OBITUARIES

Mar 24, 2022

Marion Croley Forester, 68, of Harlan, Kentucky, unexpectedly “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God” on Thursday morning, March 24, 2022.

Croley was born on January 11, 1954, in Jeffersonville, Indiana to Ralph and Wauneth Forester. His family soon returned to Harlan, where he attended Harlan Independent and graduated from James A. Cawood High School in 1972. Croley then attended the...

Mar 21, 2022

Michael Gene Thomas of Dizney, KY died March 21, 2022 with his family by his side. Born on August 29th, 1955 to the late Jess and Mary Thomas, he resided in Harlan all his life. He loved watching sports whether it was his boys playing football and baseball or his beloved Green Bay Packers. He was a Veteran of...

Mar 17, 2022

Following a brief hospitalization and with his mother at his side, Joshua Hiram Turner of Cawood, Kentucky, passed away in peace at the age of 40 on March 17, 2022 at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. He was preceded in death by his wife Alicia, his father Johnny, his brother Jacob, his cousin Shawn Smith, and his grandparents:...

Mar 17, 2022

Roy Anthony "Tony" Gentry, 65 of Cranks passed away Thursday evening of March 17, 2022 at his home. Tony was born October 31, 1956 was born in Harlan to the late Charles and Lorene Carr Gentry. He was a retired coal miner with over 38 years of service. He enjoyed fishing, ginseng hunting, motorcycles and  he loved to be...

Mar 16, 2022

Lynn Brittain Hopper, 67 of Knoxville, TN passed away peacefully on afternoon of Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at the Shannondale Health Care Center. Lynn was born May 23, 1954 in Knoxville, TN to the late Eugene Newcomb Hopper, Jr and Mary Virginia Silvers Hopper. She was a graduate of Rockdale High School, Rockdale, TX class of 1972. She then...

Mar 16, 2022

Shirley Faye Howard, 69 of Grays Knob, KY passed away in the early morning hours of Wednesday March 16, 2022 at the Hospice Care Unit of the University of Kentucky Medical Center while surrounded by her loving family. Shirley was born December 23, 1952 in Cincinnati, OH to the late Roy and Ida Gatliff Cundiff. She was a homemaker...

Mar 16, 2022

Cole Middleton, 68 of Lexington formerly of Pine Mountain, KY passed away in the early morning hours of Wednesday March 16, 2022 at the Baptist Health in Lexington, KY. Cole was born March 11,1954 to the late Woodrow and Gay Noe Middleton. He was a retired coal miner with over 15 years of service. He enjoyed hunting, singing and...

Mar 13, 2022

John Chester "Pappy" Napier, 80 of Cranks, KY passed away Sunday afternoon of March 13, 2022 at the Greg & Noreen Wells Hospice Care Center in Hazard. Chet was born April 12, 1941 in Smith (Stone Mountain) KY to the late James Fredrick Napier and Martha Elizabeth Wilson Napier. He was a retired coal truck driver and member of...

Mar 12, 2022

Kimberly Lynn Allen Harris, 58 of Fort Mitchell, KY formerly of Harlan passed away on Saturday afternoon of March 12, 2022 at her home. Kim was born  July 3, 1963  in Harlan, KY to the late Charles Ronnie Allen and Wanda Crawford Allen. She was a homemaker who kept her house in order. She enjoyed spending time with her family,...

Mar 10, 2022

Roger Lewis Long, 73 of Coldiron, KY passed away Thursday morning of March 10, 2022 at his home. Roger was born July 16, 1948 in Harlan to the late Virgil Long, Sr and Geneva Brock Long. He had retired after 41 years of working in Illinois. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by his sister, Jeanette Long...

Mar 8, 2022

Dale Joseph Beard, 60 of Harlan passed away Tuesday evening of March 8, 2022 at the Harlan ARH. Dale was born November 26, 1961 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to the late John and Barbara Hinman Beard. He was a dedicated truck driver and currently worked for JRL Coal Co. He was a Veteran of the United States Marine Corp....

Mar 6, 2022

Christy Jewel Creech, 40 of Bledsoe, KY passed away Sunday evening of March 6, 2022 along with her husband Matt from injuries sustained in an ATV accident at the Harlan ARH. Christy was born December 23, 1981 in Linton, IN to the Charlotte Slusher Roark and the late Marvin Roark. She was employed by Smithfield Foods as a meat...

Mar 6, 2022

Matthew Ryan Creech, 34 of Bledsoe, KY passed away Sunday evening of March 6, 2022 at the Harlan ARH along with his wife, Christy from injuries sustained in an ATV accident. Matt was born July 17, 1987 in Harlan to Cecil Wayne Saylor and Brenda Creech. He was a diesel mechanic for C. Saylor Logging. He enjoyed fishing, hunting,...

Mar 5, 2022

Martha Lou Bowling was born on March 7, 1942 in Cumberland, Kentucky.  She was the daughter of the late Hiram Dixon and Addie Howard Dixon.  She was united in marriage to Raymond Bowling of London, Kentucky.  She is also survived by four sons, of Randall “Peanut” Bowling of Woollum, Kentucky; Raymond Bowling Jr., of Lily, Kentucky; Michael Bowling and...

Mar 4, 2022

James Greene Burkhart, 87 of Wallins passed away on Friday morning of March 4, 2022 at the Harlan ARH. Jim was born October 1, 1934 in Wallins, KY to the late Stephen Byrd Burkhart, Sr and Serena Lucretian Long Burkhart. He was a 1952 graduate of Wallins High School; he then attended Union College on a track scholarship where...

Mar 3, 2022

Dorothy Melissa Carver (née Wheeler), aged 53, died March 3, 2022, after being diagnosed with Stage IV appendix cancer on September 1, 2020. She was the beloved eldest daughter of the late Wendell Ellis Wheeler and Margaret Thompson Wheeler of Harlan. In addition to her mother, Melissa leaves behind her sweet, loving husband of 27 years and caregiver, Brent,...

Mar 2, 2022

Terry Mitchell, 67 of Cawood, KY passed away Wednesday afternoon of March 2, 2022 at the Hazard ARH Medical Center following a brief illness. Terry was born January 21, 1955 in Harlan to the late McKinley and Emma Osborne Mitchell. He was a lifelong resident of Cawood and believed in the Church of God Faith. He enjoyed going to...

Feb 27, 2022

Janice S. Smith, 80 of Wallins passed away on Sunday, February 27, 2022 at her home. Janice was born August 7, 1941 at  Jesse Creek, KY to the late Arthur and Dorcas Brock Saylor. She was retired supervisor for Dobbs House Catering. She believed in the Baptist Faith and was a member of the Wallins Baptist Church. Besides her...

Feb 24, 2022

Wanda Lee Pennington, 56 of Cawood, passed away February 24, 2022 at her home while surrounded by her family. She was owner/operator of WBK Coal Trucking Co. and believed in the Baptist faith. Wanda is preceded in death by her parents David Gilbert Sr. and Charlene Kelly Gilbert. She is survived by her husband Roger "Ra Ra" Pennington of...

Feb 23, 2022

On Wednesday, February 23, 2022, Kay Frances Burkhart Wiseman, 83, went peacefully to Heaven at her home surrounded by her beloved family. She was born on April 14, 1938, in Harlan, Kentucky to the late John Milton and Kathleen Covington Burkhart. She graduated from Harlan High School and Centre College where she majored in Biology and Music. Her great...