Kathleen "Kitty" Vest

September 15, 1930 - March 9, 2014

MULLENS - Kathleen "Kitty" Pinkerton Blackwell Vest, 83, of Mullens passed away on March 9, 2014 at a Beckley hospital following a long illness. Born, September 15, 1930, at Midkiff, WV she was the daughter of the late Leonard Pinkerton and Francis Hager Pinkerton. In addition to her parents she is also preceded in death by her first husband James "Tuck" Blackwell and her second husband Earl Vest; a step-daughter, Paula Vest Bangle; and six brothers Jim, Deward, Lyle, Kermit, Howard and Roy Pinkerton; and in-laws Joe Blackwell, Mary Blackwell Coffman England, Myrtle Blackwell Cutright, Peggy Blackwell Stanswick, Eloise Vest Lockhart and Paul Vest; special nephew Steve Roberts and niece Alena Blackwell Short. Kitty and Tuck lived in Corinne from 1946 to 1965. Kitty worked for Howard Wikel's Jewelry Store and Bradford Steele Drug. In 1965, she moved to Barboursville after Tuck passed to be close to her family. She lived there for two years and worked at Sears. She then married Earl Vest and moved to Northern Virginia and later to Bunker Hill and Inwood, WV where Kitty worked for a bank and a ladies clothing store. After Earl passed, Kitty moved back to Mullens to be close to her family in 1988. She worked at the Public Library and the Wyoming County Council on Aging. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, going to the Mullens United Methodist Church, Adult Bible Class and the Women's Circle; cooking and working crossword puzzles. She was an avid reader and loved to watch ice skating, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Those left to cherish her memory include her son, Frank "Bucky" Blackwell and wife Trudy of Mullens; one step-daughter Carla Vest Milor and husband Howard of Middletown, Maryland; one step son-in-law Bob Bangle of Newbern, NC; one sister Reba Roberts of Lancaster, PA; grandchildren, Mark Blackwell of Mullens and Audra Blackwell and husband Matthew Martin of Charleston; step grandchildren Howard Milor III and wife Cheryl of Boonsboro, MD, Scott Milor and wife Nicole of Frankfurt, Germany, Melanie Bangle Vaccaro and husband Daniel of Morehead, NC and Jamie Bangle of Chicago, ILL; special nieces Karen Roberts of Lancaster, PA and Patricia Roberts Brennen and husband Marc of Sacramento, California, Melanie Blackwell Klaiber of Bluefield, VA and Judy Blackwell Hertler of Lady Lakes, FL; and sister-in-laws Betty Blackwell and Conita Pinkerton a special friend of Ravenswood, WV; special nephew Burl Coffman and nieces Sherlene and Diane Bishop all of Princeton, WV and a host of family members and friends. Services will be 10:00A.M. Friday, March 14, 2014 at Mullens United Methodist Church with Rev. Earle Arthur officiating. Friends may call from 5:00P.M. to 7:00P.M. Thursday, March 13, 2014 and one hour prior to services Friday at the church. Committal Services and burial will be 4:30 P.M. on Friday at Pleasant View Memory Gardens, Kearneysville, WV. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.tankersleyfh.com. Donations of sympathy may be made to United Methodist Church, 118 Guyandotte Ave., Mullens, WV 25882. The family of Kitty Vest is being cared for by Tankersley Funeral Home, Mullens.