In Memoriam

Neely Edmond Ward, Jr.

1958 – 2023

Neely Ward

Neely Edmond Ward, Jr., 65, of Nettie, WV passed away on Monday, August 28, 2023 in the WVU-Medicine Summersville Regional Medical Center.

Born August 26, 1958 at Richwood, he was a son of the late Neely Edmond and Roberta Jean Peyatt Ward.

Survivors include three siblings, Gilbert Ward, Mitch Peyatt, and Reginna Papt; and a host of other family and friends.


Lou Cinda “Cindy” Goodall Kitchen Tucker

1957 – 2023

Cindy Tucker

Lou Cinda “Cindy” Goodall Kitchen Tucker passed away on March 18th, 2023 at Peyton Hospice House, in Lewisburg, West Virginia, after a long illness. By her side were her devoted husband of 19 years and loving caregiver, Bobby Tucker, and her family.

Cindy was preceded in death by her parents John M. “Jackie” and Mary “Sally” Goodall and her first husband Martin “Marty” Kitchen. In addition to her husband and her faithful dog companion Sally, she is survived by her sisters; Jane Hughes of Ronceverte, and Pam Hamrick and husband Tig of Ronceverte; grandchildren Christopher, Taylihai, Josh, Ashlyn, and Trinity; several nieces and nephews; several great nieces and nephews; and one great, great niece.

Cindy was born on November 14, 1957 in Ronceverte, West Virginia. She graduated from Greenbrier East High School in 1976 and West Virginia State College in 1980. She earned her Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from The George Washington University in Washington D.C. in 2004.

She loved to watch and attend sporting events of all kinds, especially Pittsburgh Steeler football and Boston Red Sox baseball. She loved music and enjoyed gardening, working outside, spending time with her family and friends, and traveling.

She was an active member of Edgewood Presbyterian Church. Throughout her life she served on several boards and councils and was also involved in many social service and community organizations including 4-H.


Christine Ann Hundley

1965 – 2022

Christine Ann Hundley, 56, of Fairlea, formerly of Charmco, went home to be with the Lord Monday, May 9, 2022, following a long illness.

Born August 5, 1965, in Hinton, she was the daughter of the late Alfred and Ruthie (Gipson) Hundley.

Survivors include three brothers Jeff Hundley (Nancy) of Charmco, Danny Hundley of Charmco, and Johnny Hundley (Teresa) of White Sulphur Springs; five sisters Kathy Burdette of Hinton, Coleen McCutcheon (Jerry) of Leivasy, Molly McCloud (Charlie) of Charmco, Janice Lowe (Tolby) of Big Mountain, and Dolly Hundley of Rupert; and a host of nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Christine’s family would like to thank her roommate of 15 years and her caregivers and staff at Open Doors for spending long hours with her while she was in the hospital and at home. They were a blessing to Christine and were considered family. Also, a special thank you to Dr. Pam Butcher and Hospice Care for all they did.


Mary McCleese

1967 – 2022

Mary McCleese, of Fairlea, WV, 54 years of age, passed away on January 18, 2022, after a sudden illness. Mary was born August 6, 1967, in McDowell County.

She was preceded in death by her foster father, Robert Surface of Rock Camp; and her parents, Leonard “Buster” and Helen McCleese of Newhall, WV.
Mary treasured spending time in the park on a swing enjoying her surroundings. She loved music. Mary appreciated the little things in life and was so cool she even wore her sunglasses at night.

Those left to cherish Mary’s loving memory include her foster mother, Betty Surface; several siblings; special friends, David and Jane Sykes, Donna, as well as her Open Doors family. Mary has positively influenced the lives of many in her community.


Brenda Carper Boyce

1949 – 2021

Brenda “Nanny” Carper-Boyce, age 71, of Ronceverte, WV, passed away Friday, September 24, 2021 at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center in Fairlea, WV.

Born November 10, 1949 in Ronceverte, she was the daughter of Kyle and Virgina Carper. Brenda was a loving caregiver to so many. She loved her family, and she loved her role as Nanny, especially to her great-grandson, Zayne Jeffery Carper of whom she thought the world of and was very close too. She also loved the Lord and was of the Baptist Faith.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one son, Jeff Coleman; one grandson, Brent Carper; one brother, Andy Carper; and one sister, Kay Bostic. Survivors include one son, Anthony Blankenship of Lewisburg, WV; two daughters, Valorie Quick and husband Mike of Renick, WV, and Stephanie Bland and husband Jeff of Sinks Grove, WV; daughter-in-law, Lisa Coleman of Lewisburg, WV; one brother, Charlie Carper of Fairlea, WV; two sisters, Patricia White of Lindside, WV, and Linda Gumm of Charleston, WV; eleven grandchildren, Marshall, Donnie, Kim, Cassie, Karisa “Rag Bag”, Hunter “Bunner”, Kyle “Kiley Wiley”, Michael, Jordan, Ethan, and Savanna; and eighteen great-grandchildren.


Steven E. Honaker

1950-2021

Steven E. Honaker, 71, of Lewisburg entered into eternal rest Saturday, July 24, 2021 at Peyton House following a long illness.

Born March 11, 1950 at Hinton he was a son of the late Carlos J. “Brud” and Jo Ann Mann Honaker.

Steven was of the Methodist faith. He was an avid Special Olympics participant. Steven loved bowling, music and singing. He was very active with his caretakers and was a blessing to all who knew him.

Steven was preceded in death by one brother, Michael Allen Honaker.

Those left to cherish his memory include one sister, Patricia Mills of Roanoke, VA; three nieces, Brandi Jones and husband Adam of Hurricane, Joanna Hunsberger and husband Joe of Roanoke, VA and Jessica Harris and husband Justin of Roanoke, VA; one nephew, Will Mills of Charlottesville, VA; three great nieces, Brooklyn, Natalee and Ella Jo; two great nephews, Braxton and Jackson; several cousins whom he loved dearly and a special roommate, Perry.

Funeral services will be 12:00 P.M. Monday, August 2, 2021 at the Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors Chapel with Pastor Ronnie Cobb officiating. Entombment will follow in the Greenbrier Burial Park near Hinton. Friends may call from 11:00 A.M. until time of services on Monday at the funeral parlors.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.


Robert Perske

1927-2016

Robert Perske

Robert “Bob” Perske, champion of the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, passed away following an illness in Darien, Connecticut on August 14, 2016. He was 89.

Early in his career, Bob served as a chaplain at Kansas Neurological Institute. He went onto serve as Executive Director of the Greater Omaha Arc and the Eastern Nebraska Office of Retardation, before becoming an advocate for people with intellectual disability in prison, supporting individuals and their attorneys in their fight for justice.

Among his many accomplishments, Bob authored 16 books and numerous articles concerning the rights and quality of life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.  Many of these works were edited and illustrated by his wife, Martha.

Early in his career, he reflected on the notion of risk-taking as a dimension of human dignity. He suggested (Mental Retardation, Vol 10, No. 1, 1972) that the “clever ways of building the avoidance of risk into the lives” of people with intellectual disability had a deleterious effect on their personal growth, and that there is a “dehumanizing indignity in safety.”

Following 1991 book, Unequal Justice?  What Can Happen When Persons with Retardation or Other Developmental Disabilities Encounter the Criminal Justice System, he encountered Richard Lapointe, a man with Dandy Walker Syndrome, who falsely confessed to a crime and received a life sentence.  Bob contributed to the decades-long efforts to prove Mr. Lapointe’s innocence, and in 2015, after serving 26 years for a crime he did not committee, Mr. Lapointe was released from prison.  A 2004 NPR profile on his efforts on this case can be found here. Bob’s ongoing project to document other false confessions resulted in “Perske’s List”, the most recent article can be found here: Perske’s List: False Confessions From 75 Persons With Intellectual Disability.

Bob and Martha Perkse were jointly awarded the AAIDD Humanitarian award in 1993, and in 2002, Bob was awarded the American Bar Association’s Paul Hearne Award for Services to Persons with Disabilities.  In 2004, a special session was held at the AAIDD annual meeting in Philadelphia to honor him: The Pastoral Voice of Robert Perske: Spiritual Life in Institution and Community, which explored how themes in pastoral ministry and spiritual supports with people with intellectual disability had changed from the 1960s.

Mr. Perske is survived by his wife, Martha and their five children.

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Robert Perske