Mary "Beth" Elizabeth Bondurant
(February 25, 1942 - August 12, 2013)

MARY ELIZABETH (BETH) BONDURANT PEACEFULLY LEFT THE HOSPICE HOUSE OF HUNTINGTON, WV. TO KEEP HER APPOINTMENT IN HEAVEN ON MONDAY EVENING AUGUST 12, 2013, AFTER A PROLONGED BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER, LASTING ALMOST 10 YEARS.  BETH WAS BORN IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA AND RAISED IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. SHE GRADUATED FROM THE PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA AND BEGAN HER MINISTRY WITH HER HUSBAND, BOB BONDURANT, IN THE MOUNTAINS OF WEBSTER COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. THAT WAS "ALMOST HEAVEN"! SHE HAS NOW RISEN ABOVE THE MOUNTAINS TO THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS!! BETH AND BOB ORGANIZED THE UPPER GLADE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN 1966 AND AFTER THE CHURCH BECAME A SELF SUPPORTING CONGREGATION, BOB AND BETH LABORED IN THE CAMPUS MINISTRY AT MARSHALL UNIVERSITY. BETH SERVED THE PRESBYTERY OF WEST VIRGINIA IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES FOR 20 YEARS AS A LAY PASTOR, HUNGER ACTION ENABLER AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR, AMONG OTHER EXPRESSION S OF HER FAITH. IN WEBSTER COUNTY BETH SANG FOR HUNDREDS OF FUNERALS AND WEDDINGS AMONG THE MANY SMALL CHURCHES IN THE SURROUNDING HILLS AND HOLLOWS!A CELEBRATION OF BETH'S LIFE WILL BE HELD IN A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN HUNTINGTON ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 31 AT ONE O'CLOCK PM WITH A RECEPTION FOLLOWING.  BETH'S FAITH WAS TOTALLY INCLUSIVE. CHURCH AND COMMUNITY WERE ALL ASPECTS OF GOD'S PURPOSE AND CARING. BETH SERVED ON A NUMBER OF SERVICE AGENCIES AS A SUPPORTING BOARD MEMBER AND INSTRUMENT OF GOD'S LOVE TO ALL WHO WERE IN NEED. PERHAPS ONE OF HER MOST BEAUTIFUL FIELDS OF SERVICE WAS OVER 40 YEARS OF GIVING HER TIME AND TALENTS TO REPAIRING HOMES AND CARING FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES IN THE WEBSTER COUNTY, LINCOLN COUNTY, CABELL COUNTY AND WAYNE COUNTY WORK CAMPS EACH SUMMER.  BETH IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND BOB, SONS: BILL AND BEN, AND THEIR FAMILIES IN NEW BERN AND RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA, BROTHERS; PAUL IN FERNANDINA BEACH, FL., JOHN, IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, TIMOTHY IN MIAMI AND LOVING SISTER REBECCA IN GREER, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE NUMBERS OF SPECIAL NEPHEWS AND NIECES, GRANDCHILDREN AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS ARE BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF NAMES TO BE PUBLISHED.  BETHS' GUIDE FOR LIVING AND APPLYING HER FAITH MIGHT BE BEST EXPRESSED BY THE SCRIPTURE IN 1JOHN 4:7-8 "DEAR FRIENDS, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER...FOR LOVE COMES FROM GOD.WHOEVER LOVES IS BORN OF GOD...FOR GOD IS LOVE.."!