MARTIN “VAN” DAVIS, age 85 years, a resident of the Dryfork Road, Hendricks, WV, departed this life Sunday, March 8, 2015 at the Hospice Care Regional Inpatient Center at Elkins, WV. He had been in declining health.
He was born Tuesday, September 3, 1929 at Elk, WV, Tucker County, a son of the late Martin VanBuren Bonner and Rosa Bell Bright. He was married to the former Phyllis Jean Hardy, who preceded him in death November 1, 2014.
Surviving are his children, Cathy Bonner and husband Dave, James Davis and wife Tammy, and Robert Davis and wife Tammy, all of the Dryfork Road, Hendricks; two granddaughters, Jamie Huffman and husband Louro of Hendricks and Beki Bonner of the Dryfork Road, Hendricks; one great grandson, Donald James Davis of Hendricks; three special adopted grandchildren, Ginger Davis, Chrissy Davis and Amanda Hott; three sisters, Londa Bowman and Eva Moore, both of Cumberland, MD, and Ellen Zukas and husband Bob of Middle River, MD.
Preceding him in death are five brothers, Herbert Davis, Howard Davis, Calvin Bright, Nathan Bright and Ben Bright; and three sisters, Genieve Pencoski, Virginia Quattro and Haleena Deitz.
He attended the one room school at Mill Run. He was a Veteran of the United States Army, serving as a military police. He retired after thirty five years of service with the Interstate Lumber Company. During 1966, the lumber company was destroyed by fire. Van was instrumental in the restructure and rebuilding of the company of which it later became the largest lumber company of its kind on the east coast. He was a former member of the Board of the Bright’s Chapel Cemetery and he was a member of the Parsons Church of God. Van enjoyed hunting, fishing, mowing the lawn and his dogs.
The family will receive friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Parsons on Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. Final rites will be conducted at the funeral home parlor on Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. The Rev. Eli Hostetler will officiate and interment will follow at the High Ridge Cemetery at Elk, WV, where the H.W. Daniels Post #29 American Legion, the Tygart Valley Post #3647 Veteran of Foreign War and the Tucker Co. Veterans Assoc. will conduct full military honors. The Lohr & Barb Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for MARTIN “VAN” DAVIS. Condolences may be expressed to the family at; www.lohrbarbfuneralhome.com.