MARTHA EMOJEAN DEEL YATES, 78 years of age of Prater, VA, passed away Friday, November 1, 2013 at Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy, VA, following an extended illness. Born in the Greenbrier Section of Buchanan County, VA, she was the daughter of the late John Willie and Mary Frances Deel. She was a lifelong resident of Buchanan County and was a member of the Russell Prater Old Regular Baptist Church. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, sister in church and friend to all. EmoJean was a homemaker who loved her family, church family and friends dearly and always remembered to tell them so. When health issues made home and church visits impossible, she relied on her telephone visits and nothing could light up her face more than to hear from everyone. She loved getting photos and would display them and show them to others with great pride. She loved to sing and was blessed to learn to sing again, even with her tracheostomy.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Claude Swanson Deel; her second husband: Richard Huley Yates; five brothers: Dorsie Carl Deel, James Arthur Deel, Oliver “Smokey” Deel, Kermit Deel and Garland H. Deel; and by five sisters: Pricey “Janie” Deel, Sidney Looney, Kathern Church, Maddie Stewart and her cherished twin, Sarah Arlene Dixon.

She is survived by 1-Son: Danny Claude (Bonnie) Deel, Breaks, VA, 3-Daughters: Mary (Delmar) Osborne, Vansant, VA, Sharon (Leon) Stevenson, Naples, FL, Connie Clevinger (with whom she resided), Prater, VA, 1- Step-Son: Ricky (Mae) Yates, Bristol, VA, 1-Step-Daughter: Sherry (Jerry) Frances, Richlands, VA, 6-Grandchildren: Daniel “Duane” Duty Jr., Hurricane Creek, VA, Lindsay Deel (Doug Allison), Kingsport, TN, Christopher (Christy) Osborne, Hillsboro, OH, Charlie Osborne, Vansant, VA, Jeremy Clevinger (Sarah Deel), Prater, VA, Allison Clevinger, Prater, VA, 6-Step-Grandchildren: Dale Frances, Beth Yates Dixon, Dorothy “Louise” Yates Belcher, Leslie Mullins, Todd Mullins, Dusty Owens, 2-Sisters: Flornie Deel, Somerset, KY, Bessie Prior, Ocean Springs, MS

Also, survived by a host of sisters and brother-in-laws, special nieces and nephews including her special nephew, Terry Dixon, who called every day to brighten her world; and special friends, Lucy and Chester Yates, Kathleen and Brad Boyd, Kathy Allen, Genevie Deel, Ethel O’Quinn and Teresa Berry.

Funeral Services for MARTHA EMOJEAN DEEL YATES will be conducted Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 12:00 Noon at the Russell Prater Old Regular Baptist Church, Greenbrier, VA with Elders Terry O’Quinn and Tootie Viers officiating with burial to follow in the Silas Deel Cemetery on the Russell Fork River.

Friends may call at the Russell Prater Old Regular Baptist Church Monday evening at 6:00 P.M. with services at 7:00 P.M.

Active Pallbearers will be her grandchildren.

Honorary pallbearers will be: Kathy Scammell and Grundy Heritage Hall Employees, the Staff of Buchanan General Hospital including William Looney, RN – Supervisor and Dr. Malik, Dr. Vijay Kumar at Norton Medical, Zolina and Bonnie and the entire staff of Special Care Home Health and Hospice and Bobby Ratliff and his nursing home ministry family.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Heritage Hall Patients Fund, 2966 Slate Creek Road, Grundy, VA 24614.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.grundyfuneralhome.com

Grundy Funeral Home of Grundy, VA is in charge of all arrangements.