Obituaries

Apr 29, 2021

Franklin – Stuart Malcome Dimick, 82, passed away on April 29, 2021 in his home.   Born on December 8, 1938 in Carthage, New York, he was a son of the late Jack and Vivian Surace Dimick.  He is also predeceased by his wife, Anne Roberta Dimick.

Stuart was a New York State National Guardsman and a retired...

Apr 25, 2021

Franklin - Edmond John "Popi-Guy" Johnston Sr., 77, of Franklin, VA, passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on April 25, 2021.  Ed was born on Nov 18, 1943 in Stamford, CT to Edmond C. and Mabel Smith Johnston. He received his GED while in the Navy and was ordained as a minister after attending the Southern...

Apr 25, 2021

Franklin – William Chapman "Bill" Bannester, Sr., 82, passed away April 25, 2021 in his home with family by his side.  Born in Jacksonville, FL, he was the son of the late Clyde Douglas Bannester and Mary Chapman Bannester.  Bill was also predeceased by a sister, Dorothy Nappi and a brother, Douglas Bannester, Sr.

Bill was a...

Apr 25, 2021

Orlando, FL - Douglas Peyton Stutts passed peacefully on April 25, 2021.  Born on December 4, 1962 in Richmond, Virginia, he became an operating technician for 14 years at Union Camp in Franklin.  He went on to study English at the University of South Carolina from 1997-2000.  He was preceded in death by his mother, Carolyn Carver Johnson Stutts,...

Apr 24, 2021

Savannah, GA - James Nelson "The Old Bear" Eller, Jr., 84, passed from this life on Saturday, April 24, 2021 in Savannah, GA due to complications from surgery. Born in Welch, West Virginia on February 1, 1937, he was a son of the late James Nelson Eller, Sr. and Margaret Hagy Eller.  He attended Welch public schools until his...

Apr 23, 2021

Commerce, GA - Mrs. Patricia Ann Sumrell Bulls, age 80, of Commerce, GA passed away Friday, April 23, 2021 in her home, after a long illness of Alzheimer and Dementia. She was born in Washington, NC to the late Guy and Mabel Sumrell. Mrs. Bulls was a homemaker. Mrs. Bulls is survived by her husband of 62 years, Samuel...

Apr 22, 2021

Franklin - Mr. William James McCarron (known as Bill or Pastor Bill) passed away unexpectedly in his home on April 22, 2021.  He was 67 years old.  He was born in Portsmouth, VA to the late John J. McCarron and Alice E. Travers nee' Marcum.  He was an associate pastor at Courtland Baptist Church.

Mr. McCarron is...

Apr 20, 2021

Newport News – Faye Johnson Martines, 80, passed away April 20, 2021 in Northampton Convalescent and Rehabilitation Center.  She was born on April 22, 1940 in Franklin and was a daughter of the late Lennie Rufus Johnson and Rachel Viola Griffin Johnson.  Faye is also predeceased by a niece, Kara Ruth Rothrock, and a nephew, John Alan Glasgow.

Apr 19, 2021

Franklin – Barbara Vinson Gray, 77, passed away April 19, 2021 in Sentara Obici Hospital.  Born in Franklin on July 9, 1943, she was the daughter of the late James Tommie Vinson and Jean Drake Vinson.  Barbara is also predeceased by a brother, Wilson Vinson.

Barbara was a 1961 graduate of Franklin High School and a graduate...

Apr 15, 2021

Sedley – James Alton Bulls, Sr., 83, affectionately known as Pop, passed away April 15, 2021 in his home with family by his side.  James was born in Southampton County on September 5, 1937 and was a son of the late Eddie Norfleet Bulls, Sr. and Minnie Stieh Bulls.  He was also predeceased by an infant son, Jeffrey Douglas...

Apr 15, 2021

Capron – Vernon Keith Matthews, Sr., 51, passed away April 15, 2021 in his home.  Born in Suffolk, he was the son of the late Mills Matthews and Jean Whitley Everett and was also predeceased by a grandchild, Noah Duncan.

Keith loved street racing and engine restoration of old cars so they would go faster and he...

Apr 14, 2021

Sedley – Harvey Bradford Randall, 72, passed away April 14, 2021 in Sentara Obici Hospital, Suffolk.  Harvey was a native of Portsmouth and a 1967 graduate of Churchland High School.   Harvey was very proud to be a Churchland Trucker Football player.  He was named to the 34 th All-Tidewater football team in 1966 as a defensive tackle.  He was...

Apr 13, 2021

Suffolk – Vladimir Marinov Dimitrov, 78, passed away April 13, 2021 in Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center.  Born in Bulgaria, he was the son of the late Marin Dimitrov and Tona Saraivanova Dimitrova.  He was also predeceased by a brother, Dimitar Dimitrov.

Vladimir served in the Bulgarian Army and was a government chauffeur.

Left to...

Apr 4, 2021

Franklin – John Darby Miller, 78, passed away April 4, 2021 in Sentara Obici Hospital.  Born in Shady Side, OH, he was the son of the late Donald F. and June Moore Miller.

John holds a Bachelor's Degree from Buckley University.  He was a Navy Veteran and a Machinist for Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth for 22...

Apr 2, 2021

Zuni – Susan Kathleen Griffith was born on April 16, 1949 in Perryton, Texas to Norman and Evelyn Griffith. After graduating from high school, she worked in retail, grocery, the security field, and finally in the mortgage industry from which she retired as a loan underwriter in 2013. Susan passed away peacefully on April 2, 2021 in the home...

Mar 29, 2021

Henrico, NC – Dwayne Everett Hickman, 56, passed away March 29, 2021 in Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, NC.

Dwayne was born in Lynchburg and grew up in Richmond, VA.  He was a graduate of L. C. Byrd High School in Richmond.  Dwayne never met a stranger and was the life of the party.  He was a...

Mar 28, 2021

Franklin – George Lee Story, Jr., 70, passed away March 28, 2021 in his home.  Born and raised in Franklin, he was a son of the late George Lee Story, Sr. and Ruby Gardner Story.  George was also predeceased by a sister, Mary Ellen Griffin.

George was a Boiler Operator on number 6 recovery boiler for International...

Mar 27, 2021

Sedley – Julian Arthur "Jay" Felts, Jr., 73, passed away March 27, 2021.  Jay was born in Suffolk and grew up in Ivor, and was a son of the late Julian Arthur "Pop" Felts and Margaret Tomlin "Granny" Felts.  He was also predeceased by his sister, Janette Felts Lowe.

Jay was a 1967 graduate of Southampton High...

Mar 26, 2021

Newport News – Donny Reed Bass, Jr., 49, passed away unexpectedly on March 26, 2021 in his home.  Reed was born in Franklin and reared in Courtland.  He was predeceased by his father, Donny Reed Bass, Sr.

Reed was a graduate of Southampton High School and attended Paul D. Camp Community College and Thomas Nelson Community College. ...

Mar 26, 2021

Newsoms – Lucille "Lucy" Griffin Watson Roe, 75, widow of Ronald Guy Roe, passed away March 26, 2021 in Bon Secours Maryview Nursing Care Center in Suffolk.  Born and raised in Newsoms, she was a daughter of the late Maynard Lawrence Griffin and Eula Ethel Ferguson Griffin.

Lucy didn't have the easiest path throughout her whole life...