1. FindAGrave.com Website; submitted by Linda Mabry; 2 May 2010.
"Thurmond Peter Rife
Birth 17 Sep 1926
Grundy, Buchanan County, Virginia, USA
Death 10 Sep 2008 (aged 81)
Hurley, Buchanan County, Virginia, USA
Burial Rife Cemetery
Hurley, Buchanan County, Virginia, USA
Memorial ID 51897203"Additional Information Posted:
"Thurmond Rife"OCEANA — Thurmond Rife, 81, departed this life Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008, in CAMC Memorial Division, following a long illness.
"Born Sept. 17, 1926, in Grundy, Va., he was the son of the late Jarvie and Vadie Justice Rife.
"Thurmond was a retired coal miner having worked for Kopperston No. 1 and 2 mines. He was a member of Local Number 7604 and he also worked for Bob Fields.
"He enjoyed fishing, hunting, watching and feeding birds.
"Thurmond was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and will be dearly missed by his family.
"In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Myrtle Belcher, Zella Dotson, and Mendie Matney; and two brothers, Edmond Rife and Frank Rife.
"Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 63 years, Tessie Rife of Oceana; three daughters, Patricia Belcher of Oceana, Melissa Cole Blankenship and her husband, Steve, of Oceana, and Terenia Rife Schuman and her husband, Ron, of Knoxville, Tenn.; two sisters, Dicey Cline and Glenna Matney, both of Hurley, Va.; two brothers, Corvin "Bug" Rife and Harold Rife, both of Hurley, Va.; three grandchildren, Tonja Miller of Oceana, David and Jon Schuman of Knoxville, Tenn., and Tiffany and Micheal Perdue of Oceana; two great-grandchildren, Shawn and Samantha Miller of Oceana; and special children whom he held near to his heart as if they were his own grandchildren, Carson and Anna Blankenship.
"A celebration of Thurmond's life will be 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008, at Little Dove Old Regular Baptist Church at Gusses Fork, Hurley, Va., with Rev. David Lester, Danny Hurley, and Hermon West officiating. Burial will follow in Rife Cemetery, Gusses Fork, Hurley, Va.
"The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. today at Adam Toler Memorial Chapel and after 6 p.m. Saturday at Old Regular Baptist Church at Gusses Fork in Hurley, Va.
"A special "Thank you" to Nancy Davis, ARH nurses, Kay Aliff, UMWA nurses, and his "preacher boy," Jonathon Cresong with Upper Laurel Ambulance Service.
"Services entrusted to Adam Toler Memorial Funeral Home, Oceana."
Tennessee Kathleen "Tessie" Riffe
1. FindAGrave.com Website; submitted by Patty Greene; 30 Nov 2012.
"Tennessee Kathleen “Tessie” Rife Rife
Birth 20 Feb 1930
Buchanan County, Virginia, USA
Death 28 Nov 2012 (aged 82)
Oceana, Wyoming County, West Virginia, USA
Burial Palm Memorial Gardens
Matheny, Wyoming County, West Virginia, USA
Memorial ID 101506026"Additional Information Posted:
"OCEANA — Tennessee Kathleen "Tessie" Rife, 82, of Oceana, went home to be with the Lord Wednesday, November 28, 2012, at her home surrounded by her loving family. She attended the Oceana Freewill Baptist Church for over 60 years, and was an inspiration and Godly example to all who knew her. She touched many people singing the praises of God and will be greatly missed."She was born February 20, 1930, in Buchanan County, VA, a daughter of the late John Alvin Rife (1909-1951) and Polly Ann Mullins-Rife-Whitt (1912-1978). In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Thurmond Rife (1926-2008); her stepfather, Martin Whitt (Deceased); a brother, Cletis Thelmer Rife (1931-1937); five sisters, Bonnie Sue Rife (1935-1935), Brenda Jo Rife-McMillan (Deceased), Retha Mae Rife-Walker (1948-1986), Judy Rife-Blankenship (Deceased), and Shelby Rife-Coleman (Deceased); two sons-in-law, Danny Belcher (Deceased), and Troy Rife-Cole (Deceased).
"Survivors include four daughters, Pat Rife-Belcher of Oceana, Terenia Rife-Moody & husband Greg Moody of Knoxville, TN, Tonya Rife-Osborne & husband Danny of Cyclone, and Melissa Rife-Blankenship & husband Steve Blankenship of Oceana; five grandchildren, Shawn Codie Miller of Oceana, Samantha Miller of Oceana, David Schumann of Knoxville, TN, Jon Schumann of Knoxville, TN, and Trey Osborne of Oceana; three brothers, Russell Rife (Deceased) & wife Molly Rife of Abingdon, VA, Roland Lawrence Rife (1940-2017) & wife Wilma Steele-Rife of Wytheville, VA, and Andrew Rife & wife Janice Rife of Wytheville, VA; sisters, Ellen Lena Rife-Walker (1938-2019) of Oceana, and Patricia Rife-Belcher; Carson Blankenship and Anna Blankenship who were like her grandchildren; special friends, Darlene Hurley and D.J. Davis; and a host of other loving family and friends.
"Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 1, 2012, in the Chapel of Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, with Pastor Jackie Grimmett and the Rev. Johnathon Cresong officiating. She will be laid to rest in Palm Memorial Gardens, Matheny."
1. 1930 Census, Wyoming Co, WV, Oceana District, taken on 3 Apr 1930, Page 187A, Family #18.
Listed as Genevieve Brown, age 1, born in WV, in household of father, Ray Brown.
1. Stafford Funeral Home; Lynco, WV; Posted Obit.
"Gayle Edwin Brown, 81, of Oceana, WV passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at Logan Regional Medical Center, Logan, WV. He was born on March 23, 1945 in Cyclone, WV a son of the late Ray Arnold and Mayme Lilly Brown. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers: Lowell, Waldo and Clayton Brown, sisters Ramona Brown White and Genevieve Brown Mutters, daughters, Tonya Brown Toler and Eva Brown Vance, and grandchildren Matthew Brown and Amy Brown. Gayle graduated from Oceana High School in 1963. Earned degrees from Concord University, Beckley College, Marshall University and West Virginia University. Long time member and deacon of Oceana First Baptist Church. He was the son of the late Arnold Ray and Mayme Lilly Brown. Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Arbutus “Boots” Morgan Brown, children Kyle Brown, Jim Cook, Rodney Cook, and Shane Cook Hawk, grandchildren; Keifer Brown, David Lambert, Caitlin Toler Mayfield, Courtney Toler, Callie Cook Daniels, Jamie Cook, Erin Cook, Kris Trueblood, Courtney Stewart, Garret Hawk, and Payton Hawk. Great-grandchildren; Gage Brown, Miguel Dominguez, Angel Dominguez, Ariez Dominguez, Santino Dominguez, Andrew Lambert, Gracelyn Toler, Chloe Daniels, Colton Daniels, Cash Daniels, Silas Hawk and Cash Hawk; and great great-grandchildren Axel and Adalyn Brown, and a host of other loving family and friends. Funeral service will be held at 1 pm on Saturday, April 25th at the Oceana First Church of God, Oceana, WV with Pastor Jerry Cook officiating. Friends may gather with the family from 12 pm until time of service on Saturday at the church. In keeping with his wishes, he will be cremated following the service. The family is being served by the Stafford Family Funeral Home, Lynco, WV."
1. "Beckley Post-Herald"; Beckley, WV; Friday; 7 Jul 1961; Page 7; Newspapers.com Website.
"Arbutus Morgan To Wed D.L. Cook
"Mrs. Annie Morgan of Oceana has announced the engagement of her granddaughter, Miss
Arbutus Sharon Morgan, to Donnie L. Cook, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Otis Cook of Oceana. Miss
Morgan was graduated from Oceana High School in May. Cook was graduated from OHS in 1960 and attended Marshall University in Huntington during the past year.... Both plan to work in Washington, D.C. Wedding plans are incomplete."
2. Wyoming Co, WV; Marriage Records; Vol #__(1961); Page 150; WV Archives Website.
Donnie Cook; age 18; born in Kopperston, WV; single; living at Oceana, Wv; son of James Otis and
Lucille Cook; married on 6 Aug 1961 at Oceana, WV; Arbutus Morgan; age 18; born in ____; single;
living at Oceana, WV; daughter of deceased parents.
3. U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1; Ancestry.com Website.
"Name Arbutus Cook
Birth Date 5 Feb 1943
Residence Date 1990
Address PO Box 1375
Residence Oceana, WV
Postal Code 24870-1375"