Nelson County Times
Published: December 12, 2007

Harry Mercel Allen Sr., of Buckingham, died.
Born March 30, 1932, in Nelson County,  he was the son of the late Herman H. Allen and Flora J. Allen. He was preceded in death by a brother, James Allen; and a special nephew, Dewey Sylvester Wood.
He was a real outdoorsman who enjoyed gardening, hunting squirrels and rabbits and working on his cars. Regardless of the weather he could be seen sitting out front of Cedars Nursing home on a daily basis.
He was a member of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. He received his former education through the Nelson County Public school system, and he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
He is survived by two daughters, Frances A. Lee and Paul, of Charlottesville, Teresa Allen-Futch of Atlanta, Ga.; two sons, Harry M. Allen Jr. of Schuyler and Michael E. Allen of Charlottesville; four grandchildren, Derek Allen and Jerika, of Atlanta, Ga., Burrell Allen of Covesville, Lakesha Allen of Verona and Courtnee Futch of Atlanta, Ga.; a great-granddaughter; six sisters, Gladys Fleming, Lillian Miles, Georgianna Cottrell, Clara Gray, Alice Jeffries and Shirley Woodson; two brothers, Clifford Allen and Clarence Allen; two cousins and numerous friends.
Funeral services were held Dec. 8 at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Shipman. Interment followed at the Allen's family cemetery.

Minnie Lee Bryant Belew, 78, of Charlottesville, died on Dec. 6.
She married the love of her life, Herbert Wesley Belew at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Sept. 15, 1951, in Greenwood. During their 56 years of marriage they had three children, Deborah B. Best, Lisa L. Belew and John W. Belew. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church on Avon Street for 40 years. She was instrumental in helping to develop the ARC in Charlottesville, and helping with many fundraisers in the early 1960s.
Her hobbies were walks on the beach and in the mountains. She also loved to cook for large family gatherings.
During her lifetime, she worked at the packing shed in Afton, where she met her husband. She also worked at the sewing factory in Woodstock, and Allen Printing Company in Charlottesville and babysat for numerous families for over 30 years.
She was preceded in death by her father, Stonewall Jackson Bryant; and her mother, M. Clara Lowe Bryant, both of Afton; and her brother, William S. Bryant, of Goochland.
She is survived by her husband, Herbert W. Belew; two daughters, Deborah B. Best and her husband, Jerry, and Lisa L. Belew, both of Charlottesville; a son, John W. Belew of Charlottesville; two brothers, James E. Bryant and his wife, Linda, and Benny G. Bryant and his wife, Janet, all of Afton; two granddaughters, Nickie B. Schoolcraft, and her husband, C.W., and Terri Jo Belew, all of Charlottesville; one great-granddaughter; four sistersin-law, Mildred H. Bryant of Goochland, Doris B. Ayres of Earlysville, Mary M. Belew of Charlottesville, and Jane Belew of Earlysville; two brothers-in-law, Vernon B. Belew and his wife, Gladys, of Waynesboro, and H. Clifton Belew of Scottsville; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral was held on Dec. 10 at the Calvary Baptist Church. Interment followed at Monticello Memory Gardens.

Ruth May Davis, of Afton, died on Dec. 6.
She was born on Oct. 8, 1943, in Charlottesville, to the late Clarence Coleman Davis and Hattie Lillian Wells Davis.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Clarence Jr., William and Donald Davis; and sisters, Mary Cummings and Joyce Davis.
She is survived by two sisters, Mable Pugh of Afton and Dorothy Herring of Charlottesville; three sisters-in-law, Virginia Davis of Charlottesville, Barbara Davis of Edgewood, Md., and Peggy Davis of Afton; and by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and enjoyed attended church and bearing her testimony. She served a mission for the church in the Phillipines from 1986 until 1987. She was a retired LPN from Martha Jefferson Hospital, where working in the newborn nursery was a great joy to her.
Funeral services were conducted on Dec. 10 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Charlottesville. Interment followed at Rockgate Cemetery in Crozet.

Michelle Renee Graybill, 31, of Waynesboro, died on Dec. 8.
Born Jan. 16, 1976, in Waynesboro, she was the daughter of the late Maybell Graybill.
In addition to her mother, she was preceded in death by her uncle, Ralph Graybill.
She is survived by her fiancé and companion, Gonzalo Gonzalez Torres, of Waynesboro; brother, Manuel Graybill of Crimora; aunts, Gay Balser and her husband, Timothy, of Middlebrook and Dorothy Dameron and her husband, Jerry, of Afton; and uncle, Nelson Graybill and his wife, Faye, of Lyndhurst.
A funeral service and celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Dec. 13 at the Waynesboro Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes, 618 West Main Street. Interment will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Waynesboro.

Richard Zane "Dick" Koon, 82, formerly of Englewood, Fla. and recently of Afton, died on Dec. 8.
Born Sept. 14, 1925, in Ohio, he was a son of the late John Akline and Jenney Mae Cross Koon.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corp and attended Rockfish Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed fishing and reading.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, John Axline Koon Jr.; a sister, Bonnie Jean Powell; and a nephew, Wesley Rose.
Survivors include his wife, Jeanne F. Koon of Staunton; stepsons, Ray Hradilek of Englewood, Fla. and Roger Hradilek of Tenn.; one brother, Mark W. Rose of Lake Havasue, Az.; two nephews; and two nieces.
At his request, his body will be cremated and a memorial service will be conducted at a later date.

Samuel "Sammy" Clay Saunders, 52, of Shipman, died on Dec. 7.
He was born on April 3, 1955, in Columbia, S.C. He was a son of the late George Henry (Jack) Saunders and Margaret Purvis Saunders.
He was a graduate of Nelson County High School, a former employee of Waynesboro Dupont, and a self employed trucker. He was an avid collector of Indian Relics and loved riding his motorcycle around Nelson County.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy Micklem Saunders; one daughter, Samantha Nicole Saunders of Arrington; a stepson, Harold Campbell, of Shipman; and two sisters, Sue S. Johnson and husband Frank, of Lovingston, and Trudy S. Helms, of Franklin, Tenn.
A funeral service was held on Dec. 10 at Calvary Baptist Church in Lovingston. Interment was in the Micklem Family Cemetery in Shipman.

Samuel Coy "Mac" Sloan died on Dec. 6.
He was born on June 8, 1933, in Ferrum, the son of the late Millard and Berta Sloan. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Barbara Wilkerson Sloan; five brothers, Burford, Birchel, Virgil, Millard and Alfred Sloan; and by a sister, Verta Perdue.
He is survived by two sons, Robert Dale Sloan and David Coy Sloan and his wife, Kim; three granddaughters, Chessie, MacKenzie and Langley; sisters, Delphia (Dale) Carroll, Nell Meade and Jessie Brown; a brother, Berkley Sloan; and many friends.
He was a 30-year retired veteran of the Charlottesville Police Department and founder of Sloans Restaurant in 1983. He was a proud graduate of The Miller School and a longtime member of Elk's Lodge No. 389 and the Fraternal Order of Police. He was a founding member and coach of area Little League football, a member of Cherry Avenue Christian Church and a passionate fan of UVA football and the Washington Redskins.
A memorial service was held on Dec. 10 at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville.

Jeannette Sheringham Wilson Steel, died on Dec. 3.
She was born in Arrington on Jan. 18, 1923. She received her nursing degree from the University of Virginia in 1944. She nursed at Woodrow Wilson Hospital in Augusta County, where she met her husband, Herbert M. Steele Jr. of Summit, N.J.
She moved to Summitt in 1947 and worked at Overlook Hospital for several years before devoting herself full-tim to her family. She returned to work as a sales representative for Seafon's clothing store in Summit and continued for 27 years.
She is survived by two sisters, Helen Wilson Gantt and Joan Wilson DeMasters, both of Roseland; two sons, Meili Steele and wife, Casey Premo of Columbia, S.C. and Leslie Steele and wife Kathy, of Summit, N.J.; and four grandchildren, Laura Lane-Steele, Lily Steele, Cynthia Steele and Eric Steele.
A funeral service was held on Dec. 7 in Central Presbyterian Church in Summit, N.J.

Herbert Randolph Wood, 88, of Brookview Lodge, Cobb Street, Farmville, died on Dec. 5.
He was the husband of Nannie D. Wood of Farmville, to whom he was married for 43 years, and the late Gladys Garver Wood of Charlottesville, for 23 years.
He is survived by his children, Janice Cadwallader of Alken, S.C., wife of Cecil, and Wayne Wood of Charlottesville, husband of Mary Jane, and by his stepchildren, Nancy Blanton, wife of Joe, of Clearwater, Fla., and Graham Webster of New Holland, Penn., husband of Jane.
Born in Free Union, he was the son of the late Emmitt and Pearl Wood and the brother of John Wood, deceased.
He was a greeter for Kroger for several years. He also worked for Southern Hardware. Before that, he was a manager of Sears, and a postal carrier. He was a veteran of World War II. He was a master mason of the Masonic Lodge of Crewe. He served as a deacon of Heritage Baptist Church and as a member of the church choir.
Along with his wife and children, he is survived by 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at Heritage Baptist Church in Farmville on Dec. 8. Interment was at Holly Memorial Gardens in Charlottesville.

Leslie Helmick Yadid, 45, of Elk Mountain Road died Dec. 4.
She was born Dec. 19, 1961, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., daughter of Judith Kiser of Afton and Robert Helmick of Louisville, Ky.
She was preceded in death by her stepfather, Norman Kiser.
She was a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School and the Virginia School of Massage. She attended Unity Church of Charlottesville.
Survivors include her mother, Judith Kiser of Afton; stepdaughter, Debra Kiser of Waynesboro and her father, Robert Helmick of Louisville; and her special friend, David Kihlmere of Afton.
A celebration of life service was conducted on Dec. 9 at the Unity Church of Charlottesville.