Obituaries for May 3, 2024

James Darnell Cox

James Darnell Cox, 81, of Bastian died Monday, April 29, 2024.

Born Jan. 29, 1943, in Bland County, he was the son of the late James Alfred Cox and Ruby Lucille Starling Cox.

He served six years in the U.S. Army Reserves. He was a simple man who enjoyed making knives, picking blackberries and shooting his numerous guns. He kept the cleanest pool in Bland County. He enjoyed spending his time outdoors, enjoying the sunshine and working in the flower beds. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Paul Eugene Cox, Ricky Wayne Cox, and sister, Janet Lee.

Survivors include siblings Darlene Lambert and husband, Joe, of Ceres, Blake Cox of Wytheville, Faye Hill and husband, David, of Fries, David Cox and wife, Darlene, of Bastian, and Norman Michael Cox and wife, Lynn, of Bastian; special nieces and nephew, Jessica Meadows, April Farley, and Matthew Cox; and several nieces, nephews and four great-nieces and -nephews.

Burial was at Bethany Cemetery in Ceres.

Bland Funeral Chapel is serving the Cox Family.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.highlandfuneralservice.com

Tamera “Tammy” DeBord

Tamera “Tammy” DeBord, 66, died Thursday, May 2, 2024 at her home in Marion.

Walter J. Jones

Walter J. Jones, 83, died Monday, April 29, at Mountain Laurel Rehab Center in Rural Retreat.

Jones was born in Smyth County on July 31, 1940, to the late Henry and Georgia Snavely Jones. Along with his parents, he is also preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Arnold Jones; brothers Henry Jones Jr., Carl Jones, Roy Jones, Raymond Jones, C.R. Jones and Steve Jones; and his sisters Ruth Henderson, Hazel McFarlane, and Margaret Anders.

Jones was a founding member of the Atkins Volunteer Fire Department and enjoyed watching NASCAR, baseball, playing cards, and collecting Coca Cola memorabilia. He worked at Dr Pepper for more than six years, then retired from Coca Cola as plant manager after 20 years, and later worked for R.C. Cola for more than 10 years.

Survivors include, his son, Harvey Jones; brothers Earnest Jones and wife, Carol, and Harold Jones; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends that he loved to play cards with.

Burial was at Rose Lawn Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley’s Funeral Home of Marion is serving the Jones family.

Rita Mae Mabry Mahone

Rita Mae Mabry Mahone, 85, of Wytheville died April 30, 2024.

Born April 2, 1939, at 7 months gestation, she began her fight in life at an early age. She is preceded in death by her father, Buford Clyde Mabry Sr. of Barren Springs and her mother Mary Ester Lovell Mabry of Barren Springs.

She is survived by her best friend and loving sister Mary Ruth Bruce of Chandler, Texas, sister Evelyn Payne and brother BC Mabry; son Kenneth and wife, Cindy Dalton, of Dugspur, daughter Barbara and husband, Steve Thomas, of Laurel Fork, son Jeff and wife, Robyn Dalton of Bluefield, West Virginia, and daughter Teri and husband, Stacey Gray, of Pulaski. She raised her children early as young mechanics and avid Mopar fans.

She is loved by her grandchildren Nathan Skeeter of Winston Salem, North Carolina, Dusty and wife, Ashton Dalton, of Galax, Andrea DePauw of Milton, Florida, Van and wife, Julia Haynes, of Greensboro, North Carolina, Amanda and husband, Scott Quesenberry, of Sylvatus, Virginia, Autumn and husband, Jonathan Snider, of Pulaski, Sarah and husband, Cody Gibbs, of Pulaski, Shanna and husband, Dakota Witt, of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Zac Harrison and Jakob Holstein of Bluefield, West Virginia; 10 .great-grandchildren, Alexis June, Blake Skeeter, Zachary Skeeter, Caden Dalton, Noah Dalton, Logan DePauw, Wyatt DePauw, Declan Lowe, Charlotte Snider and Aurora Gibbs; and one great-great-granddaughter Paisley June.

Mahone was a lifelong member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Wytheville, attending for more than 40 years. She was loved and cherished by her family and church friends. She left a Godly impact on everyone she met and is now resting in the arms of the Lord.

Viewing will be at Fellowship Baptist Church in Wytheville on Friday, May 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. with the services to follow.

Graveside service will be held at Foster Falls Cemetery in Foster Falls at her family cemetery on Saturday, May 4, at 1 p.m. where she will be laid to rest next to her father and mother. All services will be officiated by the Rev. Andrew Davis of Fellowship Baptist Church.

Flowers are appreciated but in lieu of flowers, donations can be also be made to Granite Christian Academy in honor of Rita’s legacy at Fellowship Baptist Church where Granite Christian Academy is located.

Reese Funeral Home, Austinville, is serving the Mahone family.

Howard Zane McGhee

Howard Zane McGhee died May 1, 2024.

He was born on Sept.17, 1934, to the late Garland McGhee and Martha Lamie McGhee. He is also preceded in death by his twin brother, Harold McGhee, and his son, Howard (Rodney) McGhee.

McGhee was deeply involved in his community, serving as a charter member of the Atkins Vol Fire Dept and the Atkins Ruritan Club. Additionally, he was an active member of the Marion Civitan Club and Davis Memorial Methodist Church. He went to Haiti several times for mission work. His commitment to education led him to graduate from Rich Valley High School in 1954 and later complete the UVA School of Banking. He dedicated a total of eight years to military service, serving two years in the U.S. Army and six years in the Army Reserves. After a distinguished 36-year career, McGhee retired from Wells Fargo Bank.

In his spare time, McGhee pursued various hobbies. He enjoyed hunting in Tanersville and would bring his camera in place of a gun to capture the beauty. McGhee loved fishing at South Holston Lake and exploring with his metal detector. He shared his passion for astronomy with his grandson and held a deep knowledge of American history. Traveling extensively, he and his wife visited every U.S. state except Alaska and took several trips to Canada and Mexico.

McGhee is survived by his wife of 67 years, Jane McGhee; daughter, Marsha Powley, and husband, Todd; grandson, Benton Powley, and wife Breanne; granddaughter, Erin Powley, and husband Tyler; daughter-in-law, Janet McGhee, and his sister, Donna McGhee.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, May 5, at Bradley’s Funeral Home in Marion with the Rev. Harry Howe officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 1-2 p.m. prior to services. Interment will follow in Ridgedale Cemetery in Rich Valley. Memorial contributions can be made to the Davis Memorial UMC, PO Box 389, Atkins, VA 24311. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley’s Funeral Home is serving the McGhee family.

Robert Brent Moore III

Robert Brent Moore III, beloved “Uncle B,” died April 28, 2024, after suffering a major stroke.

Moore was born on March 19, 1971, in Kingsport, Tennessee, to Robert Brent Moore Jr. and Connie Catron Moore. The family relocated to Wytheville and he graduated from George Wythe High School in 1989. With his quick wit and good nature, he was always ready to be in the center of any good time; in addition, Moore was known to his high school friends as just the gentlest and sweetest soul.

After high school, Moore went to James Madison University and finished in 1995 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Immediately after college, he lived and worked in Charlotte, North Carolina, but returned home to Wytheville and for years helped care for his nephews, Jacob and Ethan Deane, and provided everything from basic babysitting services to a much-used friends and family taxi service. He picked up anyone at anytime to keep them safe from harm if they needed a ride home. He also worked on the family’s holly farm and for a subsidiary of Direct TV.

Moore never met a stranger, and you could always count on him to make you feel loved and welcomed. He was good and genuine all the way to his core.

In his final years, Moore provided loving care to his parents prior to both of their deaths and enabled them both to stay comfortably in their own home.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Brent Moore Jr. and Connie C. Moore and one cousin, Charles Ross Moore.

He is survived by his sister Karen M. Miller and her husband, LTC (R) Etthan C. Miller, of Wytheville; nephews Jacob E. Deane and wife, Dr. Mackenzie K. Deane, of Winchester, Virginia, and Ethan N. Deane of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; nieces Lauren Boothe and husband, Christopher Boothe ,of Kernersville, North Carolina, and Eden Miller of Wytheville; and several cousins.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association at diabetes.org or to St. John’s Episcopal Church.

The family is being cared for by Barnett Funeral Home.

Lorretta Jean Phipps

Lorretta Jean Phipps, 86, died Thursday, May 2, 2024, at Deer Meadows Assisted Living in Abingdon.

Herman Lynn Wynn

Herman Lynn Wynn, 67, died Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at Johnson City Medical Center in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Wynn was born in Bluefield, West Virginia, to the late William Thomas Wynn and Clara Kegley Wynn, and was also preceded in death by his brother, Donnie Wynn and his sister, Judy Lewis.

Wynn served in the US Army and retired from the Marion Correctional Treatment Center as a correctional officer. He was a member of the Smyth County Moose Lodge and had served as an officer in the Black Diamond Moose Legion. Wynn enjoyed darts, horseshoes, pool and riding horses.

Survivors include, his wife, Wanda Wynn; children, Cansada Caldwell and husband, Mike, and Cassie Wynn and Matthew Bray; grandchildren Theron Schmidt and Grey-C Schmidt, Journey Bray, Sayge Bray, Elizabeth Ann Caldwell and Edessa Lynn Caldwell; brother, Gary Wynn; sisters Ruth Peoples, Sylvia Hehemann and Shirley Akers; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m., on Friday, May 3, at Bradley’s Funeral Home in Marion with the Rev. Mike Sage officiating. The family will receive friends on Friday from 5-7 p.m. prior to services. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Rose Lawn Cemetery with full military honors being rendered by the Francis Marion VFW Post 4667 and the US Army Honor Guard. Family and friends are asked to meet at the funeral home at 9:15 a.m. for the funeral procession. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley’s Funeral Home is serving the Wynn family.