Obituaries

Edna Mae Simmons Butcher, age 95, of Jake Run Road, Lost Creek, passed away  Friday, March 3, 2017 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Phillip and Connie Hobbs.  She was born May 24, 1921 in Valley Head (Randolph County) WV, a daughter of the late Amos Allman Simmons and Lucy Ann Channell Simmons. 

Her husband, Clellie Cleo Butcher, whom she married in Jackson’s Mill on November 8, 1937, preceded her in death on March 6, 1987.

Surviving are one son and four daughters, Clifford “Linn” Butcher and his wife Barbara of Mt. Clare, Carolyn M. Romine of Mt. Clare, Patricia S. Blankenship of Meadowbrook, Mary E. Summerfield of Milton, WV, and Connie L. Hobbs and her husband Phillip of Boothsville.  Edna has 16 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, and 12 great-great grandchildren and two on the way.  Also surviving are her two brothers, Verl Simmons and his wife Carolyne of Elkins, and Arnett Simmons of Valley Head, WV along with several extended grand and great grandchildren, nieces and nephews including special nephew Carl Butcher of Ohio. 

In addition to her parents and her husband, Edna was preceded in death by two sons, Donald Lee and Larry Kent Butcher. One grandson, Ernest Romine; one granddaughter, Nancy Blankenship Lough, two infant grandchildren; one brother and four sisters, Troy Simmons, Myrtle Gay, Ruth Channell, Rella Tucker, and one who passed away in infancy.  And three sons-in-law, Kenneth Blankenship, Ray Summerfield, and Albert Romine.

At the age of 13, her mother died and her whole life changed.  Being the oldest of four children, she had most of the responsibility for caring for her brothers and sisters.  Her dad hired a housekeeper part time to help out, she was from Jacksons Mill.  When the housekeeper returned home, her family sent a letter to Edna’s father asking if she could come to Jacksons Mill to help care for their family and her dad let her go.  She was 16 years old and that’s when she met and married her husband of 49 years.

Our mother was a role model….. loving, giving, sharing, and putting others before her own needs.  She was a modest and faithful woman.  Her life was not easy by any means but she never complained.  She was a very strong woman and instilled that in her children.  Her pride and joy were her family.  She fulfilled a life-long commitment to impressing upon her children and grandchildren the tremendous value of faith, honesty, courage, hard work, pride, and most of all her love.  Her compassion, elegance, love of life, wisdom and wit are her legacy.

She enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, canning, cooking for her family and friends.  She always enjoyed having her family together for holidays and Sunday dinners.  She loved caring for her animals and spending time with her grandchildren who were her greatest joys in life.  She spent her whole life as a loving homemaker for her family.  Our mother always told stories about those hard but happy days.  Now our mother rests and lives in peace in the beautiful clouds she used to dream about when she was young.  She was the heart of our family and will be dearly missed.  She was a member of the Rockford United Methodist Church, a 55 year member of Continuing Education Outreach Service, Red Hats Society, Lost Creek Senior Citizens, was a volunteer at the Lost Creek Nutrition Center, and Queen of the Lost Creek Fall Festival. 

A special thank you to People’s Hospice for their dedicated and compassionate care.  Thank you to nurse Jennifer Kaufman and Emily Ramsey for all their love and support.

Family and friends will be received at the Amos Carvelli Funeral Home, 201 Edison Street, Nutter Fort on Monday from 2-8PM. Funeral Services will be held in the funeral home on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 11:00 AM with Pastor Saundra Boley presiding.  Interment will follow in the Rockford Cemetery.  Expressions of sympathy may be extended to the family at www.amoscarvelli.com  A Service of Amos Carvelli Funeral Home.