Mary Lois Auel

Ms. Mary Lois Auel, passed from this life on Thursday, March 6, 2008, at her home in Whitley City, Kentucky. She had attained the age of some 81 years, five months and six days.

Funeral services were held Sunday, March 9, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of Pine Knot Funeral Home with Reverends Mark Perry, Rufus Hughes and Roscoe Spradlin officiating. She was laid to rest at the Bryant Cemetery in Whitley City.

Mary was a member of the Sand Hill United Baptist Church. She had been employed as a line leader at the Kenner Company in Cincinnati before moving back home to McCreary County.

Mary was born in McCreary County, Kentucky, on September 20, 1926. She was the daughter of the late Elias and Rhoda Carter Bryant. Also preceding her in death are three sisters, Allie Perry, Bessie Vanover, and Roberta Perry and five brothers Leslie, Elmer, Earnest, Finley, and McKinley Bryant. She is also preceded in death by all her half brothers and sisters: Eddie, Jim, Arthur, Earl, Luther Bryant and Martha Sellars and Myla Spradlin, as well as an infant sister.

Family members include a son Carl Canada of Whitley City and six daughters, Donna (and Joe) Middleton of Whitley City, Shirley Jones of Smithtown, Wilma Dean (and Gerald) Salyer of Pine Knot, Sharon (and Michael) Weber of Independence, Kentucky, Arleen (and Bruce) Fleetwood of Duncan, Oklahoma, and Jenny Boisvert of Monticello, and a step daughter Brenda (and Lowell) Hall of Cincinnati, Ohio

She leaves 22 grandchildren, 13 step grandchildren, 58 great grandchildren and 12 great great-grandchildren which includes a multitude of those that love her and will mourn her passing.

Joyce Leveridge

Joyce Leveridge, age 78 years and 19 days, of Stearns, Kentucky, passed away Tuesday, March 4, 2008.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, March 8, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. at the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home with Bro. Chuck Spice officiating. Burial followed in the Methodist Cemetery.

She was born February 15, 1930 in Stearns, Kentucky to William L. Swain and Ella Mae Perkins Swain. She was a member of the Stearns First Baptist Church and she also attended the Whitley City Methodist Church. Before her retirement she was a telephone operator for the Stearns Company and a teachers aid for the McCreary County School System. Joyce enjoyed and loved animals.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, Jake Leveridge, a brother, Kyle E. Swain, an infant brother, Earl, and three sisters, Jewell Swain, Thelma Bartley, and Jessie Morgan.

Survivors include two brothers, Hurstle Leonard “Bill” Swain and his wife, Veralene, of Stearns, Kentucky, and Sherrill Swain and his wife, Beling, of Louisville, Kentucky, and a special nephew, Don Strickland.

Condolences may be emailed to the family at strunkfh@yahoo.com.
Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home served the family of Joyce Leveridge.

Sue Butler

Sue Butler, age 66 years, 10 months, and 18 days, of Stearns, Kentucky passed away Sunday, March 9, 2008 at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. at the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home with Bro. Danny Staley officiating. Burial followed in the Angel Cemetery.

She was born April 21, 1941 in Stearns, Kentucky to Charles H. Butler and Roxie Martin Butler. She was a homemaker and a member of the First Hickory Grove Baptist Church. She enjoyed her nieces and nephews, writing to pen pals, and puzzle books. Sue could tell you names and birth dates of every family member and was relied on by many as the family historian.
Preceding her in death were her parents.

Survivors include five brothers, Bob Butler and his wife, Lillian, Terry Buttler and his wife, Nancy, and Marty Butler and his wife, Betty, all of Elkhart, Indiana, Bruce Butler and his wife, Brenda, and Rodney Butler and his wife, Judy, all of Stearns, Kentucky, three sisters, Janice Garland, Shelby West, and Vicki Cash and her husband, Mike, all of Stearns, Kentucky, twenty nieces and nephews, several great and great great nieces and nephews, her special friends, Laine and James Branscum, and the girls at Lifeline.

Condolences may be emailed to the family at strunkfh@yahoo.com.
Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home served the family of Sue Carol Butler.

Thomas Lee (Tom) Ross, Sr.

Thomas Lee (Tom) Ross, Sr,, age 70 years, Whitley City, Kentucky died March 9, 2008. Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 13, 2008 at McCreary County Funeral Home with Rev. Eddie King and Rev. Jimmy Ross, Jr. officiating. Burial was in Angel Cemetery.

He was born at Worley, Kentucky on January 24, 1938 the son of the late Jasper and Pinkie Hill Ross. He was a retired security guard at Blue Diamond Coal Company.

His parents and the following brother and sisters precede him in death, Jasper Ross, Jr.; Flora Crowe and Shirley Fay Sluss.

Survivors include his children, Thomas Lee Ross, Jr. and wife, Patricia, Pine Knot, Kentucky and Linda Cheryl Jones and husband, Clyde, Slavens, Kentucky. The following brothers and sister survive, Fred Ross; Esau Ross; Jimmy Ross all of Stearns, Kentucky, Lonzo Ross of Strunk, Kentucky, and Lora Ross, Pine Knot, Kentucky. Eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews also survive.
McCreary County Funeral Home entrusted with arrangements.