SMYTH COUNTY NEWS & MESSENGER

OBITUARIES & NEWS

www.swvatoday.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015

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Obituaries

William Roy "Billy" From Page A1

Music Festival in neighHayden

GLADE SPRING, Va.

William Roy "Billy"
Hayden, age 62, of Glade
Spring, Va., passed away on
Friday, June 19, 2015 at the
Bristol Regional Medical
Center in Bristol, Tenn.
He was born on
November 12, 1952. He was
preceded in death by his
father, James Harvey
Hayden Jr.; and a brother,
Lester Allen Hayden.
Survivors include mother,
Gracie Irene Hayden, Glade
Spring, Va.; sister, Patsy Mason and husband, Carl, of
Chilhowie, Va.; brother, James "Buddy" Harvey Hayden
and wife, Lois, of Duniden, Fla.; aunt, Coralee Jacobs and
husband, Lowell, of Illinois; and uncle, Garland Cook and
wife, Sunny Ann, of Michigan. Several nieces and
nephews also survive.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at the
Bradleys Funeral Chapel in Chilhowie from 6 until 8 p.m.
Funeral service will be held at 8 p.m. following the
visitation with Pastor David Mumpower officiating.
Family and friends can visit at anytime at the the home
of his sister, Patsy Mason, 723 Needmore Rd., Chilhowie,
VA 24319.
Bradleys Funeral Chapel of Chilhowie is serving the
Hayden family.

Kevin Wayne Martin

MARION, Va.
Kevin Wayne Martin, age 15, passed away Saturday,
June 20, 2015 at his home in Marion, Va.
Kevin was born on January 5, 2000 in Johnson City,
Tenn. He was preceded in death by his grandfather,
Ernest Sage; and his great-grandfather, John James
Martin Jr.
He is survived by mother, Delena Hayden; father, Kevin
Guy Martin; sisters, Kallie Martin and Faith Hayden;
brother, Rodney Hayden Jr.; grandparents, Mary Jane
Martin and David Martin; and great-grandmother,
Dorothy Martin.
The family would like to extend a special Thank You to
Dr. Jeff Jones and Dr. Melinda Lucas for the care given to
Wayne.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 23,
2015 at the Bradleys Funeral Home in Marion with Pastor
Jerry Creasy, Pastor Brian Taylor and Pastor Mike Sage
officiating. Interment followed in Rose Lawn Cemetery.
The family received friends on Monday, June 22, 2015
from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at
www.bradleysfh.com. Bradleys Funeral Home served the
family.

boring Grayson County

the following day. She said
festival goers were curious
about the newly renovated
schoolhouse. The majority of attendees, however,
were local residents, many
of whom had ties with the
historic building, Poole
said.
We had a lot of people
come in and say well, I
went to first grade here, or
I got my first library card
here. One lady said, Well,
I learned how to tell time in
this building, Poole said.
Joyce Cornette worked
in what is now the fine
arts room when the building was used as the superintendents office in the
1960s. Cornette said she
was amazed at the transformation the building had
undergone
I spent many, many
years in this room, she
said. It never looked this
good. Its beautiful, clean
and nice. It looks very lovely. Im so glad they kept it.
Theyve tore down so many
old buildings in Marion.
It was such memories that
helped save the historic
building from demolition.
When it was announced
the 1908 schoolhouse was
slated to become a parking
lot, the community united
in opposition. Citizens rallied around the structure
and fought to find a new
purpose for the old school
and after several years of
planning, grant writing
and renovation, the community finally got a peek
at the result of their efforts
last Friday.
The community saved
this building, Poole said.
Its like they saved it from
the dead and brought it all
back to life. Its like its always been meant for this
purpose. Theres such great
energy here.
The school takes its name
from renowned musician
and guitar luthier Wayne
C. Henderson of nearby
Rugby. A National Heritage
Award recipient, Henderson is known internationally for his craftsmanship
and finger-picking abilities
alike, yet he was humbled

Train
SUBMITTED PHOTO

From Page A2

A veterans memorial similar to the one pictured is planned to

sary car will be included
be constructed in Chilhowie.
on the train selling snacks,
Store next to Chilhowie soft drinks, and light food
Recreational Park with items and a gift shop on
grading to be done around board will sell souvenirs.
From Page A1
the shelter and electricity
21st Century Steam is
Work continues on the to be installed for lighting. bringing historic steam
picnic shelter built on the Picnic tables are expected locomotives from the
site of the former Lomans to be installed by Friday.
Tennessee Valley Railroad

Veterans

Jasmine Dent/ For the Smyth County News & Messenger

Visitors mingle in the lobby after touring the newly renovated schoolhouse.

The 1908 school in 2008 when its fate was undecided.

to have been asked to lend

his name to the school.
I couldnt even begin to
describe what an honor
it is to be a part of this,
Henderson said. Its such
an honor to have my name
on something as nice as
this. Its more than I got
words.
Of the woodworking and
restoration involved in
the renovation of the old
building, Henderson said,
Well, thats right up my
alley.
Not only will his name
be part of the school, but

Henderson will teach

classes there.
In addition to the formal classes the Henderson
will offer, Poole said she
also plans to hold Painting Parties and a Craft-ofthe-Month club, which are
projected to begin in July
with formal classes to begin in the fall.
Poole said she was in
awe of the unity the community demonstrated in
both the preservation of
the school and in the celebration of its open house.
She said she couldnt even

begin to show her appreciation for the supporters

and contributors.
It was a community celebration, Poole said. The
community and local businesses really came together for this event. Ive had a
gratitude meltdown.
The classrooms and
hallways were staged with
art from the Appalachian
Spirit Gallery and with
quilts from the New Traditions Quilt Guild. Food
was provided by the General Francis Marion Hotel
and Kohi Caf.

Museum in Chattanooga
to communities along
Norfolk Southern lines.As
part of the Norfolk Southern 21st Century Steam
Program, the Tennessee
Valley Railroad Museum is
offering a limited number
of public excursions.
Power is scheduled to be
ex-Southern Railway 2-82 #4501 built in 1911 (recently restored to service

by TVRM in Chattanooga),
with assistance from modern Norfolk Southern diesels as needed.
There are two excursions
planned from Bristol to
Radford Friday, June 26,
and Sunday, June 28, -with over 200 tickets still
available for the Friday,
June 26, trip.
The trains route from
Bristol to Radford includes

Abingdon, Emory, Chilhowie, Marion and Wytheville. It will then travel

down Pulaski Mountain
through a tunnel and into
the town of Pulaski. The
train will steam into the
New River Valley and on to
Radford.
For more information,
go online to http://www.
tvrail.com/pages/21stCentury-Steam.

Bridge

Visit us at the
Marion Farmers'
Market to pick up a
free pocket ashtray
or car ashtray

From Page A1

cost $1 million. Russell told

supervisors then it would
be a two- to three-year
process.
In other VDOT news, at
their June 18 meeting, supervisors approved VDOTs
Six-Year Plan for the countys secondary roads. No
one spoke at a public hearing on the plan on June 9.
The plan includes work
on White Rock Furnace
Road expected to begin
this summer and Worley
Rich Road, also slated to
get under way this year.
Work on Shaw Road will
be funded fully on July 1,
but a VDOT representative
said work may not begin
until next spring.
On July 1, 2016, work on
Grinstead Hill Road is expected to be fully funded.
Money is anticipated to be
available for Backmeadows
Lane on July 1, 2017. Dillard Drive work is slated to
receive funding after July 1,
2018. Money is expected to
begin being allocated for
work on Knight Road and
Twilight Road in 2020-21.

file photo

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