Brenda Lavonne Bailey Alkire, age 82 years, a resident of Hambleton, WV departed this life Friday afternoon, September 12, 2025, at her home, surrounded by her loving family and under the care of WV Caring. She had been in declining health.
She was born Tuesday, August 31, 1943 at Parsons, WV, a daughter of the late Lonnie Joel Bailey and Cathryn Lorraine Cross Bailey. On December of 1961 at Parsons, WV, she was married to Terrance Michael Alkire, who preceded her in death July of 1987, and her longtime partner for thirty-six years, Charles William “Chuck” Shannon, Jr, who also preceded her in death.
Surviving are two daughters, Teresa “TC” Helmick and husband Keith of Hambleton and Belinda “Bea” Alkire of St. Pete, FL; one sister, Donna Abel and husband Tom of Newton Falls, OH; three grandchildren; Tiffany Auvil, Heather Helmick and Walter Rettig and wife Pam; eight great grandchildren, Peyton, Alex, Camden, Taylor, Aaron, Phoenix, Harland, and Finnegan; and several nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death are one brother, James Patrick Bailey; and one grandson in law, David Alan Auvil.
She was a graduate of Parsons High School with the class of 1961. She moved to Baltimore in 1965 and worked as a teacher’s aide for Sharp Leadenhall for twenty-six years, from which she retired and then moved back to Parsons. She had attended the Hambleton United Methodist Church. She enjoyed reading books, taking care of her plants and loved her animals and watching the neighborhood deer. She loved spending time with her family and she loved them very much. She also developed a strong relationship with the caregivers of WV Caring for the last year and a half, and her family is very thankful for the loving care she received.
The family will receive friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Parsons on Tuesday from 5 PM to 7 PM. Final Rites will be conducted at the funeral home on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 11 AM. The Reverend James Snyder will officiate and interment will follow at the Pifer Mountain Cemetery at St. George, WV. The family suggest that expressions of sympathy be in the form of contributions to; West Virginia Caring, 169 Diamond Street, Elkins, WV 26241. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is honored to be in charge of the arrangements for Brenda Lavonne Bailey Alkire. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com.
