The Bobbitt Family In America
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Grace Bobbitt was ill only a short time when it was necessary to place her in a Bluefield hospital. She died on Tuesday, April 7, 1970. She was a member of the Methodist Church, Bluefield Women's Club, Bluegrass Garden Club, West Virginia Garden Club, and American Association of University Women. She was a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College and taught school in Nicholas, Harrison and Mercer County. She was A Mercer County Home Demonstration Agent.

Her funeral was held in the large chapel of the Hawkins Funeral Home in Bluefield. The Reverend Charles B. Nunn, Jr. officiated and burial was in Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Robert Wright, Garnett Wagner, Randolph Robinette, Junior Osborne, Harold Lytton, Clinton Lilly, Price Dyer, Leonard Crawford, Frank Claytor, William Anderson and Howard Harvey. Honorary pallbearers were W. R. Cooke, L. C. Caldwell, Harold Tomchin, Robert H. Walthall, and Harold M. Woods.

The chapel was filled with flowers, lining the walls of the chapel, the outer halls, and entrance to the home. All the Bobbitt nieces and nephews except one attended the services. Many of Sterling Bobbitts first cousins attended, and numerous friends from Nicholas County. In addition to her immediate family she was survived by five sisters, Mrs. Joseph W. (Ruth) Greer of Fairmont, Mrs. Iris Webb of Warwick, R. I., Mrs. Charles D. (Jessie) Mahood of Oak Ridge, Tenn., Miss Cecelia McCue of Baltimore, Md., and Mrs. 11. E. (Esther) Paul of Eustis, Florida.

Sterling Bobbitt was indeed sorrow stricken and exclaimed that, "I cannot bear to be separated from Grace".

During the following years, Sterling Bobbitt maintained their home at 425 Union Street in Bluefield. He visited frequently with his son, sisters, and other relatives. He was active in the Bobbitt reunion and never missed a year.

During the following five years, Sterling Bobbitt adjusted to his situation and apparently had many enjoyable moments of relaxation during his retirement. Some time during the last two years of his life he was told that he had cancer, but declined to tell his secret to anyone. His condition worsened to the point where he had to be sent to Memorial Division of Charleston Area Medical Center. He died on Friday, March 28, 1975.

Sterling Bobbitt was a member of the Kiwanis Club, the American Legion, the First Baptist Church of Bluefield, the University Club of Bluefield, the American Association of School Administrators, National Association of Education, West Virginia Superintendents Association, the Farm Bureau, and West Virginia Education Association. He was the only son of the four sons of Rowena and Elijah Bobbitt who did not become a Mason.


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