Obituaries for the week of April 17

By Aaron Lee

Published: April 16, 2008

Mavis Carter Barnes, 71, of Madison Heights, widow of Peter John Barnes, died on April 13.
Born in Appomattox County on Feb. 6, 1937, she was the daughter of the late Warren Daniel Carter and Pauline Dawson Carter. She was formerly of Altavista where she and Pete lived for 38 years. She was a retired employee of General Electric Corp and Ericsson Corp. after 37 years of service.
She is survived by five daughters, Cathy Robbins and her husband, Lawrence, of Amherst, Margie Dancy of Madison Heights, Laura Swecker and her husband, Johnny, of Richmond, Darlene Grant of Madison Heights and Lori Ann Kelly and her husband, Mike, of Little Elm, Texas; a granddaughter, Cynthia Ellinger of Madison Heights; 10 other grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was conducted on April 16 at Whitten Monelison Chapel.

Linwood “Pa-Pa” Carroll Campbell Sr., 72, of Madison Heights, died on April 10. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Pearl Maxey Campbell.
Born July 9, 1935 in Amherst County, he was the son of the late Willie Lee Campbell and the late Sadie Stinnett Campbell. He was a member of Randolph Memorial Baptist Church and attended Clifford Baptist Church. He had retired from the Lynchburg Foundry where he was employed for 42 years.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Eugene Campbell; and three sisters, Irene Badami, Susie Wheeler and Aurelia Mays.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Vicky C. Cash and husband Daryl of Amherst and Diane C. Kopp and husband Pete of Mineral; one son, L.C. Campbell Jr. and wife Bea of Gladstone; one granddaughter, Taylor Morgan Campbell; one step-granddaughter, Raven; one sister, Hesper C. Mays and husband Donald of Madison Heights; along with many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were conducted on April 13 at Whitten Monelison Chapel. Interment followed in Amherst Cemetery.

Marie Wade Diffendal, 91 of Amherst, died on April 12.She was born on March 1, 1917, in Lynchburg, a daughter of the late Waddie Almond Wade and Betsy Phelps Wade. She was also preceded in death by her husband, John Hundley Diffendal; four sisters, Gladys, Louise, Hilda and Betty; a brother, Almond Wade; and a grandson, Jacob Edward Milhous.
Surviving are her son, John Hundley Diffendal Jr. of Franklin, Tenn.; a daughter, Suzanne D. Milhous of Amherst; a sister, Nancy Kyle of Virginia Beach; five grandchildren, Chelsea Diffendal, Allie Diffendal, M. David Milhous Jr., Alexandra Milhous and Victoria Milhous.
A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.

Harry Hazelwood Jr., 71, of Amherst and formerly of Chase City, died on April 8.
He was the son of the late Roller and Gracie Hazelwood and was preceded in death by three brothers, Isaac and Jessie Hazelwood and Ricky Clay.
He is survived by his brothers. Joe Hazelwood of Clover, Mac Hazelwood of Kenbridge, Hampton Hazelwood of Scottsburg, Bradley Hazelwood and Jackie Hazelwood of Red Oak, Victor Hazelwood of Skipwith, and Glen Hazelwood of Chase City; sisters, Rachel Higgins of Red Oak, Nellie Snead of Scottsburg, Doris Hazelwood of Boydton, and Carolyn Wright of Red Oak; and by many nieces and nephews and friends.
He retired from D.B.L. Construction (formerly Wilkins Construction) after many decades of bridge and highway construction all over Virginia.
Funeral services were private.

Emma Sue Maddox, 52, of Madison Heights, died on April 12.
Born March 29, 1956, in Lynchburg, she was a daughter of the late Joe Grafton and Lois Campbell Maddox.
She is survived by two brothers, Howard Maddox and wife, Diane, and Joe Maddox Jr. and wife, Elizabeth, both of Amherst.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Glen Alan Maddox.
Graveside services were conducted on April 15 at the Amherst Cemetery.

Joseph M. Sykes, 79, of Amherst and formerly of Gloucester City, died on April 7. He was the husband of Elizabeth A. (nee O’ Donald) Sykes.
He was preceded in death by his brother, William Sykes.
He is survived by his daughter, Susan Ivins and her husband Charles; grandchildren, Stephen J. Pierson, Charles, Curtis and Tamara Ivins; three great grandchildren; brother and sisters-in-law, James O’ Donald, Nancy Landisio, Claire Sykes, Lillian O’ Donald; friends and family and many nieces and nephews.
He was a graduate of Gloucester High School, the Philadelphia School of Floral Design and was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He was the former owner of Sykes Florist in Gloucester City and had been a charter member of the Gloucester Mustangs Athletic Assoc. After moving to Virginia, he was a Public Address Announcer for horse shows. He was a member of the Marine Corps League Detachment #759 of Lynchburg, the Professional Horsemen’ s Assoc., Village Garden Club of Amherst, and was a charter member of the Lynchburg Chapter of the Military Order of the Devil Dogs. He was also an active volunteer at Salem Veterans Memorial Hospital where he volunteered over 1000 service hours.
A mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 11 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gloucester City. Interment of ashes followed in the Camden Co. Veterans Cemetery at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden.

Starr White Trent, 50, of Lynchburg, died on April 8. She is survived by her husband of 18 years, Larry G. Trent Sr.
Born Aug. 27, 1957, in Lynchburg, she was the daughter of the late Albert Sidney White and Barbara Geneva Clements White of Madison Heights. She was a bus driver for Campbell County Schools and an avid camper.
In addition to her husband and mother, she is survived by two sons, Teddy Gene Trent and Curtis Harris Trent; two step-sons, Bobby Trent and wife Pam, and Larry Trent Jr. and wife Dawn; one stepdaughter, Mandy Nicole Pillow; four grandchildren, Taylor M. Trent, Angel N. Trent, Nathan A. Trent and Seth T. Trent; one brother, Billie White; two sisters, Sylvia King and Connie Owen; nieces, nephews and friends.
A graveside service was conducted on April 12 at Virginia Memorial Park.

Rector Wilbur “Rex” Tweedy, 90, of Madison Heights, died April 7. He was the husband of Kathleen Trent Tweedy for 68 years.
Born Aug. 29, 1917 in Appomattox County, he was a son of the late Robert William and Veda Wilkerson Tweedy. He retired from the wholesale food industry after 43 years of service at Callaham Grocery and Quality Foods Cooperative. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a member of Oakdale Baptist Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Ira R. Tweedy; three sisters, Altha T. Lee, Verna T. Herndon, and Margaret T. Sipe; two half-brothers, Andrew Tweedy and Boyd Tweedy; and two half-sisters, Eunice Williams and Bertha Williams.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Steven Rex Tweedy and his wife, Pat; his daughter, Wanda Gail Jedelsky and her husband, Jim, all of Madison Heights; three sisters, Lura T. Lankford of Chattanooga, Tenn., Virginia T. Blankinship and husband, Reggie and Ida T. Bolling, both of Lynchburg; four grandchildren, Todd Jedelsky and his wife, Sara of Monroe, N.C., Beth Lester and her husband, George of Cornelius, N.C., Michael Tweedy and his wife, Allison of Lynchburg, and Stephanie Tweedy of Madison Heights; and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral service was conducted on April 10 at Whitten Monelison Chapel. Interment followed in Briarwood Memorial Gardens in Amherst.

Garland Graydon “Grady” Wilmer, 89, of Lynchburg, died on April 8. He was the husband of the late Edith Everett Gardner Wilmer for 42 years.
He was born Aug. 8, 1918 in Amherst County, and was the last surviving member of a family of ten children born to John Thomas and Fannie Estelle Rogers Wilmer.
He was retired from the U.S. Postal Service with 31 years of service, was a longtime member of Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church where he served as deacon and elder. He served in the U.S. Marine Corp in WWII and was a charter member of the commissioning of the U.S.S. Ticonderoga in 1944-1945. He coached Little League at Miller Park for 22 years in Babe Ruth, Colt and Dixie Leagues, and was a member of the Sertoma Club.
He is survived by a son, Everett Darrell Wilmer; two stepsons, Harris C. Gardner Jr. and wife, Rhonda of Bedford, Robert W. Gardner and wife, Ann of Lynchburg; grandchildren, Kelly A. Gardner, Ashley L. Gardner, Jason W. Gardner, Troy A. Gardner and wife, Wendy all of Lynchburg, Katie Gardner, Will Gardner, Joseph Gardner, Molly Gardner all of Bedford; four great-grandchildren; two sister-in-laws, Frances Wilmer of Lynchburg and Hillie Wilmer of Buena Vista; a brother-in-law, Harold Everett and wife, Mary of Richmond; and many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service was conducted April 10 at Spring Hill Cemetery. Military honors were provided by American Legion Post 16. A memorial service was held immediately following the graveside service at Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church.