; grandfather of Sara Jean Burke, Carlie Patricia Riffe, Kevin Tyler Burke, Rachel Lynn Federline and Kyle Denny Riffe; stepgrandfather of Alisa Schanne, Stephen Schanne, Brian Schanne, Daniel Schanne, Zachery Blunt, Caitlan Schanne, John Schanne, Haley Schanne, Whitney Blunt, Nick Schanne, Sean Blunt and Kevin Schanne. He was the brother of Ruth (David) Riffe Astle, Rosanna Riffe Looney, Mary Ellen (Maywood) Riffe Ellifritt, Vivian Riffe, Orpha Loretta Riffe Lilly, Rachel (Dan) Riffe Patton, Rebecca Riffe, Delmar Ray (Jean) Riffe, Bill Riffe, Howard (Marcella) Riffe, Jan (Margaret) Riffe, Robert Riffe, Don Kyle Riffe, and S.D. “Butch” Riffe; brother-in-law of Richard and Sophia Riehl, Philip and Marilyn Riehl, Loretta and the late Kurt Riehl, and Jean Hampton Riffe. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends called 10 a.m. until time of service at noon Monday, Sept. 17, at Borgwardt Funeral Home, Beltsville, Md. Private interment will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Riffe Memorial, c/o Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 576, Callao, VA 22435. Submitted by Melton Mortuary, Beckley. on September 22, 2007.¹