Mary Ann Murphy Yeager, 102

(11/15/2012)
Mary Ann Murphy Yeager, 102, passed away peacefully in her sleep at 2:00 AM on November 13, 2012 at the Heritage Nursing Home in Bridgeport, WV.

She was the daughter of Riley and Josie Furr Murphy of Glenville.

She was born on July 20, 1910 in the Cedar Creek area of Gilmer County, WV. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband John Yeager of Huntington, WV and her sister Norene Zerbest and brother-in-law Everett Zerbest of Glenville, WV.

She had no children. She is survived by her sister Kathleen Schultz of Bridgeport, WV, one niece Margaret Zerbest Waldeck and her husband William Waldeck of Clarksburg, WV, a great niece Amanda Waldeck of Pittsburgh, PA and a great nephew Jeffrey Waldeck of Clarksburg, WV.

She attended Glenville Normal School and Marshall University where she studied journalism. She lived for a time in Chicago where she wrote society articles and advertising copy for the Chicago Tribune. She worked for many years for the Huntington Herald Dispatch. She also submitted freelance articles for USA Today.

She had been employed as a dance teacher at The Francis Nestor School of Dance in Huntington and Arthur Murray Studios. She had taught a series of ballroom dance classes at Glenville State College. She had an intense love for music and the arts. She played a number of instruments including piano, saxophone, guitar and harmonica. She served for number years as pianist and Director of Music at the First Baptist Church in Huntington. She was involved in productions of plays in Huntington both as an instrumentalist and actress. She had also been a top seller for the Avon Corporation for a number of years. In later years she assisted her sister with the management of Schultz Rentals in Morgantown.

The lights of her life were her great niece Amanda and her great nephew Jeffrey. She passed on to Amanda her love of music and musical talent. Jeffrey received her gift of ability in dance, music and the arts as well as her sandy blond hair, bright blue eyes and quick wit. She will be sadly missed by her family.

Ellyson Mortuary Inc. in Glenville West Virginia is in charge of the arrangements. At her request there will be no visitation. A graveside service will be conducted at 1:00 PM Saturday November 17, 2012 at the Stalnaker Cemetary on Rt 5 in Glenville, WV