Wedding and Obituaries - July 2010

Wedding

Anastasia Chester of Las Vegas, NV, and James Pacheco III of Fairfield, CA, were united in marriage on Oct. 23, 2009, in Las Vegas at The Little Church of the West Wedding Chapel. The only person not in attendance was Elvis, because he had left the building. Staci is the daughter of Robin and Sandy Chester of Bend, OR, and James is the son of James Pacheco II of Sacramento, CA, and Melody Pacheco of Fairfield, CA. 

Obituaries

Andrew L. Lavy, 81, died May 26, 2010, at his residence near Camden, IN, after enduring kidney dialysis for three years. He was born Feb. 6, 1929, in Darke County, OH. He married Mary Ellen Morris on Feb. 6, 1949, at her parents’ farm in Carroll County, IN. He was a farmer and carpenter for 40 years. He and his wife also operated the Lavy Orchard for 40 years.

He began attending GCI in the mid ’60s and was baptized in 1981. He attended the Living Hope Fellowship in Lafayette, IN.

Surviving are his wife and three sons: Keith Lavy (wife Claudia) of Troy, OH, Wayne Lavy (wife Sheryl) of Greenville, OH, and Kenneth Lavy (wife Tammi) of Camden. Also surviving are three sisters: Elizabeth Garber of Lobelville, TN; Ruth Flora of Arcanum, OH; and Rhoda Millyard of Brookville, OH; six grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by three sisters, an infant brother and three adult brothers. He loved the Lord and wanted to share with everyone that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s love. Services were held May 30 with Pastor David Perry (Living Hope Fellowship) and Tim Yoder officiating, to a packed Camden First Baptist Church. Burial was at Musselman Cemetery near Camden.

Mary Ethel Smith, 81, a long-time member of Christ Communion Church in Beaumont, TX, passed away April 27 at the Dogwood Trails Nursing Home in Woodville, TX. Mrs. Smith is survived by four sons and two daughters; 20 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and numerous relatives and friends. Pastor Gene Koch conducted the graveside service at Landrum Cemetery in Fannett, TX.

Helen Alene Snyder, 78, of Big Sandy, TX, died June 16 due to a lengthy illness. She was born in Sterling, OK, Feb. 4, 1932, and was the 11th of 14 children born to Lee Franklin and Della Tennessee McCarter Sims. They were a farming family who traveled throughout the South, primarily picking cotton.

Times were hard, and as she and most of her siblings reached the age of 5, they were sent to the field to pick cotton from sunrise to sundown. Helen recalled picking cotton until her hands bled. She left home at the age of 15 and worked as a housekeeper, nanny, and telephone operator.

In 1951, at the age of 19, she married Leonard Smith. They had two children, Lenora Jean and Leonard Gregory. The marriage ended in 1959, and she moved to Big Sandy, where she lived until her death. On April 23, 1963, she married John L. Snyder of Bay City, TX, and had her third child, Johnny L. Snyder, III. They resided in Big Sandy, where the family operated the Ambassador College Dairy for several years.

She dedicated her life as a volunteer caregiver—cleaning houses, cooking, sewing, and doing just about anything for anyone in need, in and out of her religious affiliation. Helen also spent many years serving as a midwife in the east Texas area.

As a cancer survivor, she was known to most in her community as knowledgeable in treating health issues. Her passion for alternative cancer treatments led her on several occasions to risk arrest in Mexico in order to smuggle laetrile for other cancer victims in her community. After a close call at the border, when perspiration caused the concealed bottles taped on her legs to drop to her ankles as Mexican officials searched her car, her family insisted that she never do this again. She owned and operated Vita-Nook Health Food Store in Big Sandy, TX, in the 1980s and early 1990s. She turned her energy to gardening and milking goats.

She is survived by four sisters and a brother, her children Lenora Feeney of San Antonio, Leonard Gregory Smith of Big Sandy and Johnny Snyder III of McKinney, TX. Helen had six grandchildren and five great-grand children. She was buried on June 17 in Chilton Cemetery of Big Sandy followed by a service on Sunday conducted by family.

Shevon Andranette Wallace, 40, of Manassas, VA, died on Feb. 20 at Alexandria Hospital. She was born on April 16, 1969, in Winchester, VA, the daughter of Charles A. Wallace, Sr., of Fort Pierce, FL, and Catherine V. Wallace, of Manassas.

Shevon was a clerk cashier for Super Fresh in Manassas. She is survived by her parents; her daughter, Sharbra A. Wallace, of Manassas; a granddaughter, Deja L. Murray, of Manassas; a sister, Sheree A. Anyiam (husband Charles), of Bristow, VA; and six brothers: Christopher A. Wallace of Fort Pierce, Charles A. Wallace, Jr., Cleve T. Wallace, Chandler A. Wallace, Cory A. Wallace, and Clint A. Wallace, all of Manassas.