Walter Singleton, 87, Bash Avenue, Somerset, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home. He was born in Waynesburg Sept. 14, 1915, son of the late Bluford and Lelia (Singleton) Singleton.
A retired employee of U.S. Steel, he was a former owner of Joe & Walt's restaurant in Somerset, and Walt's Restaurant in Eubank. He graduated from Eubank High School in 1934. He was a member of First Baptist Church; Waynesburg Masonic Lodge; and a former member of Eubank Ruritan Club. He ran the sound system for First Baptist Church for many years and sang in the Choir. He and Russ Leveridge sang as "The Sunshine Boys".
Survivors include his wife, Noylee Wild Singleton, whom he maried Sept. 7, 1965, in Somerset; two daughters Darla (and Bill) Shell and Janet (and Michael) Knight, two step-daughters Johanna Anderson of Tucker, Ga. and Sue Ann Losey, Somerset; a brother Wallace (and Geneva) Singleton, Lexington; a sister Wilma (and Boyd) Tucker, Somerset; six grandchildren, Chuck and Joey Shell both of Lexington and Jacob, Emily, Molly, and Matt Knight of Akron Ohio; three great-grandchildren Briana, Amanda and Allison Shell all of Lexington; and a niece Debra (and Jeff) Stagg of Somerset.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Charles Singleton; and a nephew, Wally Singleton.
Funeral services will be Saturday, May 31, at First Baptist Church, with Dr. Paul Chitwood officiating. Burial will be in Somerset Cemetery.
Friday, May 30, 2003
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset KY.
Walter Singleton dies at 87
By Bill Mardis
Editor Emeritus
A retired Eubank and Somerset restaurateur and well-known musician is dead.
Walter B Singleton, 87, better known as Walt Singleton, died Tuesday at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home where he had resided since he broke his hip in a fall a year ago last March.
Singleton opened Walt's Restaurant in Eubank near the Lincoln County line in 1950, an eatery he would operate until bypassed by a realigned U.S. 27.
"Walt's" was the only restaurant in Eubank with a soda fountain and the kids flocked there," said his sister, Wilma Tucker, a registered nurse at Somerset City Hospital and Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital for 45 years. Mother (Lelia Singleton) baked pies (for the Eubank restaurant) and people from Somerset went up there in droves," she recalled.
When the new U.S. 27 was opened, it reduced traffic to Walt's Restaurant, Singleton moved his business, opening another restaurant on U.S. 27 at the intersection with Cuba Road.
After about 2-1/2 years, Singleton sold his restaurant to Bill Ward and bought a restaurant from the Dagley family. It was located in a building now occupied by North 27 Antique Mall. The restaurant operated at this location for three or four years as Joe and Walt's Restaurant then changed to Joe and Ruth's when purchased by Joe Hampton.
Singleton worked out of state at two different times in his life - at Goodyear Aircraft, and after World War II, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He also worked for U.S.S. Agrichemicals.
"Walt loved his music," Tucker said. He played a guitar and mandolin and sang in a quartet. Singleton was best known as one of the "Sunshine Boys," a duet with Russ Leveridge. They sang at churches and many other places.
Tucker remembers that her brother often would spend hours at home playing and singing to himself. "He sang until the very end," Tucker said. "Occasionally, he'd break into a tune at the nursing home."
Singleton was born on Ellison Ridge in Lincoln County and spent his early years in Waynesburg.
In a brief history that Singleton wrote about his life, he recalls that at age 3 his family moved to Eubank where his father, Bluford, took over a section of C.N.O.& T.P. Railroad.
"We were furnished a house with no rent to pay, and lived there until Dad's death," Singleton wrote. Noting that work was hard to come by in those days, Singleton told about carrying The Cincinnati Post newspaper for 2 cents a copy. He also worked about five years as a timekeeper for Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church where he operated the sound system and sang in the choir for many years. Dr. Paul Chitwood will officiate.
His guitar and mandolin will be on display at the funeral.
*Many thanks to those who remember Dad and Noylee with flowers and notes, they are truly appreciated.
(Dad didn't have a middle name. Grandma gave him and his brother Charles only an initial.)
A retired employee of U.S. Steel, he was a former owner of Joe & Walt's restaurant in Somerset, and Walt's Restaurant in Eubank. He graduated from Eubank High School in 1934. He was a member of First Baptist Church; Waynesburg Masonic Lodge; and a former member of Eubank Ruritan Club. He ran the sound system for First Baptist Church for many years and sang in the Choir. He and Russ Leveridge sang as "The Sunshine Boys".
Survivors include his wife, Noylee Wild Singleton, whom he maried Sept. 7, 1965, in Somerset; two daughters Darla (and Bill) Shell and Janet (and Michael) Knight, two step-daughters Johanna Anderson of Tucker, Ga. and Sue Ann Losey, Somerset; a brother Wallace (and Geneva) Singleton, Lexington; a sister Wilma (and Boyd) Tucker, Somerset; six grandchildren, Chuck and Joey Shell both of Lexington and Jacob, Emily, Molly, and Matt Knight of Akron Ohio; three great-grandchildren Briana, Amanda and Allison Shell all of Lexington; and a niece Debra (and Jeff) Stagg of Somerset.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Charles Singleton; and a nephew, Wally Singleton.
Funeral services will be Saturday, May 31, at First Baptist Church, with Dr. Paul Chitwood officiating. Burial will be in Somerset Cemetery.
Friday, May 30, 2003
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset KY.
Walter Singleton dies at 87
By Bill Mardis
Editor Emeritus
A retired Eubank and Somerset restaurateur and well-known musician is dead.
Walter B Singleton, 87, better known as Walt Singleton, died Tuesday at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home where he had resided since he broke his hip in a fall a year ago last March.
Singleton opened Walt's Restaurant in Eubank near the Lincoln County line in 1950, an eatery he would operate until bypassed by a realigned U.S. 27.
"Walt's" was the only restaurant in Eubank with a soda fountain and the kids flocked there," said his sister, Wilma Tucker, a registered nurse at Somerset City Hospital and Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital for 45 years. Mother (Lelia Singleton) baked pies (for the Eubank restaurant) and people from Somerset went up there in droves," she recalled.
When the new U.S. 27 was opened, it reduced traffic to Walt's Restaurant, Singleton moved his business, opening another restaurant on U.S. 27 at the intersection with Cuba Road.
After about 2-1/2 years, Singleton sold his restaurant to Bill Ward and bought a restaurant from the Dagley family. It was located in a building now occupied by North 27 Antique Mall. The restaurant operated at this location for three or four years as Joe and Walt's Restaurant then changed to Joe and Ruth's when purchased by Joe Hampton.
Singleton worked out of state at two different times in his life - at Goodyear Aircraft, and after World War II, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He also worked for U.S.S. Agrichemicals.
"Walt loved his music," Tucker said. He played a guitar and mandolin and sang in a quartet. Singleton was best known as one of the "Sunshine Boys," a duet with Russ Leveridge. They sang at churches and many other places.
Tucker remembers that her brother often would spend hours at home playing and singing to himself. "He sang until the very end," Tucker said. "Occasionally, he'd break into a tune at the nursing home."
Singleton was born on Ellison Ridge in Lincoln County and spent his early years in Waynesburg.
In a brief history that Singleton wrote about his life, he recalls that at age 3 his family moved to Eubank where his father, Bluford, took over a section of C.N.O.& T.P. Railroad.
"We were furnished a house with no rent to pay, and lived there until Dad's death," Singleton wrote. Noting that work was hard to come by in those days, Singleton told about carrying The Cincinnati Post newspaper for 2 cents a copy. He also worked about five years as a timekeeper for Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church where he operated the sound system and sang in the choir for many years. Dr. Paul Chitwood will officiate.
His guitar and mandolin will be on display at the funeral.
*Many thanks to those who remember Dad and Noylee with flowers and notes, they are truly appreciated.
(Dad didn't have a middle name. Grandma gave him and his brother Charles only an initial.)
Walter Singleton, 87, Bash Avenue, Somerset, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home. He was born in Waynesburg Sept. 14, 1915, son of the late Bluford and Lelia (Singleton) Singleton.
A retired employee of U.S. Steel, he was a former owner of Joe & Walt's restaurant in Somerset, and Walt's Restaurant in Eubank. He graduated from Eubank High School in 1934. He was a member of First Baptist Church; Waynesburg Masonic Lodge; and a former member of Eubank Ruritan Club. He ran the sound system for First Baptist Church for many years and sang in the Choir. He and Russ Leveridge sang as "The Sunshine Boys".
Survivors include his wife, Noylee Wild Singleton, whom he maried Sept. 7, 1965, in Somerset; two daughters Darla (and Bill) Shell and Janet (and Michael) Knight, two step-daughters Johanna Anderson of Tucker, Ga. and Sue Ann Losey, Somerset; a brother Wallace (and Geneva) Singleton, Lexington; a sister Wilma (and Boyd) Tucker, Somerset; six grandchildren, Chuck and Joey Shell both of Lexington and Jacob, Emily, Molly, and Matt Knight of Akron Ohio; three great-grandchildren Briana, Amanda and Allison Shell all of Lexington; and a niece Debra (and Jeff) Stagg of Somerset.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Charles Singleton; and a nephew, Wally Singleton.
Funeral services will be Saturday, May 31, at First Baptist Church, with Dr. Paul Chitwood officiating. Burial will be in Somerset Cemetery.
Friday, May 30, 2003
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset KY.
Walter Singleton dies at 87
By Bill Mardis
Editor Emeritus
A retired Eubank and Somerset restaurateur and well-known musician is dead.
Walter B Singleton, 87, better known as Walt Singleton, died Tuesday at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home where he had resided since he broke his hip in a fall a year ago last March.
Singleton opened Walt's Restaurant in Eubank near the Lincoln County line in 1950, an eatery he would operate until bypassed by a realigned U.S. 27.
"Walt's" was the only restaurant in Eubank with a soda fountain and the kids flocked there," said his sister, Wilma Tucker, a registered nurse at Somerset City Hospital and Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital for 45 years. Mother (Lelia Singleton) baked pies (for the Eubank restaurant) and people from Somerset went up there in droves," she recalled.
When the new U.S. 27 was opened, it reduced traffic to Walt's Restaurant, Singleton moved his business, opening another restaurant on U.S. 27 at the intersection with Cuba Road.
After about 2-1/2 years, Singleton sold his restaurant to Bill Ward and bought a restaurant from the Dagley family. It was located in a building now occupied by North 27 Antique Mall. The restaurant operated at this location for three or four years as Joe and Walt's Restaurant then changed to Joe and Ruth's when purchased by Joe Hampton.
Singleton worked out of state at two different times in his life - at Goodyear Aircraft, and after World War II, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He also worked for U.S.S. Agrichemicals.
"Walt loved his music," Tucker said. He played a guitar and mandolin and sang in a quartet. Singleton was best known as one of the "Sunshine Boys," a duet with Russ Leveridge. They sang at churches and many other places.
Tucker remembers that her brother often would spend hours at home playing and singing to himself. "He sang until the very end," Tucker said. "Occasionally, he'd break into a tune at the nursing home."
Singleton was born on Ellison Ridge in Lincoln County and spent his early years in Waynesburg.
In a brief history that Singleton wrote about his life, he recalls that at age 3 his family moved to Eubank where his father, Bluford, took over a section of C.N.O.& T.P. Railroad.
"We were furnished a house with no rent to pay, and lived there until Dad's death," Singleton wrote. Noting that work was hard to come by in those days, Singleton told about carrying The Cincinnati Post newspaper for 2 cents a copy. He also worked about five years as a timekeeper for Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church where he operated the sound system and sang in the choir for many years. Dr. Paul Chitwood will officiate.
His guitar and mandolin will be on display at the funeral.
*Many thanks to those who remember Dad and Noylee with flowers and notes, they are truly appreciated.
(Dad didn't have a middle name. Grandma gave him and his brother Charles only an initial.)
A retired employee of U.S. Steel, he was a former owner of Joe & Walt's restaurant in Somerset, and Walt's Restaurant in Eubank. He graduated from Eubank High School in 1934. He was a member of First Baptist Church; Waynesburg Masonic Lodge; and a former member of Eubank Ruritan Club. He ran the sound system for First Baptist Church for many years and sang in the Choir. He and Russ Leveridge sang as "The Sunshine Boys".
Survivors include his wife, Noylee Wild Singleton, whom he maried Sept. 7, 1965, in Somerset; two daughters Darla (and Bill) Shell and Janet (and Michael) Knight, two step-daughters Johanna Anderson of Tucker, Ga. and Sue Ann Losey, Somerset; a brother Wallace (and Geneva) Singleton, Lexington; a sister Wilma (and Boyd) Tucker, Somerset; six grandchildren, Chuck and Joey Shell both of Lexington and Jacob, Emily, Molly, and Matt Knight of Akron Ohio; three great-grandchildren Briana, Amanda and Allison Shell all of Lexington; and a niece Debra (and Jeff) Stagg of Somerset.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Charles Singleton; and a nephew, Wally Singleton.
Funeral services will be Saturday, May 31, at First Baptist Church, with Dr. Paul Chitwood officiating. Burial will be in Somerset Cemetery.
Friday, May 30, 2003
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset KY.
Walter Singleton dies at 87
By Bill Mardis
Editor Emeritus
A retired Eubank and Somerset restaurateur and well-known musician is dead.
Walter B Singleton, 87, better known as Walt Singleton, died Tuesday at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home where he had resided since he broke his hip in a fall a year ago last March.
Singleton opened Walt's Restaurant in Eubank near the Lincoln County line in 1950, an eatery he would operate until bypassed by a realigned U.S. 27.
"Walt's" was the only restaurant in Eubank with a soda fountain and the kids flocked there," said his sister, Wilma Tucker, a registered nurse at Somerset City Hospital and Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital for 45 years. Mother (Lelia Singleton) baked pies (for the Eubank restaurant) and people from Somerset went up there in droves," she recalled.
When the new U.S. 27 was opened, it reduced traffic to Walt's Restaurant, Singleton moved his business, opening another restaurant on U.S. 27 at the intersection with Cuba Road.
After about 2-1/2 years, Singleton sold his restaurant to Bill Ward and bought a restaurant from the Dagley family. It was located in a building now occupied by North 27 Antique Mall. The restaurant operated at this location for three or four years as Joe and Walt's Restaurant then changed to Joe and Ruth's when purchased by Joe Hampton.
Singleton worked out of state at two different times in his life - at Goodyear Aircraft, and after World War II, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He also worked for U.S.S. Agrichemicals.
"Walt loved his music," Tucker said. He played a guitar and mandolin and sang in a quartet. Singleton was best known as one of the "Sunshine Boys," a duet with Russ Leveridge. They sang at churches and many other places.
Tucker remembers that her brother often would spend hours at home playing and singing to himself. "He sang until the very end," Tucker said. "Occasionally, he'd break into a tune at the nursing home."
Singleton was born on Ellison Ridge in Lincoln County and spent his early years in Waynesburg.
In a brief history that Singleton wrote about his life, he recalls that at age 3 his family moved to Eubank where his father, Bluford, took over a section of C.N.O.& T.P. Railroad.
"We were furnished a house with no rent to pay, and lived there until Dad's death," Singleton wrote. Noting that work was hard to come by in those days, Singleton told about carrying The Cincinnati Post newspaper for 2 cents a copy. He also worked about five years as a timekeeper for Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church where he operated the sound system and sang in the choir for many years. Dr. Paul Chitwood will officiate.
His guitar and mandolin will be on display at the funeral.
*Many thanks to those who remember Dad and Noylee with flowers and notes, they are truly appreciated.
(Dad didn't have a middle name. Grandma gave him and his brother Charles only an initial.)
