James "Roscoe" Smith

James (Roscoe) Smith, age 75 of Pounding Mill, Va., passed away Sun., March 1, 2009, at his home. Born Aug. 15, 1933, in Richlands, Va., he was the son of the late Theodore "Ted" Smith and Sarah Gladys Elswick Smith. He was a 1952 graduate of Richlands High School and was a United States Army Veteran of the Korean Conflict. Roscoe retired as a federal mine inspector from Mine Safety Health Administration. He was a member of Claypool Hill Bible Church. Roscoe was an avid hunter and fisherman. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his step mother, Anna Lee Arms Smith; and his mother-in-law, Carmie Ward. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Velma Ward Smith; one sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Elsie and Richard Shortridge of Steelesburg; one niece, Pam Sparks and husband, Frank, of Bristol; one nephew, Jeffrey Shortridge and wife, Tammy, of Hickory, N.C.; two great nieces, Anna and Londyn Shortridge; three great nephews, Alex Compton, Austin Sparks and Paul Shortridge; one great-great nephew, Christian Compton; special friends, Kenneth and Billie Anne Trent and Noah, Judy and Helen Phipps; special caregiver, Barbara Baxter and Legacy Hospice. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Wed., March 4, 2009 at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel at Cedar Bluff, Va., with Rev. Carl Tegeler, Rev. Delmer Somoskey and Rev. Steve Tegeler officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill, Va. Pallbearers will be Jeffrey Shortridge, Paul Shortridge, Frank Sparks, Austin Sparks, Shawn Cole, L.C. Phipps, Richard Cole and Jason Osborne. Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Shortridge, Kenneth Trent, Noah Phipps, Jim Ward, Ted Horn, Phillip Dales, Bob Lester, Wayne Lester, Bill McReynolds, Dennis Hamm, Artie Herndon and members of Claypool Hill Bible Church. Military graveside rites will be conducted by Casey-Shortt VFW Post 9640. The family received friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Tues., March 3, at Singleton Funeral Service at Cedar Bluff, Va. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Claypool Hill Bible Church, 1333 Pounding Mill Branch Rd., Pounding Mill, VA 24637 or Legacy Hospice, 1963 Second Street, Richlands, VA 24641. Online condolences may be sent to the family by going to www.SingletonFuneralService.com. Singleton Funeral Service is serving the Smith family.