Lenell Faith McKee Stalnaker of Millstone, West Virginia, died October 2, 2024 at the age of 93 after a difficult battle with dementia. She was born February 22, 1931, in Millstone, the youngest of six children. Her parents were George and Nora (Ball) McKee. In 2010, she was preceded in death by her husband of sixty years, Paul Downs Stalnaker. She is survived by son, Stephen Paul Stalnaker (Rebecca) of Arnoldsburg, WV, and daughter, Pamela Stalnaker (Bartlett) Breese (Robert) of Corning, Ohio. Also surviving are granddaughters, Meredith Bartlett Henthorn (Brian) of Brenham, Texas, Candace Stalnaker DeWeese and Christy Stalnaker Wilburn of Sandyville, WV, and one great-granddaughter, Arya Lynn DeWeese.
In addition to her parents and husband, Lenell was preceded in death by brothers, Rev. Glendon McKee, Arco McKee and Gordon McKee and sisters, Arleta McKee Sturm and Sarah Flo McKee Hall and an infant grandson, Benjamin Ryan Bartlett. Additional surviving family members are sisters-in-laws Emma Lou Stalnaker Chenoweth and Orma Florence Stalnaker Downs. Lenell was part of two large extended families including twenty-two brother and sister in-laws, twenty-six nieces and nephews and lots of great and great-great nieces and nephews.
Special thanks go to the staff at Altercare of Somerset, Ohio, and to Mountain View Center in Ripley and to Lenell’s daughter-in-law, Becky, RN, for providing kind and gentle care.
Lenell lived all but six years of her life on her beloved hillside farm first settled by her grandfather in the 1800’s. She will be buried nearby on Millstone hill at the Sturms Cemetery beside the love of her life on Sunday, October 6, 2024. Visitation will begin at Stump Funeral Home in Arnoldsburg at noon on that day with Rev. David Weaver conducting the service at 2 PM.
