Faye K. Whipkey, 78, of Brave, Pa., devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away April 21, 2019, at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, due to injuries from an automobile accident.
She was born March 25, 1941, in Holbrook, Pa., to the late Leslie J. and Florence (Hunnell) Curfman.
Faye lived in Greene County, Pa., her entire life. She married her true love Millard G. Whipkey on March 9, 1958, who passed away on April 27, 1966.
Faye was one of the first women to enter the coal mines in the 1970s. She was employed with CONSOL Energy as a shuttle car operator for 22 years at the Blacksville II Mine, where she retired in 2000. Faye was a member of the UMWA Local No. 1702. She was active in the Macedonia Church in Holbrook as a Sunday school teacher and former song leader in the choir. She loved to cook in abundance for her family and tend to her flowers, which she had a gifted green thumb for. Above all else, Faye was a loving mother first.
She is survived by her daughters, Kathy McClure and husband, Jeff, Cindy Daughtery and companion, James Hundley and Linda Klein and husband, Glenn; and sons, Larry and wife, Jeannie, Michael and wife, Teresa, Wayne and Daniel; two former daughters-in-law, Stephanie Patterson and Teena Whipkey, whom she loved as daughters; two brothers, Eugene Curfman and Kenneth Curfman; special sister-in-law and longtime best friend, Helen Costello; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters, June Phillips, Vivian Tedrow and Delores Fox; and brothers, Donald, Glen, Cecil and Duane Curfman.
The family extends their gratitude to the WVU Medicine trauma team and surgical ICU staff, doctors and nurses at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital for their tireless skill and devotion while she was there.
Friends may join Faye’s family in honoring her life and legacy at Kesterson-Rush Funeral Home LLC., 3275 W. Roy Furman Highway, Rogersville, Pa., from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. Thursday. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 26, with the Rev. Kenneth Curfman, officiating. Burial will follow at Enon Cemetery, Richhill Township, Pa.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Eva K. Bowlby Public Library, 311 N. West St., Waynesburg, PA 15370.
Condolences: kestersonfh.com