Russell Presley

Russell Vern Presley OAKWOOD, Va. Russell Vern Presley, age 81, passed away Thursday, April 8, 2010, in a Bluefield, W.Va., hospital. Born March 10, 1929, at Davenport, Va., he was the son of the late Harman Patton and Mary Lottie Ratliff Presley. He was a graduate of Council High School and East Tennessee State University. He was a United States Army Veteran of the Korean conflict. He was a member of John Ratliff Post No.64 of the American Legion. Mr. Presley taught in the Buchanan County School system for 11 years, served as Commissioner of Revenue of Buchanan County for 10 years, and Circuit Court Clerk for 16 years. He was a member of the Oakwood Presbyterian Church and served as clerk of the session for the church for over 25 years. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by three brothers, Corbet Presley, Thurman Marshall Presley and William J. Presley; seven sisters, Pearl Breeding, Maude Williamson, Flora Ball, Venia Boyd, Reba Presley, Missouri Turner and Stella Hurt. He was the last surviving member of his immediate family in his generation. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Joann C. Horton Presley; one daughter, Melinda Gibbs and husband George of Salem, Va.; one son, Russell Vern Presley II and wife Anita of Shortt Gap, Va.; one grandson, Kenton Drake Presley of Oakwood, Va.; many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 10, 2010, at Buchanan Funeral Service Chapel at Keen Mountain, Va., with Rev. Ancil Childress and Rev. Phyllis Canter officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill, Va. Pallbearers will be Jimmy Boyd, Larry Boyd, Lewis Addison, Paul Jackson, Wayne Deskins and Paul Cole. Honorary pallbearers will be, Jim Cook, Glenn Matney, Jim Taylor, Earl Ratliff, Clyde Wimmer, Carl Hale, Joe Davis, Woodrow Presley, Bill Presley, Burl Presley, Kenneth Woods, Dr. Phil Peterson and Dr. Ashutosh Chandel. Military graveside rites will be conducted by John Ratliff Post No.64 of the American Legion. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday with a service at 7 p.m. with Rev. Mike Rife officiating at Buchanan Funeral Service at Keen Mountain, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Oakwood Presbyterian Church, PO Box 182, Oakwood, VA 24631; American Cancer Society, 1816 Jefferson Street, Bluefield, WV 24701; or American Heart Association, 4504 Starkey Rd, SW, Roanoke, VA 24018. Online condolences may be sent to the family by going to www.SingletonFuneralService.com Buchanan Funeral Service is serving the Presley family.