Obituaries for Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2104.

Published 11:12 am Wednesday, December 3, 2014

David Tackett  

Jan. 2, 1948 — Nov. 30, 2014

David Tackett, 66, of Coal Grove, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, at his residence. He was born Jan. 2, 1948, in Drift, Kentucky, a son of the late Andrew and Fannie Parsons Tackett. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four sisters, Avonell Wiley, Rhoda Marcum, Alice Tackett and Dorothy Tackett; and a brother, Andrew (A.J.) Tackett.

David retired from Chrysler Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, in 1976.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Dora Ann Black Tackett; three children, Sandy (Steve) Rogers, of Kitts Hill, David Lee (Brenda) Tackett, of Pedro, and Diane (Randy) Wise, of Coal Grove; a brother, Martin Tackett, of Coal Grove; 10 grandchildren, Angie (Al) Rigsby, Bradley (Katie) Tackett, Randy (Savannah) Wise, Katlynn Rogers, Kelli Reffitt, Ashley Tackett, Amber Tackett and Brook Russell; four great-grandchildren, Olivia Reffitt, Al Rigsby, Hadley Wise and Greyson Wise; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Slack and Wallace Funeral Home in South Point with pastors Truman Maynard and Randy Tate officiating. Burial will follow at Docks Creek Cemetery in Kenova. Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. today at the funeral home. The family wishes to give a special thanks to Community Hospice. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.slackandwallace.com.

Sharyn Justice

Aug. 16, 1946 — Dec. 1, 2014

Sharyn (Sharry) Waldo Justice, a resident of Ironton and The Villages, Florida, died Monday morning, Dec. 1, 2014, in the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House, after a two-year battle against ovarian cancer.  A revered mother, wife, sister, friend and teacher, Sharry was born in Ironton Aug. 16, 1946, to Edna (Mason) and James Waldo.

She graduated from Ironton High School in 1964 and The Ohio State University in 1968, and taught in the Ironton City and Catholic schools.  She and her husband Greg also were part owners of SpareTime Recreation in Ironton for 10 years.

She is survived by her husband of 35 years, Greg Justice; brothers, Jimmy (Lori) Waldo and Kevin (Alyce) Waldo; daughter, Jaime Smith (Ben) Calnan, of Columbus; son, Jason (Kelly) Smith, of Ironton; grandchildren, Hannah and Luke Mills and Abigail Calnan; stepgrandchildren, Scott and Mark Calnan, of Columbus, and April (Brad) Walker, of San Francisco; and granddaughter, Marley Smith, of Ironton. Sharry also had two stepgreat-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

She and her two brothers were born on the same date (Aug. 16, in different years), landing them in an edition of “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” in the 1960s. She was a devoted fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cleveland Browns and never missed watching a game on TV or live. She loved the home in sunny Florida, in The Villages near Ocala, where she and Greg had lived during winters for the past 12 years. They spent every summer back in Ironton, where Sharry played cards and swam daily with her circle of friends, the LOTAs, at Sta-Tan pool, and loved being close to her children and grandchildren. She also leaves behind a wide circle of close lifelong friends in Ironton and many others in Florida.

Viewing will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Tracy Brammer-Monroe Funeral Home. Additional visitation will be at 11 a.m. Friday with services at noon, with the Rev. Eric Barnes officiating. Burial will follow in Woodland Cemetery. Donations to Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice of Huntington, 3100 Staunton Road, Huntington, WV 25702.

Cecil Whitley

Cecil Robert Whitley, 90, of South Point, husband of Delores “Dutch” Davidson Whitley, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, at King’s Daughters Medical Center. Funeral services are 1 p.m. Friday at Slack and Wallace Funeral Home. Burial will be in Highland Memorial Gardens. Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Condolences may be expressed at www.slackandwallace.com.

David Brown

Aug. 6, 1949 — Dec. 1, 2014

David F. “Brown Bear” Brown Jr., 65, of Ashland, Kentucky, went to be with the Lord at St. Mary’s Medical Center on Monday, Dec. 1, 2014. He was born on Aug. 6, 1949, in Portsmouth, Virginia, to the late David “Pappa Bear” Brown and Lenora Hart Brown of Coal Grove. In addition to his father he was preceded in death by a brother, Stephen Brown.

He was a 1967 graduate of Dawson-Bryant High School, Coal Grove, where he was center on the football team. This earned him the nickname “Toady.” He attended Jackson Manpower Vocational School majoring in auto mechanics and served on the Coal Grove Police Department.  He served the Lawrence County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office as deputy and chief deputy under the administrations of Sheriff James Howell, Sheriff Dan Heironimus and was an investigator for Lawrence County Prosecutor Richard Meyers.

He was a millwright by trade and was a member of the Millwright Local Union 1519.   He was an independent over the road truck driver, which he enjoyed with his late father. He was also owner and operator of Brown Bear Customs. David was a master mechanic and loved the challenge of restoration of any “street rod.” He was an avid car show enthusiast, earning many trophies and awards. He was a member of Pollard Baptist Church where he was baptized.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife and the love of his life, Susie Kelley Brown, of Ashland; a daughter, Davonnia “Bonnie” Sutton and husband Mike and a grandson Rich, of Ironton; brothers Danny (Debbie) Brown, of Ironton, Tim Brown, of Coal Grove; sisters, Beckey (Andy) Bowen, of Ironton, and Katy (Dave) Ford, of Coal Grove; a brother-in-law, James Kelley of Ashland; his mother-in-law, Jane Click, of Ashland; four nephews, three nieces, two great-nephews, four great-nieces, one great-great-niece; his best friend, Richard Meade, of Ashland; a close friend, LuElla Crabtree, of South Point; and a multitude of cousins and friends; and  his three special fur babies, Katybird, Little John and Edgil.

“David was a one-of-a-kind person and losing him leaves an empty hole in our lives but we know he has reunited with loved ones that have gone on before.” He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Funeral services will be noon on Thursday at Steen Funeral Home-Central Avenue Chapel with the Rev. Gary Arrington officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Burial Park. Visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 10 a.m. until service time on Thursday.

Friends may make contributions in his memory to Shop with a Trooper, 5975 U.S. 60, Ashland, Kentucky  41102.

Online condolences may be made to www.steenfuneralhome.com

Diane Keffer

Diane R. Keffer, 69, of Ironton, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, at Community Hospice Care Center in Ashland.

She was retired from Rock Hill Schools with 25 years service.

She also had seven years of service with Walmart and attended Conerstone Bible Church, South Point.  She was preceded in death by her first husband, Curtis Webb.  Survivors include her husband, James Keffer; two sons, Ray Webb (Debbie), of Edwardsburg, Michigan, and Larry Dean Webb (Missy), of Ironton; four stepchildren, Randy Keffer (Christie), of South Point, Thomas Keffer, of Wurtland, Kentucky, Cindy Douglas (Alvin), of Orlando, Florida, and Kelly Smoot, of Huntington, West Virginia; one brother, Larry Fraley (Janie), of Ironton; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Saturday  at West Ironton Church of the Nazarene. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Community Hospice, Ashland.  Slack and Wallace Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.