The Rev. Benjamin Harrison “Shorty” Nethken, 82, a resident of Mabie, passed away at 6:24 p.m. Thursday, March 8, 2002, in the Davis Memorial Hospital emergency department.
The Rev. Nethken was born Sept. 15, 1919, at Kedron, a son of the late Albert T. and Elsie Gay Hornbeck Nethken.
On Dec. 15, 1945, he married the former Lucille Madge Hawkins, who survives at Mabie.
Also surviving are two sons, Albert T. Nethken and wife, Sinney, and Donald Ray Nethken and wife, Connie, all of Mabie; five daughters, Isabell Lucille Swecker and husband, Robert, Beverly, Levan Kay Lambert of Coalton, Ila Jean Snyder and husband, Donald, of Kesling Mill, Linda Sue Williams and husband, Eugene Williams Jr., of Philippi, and Virginia Gay “Ginger” Rodgers and husband, Scott, of Buckhannon.
Also surviving are two brothers, Ralph David Nethken of Buckhannon, Howard Weese Nethken of Mabie; five sisters, Jane Helmick, Dove Calain and Jessie Logue, all of Warren, Ohio, Edith Ossman, Charlotte, N.C., and Rosie Bland of Cleveland, Ohio. Six grandsons, 12 granddaughters and nine great-grandchildren also survive.
He was preceded in death by one infant sister; two half sisters, Florence Brady and Ruby Combs; and one brother, James Frank Nethken.
The Rev. Nethken was a coal miner and timber cutter. He was a disabled American veteran, served in the U. S. Army and was awarded the Bronze Star.
He was a member of the Coalton Union Mission Church. He was a Christian by faith.
Friends may call from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. today at the Tomblyn Funeral Home in Elkins. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Ralph Summerfield officiating. Interment will follow at the Mount Union Cemetery in Upshur County where full military graveside rites will be accorded by members of the H.W. Daniels Post No. 29 American Legion and Tygarts Valley Post No. 3647 Veterans of Foreign Wars.
