Mikel Justus

Mikel Aaron Justus On Oct. 31, 2009, Mikel Aaron sustained an accident that caused the immediate loss of his life. Mikel was born on July 1, 1982, in Grundy, Va. He lived in Richlands and Tazewell for most of his life before joining the U.S. Army in 2005. Mikel was an avid golfer. It was by far the sport of his choice. He was a self-taught golfer spending many hours at the Tazewell County Country Club while a child and teenager playing. In 1999, he took first place in the Junior Golf Boys 14-18 playoff. For the past nine months, Mikel has been assigned to Walter Reed Medical Center for rehabilitation for injuries he received in November 2008. While at Walter Reed Medical Center, Mikel touched many lives, giving many soldiers hope from day to day to go on. He befriended everyone he met and he never met a stranger. He had a heart of love and would give or help people anyway he could. Mikel's nickname at Walter Reed Medical Center was "Miracle Mike", because they had witnessed actually seeing the miracles and changes in Mikel's physical body. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Thomas Graham and Edna Lillian Hackney Justus; special aunt, Freda Smith; and three uncles, Roy Blankenship, Lester Blankenship and Donnie Blankenship. Left to mourn his loss are his dad and mom, Mikel Ray and Marilyn Blankenship Justus of North Tazewell; his maternal grandparents, Eckman and Sylvia Blankenship of Woodman, Ky.; several aunts, uncles and cousins, including two special cousins, Jon and Erin Wellman, who will miss him so much; special friends, Cindy Feldmann, Kami Chevalier, Bret and Bellind Chevalier and family; and the many friends that are too numerous to name from Walter Reed Medical Center and his church family at the Fountain of Joy Church. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, at Singleton Funeral Service Chapel at Cedar Bluff, Va., with Pastor Judy McKnight and Bishop Tom McKnight officiating. Burial will follow in the Arlington National Cemetery at Arlington, Va. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Singleton Funeral Service at Cedar Bluff. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Pet Haven, P.O. Box 24, Falls Mills, VA 24613. Online condolences may be sent to the family by going to www.singletonfuneralservicse.com Singleton Funeral Service is serving the Justus family.