Person Page - 3998

     Peggy Ann Bratton and Carlton Lynwood Howell were divorced.⁴ Her Social Security Number was 230-38-0207.³ Peggy Ann Bratton was born on August 9, 1934 at Pulaski, Pulaski Co., Virginia.^1,2,3 As of November 11, 1955,her married name was Howell.¹ She married Carlton Lynwood Howell, son of William Jackson "Willie" Howell Sr. and Audrey May Furrow, on November 11, 1955 at Vinton, Roanoke Co., Virginia.¹ Peggy Ann Bratton died on December 27, 2006 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 72.^3,5

     Martin Luther Avis was buried at Fair View Cemetery, 3300 Melrose Ave. N.W., Roanoke, Virginia.^1,3 He was born on January 25, 1904 at Roanoke, Virginia.^1,3,4 He married Hattie Bell Howell, daughter of Charles Albert "Charlie" Howell and Amanda Ester Wimmer, on January 9, 1943 at Roanoke, Virginia.^1,2,3,5 Martin Luther Avis died on June 3, 1957 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 53.^1,3,5 He Martin L. (Skip) Avis, 53, died Monday afternoon at his home, 421 Fourth St., S SW. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Hattie Howell Avis, a daughter, Mrs. G. E. Lyons, California; a sister and two brothers: Mrs. Lois Brouduss, Skokie, Ill; Harry Avis, Roanoke; and Bitts Avis, Newport News. on June 5, 1957.⁵

     Roscoe William Basham was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, 5737 Airport Road NW, Roanoke, Virginia.^1,5,3 He was born on April 3, 1904 at Roanoke, Virginia.^1,2,4 He married Pauline Elizabeth Howell, daughter of Charles Albert "Charlie" Howell and Amanda Ester Wimmer, on July 10, 1925 at Roanoke, Virginia.^1,6,2 Roscoe William Basham died on January 16, 1971 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 66.^1,3 He Roscoe William Basham, 66, of 2304 Rush Street, NW, died Saturday in a Roanoke hospital. He was a retired letter carrier for the U.S. Post Office. Surviving are his wife, Pauline E. Basham; two daughters, Mrs. Merline B. Melson, Vinton, Mrs. Louise B. Hodges, Roanoke; three brothers, Harry L. Basham, Randolph C. Basham, J. Aubrey Basham, Roanoke; a sister, Mrs. Mabel Hartman, Norfolk. Burial in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. on January 17, 1971.³

     Louise Thelma Basham was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, 5737 Airport Road NW, Roanoke, Virginia.^9,5 Her Social Security Number was 231-24-6148.¹¹ She and Ernest Frederick Hodges Sr. were divorced at Roanoke, Virginia.² Louise Thelma Basham was born on October 20, 1925 at Roanoke, Virginia.^2,3,4 As of November 16, 1946,her married name was Hodges.² She married Ernest Frederick Hodges Sr. on November 16, 1946 at Roanoke, Virginia.² Louise Thelma Basham died on April 6, 2006 at Roanoke, Virginia, at age 80.^4,9,12 She Louise Basham (Snooky) Hodges, 79, of Roanoke, passed away Thursday, April 6, 2006. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roscoe W. and Pauline E. Basham, her daughter Brenda Hodges Ballou, and her sister Mearline Basham Miller Melson. Survivors include her son, Ernest F. "Buddy" Hodges; niece, Carolyn Miller Straughen and her husband, W. Kelly Straughen, Sr. of Harrisonburg; nephews, L. David Miller and his wife, Yvonne Mills Miller of Vinton and A. G. Melson, Jr. and his wife, Susan C. Melson of Roanoke. Also surviving are seven great-nieces and great-nephews, W. Kelly Straughen, Jr. of Harrisonburg, Erin Kate Straughen and her fianc Douglas Pascarella of Port Republic, Summer Miller Jones and her husband, Michael Jones of Grand Junction, Colo., Darren M. Petty of Roanoke, Lauren E. Petty of Roanoke, W. Kirk Straughen of Port Republic and Jonathan T. Melson of Roanoke; and lastly, a great-great-nephew, Miller Otley Jones of Grand Junction, Colo. Louise graduated from William Fleming High School and was a great pet lover and caregiver and was an advocate for the humane treatment of animals. Her special interest included shopping and fashion and she was a lover of music. Mrs. Hodges was a community services program driver for the League of Older Americans for more than ten years. She filled in as a volunteer on any Meals-on-Wheels route which did not have a driver for any given day. She would run as many as three routes, reaching more than sixty shut-ins. Those receiving the meals looked forward to the friendly visits from "Snooky" Hodges and she developed a close relationship with those on every route throughout the Greater Roanoke area. In addition to working tirelessly for the League of Older Americans, she cared for her mother until her mothers death in 1994. Interment will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. on April 10, 2006.⁹

     His Social Security Number was 224-24-3986.⁷ Ernest Frederick Hodges Sr. was buried at Monte Vista Church of the Brethren Cemetery, 25 Wades Gap Road, Callaway, Franklin Co., Virginia.^2,3,5 He and Louise Thelma Basham were divorced at Roanoke, Virginia.¹ Ernest Frederick Hodges Sr. was born on March 14, 1923 at Callaway, Franklin Co., Virginia.^8,7,3,9,4,6 He married Louise Thelma Basham, daughter of Roscoe William Basham and Pauline Elizabeth Howell, on November 16, 1946 at Roanoke, Virginia.¹ Ernest Frederick Hodges Sr. died on October 6, 1985 at Salem, Roanoke Co., Virginia, at age 62.^2,3,5,10 He Ernest Frederick Hodges 62, of 415 Riverland Rd. SE, died Sunday in a Salem hospital. He is survived by one son, Buddy Hodges, Roanoke; one daughter, Mrs. Brenda Hodges Ballou, Tampa, Fla; his mother, Mrs. Ella Grubb Hodges, Roanoke; four brothers, Willford, Hodges, Boones Mill; Wilbur Hodges, Calloway; Luther Hodges, Hopewell; Henry Hodges, Kings Mountain, North Carolina; four sisters, Mrs. Martha Stilwell, Vinton; Mrs. Mildred Slocum, Mrs. Ida Holt, Roanoke; Mrs. Sara Nichols, Hopewell; a dear friend, Helen Sledd, Roanoke. Interment will be in the Monte Vista Church of the Brethren Cemetery. on October 7, 1985.⁵

     Her Social Security Number was 231-24-3610.⁸ Her married name was Miller.⁸ Mearline V. Basham was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, 5737 Airport Road NW, Roanoke, Virginia.^3,4 She married Ollie Jackson "Jack" Miller.^11,3 Mearline V. Basham was born on October 13, 1927 at Roanoke, Virginia.^2,8,12,5 As of March 3, 1963,her married name was Melson.² She married Allie Gene Melson Sr. on March 3, 1963 at Bedford Co., Virginia.^2,3 Mearline V. Basham and Allie Gene Melson Sr. were divorced on December 11, 1968 at Roanoke Co., Virginia.¹² Mearline V. Basham died on July 23, 2004 at Roanoke Co., Virginia, at age 76.^8,11,3,4 She Mearline B. Miller Melson, of Vinton, passed away Friday, July 23, 2004. She was a daughter of Roscoe and Pauline Howell Basham, formerly of Roanoke. She was also preceded in death by her husbands, Ollie Jackson Miller and Allie Gene Melson. She was a member of First Baptist Church, Roanoke, and retired from the Norfolk-Southern Corporation with 30 years of dedicated service. While there, she was the National Association of Railroad Business Womens Chapter President, District I Director, and National Woman of the Year 1998. She was active with the Roanoke City Rescue Mission and their Women's Shelter. She was very dedicated to the program of the Bible Study Fellowship. She was a member of the Second Amendment Sisters and a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. Ms. Melson graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Western Community College with an Associate degree in Applied Science with a Major in Management. She was a member of Kiwanis and the Christian Women's Association. Surviving are three children and their spouses, Carolyn Miller Straughen and husband W. Kelly Straughen, of Harrisonburg, L. David Miller and wife Yvonne Mills Miller, of Vinton, A.G. Melson, Jr. and wife Susan C. Melson, of Roanoke County; seven grandchildren, W. Kelly Straughen, Jr., E. Kate Straughen, W. Kirk Straughen, Summer Miller Jones and husband Michael D. Jones, Darren M. Petty, Lauren E. Petty, Jonathan T. Melson; and a sister, Louise B. Hodges of Roanoke. Burial will be in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. on July 25, 2004.³

     Allie Gene Melson Sr. was buried at Loughridge Cemetery, Cross Co., Arkansas.^4,7,8 His Social Security Number was 429-20-4330.⁵ He was born on January 27, 1923 at Wynne Cross, St. Francis Co., Arkansas.^2,4,7,5,6,8 He married Mearline V. Basham, daughter of Roscoe William Basham and Pauline Elizabeth Howell, on March 3, 1963 at Bedford Co., Virginia.^1,3 Allie Gene Melson Sr. and Mearline V. Basham were divorced on December 11, 1968 at Roanoke Co., Virginia.² Allie Gene Melson Sr. died on May 20, 1997 at Mountain Home, Baxter Co., Arkansas, at age 74.^4,7,5,8,9 He A.G. "Gene" Melson of Mountain Home died Tuesday (May 20, 1997). He was 74. He was an airline pilot for Piedmont Airlines for 32 years and moved here from Virginia Beach, Va., in 1983. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Past Commander of Arkansas Wing of Civil Air Patrol, founder of Twin Lakes Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol and a former member of Kiwanis. He was an Army Air Corps B-17 bomber pilot in Europe during World War II. Mr. Melson was born Jan. 27, 1923, at St. Francis County, Ark., to Walter Lee and Margaret Murrah Melson. He and Patricia A.G. "Gene" Melson were married June 7, 1969, at Greenville, N.C. He is survived by wife, at home; two daughters, Beverly Doyle husband, Johnny, of Charlotte, N.C., and Kim Melson Fe, N.M; a son, A.G. Melson Jr. and his wife, Susan, Va; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his five brothers and one sister. Graveside will be at the Loughridge Cemetery. on May 22, 1997.⁷

     Ollie Jackson "Jack" Miller A 34-year-old pilot for the Virginia Airmotive Service, Roanoke, and his two passengers from Roanoke's Woodrum Field met death violently yesterday at approximately 10:30 a.m. when their single engine four-passenger Cessna 182 airplane crashed on Big Mountain approximately 18 miles south of Covington. Ollie J. (Jack) Miller, 34, Vinton, Va., is listed as the pilot of the plane. The two passengers have been identified as Russell E. Ames, 39, who lived at 298 150th. St., Cleveland, O. Ames was a project engineer for the Industrial Rayon Corp. and was on his way to Covington. The other body was identified as David C. McVey, 47, of 2016 Central Ave., Wilmette, Ill. McVey was headed for the Homestead at Hot Springs for a meeting of Climax Molybdexum Co. The stricken plane was headed for the local airport when it crashed. Airmotive officials stated last night that the plane was to discharge the two passengers here and pick up another passenger and return to Roanoke. The light, single engine 1958 model Cessna clipped the top out of a yellow poplar tree, plunging approximately 75 feet down into the side of the mountain with the top section of the tree falling on top of the fuselage, trapping the three men. The crash was witnessed by Paul Craft, Mallow resident, who was hunting with Ernest Andrews, Fairlawn. Craft told the Virginian reporter that he watched the plane in its downward flight and said he didn't believe the engine was running on the plane. The plane made a loud noise, Craft said, and the noise got louder as it descended. It looked like it was flying slow, Craft added. He said he walked over the crest of the mountain and down into Botetourt County forest to the scene of the wreckage. Craft said, "I looked things over and looked for signs of life. I started to leave and then hollered to see if anyone was alive. I saw there was no way to get them out with the tree on top of the plane" Following this, Craft ascended to the top of Big Mountain, tied a red flag to mark the spot on top and descended for help. High winds present on the mountain could have helped pull the plane down to the tree tops. Gusts of wind hampered the search party as it climbed the long mountainside. Craft walked back to the foot of the Big Mountain to the home of M. W. Wolfe where he tried to call for help, but couldn't get the phone connection. He then walked approximately three-fourths of a mile to the home of Percy Craft on Route 618. Craft called the Alleghany County Sheriff's Department who was summoned to the scene along with the State Police, the Clifton Forge Rescue Squad and the Covington First Aid Squads. Game Warden Harry Bunch and Virginia State Police trooper. H. C. Overstreet arrived first at the foot of the mountain where they met Craft. The three men along with this Virginian reporter and members of both rescue squads started the long climb. The jungle-type thickness of briers and mountain shrubs made the going rough on the rescue teams. Craft led the group of approximately 14 men to the top of the mountain where he had marked the spot. The group had spread out and the rest of the party was met at the crash scene. The rescue teams scanned the wreckage. Clifton Forge squadmen Buster Farrar climbed atop the wreckage and leaned into the cabin of the plane to see if anyone was alive. He called back, "There are two in here and both are dead." At the moment only two of the victims were visible. The third was Miller who was pinned beneath the wreckage. The problem of getting the large poplar tree off the plane faced the team. With axes and saws it proceeded to saw off some of the smaller limbs. Then they ripped the wing away that was still partially intact to the fuselage to get to the body of Ames, the first to be brought out. All three of the bodies were badly mangled from the impact of the crash. The workers had to saw into the side of the cabin of the plane to get to the body of McVey. Miller was the last body to be brought from the plane's wreckage. It took the rescue team approximately 50 minutes to get to the wreckage. It reached the scene at 1:30 p.m. and was getting the first out in approximately 20 minutes. The wreckage was located one-fourth of a mile into Botetourt County near the line junction of Craig and Alleghany Counties. The boulder-strewn Big Mountain with its rough terrain made the going rough for the teams in bringing the bodies out. The squads carried two stretchers and a third was improvised at the wreckage. The bodies were then transported out of the dense forest and down the mountain where a jeep, owned by Gene Arthur, a member of the Covington First Aid Squad, cut the distance of the journey to approximately one and a half miles. The impact of the plane when it struck the tall tree possibly killed all of the occupants instantly. The impact threw the engine from the Cessna 182 some 45 feet ahead on the wreckage with parts strewn over the mountainside. The propellor of the fatal plane lay up the mountainside another 35 feet as did the right wing. The other wing stayed intact. Landing gears and one of the doors were thrown a considerable distance from the plane. The plane was a mass of entangled metal under the wedge of the tree it struck. The tall poplar seemed to be the only tree that the plane struck and if it could have flown over that one safely, Miller may have brought the craft out of the mountains safely. Jim Cantrell, Clifton Forge Rescue Squad member and also a pilot, found the plane's altimeter had a reading of 30.20 when the crash took place or an altitude between 4,000 and 5,000 feet. Airmotive officials said last night that Miller was a good polit and had been flying with them for two to three years. The plane had an original destination for Hot Springs but bad weather and turbulent winds forced Miller to head for Covington. The bodies of the three men were transported in the emergency vehicles of the two squads to Nicely's Funeral Home in Clifton Forge. Miller's body was taken last night to Watson's Funeral Home Vinton. Ames' body was taken to Loving's Funeral Home in Covington and the body of McVey was shipped to Pittsburgh via train this morning. Miller is survived by his wife and a son and a daughter, his parents and a brother, all of Vinton. McVey leaves a wife and four daughters, ages seven to 16. McVey had arrived in Roanoke and spent Monday night there. Ames had arrived yesterday morning, chartering the taxi service yesterday. W. Clayton Lemon, owner of the Airmotive Service, stated that this was the first accident for his company. Mrs. Miller waited in Lemon's office yesterday until it was established there were no survivors of the crash. Cadets and members of the Alleghany Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol stayed with the wreckage during the night. Civil Aeronautics Investigator Gowin of Richmond is scheduled to comb the wreckage today to probe the cause of the crash. J. E. Rexrode, New Trooper Castle, and Sgt. W. E. Lambert of the state police were at the scene. Rexrode went into the crash area with the rescue team. Entrances to Rt. 618 were blocked to keep vehicles other than emergency groups from making the narrow dirt road a complete botttleneck.⁸ He was buried at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens, 5737 Airport Road NW, Roanoke, Virginia.^1,2,4 He married Mearline V. Basham, daughter of Roscoe William Basham and Pauline Elizabeth Howell.^1,3 Ollie Jackson "Jack" Miller was born on February 9, 1924 at Vinton, Roanoke Co., Virginia.^1,2,4,5,6,7 He died on November 17, 1959 at Botetourt Co., Virginia, at age 35.^1,2,4,8

     Brenda Joyce Hodges Ballou, Brenda H., 44, of Tampa, died Tuesday (June 30, 1998) at home. Born in Roanoke, Va., she moved to the Tampa area in 1976. She was a medical transcriptionist. Survivors include her fiance, Jerry Daniels, Tampa; and her mother, Louise Thelma Hodges, Roanoke.³ Her married name was Ballou.¹ She married Unknown Ballou.^1,4 Brenda Joyce Hodges was born on August 27, 1947 at Roanoke, Virginia.² She died on June 30, 1998 at Tampa, Hillsborough Co., Florida, at age 50.^5,3

     Jo Anne Price was buried at Boca Raton Municipal Cemetery and Mausoleum, 451 S. W. 4th Avenue, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Co., Florida.³ She was born on July 30, 1936 at Roanoke, Virginia.¹ As of April 13, 1955,her married name was Herring.⁴ She married Joseph Allen Herring on April 13, 1955 at Washington, D.C..⁴ Jo Anne Price and Joseph Allen Herring were divorced on December 16, 1959 at Prince William Co., Virginia.⁵ As of November 6, 1961,her married name was Sumpter.⁶ Jo Anne Price married Paul Edward Sumpter on November 6, 1961 at Arlington Co., Virginia.⁶ Jo Anne Price died in 1986.³