November 16, 2006

OBITUARIES

Philip Brown of Wilmington, N.C., died at home on Friday, Oct. 27. He was 81.

He was born on Feb. 4, 1925, in Yellow Springs, Ohio, the son of Howard and Mary M. Brown. Phil graduated from Bryan High School in 1943 and entered the Navy in July of that year. He married Roselyn Kennedy in 1945.

After discharge from the Navy in 1946, he worked in procurement at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. In 1958 he left to accept a position with Autometric Corp., living in Stamford, Conn., until a merger with Raytheon Co. relocated the company to Alexandria, Va., in 1963, and Phil moved his family to Fairfax, Va. He also worked for Federal Supply Services and General Services Administration before retiring in 1986.

Phil and Roz moved to Wilmington, N.C., in 1988, living near Phil’s brother, Bob. They traveled extensively and Phil continued to enjoy golf until his health restricted his activity.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Virginia and his brother, Bill.

Phil is survived by Roz, his wife of 61 years; two daughters, Kathie and Jennie; two granddaughters, Wendy and Megan; a great grandson, Dalton; one brother, Bob; and many nieces and nephews, including Chris Brown of Yellow Springs, Curt of Springfield, Ohio, Jackie of Portland, Ore., and Larry of Xenia, Ohio.

Graveside services were held in Wilmington.

Wayne Sayer

Wayne Sayer, a resident of Yellow Springs during his youth, died of cardiac arrest on Friday, Nov. 3, in Washington, D.C. He was 67 years old and lived in Alexandria, Va.

Wayne attended elementary school and Bryan High School before entering Millersburg Military Institute in Millersburg, Ky. After serving in the United States Air Force he studied at Center College in Kentucky and the University of Virginia.

His parents, the late Eldon and Carlotta Sayer, were long-time residents of the village. Mrs. Sayer taught in the elementary school system during the fifties.

Wayne maintained close connections with friends from his youth in Yellow Springs. Just last month he attended the wedding of Mark Velsey in the suburbs of the capitol and Darrell Dawson, who now lives in Santa Fe, N.M., was his houseguest for the occasion.

The founder of R. Wayne Sayer and Associates, he was a Washington-based government affairs consultant in international and domestic issues affecting high tech industries. At the time of his death he was senior government affairs consultant to Applied Materials Inc. of Silicon Valley.

Wayne will be remembered as one of those larger-than-life individuals whose love of music, travel, humor, and good food were shared with all who knew him. He was a founding member of Blues Aid, a financial support organization for aging musicians, and one of the original members of the Emil Verben Society, a group of always-hopeful Chicago Cubs fans.

He is survived by his ex-wife, Jane Seyffert; daughter Lauren Sayer of Reston, Va., his sister, Pat Sayer Fusco of San Anselmo, Calif.; her son and daughter; and their children.

Memorial services will be held in Virginia.

Geraldine Harding

Geraldine Harding of Xenia died on Saturday, Nov. 4, after a long, courageous battle with cancer. She was 78.

She was born May 25, 1928, in Wilmington, the youngest of thirteen children born to Richard and Melvina (Stark) Jones. She attended Wilmington City Schools in her youth. Later she met and married George W. Harding III and eight children were born of that union. Geraldine was an avid softball player, skater and card player. She also enjoyed family reunions and cookouts with family and friends.

Geraldine was employed at YSI in Yellow Springs as an assembler and retired in 1993 with 25 years of service. She was an active member of the Middle Run Baptist Church until failing health would no longer permit her to attend.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George; her parents; a daughter, Kathy Jo Harding; sisters, Ila Scott, Mary Eliza Pullen, Reva Jones, Evelyn Lake; brothers, Richard, Wesley, Thomas, William, Earl and Herbert Jones.

She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, David L. and Beverly Harding, and Calvin L. and Denise Harding, all of Xenia; five daughters and a son-in-law, Warna L. Jewett, Pamela S. Ramsey, Carol A. McElrath and Tina M. Hutchins, all of Xenia, and Sharon K. and Chris Evans of Valdosta, Ga.; a sister, Carrie Jones of Wilmington; a brother, Robert Jones of Middletown; nieces, nephews and many other family members and friends.

Funeral services were held on Monday, Nov. 13, at Middle Run Baptist Church, Xenia, with interment following at Stevenson Cemetery on Jones Road, Xenia.

Ruby A. Barnes

Ruby A. Barnes of Xenia, and formerly of Yellow Springs, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 14, at her home.

She was 85. Services are pending at McColaugh Funeral Home, 826 North Detroit Street, Xenia.