Staff
Our staff is committed to providing support, compassion, information, and direction as needed to all members of our community, their families, and friends who are dealing with loss and grief.
Beth A. Wallace McNearney
Owner
Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer
Beth Wallace McNearney has worked in the funeral business for 14 years. She has been a resident of Huntington, WV since birth and graduated from Spring Valley High School in 2000. She enrolled in Marshall University and earned a B.A. in Business Management in 2004. Beth decided to pursue the funeral industry after her brother; Jason Owen Wallace was killed in the 1996 Scottown, Ohio fireworks explosion. Upon moving to Cincinnati, she graduated from Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and earned her degree in 2005. While serving her apprenticeship, she worked with Rick at Schneider-Griffin Funeral Home from October 2005 - February 2007. She then moved to Florida and worked for Edgley Cremation Services and Crime Site Restoration. After returning to Huntington in 2009 she once again worked for Schneider-Griffin Funeral Home as a Funeral Director/Embalmer until June 2010. We decided there was a need for a funeral home in South Point, OH and opened Slack and Wallace Funeral Home January 11, 2011.
Beth is involved in the following organizations:
- Member of England Hill Freewill Baptist Church
- Alpha Chi Omega Alum
- Marshall University Alum
- Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science Alum
- Hospice of Huntington Patient Volunteer
- Hospice of Huntington Pet Therapy Volunteer
- Member of the Greater Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
- Member of Lawrence County Young Professionals
Beth was introduced to Jonas in 2009 and married at Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado in 2010. They welcomed their first daughter; Emily Dawn April 23, 2011. A week shy of two years they welcomed their second daughter; Claire Anne April 16, 2013. Two little girls wasn't enough for the McNearney family so God blessed them with a little baby boy; Owen Wallace on October 3, 2014. Beth loves spending time with her family and friends, church, crafting, traveling, being involved with the community and loves animals.
Family:
Husband: Jonas McNearney (Senior Engineer at Rubberlite, Inc.)
Children: Emily Dawn McNearney, Claire Anne McNearney & Owen Wallace McNearney
Parents: Johnnie Owen and Willa Wallace (both retired teachers from Wayne County Board of Education)
Sister: Amie Dawn Wallace Crockett (Funeral Director Apprentice)
Brother-in-law: Tyler Crockett (Sales Representative, The Chapman Printing Co., INC.)
Nephew & Niece: Jase Roland Crockett & Ellie Mae Crockett
Brother: Jason Owen Wallace (1986-1996)
Fur Babies: Lola and Beau
Amie Wallace Crockett
Funeral Director Apprentice
Amie Dawn Wallace Crockett is serving her Funeral Director Apprenticeship at Slack and Wallace Funeral Home. She has worked for Slack and Wallace since the opening in January 2011. Amie is the sister of co-owner Beth Wallace McNearney. Amie has been a resident of Huntington, WV since birth and graduated from Spring Valley High School in 2002. She enrolled in Marshall University and earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice in 2007. Amie just recently left her full-time position for the KY Department of Corrections-Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. She was a Probation and Parole Officer and worked there since May 2015. After graduating from Marshall University, Amie obtained employment at Transitions, Inc. Halfway House in Ashland, KY as a Primary Counselor. She worked there from January 2008 until November 2011. She then worked full-time for the Division of Juvenile Services in WV as a Corrections Case Manager for the Cabell County Youth Reporting Center and was employed there from November 2011 until May 2015.
Amie met her husband, Tyler Crockett, during her freshman year at Spring Valley High School. They dated off and on for 15 years. They married at St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands in August 2013. They reside in Huntington, WV with their son, Jase Roland and two dogs, Lucky Lucy and Maggie.
Tyler Crockett has been a resident of Huntington, WV since birth and graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1999. He enrolled in Marshall University and earned a B.A. in Sports Management and Marketing in 2005 and earned a M.S. in Sport Administration in 2010. Tyler works at The Chapman Printing Company, INC. Tyler also helps out at the funeral home when needed.
Amie loves spending time with her family and friends, traveling, cooking, crafting, shopping, and has a love for animals.
Family:
Husband: Tyler Crockett (Sales Representative, The Chapman Printing Co., INC.)
Children: Jase Roland Crockett & Ellie Mae Crockett
Parents: Johnnie Owen and Willa Wallace (both retired teachers from Wayne County Board of Education)
Sister: Beth Anne Wallace McNearney (Co-Owner of Slack and Wallace Funeral Home)
Brother-in-law: Jonas McNearney (Senior Engineer at Rubberlite, Inc.)
Nieces and Nephew: Emily Dawn McNearney, Claire Anne McNearney and Owen Wallace McNearney
Brother: Jason Owen Wallace (1986-1996)
Johnnie Wallace
Attendant
Johnnie Wallace has been a resident of Wayne County, WV since birth. He graduated from Wayne High School in 1967 and West Virginia State University in 1972, where he was a starting linebacker for the football team. He received his master's degree from Marshall University in 1976 and taught Building Construction for the Wayne County School system for 32 years. While working for the school system he was an assistant coach for Wayne High School Football Team and Head Coach for the Wrestling Team. Upon retirement, he has continued to be a WV licensed contractor where he specializes in residential building construction. Johnnie received the distinguished honor of being voted BEST in the Tri-State for the past several years in a row for Wayne County's Custom Builder and General Contractor. Johnnie and Willa help as needed at the funeral home.
Member and Trustee of England Hill Freewill Baptist Church
Member of Wayne County Teachers golf league (Silo Golf Course- Lavalette, WV)
Family:
Wife: Willa D. Webb Wallace (retired Wayne County teacher for 33 years and wife of 49 years.)
Children: Beth (Jonas) Wallace McNearney , Amie (Tyler) Wallace Crockett and Jason Owen Wallace (1986-1996)
Grandchildren: Emily Dawn McNearney, Claire Anne McNearney, Owen Wallace McNearney, Jase Roland Crockett and Ellie Mae Crockett
Bill Clark
Attendant
Bill Clark has been a resident of Lawrence County Ohio since birth and is a graduate of Symmes Valley High School. After graduation from high school, he joined the United States Army and was on active duty for 2 years with 13 months of that time in Korea. He remained on non-active duty for 4 years and was honorably discharged in 1971. He worked for Nabisco and retired there after 34 years. After Bill retired he worked as a part-time attendant at Schneider-Griffin Funeral Home for 3 years. He has been a big help and tremendous asset during the renovation and building of Slack and Wallace Funeral Home.
Attends Sunshine Freewill Baptist Church
Family:
Wife: Karen Keeney Clark (Chesapeake Middle School Secretary)
Children: Ronnie Clark (1969-1998) and Dustin (Libby) Clark
Larry Thompson
Attendant
Larry and Loretta Thompson are current residents of Chesapeake, Ohio; both are graduates of South Point High School. Larry retired after 47 years employment with Coyne Textile Services out of New York. They have four children and eight grandchildren. They both attend England Hill Freewill Baptist Church in Catlettsburg, Kentucky, where Larry serves as a Deacon.
Alex Whitt and Lexi Smith Whitt
Attendant
Alex Whitt has worked for Slack and Wallace Funeral Home since late 2017. He has been a resident of Lawrence County for most of his life and is a 2015 graduate of South Point High School. Alex has been employed at Glenn’s Sporting Goods since July of 2015, after graduating high school. He graduated from Marshall University with a B.A. in Health Science and is attending Pittsburg Institute of Mortuary Science. Alex met his wife, Lexi Smith-Whitt in 2012, during their sophomore year of high school. They were married in June of 2018 in Panama City Beach, FL and are planning on residing in South Point until they both graduate from college. Alex enjoys hunting, cooking, and spending time with his wife. He also volunteers to help coach the South Point High School baseball team.
Lexi Smith-Whitt has been a resident of South Point, OH since birth and graduated in 2015 from South Point High School. She graduated from Marshall University with a B.A. in Health Science. Lexi currently attends Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science and works for Valley Health Systems.
Alex’s Family:
Parents: Chris Whitt (Universal Health Services) and Lora Whitt (River Park Hospital)
Siblings: Jared Whitt and Emilee Whitt
Lexi’s Family:
Father and Mother: Chris Smith (Ohio State Highway Patrol) and Tracy Smith (St. Mary's Medical Center)
Brother: Drew Smith
Larry Plantz
Larry Plantz was born and raised in Gallipolis, OH and graduated from Gallia Academy High School. He attended Marshall University and Graduate School of Banking, sponsored by American Bankers Association, held at The University of Oklahoma and received his graduate degree. Larry and his wife, Jerrie have been residents of Lawrence County since 1972. He has been in banking for over 42 years and retired from First Sentry Bank.
He enjoys spending time with his family, golfing and attending all sporting events. He attends First Baptist Church in Proctorville.
Larry’s Family:
Children: Mike Plantz and Tony (Denise) Plantz
Grandchildren: Allison and Drew
Jessica Hensley
Yoga Instructor
Jessica Hensley grew up in Weirton, West Virgina. She attended and graduated from Weirton Madonna High School in 2002. Jessica attended West Liberty University, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood Education. After graduating in 2006, she moved to Huntington, West Virginia where she began teaching first grade and kindergarten at St. Joseph Grade School. In 2012, Jessica received her Masters degree in Early Childhood Education from Marshall University. Currently, she is taking the role of stay at home mommy and she says it is her most difficult and most rewarding job yet.
While at West Liberty University, she met her husband Matthew. They were married in 2007 and reside in Huntington. Matthew is a Registered Nurse Practitioner and is employed by King’s Daughters Medical Center. They are blessed with three beautiful baby boys, named Miles and Benjamin and Kelson and they cannot imagine their life without them.
Jessica began her yoga journey in college, practicing off and on until 2013 when she decided that she was going to make yoga a part of her lifestyle. She began practicing at Brown Dog Yoga Studio, in Huntington and graduated as a RYT-200 from the studio's first Yoga Teacher Training Program. Jessica loves yoga because it allows her to feel comfortable and strong in her own body. Yoga also has taught her many lessons about herself on the mat, that she has been able to carry off the mat, making her a better person in all aspects of her life. She is so blessed to be teaching her first students at the Funeral Home.
Jessica is also teaching yoga as a volunteer at Her Place Recovery Center and working on bringing yoga to Veterans at the VA Medical Center. Lend-A-Hand for Appalachia is a non-profit that Jessica started with her friends, taking high school students to southern Appalachia to do home repair for those in need. She currently sits on the Board of Directors and the organization is very near and dear to her.
Lola
Therapy Dog In Training
Although it can be an extremely somber occasion, a gentle Therapy Dog can be an asset during this time. They bring unconditional love and help to lighten a mournful atmosphere while bringing peace to individuals during an upsetting time.
Therapy dogs have an amazing ability to put people at ease in a very emotional and difficult situation. The love that an animal can give is very comforting. Interacting with and petting therapy dogs can reduce the stress hormone, cortisol, lower blood pressure, banish negative thoughts and ramp up the feel-good hormone, oxytocin.
The use of grief therapy dogs in funeral homes is just an extension of the services therapy dogs offer. We are here for the community and want to be able to provide some comfort anyway we possibly can. We thought adding a therapy dog to the staff would help comfort people at the saddest most difficult time in their life. Lola is 2 years old and has been going through basic obedience training with Tim Childers at Petiquette in Barboursville, WV. She will eventually become a certified therapy dog with Therapy Dogs International. Sometimes all it takes is kiss from a wet nose to help people share their feelings and begin the healing process.
Lola is living with Beth's family which consists of her husband, three kids; 9, 7 and 6 and Beau, an Aussiedoodle who is 2 years old. She is a very sensitive and loving dog and we feel like she’s made for this job. We plan on taking her to nursing homes, hospice and schools once she’s certified. In the mean time she will be available to families on a request-basis while she earns her therapy dog certification.