The Daily News Leader from Staunton, Virginia • 4

Community Community Conversation Editor Dennis Neal 213-9128, Wednesday, January 10, 2007 The News Leader www.newsleader.com Obituaries Harold Wells 75 FISHERSVILLE Harold Wells formerly of 301 Institute Staunton, died Tuesday (Jan. 9, 2007) at Augusta Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Jones Funeral Home will announce arrangements. R. Vernon Garber, 83 STAUNTON R.

Vernon Garber died Jan. 2, 2007 at Augusta Medical Center. He was born Jan. 23, 1923,: at Staunton to Richard L. and Gertrude (Gregory) Garber.

He retired as manager from Hajoca Corporation. Mr. Garber was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Virginia (Brooks) Garber. Survivors include a daughter, Mary Alice Garber of Washington, D.C.; a son, Joseph Gregory Garber of Staunton; and a brother, Francis M. Garber of Richmond.

Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hamrick Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Donald R.

Cole, 72 OCEANSIDE, Calif. Donald Reese Cole, formerly of Staunton, died Monday (Jan. 8, 2007) at his home. He was born Jan. 29, 1934, at Staunton, to Reese and Ressie Cole.

Mr. Cole was preceded in death by his parents; a son, David Cole; and a brother, Alfred Cole. Survivors include his wife, Virginia Cole of Oceanside; a son, John Cole of Los Angeles; a stepson, Michael Cates of Carlsbad; and a stepdaughter, Kyle Hamilton of Minden, Nev. Neptune Society is handing arrangements. Richard A.

Rodeffer, 74 HARRISONBURG Richard Allen "Dick" Rodeffer, formerly of Mount Solon, died Tuesday (Jan. 9, 2007) at Harrisonburg Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was born Aug. 15, 1932, at Bridgewater to Miner Opal and Grace Dew (Evans) Rodeffer. He worked as a farmer and a truck driver.

Mr. Rodeffer was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Ann (Horn) Rodeffer of Mount Solon; a daughter, Paula R. Staley of Verona; a son, Richard E. Rodeffer of Mount Solon; and a brother, Cecil Rodeffer of Harrisonburg.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Mount Solon. Burial will be at Mount Olivet Church Cemetery, Mount Solon. Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Thursday at Johnson Funeral Home, Bridgewater. Scrapbook About This Service We provide free obituaries as a reader service in memory of all area residents and former residents. We accept obituaries from funeral homes until 6 p.m. daily. Privately placed obituaries are subject to verification.

Obituaries can be directed to the news department at 213-9119, via fax to 885-1904, or via e-mail to deathnotice All obituaries are edited to our style. R. Lee Humphrey WAYNESBORO R. Lee (McKinney) Humphrey of Summit Square Retirement Community died Tuesday (Jan. 9, 2007) at the center.

McDow Funeral Home will announce arrangements. Andrew A. Venable 81 STAUNTON Andrew A. Venable Sr. of 306 Ann St.

died Monday (Jan. 8, 2007) at the University of Virginia Medical Center. He was born Dec. 13, 1925, at Staunton to John W. and Elnora (Velvin) Venable.

He retired from and he had worked part-time for Scott and Stringfellow. Mr. Venable was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Donald Ray Venable; and a brother, William Venable. Survivors include his wife, Catherine W. Venable, and three sons, Andrew A.

Venable Jr. of Cleveland, Ohio, Kenneth L. Venable of Columbus, Ohio, and Warren Dennis Venable of Clinton, Tenn. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Burial will be at Oak Lawn Mausoleums and Memory Gardens. Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Jones Funeral Home. Beatrice E.

Whitt, 79 STEELES TAVERN -Beat- rice (Eastridge) Whitt died Monday (Jan. 8, 2007) at her home. She was born Feb. 23, 1927, at North Tazewell, to Charlie Franklin and Mary Ann (Bogle) Eastridge. Mrs.

Whitt was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Charles Blair Whitt; a son, Charles Emory Whitt; a brother; and five sisters. Survivors include a son, Jimmy Whitt of Staunton; two daughters, Callie Reese of Greenville and Polly Guffey of Staunton; a brother, Teddy Thomas Eastridge of North Tazewell; and a sister, Virginia Rose Keith, also of North Tazewell. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Mount Carmel Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Visitation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

today at Henry Funeral Home and at other times at her children's residences. Frances M. Kincaid, 76 FISHERSVILLE Frances (McNair) Kincaid, formerly of Stuarts Draft, died Monday (Jan. 8, 2007) at Augusta Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was born Dec.

26, 1930, at Newport News to Frederick and Nellie (Wilson) McNair. She retired from the Department of Design at Newport News Ship Builders. Mrs. Kincaid was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Roy E. Kincaid.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Reynolds Funeral Home, Waynesboro. Burial will be at Augusta Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

James L. Pifer, 95 CRIMORA James Luther Pifer of 9 Casey St. died Sunday (Jan. 7, 2007) at Augusta Medical Center. He was born Oct.

11, 1911, at Detroit, to Luther Elmer and Naomi (Barrett) Pifer. He retired from Chrysler Corp. Mr. Pifer was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters. Survivors include his wife, Ethel Louise Pifer, and a brother, John Pifer.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Vernon Church of the Brethren Cemetery. Reynolds Funeral Home, Waynesboro, is handling arrangements. Merle E. Niedentohl, 80 WAYNESBORO Merle Eugene Niedentohl of 324 Loudoun Ave.

died Monday (Jan. 8, 2007) at Augusta Medical Center. He was born Oct. 29, 1926, at Waynesboro, to William P. and Anna (Harrison) Niedentohl.

He retired from the United States Navy as a master chief machinist mate, and he had been employed as maintenance supervisor by Fishburne Military School. Mr. Niedentohl was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Joan (Miller) Niedentohl; and a son, Darryl L. Niedentohl. Survivors include his wife, Jill W.

(Clark) Niedentohl; two sons, Merle Shane Niedentohl of Chesapeake and Dirk Lee Niedentohl of Hampton; two stepchildren, Criss Walls of South Boston and Lee Clark of Waynesboro; two brothers, Jerry Milton and Lee W. Niedentohl of Waynesboro, and three sisters, Ruby Allamong, Lucille Snead and Pauline Broyles of Waynesboro. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Reynolds Funeral Home, Waynesboro. Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

today at the funeral home. Submitted Main Street United Methodist Church welcomed its new minister, the Rev. Todd Submitted Schlechty, and his family on Sunday, from Children at Tinkling Spring Preschool collect- left, Abi, Ana and his wife, Margaret, holded boxed cereal for Valley Mission during ing JoJo. The church celebrated his December. Pictured, from left, are La appointment during the 11 a.m.

worship Major, Whitney Young, Raven Johnson and servic and during a reception in the fellowAbby Soyars. ship hall. In The News Drumheller loves dirty job He's got an office cubicle, but Bobby "I help them with the decision-making Drumheller's muddy work boots bespeak process, about what they want to do with the wetter and dirtier work: He's preoccupied with farm and also help out the taxpayer by interactions between water and soil. contributing to better water quality Drumheller, 23, grew up on a family farm in downstream," he said. Swoope.

He earned a degree at Virginia Tech in Among the district's strategies: Buffering ag economics with a special emphasis in soil erosion- prone fields with stream-side planting, studies. fencing livestock out of creeks and providing It served him well. them with alternative water sources; and Last summer he was hired on as a alerting landowners to conservation conservation technician with the nonprofit easements. Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation We had no difficulty in persuading District. He works with area farmers who show Drumheller out of his cubicle for a short an interest in sustainable methods.

interview. Family: (inside): Playing (acoustic) Favorite beer Parents, guitar, working crossword (commercial): Corona. Charley and puzzles. Favorite beer (artisinal): Vicki Music preferences: Speckled Rooster from Drumheller. Mostly rock 'n' roll, and Queen City Brewing.

When not country. I listen to a lot of the Best food: Good home working old stuff from the '60s and cooking. (outside): '70s. Pearl Jam's one of my Best food raised in Hunting and favorite bands. Augusta County: I'd have fishing.

Movies: I haven't gone to say grass-finished beef. When not out to the movies in a long working time. Joel Banner Baird Community News Stuarts Draft -School accepting registration for Bible college class: Destiny Family Center, Mount Solon 36 Rose is accepting reg- Weyers Cave Grottoes istration for its Bible college Mount Sidney class. Credits from various Churchville Fort Defiance local colleges may be trans- Deerfield Verona New Hope ferred into the class, which is Swoope Staunton Crimora accredited by Life Christian University, Tampa, Fla. Craigsville Augusta Springs Waynesboro 64) For more information, call Fishersville 337-2216 or visit www.

Middlebrook Stuarts Lyndhurst destinyfamilycenter.com or Greenville www.lcus.edu. Spottswood (81) Steeles Tavern Raphine Lexington Vesuvius USCG auxiliary presents awards: The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary recently conducted its annual Blue Ridge Division 8 awards dinner and Change of Watch ceremony at Hampton Inn. Lt. Cmdr.

Richard Condit, commander sector Hampton Roads; Cmdr. John Kenyon, deputy commander sector Hampton Roads; Cmdr. Robert Engle, director USCG Auxiliary 5th District Southern Region; and District Commodore Steven McElroy, USCG Auxiliary 5th District, were guest speakers. Cmdr. Robert Engle swore in the 2007 Division 8 elected officers.

Division 8 Capt. Virginia Ellis and Vice Captain Ed Hollowell swore in the Division 8 staff officers. Members of Flotilla 82 received these awards: Jerry Zaccaria of Staunton was sworn in as the Division 8 Aids to Navigation staff officer for 2007, Dean Nimax of Verona received the 2006 Division 8 Recreational Safety Boating Visitor of the Year award, and Michael Stoher of Staunton was recognized as the Flotilla 82 Auxiliarist of the Year. Flotilla 82 received the Division 8 Flotilla Public Affairs Award for 2006. Staunton a Church raising funds through annual event: First Church of God, 1850 Shutterlee Mill Road, will host its fifth annual "Winter Whimsicals" dinner and variety show at 5 p.m.

Jan. 20. Donations will go to the church's building fund. A silent auction sponsored by the mission team at the church will offer Nicaraguan items and other handcrafted goods for purchase. a Celebration of Holiday Lights groups awarded: Awards were presented on Saturday for the participants in the Celebration of Holiday Lights, which lit up Gypsy Hill Park through the holiday season.

In the Nonprofit category: Citizen's Police Academy, first place; Habitat for Humanity, second Christ United Methodist Church, third place; and Girl Scout Troop 524, fourth place. Girl Scout Troop 524 also received the Good Heart award. In the Commercial category: Sweet Williams Florist, first place; Real Estate III, second place; and The Talley Group, third place. Committee awards were presented to: Mark and Lynette Miller, Reba Woodson and Betty Anderson. Certificates and ribbons were presented to: Children's Art Network, the Family Career Community Leaders of America chapter of Beverly Manor Middle School, St.

James United Methodist Church, the Daily Living Skills Group Youth of People Places Community Involvement Awareness, Staunton Business and Professional Women's Association, Church of the Good Shepherd at Folly Mills, We Welcome Your News! We want to help you share events deed, this is the spot. There's a and important moments. 100-word limit, and we ask that What's Happening: We accept you avoid thanking for-profit most types of local, non-com- groups. mercial events for this commu- Help Needed: If your nonprofit nity calendar. Religion needs volunteers or a specialitems go in a separate calendar ized type of donation, we maybe that prints Fridays.

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Friday for a party in the gymnasium and pizza for dinner. Admission will cost $3. For more information, call 942-6735. Fishersville Preschoolers study culture, contribute to community: Children at Tinkling Spring Preschool participated in a study of Native American culture during November. They concluded their study by presenting a program for their parents.

During December, the children collected boxed cereal to be donated to Valley Mission. To submit news from your community, contact Libby Lawhorne at 213-9108. News also can be e-mailed to com; mailed to Community News, The News Leader, P.O. Box 59, Staunton, VA 24402; faxed to 885-1904, or dropped off at The News Leader office, 11 N. Central, Staunton.

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