Obituaries for Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014

Published 11:29 am Wednesday, November 26, 2014

John Gornall

John Lowell Gornall, Sr., 93, passed away Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. A son of Appalachia, he was raised on the Brookside Dairy Farm at Polkadotte, Ohio, in the hills north of Ironton. Lowell was valedictorian of the 1940 Mason-Aid High School class and was an all-around athlete.

He answered his country’s call in 1942 when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. After Officer’s Candidate School, Lowell married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy (“Dottie”) Louise Matney in 1942 at Oakland Chapel, Oak Ridge Road, Aid.

After WWII, Lowell and Dottie briefly returned home. Dottie served as the pianist and Lowell served as Sunday School superintendent at Oakland Chapel (their “home church”). They were always active in and generously supported a church wherever they lived as well as their home church.

In 1948, Lowell returned to the Air Force as a Captain stationed on Guam Island in the Pacific. From there and later in Japan, he planned and then managed munitions for round the clock B-29 bombing missions in Korea. During his Air Force career, he was stationed in Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Alabama, the Pentagon, California, Japan, Germany and Guam. During those years, he earned a B.A. degree from the George Washington University.

Of his many military decorations and honors, he was most proud of his Bronze Star, earned for supervising munition operations during the Korean War and disarming numerous dangerous bombs, his Legion of Medal, being selected to serve on the site response teams for two accidentally dropped nuclear weapons, and his Small Arms Expert Marksman Medal. He earned a reputation for taking care of and mentoring officers and enlisted men and women serving under his command, especially younger folks. He retired as a colonel after serving 31 years, including WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

After retirement, Lowell and Dottie lived in Lynn Haven, Florida, where they were active members of Lynn Haven Presbyterian Church. They established the Viking Scholarship Endowment Fund to provide annual college scholarships for Symmes Valley Ohio High School students. After Dottie’s death in 1998, Lowell moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to be near his son, John, Jr., John’s wife, Susan, and his grandsons, Matney, Ian and Colin. He was lovingly assisted and cared for by his companion, Mrs. Patricia McGuinn.

At the age of 90, he was still playing golf and winning Senior Olympic events.

For many years Lowell and his brother George, an Army WWII veteran, marched in the Ironton Memorial Day Parade. He was Honorary Grand Marshall in 2009 and the old colonel could not resist marching instead of riding. He marched in 2010 and 2011; but rode in 2013.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Eva Rebecca Harmon and John Gilbert Gornall; his brothers, Harold Harmon and George Henry; and his sister, Rosa Marylene Willis.

He is survived by his son; daughter-in-law; three grandsons, all of whom live in Atlanta, Georgia; many friends and many good memories. His vitality, generosity, sense of humor, work ethic and curiosity were, are and will be an inspiration to those who knew and loved him.

Memorial services will be held at Lynn Haven Presbyterian Church, 810 Georgia Avenue, Lynn Haven, Florida 32444 (850-265-2051) with Dr. Dan Mitchell officiating. Burial will follow with full military honors at the Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 3733 N. U.S. Highway 231 (850-769-3395). Kent Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 2403 Harrison Avenue, Panama City (850-763-4694) is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Wellesley, MA, or Lymphoma Research Foundation, New York.

Rozella Holschuh

March 28, 1930 — Nov. 24, 2014

Rozella Holschuh, 84, of Ironton, passed away Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, at a local health care facility. The Lawrence County native was born March 28, 1930, the daughter of the late Leonard and Minnie Jones Wilson. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Merrill Holschuh.

Mrs. Holschuh attended Ironton High School and was a homemaker.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three sons, Billy Ray Holschuh, James Lee Holschuh and David A. Holschuh; three sisters, Colleen Martin, Mary Hicks and Linda Woolum; three brothers, Donald Wilson, Russell Wilson and Warren Wilson; a grandson, Chauncey Neal III; and an infant son.

She is survived by two daughters, Kathy Ritter, of Ironton, and Brenda (Chauncey Jr.) Neal, of Kitts Hill; a brother, Raymond Wilson, of Ironton; four sisters: Hazel Boyer and Clara Sturgill, both of Ironton, Ella Neece, of Liberty, North Carolina, and Edith Keyes, of Columbus; seven grandchildren, Billy Ritter, Tonya Evans, Crystal Neal, Amy Scott, Craig Neal, Jimmy Holschuh and Austin Holschuh; and 13 great-grandchildren, Jimmy Stewart, Haley Litton, Blake Neal, Caden Neal, Brooklynn Litton, Emma Neal, Alexia Scott, Zachree Scott, Amber Ritter, Brayden Holschuh, Kylie Holschuh, Michael Evans and Karlena Evans.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Phillips Funeral Home with Pastor Penny Edwards officiating. Burial will follow in Woodland Cemetery and visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.phillipsfuneralhome.net.

Donald Sisler

Oct. 11, 1946 — Nov. 23, 2014

Donald Sisler, 68, of Ironton, passed away Monday, Nov. 23, 2014, at the King’s Daughters Medical Center with his family at his side.

He was born Oct. 11, 1946, a son of the late George Sisler and the late Leva Lewis. Donald was a graduate of Rock Hill High School, a former manager of the Star Gas Station in Ironton, was a great dad who loved to hunt and was very sociable.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by four brothers, Earl, Fred, Gaylord and Paul David; and a sister, Rose Duvendeck.

He is survived by a son, Donald Lee Sisler Jr.; two daughters, Ladonna Sisler and Marianne (Shawn Ratcliff) Sisler; two brothers, Walter Sisler and George (Pat) Sisler; two sisters, Charlotte ( Harold) Pruitt and Jean Webb; two grandchildren, Chance and Haylee Sisler; a former wife, Kathy Sisler Blevins; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday in the chapel of Brown Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Jeff Cremeans officiating. Burial will follow in the Lagrange Cemetery.

Friends may call from noon until time of services at the chapel. Friends may share memories and condolences on the Facebook page for Brown Funeral Chapel.

The family has entrusted his care to Brown Funeral Chapel in Ironton.

Agnes Biggins

Feb. 9, 1926 — Nov. 22, 2014

Agnes George Biggins, 88, of Ft. Pierce, Florida, died Nov. 22, 2014, in Ironton. She was born on Feb. 9, 1926, in Ashtabula, daughter of John and Helen Cozadd George.

Prior to living in Ft. Pierce, she was a longtime resident of Bellaire and was a faithful member of Bellaire First United Methodist Church. She was also a faithful member of Lakewood Park United Methodist Church in Florida.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Biggins. Agnes is survived by five children, daughters Constance Dunn, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and her husband Mark, Susan Franz, of Ironton, and her husband Howard and three sons, Robert, of Byesville, and his wife Kathy, William, of Richmond, Virginia, and his wife Terri, and Dale, of Port Saint Luce, Florida, and his wife, Lief. Additionally, she is survived by eight grandchildren, Jamie Biggins Wells, Andy Biggins, Martha Dunn-McCue, Katherine Dunn Rossi, Brandon Runyon, Ian Runyon, Jared Biggins and Tyler Biggins. She also has five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be planned for the spring. Memorial contributions can be made to First United Methodist Church in Bellaire, OH, or Lakewood Park United Methodist Church in Ft. Pierce, FL. Family guestbook at www.klingelcarpenter.com.

Linda Myers

Linda Carol Myers, 47, of Proctorville, died Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, at Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Durham, North Carolina. Arrangements are pending at Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, Proctorville.

Grace Schwede

Grace Schwede, 58, of Ironton, died Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland. She is survived by her husband, David Schwede. There will be a memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at Cox Funeral Home, 1376 High Street, Wadsworth. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.phillipsfuneralhome.net.

Pamela Scarberry

Pamela Scarberry, 58, formerly of Lawrence County, died Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014, at Christ Hospital Cincinnati. Hall Funeral Home and Crematory, Proctorville, is in charge of arrangements.

Marlene Belville

Marlene Callicoat Belville, 88, of Gallipolis, formerly of the Swan Creek Community, died Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, at Holzer Medical Center, Gallipolis. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday in the McCoy-Moore Funeral Home, Wetherholt Chapel, Gallipolis, with pastor Alvis Pollard and chaplain Fred Williams officiating. Burial will follow in Swan Creek Cemetery, Crown City. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to www.mccoymoore.com