Obituaries
R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home Obituaries
In Memory of Our Dear Loved Ones
Anthony Victor Clark
Aug 29, 2025
Anthony Victor Clark, 35, passed away Friday, August 29, 2025. Born in Edenton, NC, he had been a Hampton resident for the last 15 years where he was well known and loved by the community. He was a devoted son, brother, friend and father who passed away leaving behind a legacy of love, care and cherished moments.
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Ruth B. Farnett
Aug 26, 2025
Ruth B. Farnett, 70, joined the Lord on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Born in Japan, she had been a Hampton Roads resident since 1968. She had worked for several local merchants as a bookkeeper through the years. An active Phoebus United Methodist Church member, she participated with the United Methodist Women and loved cooking and baking. She was a...
Shirley Lois M. Esada
Aug 21, 2025
Shirley Lois M. Esada, 91, died August 21, 2025. Born in Hartford, Connecticut she was a longtime resident of Hampton. Shirley worked for Best Products for many years before enjoying a career as an activities director at a local nursing home. She loved her family and was a devoted wife and mother. Shirley was known for her love of...
Stanley Nicholas Palys
Aug 17, 2025
Stanley Nicholas Palys, 65, died Sunday, August 17, 2025. Born in Panama City, Panama, he was the son of Stanley Nicholas Palys and Mary Sue England. He was raised in Pennsylvania, but spent his early childhood years in Japan, where his father traveled to play Major League Baseball. He went on to study at Virginia Tech where he received...
Richard Kenneth Byrd
Aug 12, 2025
Richard Kenneth Byrd lived a life dedicated to education, faith, and family. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, and educator, Dick's legacy of kindness and learning touched countless lives. One of four children born to his parents, William Howard and Rachel Dye Byrd, Dick grew up in Chattanooga, TN alongside his brother, Bill, and his sisters, Katherine and Jeannette. He...
Barbara C. Smith
Aug 11, 2025
Our loving mother, Barbara C Smith, 82, went to be with her maker on August 11,2025. Born on August 6,1943, in Newport News, Virginia, Barbara made Hampton Roads her home for her entire lifetime. After a marriage that lasted 16 years, she raised her 4 children by herself while working full time. Barbara created an atmosphere of warmth, resilience...
Robert Napoleon Bright
Aug 10, 2025
Robert Napoleon Bright, a devoted father, grandfather, and retired shipbuilder, passed away on August 10, 2025, in Hampton, VA. He was born in Whiteville, NC, to the late Thomas Napoleon "Poley" Bright and Eva Florence Phillips Bright.
After serving in the Air Force, Robert dedicated 38 and a half years of his life to Newport News Shipbuilding,...
Joann Elizabeth Perry Horton
Aug 9, 2025
Joann Elizabeth Horton (Perry), 54, of Hampton, Virginia, passed away on August 9, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. Â Born on February 16, 1971, in West Point, Virginia, Joann was the beloved daughter of the late Charles and Violet Perry. She carried with her the warmth and strength of her upbringing throughout her life.
Joann graduated from Christopher...
Teresa C. Rice
Aug 7, 2025
Teresa C. Rice, 68, died Thursday, August 7, 2025. Born in Richmond, she had been a Hampton resident since 1987. She enjoyed playing Bingo, both in person and online, was a pool shark, and was an avid reader. Her greatest love was her family, especially the grandkids.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Elwood...
Barbara Ann Ware
Aug 7, 2025
Barbara Ann Ware, 63, died Thursday, August 7, 2025. A longtime resident of Hampton, she loved playing Bingo and attending festivals with her children when they were younger. She was an avid artist and enjoyed drawing and painting.
Preceded in death by her mother, Doris Herron, her sister, Loretta Hartley, and her daughter, Stephanie Ware; survivors include...
Robert M. Boone
Aug 4, 2025
Love doesn't die, people do. Robert M. Boone, 70, died Monday, August 4, 2025. Born in Newport News, he was a lifelong Peninsula resident and retired as a ship fitter from the department of Navy at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Computer Information Systems from Thomas Nelson Community College. He loved to...
Stephanie Ann Ware
Aug 2, 2025
Stephanie Ann Ware, 37, died on Saturday, August 2, 2025, after a long, hard-fought illness at the Hume-Lee Transplant Center at VCU. Born in Roanoke, VA, she grew up in Hampton where she attended Kecoughtan High School and had worked at Smitty's Better Burger and at the concession stand at Langley Speedway. In recent years, she had lived in...
Barbara Lena Weigel
Aug 1, 2025
Barbara Lena Weigel, 104, died Friday, August 1, 2025. Born in Princeton, NJ, she moved to Hampton in 1944 where she went to work at NACA/NASA as a Human Computer/Mathematician, retiring in 1980 after 36 years of service. She was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church of Hampton and had been a member of Grace Fellowship for the...
Jean Moore Wade
Jul 31, 2025
Jean Wade of Hampton Va. passed away peacefully on July 31 at the age of 89.
Her life was a testament to her faith as she lived by the words of Philippians 4:13:13 'I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength'. She was born in Green County North Carolina on February 6, 1936 where...
Mary Elizabeth Stokes
Jul 28, 2025
Mary Stokes (née Picinich) died early Monday morning, after a brief period in hospice. Mrs. Stokes moved to the Peninsula after graduating from Longwood College with degrees in mathematics and biology. She taught math and biology at Newport News High School for several years. She considered this time to be one of the happiest and most rewarding in her...
Cheri Beth Beasley
Jul 25, 2025
Cheri Beth Beasley, age 65, passed away unexpectedly on Friday July 25, 2025, leaving a large hole in the lives of her extended family and friends, and a larger one in the life of her husband.
Born on February 17, 1960, in Smithfield, North Carolina, Beth grew up on a farm in Bentonville and built a life...
Vivian Lee Bowman
Jul 22, 2025
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Vivian L. Bowman, wife of the late Robert L. Bowman, mother of Brenda S. White, Robin L. Cole and Scott R. Bowman(Amy Hazelette Bowman), grandmother of Casey L. White(Elise White) and R. Kyle White(Lindsay Phaup), and great grandchildren  R. Dane White and Wren A. White. She was also...
Michael E. Sullivan
Jul 20, 2025
Mike "Spike" Sullivan, 54, a native of Hampton, Va. passed away Sunday, July 20, 2025, at Sentara Careplex Hospital.
He is survived by daughter, Morgan Laux and husband, Cole with grandsons, Felix Christopher and Shepherd Michael; son, Matthew Sullivan and fiancée, Sarah Rhodes with daughter, Margot Elise; mother, Sallie Schroeder; brother, William Sullivan and sister, Joanie Perry....
Lorie Denise Hitchler
Jul 19, 2025
Lorie Denise Smith Hitchler, age 61, passed away unexpectedly on July 19, 2025.
Born on December 31, 1963, in Newport News, Virginia, Lorie was raised in Phoebus and built a life rooted in warmth, resilience, and devotion to those she loved. She dedicated over 25 years to the hospitality industry, most notably at the Hampton Inn Oceanfront,...
Starla Hardin Gates
Jul 19, 2025
Starla (Star) Hardin Gates, 61, passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 19, 2025. Â Born in Shelby, NC, she has been a resident of Willoughby Spit since 1995
Star is survived by her husband, Geoffrey Gates; mother-in-law, Margery Gates; Â daughter, Jessie Arrand Galano (Mike); grandchildren, Jo Arrand Jane Galano, Drusilla Grace Galano; brother, Chris Hardin (Karen);...

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