Hazel E. Perry

Hazel Ernestine Downey Perry, 87, of Oak Hill, WV died on Sunday, May 15, 2005. Born November 18, 1917 at Franklin, KY she was the daughter of the late Ernest Ragland and Mabel Hargis Downey and stepdaughter of the late Daisy Pearson Downey. Hazel's early years were spent in western Kentucky on a farm. She later was graduated from Bowling Green Business University. Her venture into the job world brought her to Logan County, WV where she worked as a secretary at Amherst Coal Company. She was a secretary during the construction of the WV Turnpike for S.J. Groves Construction Company at Kingston, WV. Her business employment in Oak Hill was in the following order: E.D. Wood Accounting Office, J. Edward Lewis, New River Insurance Agency and loan officer for New River Banking and Trust. She was a member of Oak Hill Baptist Church for 57 years, member of the Cross Chapel Sunday School class and Cross Circle. She was a life long member of the Spade and Trowel Garden Club. She was noted for her love of flowers by being recognized as having Oak Hill's "Yard of the Month" on more than one occasion. Her hobbies and interests included her love of gardening and decorating her home beautifully. She was a natural athlete excelling at basketball, tennis and softball (often batting home runs one-handed). Hazel is most remembered for her goodness, her kind consideration of others and for never having said anything unkind about others. She left no enemies. She will be sadly missed, but welcomed with open arms into God's Heavenly Kingdom by her husband, Paul (Daddy); mother, Mabel; father, Ernest and her brother, Joseph Ross Downey Survivors include children, Mabel E. Jeffries and husband, Robert, of Charleston, SC; Nancy C. Elkins and husband, James R., of Oak Hill and Paul H. Perry, Jr. and wife, Colleen, of Springfield, VA; one brother, Jack Downey of Franklin, KY; one sister, Bobbie Jean Dickerson of Woodburn, KY; sister-in-law, Mary Elizabeth Avis; her best friend, Dorothy Martin; and her special friends and devoted caregivers, Dorothy Ward, Linda Cooper and JoAnn Arrington. She was also survived by seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Visitation will be held at Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill on Tuesday, May 17, 2005, from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM and on Wednesday, May 18, 2005, at Oak Hill Baptist Church from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Services will be on Tuesday, May 18, 2005, at 11:00 A.M. at Oak Hill Baptist Church with Rev. Bill Menefee and Rev. David Whte officiating. Burial will be at High Lawn Memorial Park, Oak Hill, WV. Pallbearers will be Daniel Perry, Samuel Elkins, Andrew Thomson, Matthew Thomson, James Elkins and John Pemberton. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Altzheimers Association, 1111 Lee Street East, Charleston WV 25301.