Forid F. Figgins
LANEVIEW—Forid Frank Figgins, 84, of Laneview died May 15, 2013.
Mr. Figgins was a decorated Korean War Veteran, serving in the Army assigned to the C Company, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Division. He received the Purple Heart with 1 Cluster, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with 5 Bronze Stars, Combat Infantry Badge, and United Nations Service Medal.
He was well-known in the community for his mastery as a welder. He worked as a welder in the Norfolk Shipyard, Norfolk & Western Railway, Humphries Railway, and retired from his own business, Figgins Welding.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank E. Figgins and Vernie and Edward Davis; three brothers and one sister; and his wife of 32 years, Ruth Figgins.
Survivors include his beloved wife of 24 years, Betty Jo Figgins; brother, Eddie Davis and wife Agnes; daughter, Jackie Edwards and husband Thomas; four sons, Michael Ward and wife Deloris, James Young, Donald Young and wife Lucy, and Mark Young; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Family received friends at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, at Bristow-Faulkner Funeral Home in Saluda followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m., conducted by the Rev. Rita Staul. Interment was in Harmony Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with a reception in the fellowship hall following the services.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association, 4600 Cox Road, Suite 130, Glen Allen, VA 23060, or American Legion Post 86, P.O. Box 1982, Kilmarnock, VA 22482.
Larry K. Martin
WEEMS—Larry K. Martin, 74, of Weems, formerly of Bethesda, Md., died on May 15, 2013. He was born in Urbana, Ohio, the son of the late Howard and Wilma Martin.
Surviving are his wife of 43 years, Elizabeth “Betty” Martin and two nephews, Andrew Martin (Layla) of Milford, Ohio, and Sean Martin (Sherry) of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mr. Martin graduated from Kent State University in 1960 and became a reporter for United Press International in Columbus, Ohio. He served as a Peace Corp Volunteer from 1962 to 1965 in Liberia.
Mr. Martin joined the Wilmington, Delaware News Journal in 1965, covering such major national events as the riot-torn 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the Republican National Convention in Miami. As chief of the Dover Bureau, he was responsible for all news coverage of the state government and legislature.
He became chief of staff to the late Sen. J. Caleb Boggs (R-DE) in 1969, and managed Boggs’s 1972 campaign, which was won by vice-president Joe Biden. Mr. Martin later served as vice president of Manmade Fiber Producers Association and president of American Apparel Manufacturing Association.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 28, at Historic Christ Church in Weems. A graveside service in Milford will be announced at a later date.
Memorials may be made to Northern Neck Free Health Clinic, P.O. Box 1694, Kilmarnock, VA 22482, or Foundation for Historic Christ Church, P.O. Box 24, Irvington, VA 22480.
Currie Funeral Home LLC of Kilmarnock handled the arrangements.
Donald H. McAllister Jr.
BEDFORD, NY—Donald McAllister Jr., 57, died May 4, 2013.
Known as Jay, he was born in New York City. He graduated from the St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Mass., and Franklin and Marshall College. Upon graduation, he worked for The Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. in New York City for 11 years in their International Division.
After attending The Johns Hopkins School for International Studies, Jay changed careers and became very active in the environmental field with a special emphasis on Sustainable Development. He was employed by The Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Environmental Training Institute and World Resources Institute. Jay was an active board member of Taxpayers for Common Sense and the Marvelwood School.
He is survived by his wife, Ellen; sons, Hoitt and Ned; his sister, Wendy McAllister, and brother, Malcolm.
Jay will be interred at a family service in Bedford, N.Y. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Taxpayers for Common Sense, 651 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20003, or The Marvelwood School, 476 Skiff Mountain Road, Kent, CT 06757.
Patricia F. O’Shaughnessy
IRVINGTON—Patricia Frances O’Shaughnessy, 85, of Irvington died May 19, 2013. She was born in Phoenix, Ariz., and moved to Washington, D.C., as a child. She graduated from Immaculata Junior College and Dunbarton College, both in Washington, D.C., with degrees in art and English.
She was married to Charles Joseph “Bud” O’Shaughnessy for 49 years and together they raised five children, Kathleen (Scott) Kauffman of Topping, Elizabeth (Tom) Karaffa of Staunton, Lucille (John) Walker of White Stone, John (Nancy) O’Shaughnessy of White Stone, and Colleen (Laird) O’Rollins of Seattle.
While living in Washington, D.C., Pat worked at the Indonesian Embassy and NBC. She also managed the Corchrane Art Gallery in Georgetown, worked at Wesley Theological Seminary and in the corporate office of The Allied Stores. She was an active member of the Christ Child Society, a volunteer art teacher at Holy Redeemer School and a docent at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum. While a docent she became quite an expert on the travels of Lewis and Clark.
Pat and Bud retired to White Stone in 1987. Pat volunteered at Historic Christ Church. She also found her greatest muse to be the Northern Neck. She became involved with the Rappahannock Art League (RAL). As the RAL grew, she and fellow artists thought a gallery was needed to exhibit the work of the RAL members. Pat was instrumental in raising funds to establish the Rappahannock Art League Studio Gallery. She was an active volunteer at the gallery and enjoyed the camaraderie with fellow artists, particularly the experimental group.
Pat is survived by her five children; 17 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren (with two more on the way); her brothers, Thomas Sawyer of Delaware and John Sawyer of Florida; as well as a number of nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles, who died in 2002; her brother, James Sawyer; and parents, Grace and Francis.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 7, at the Church of the Visitation in Hartfield. A reception will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury in Irvington. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Rappahannock Art League’s Children’s Program, 19 North Main Street, Kilmarnock, VA 22482, in honor of Pat.
Thomas I. Samuel
LOTTSBURG—Thomas Irvine “Tom” Samuel of Lottsburg died May 9, 2013.
Mr. Samuel was born October 3, 1941, to the late Andrew and Novellia Samuel.
He attended Holley Grade School. He was a member of Zion Baptist Church in Lottsburg and later Galilee United Methodist Church in Edwardsville.
He was a farmer, a cook in the menhaden industry, and a tractor trailer driver.
He is predeceased by a grandson, Trevin LaMar Samuel; a sister, Alice Keeve; and brothers, Edward Samuel and Robert Samuel,
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Ann Samuel; children Nancy Henderson, Jaunita Lampkin, Thomas Samuel Jr., Alice Noel, Tyrone Samuel and Casey Samuel; brother, James Samuel; 21 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
A funeral was held May 14 at Galilee UMC with interment in the church cemetery.
George W. Smejkal
LAUREL POINT—George Walter Smejkal, 87, of Laurel Point died May 2, 2013. Mr. Smejkal was born May 6, 1925, in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
He survived the Allied bombing in Berlin in World War II and was active as a counter spy in the Underground. In 1946, he immigrated to Venezuela and then to the USA.
He worked in the oil industry and eventually was hired by Mobil in the ‘60s. He traveled worldwide during his career before his retirement in 1986.
He is survived by his wife, Greta Rogg. They were married in Japan in 1988 and then moved to Laurel Point. He was an avid skier, tennis player and the ultimate “fixer upper.” He wrote his memoirs, “Travels with George,” and was working on a revision.
A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, at Currie Funeral Home in Kilmarnock, followed by a gathering at Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club. Burial will be private.
Memorials may be made to The Northern Neck Free Health Clinic, P.O. Box 1694, Kilmarnock, VA 22482, or Lancaster Community Library, P.O. Box 850, Kilmarnock, VA 22482.
