Written by: Larry

Dad was a very strong, and strong-willed man - but he was humble, gentle, soft spoken, sharing, unselfish - I don’t recall dad ever saying an unkind word about anyone.  Most of all he believed in god, country and honesty.  There was not much gray with him; it was either right or wrong.

Dad loved his family and friends.  When mom’s twin sister Bessie came back to live in Virginia, mom and dad helped in any every way.  Dad helped raise Bessie’s sons Marc and Reed as his own children, and the three of us grew up as brothers.  

Dad could build or repair almost anything he could get his hands on.  He would help family and neighbors repair water pumps on blistering cold winter days so they could have water to run their homes. He would always stop what he was doing to help.

He raised lots of different animals and birds over the years.  He raised goats and earned the name “Goat Man”.  He enjoyed his garden and loved to plant and see things grow. He loved harvest time when he could have the first tomato for mom’s birthday or when we would dig those 4 and 5 pound sweet potatoes in the fall.  There was a certain way that he gardened and when I helped him in his later years he would walk beside me to make sure that I did the planting or that I ran the roto tiller the correct way.  Even when he got too weak to walk he would crawl down the rows and pull weeds or sit in a chair and watch my every step to make sure it was done right.

Dad and I spent many a day in the field hunting together with family and great friends. We were either were deer hunting, quail hunting, or turkey hunting.

Dad struggled with his hearing most of his life.  I can remember back to before I ever stated school he would take me with him  hunting so I could be his ears to listen for the dogs and I tell him where they were and if they were coming our way so he could get ready.  He would pick me up and carrier me thru briars and across creeks. He loved his dogs. 

Some of the most remembered times were spent at the Cogle Farm with family and friends or in the mountains at our cabin in Bath County. When we hunting in the mountains Dad love to sit at the White Rock stand where he could see through the big open timber and enjoy the mountain side.  He also loved to ride his 4-wheeler and spent a lot of time with Alex and BW at the farm. 

Dad and mom were married for more than 70 years.  In all those years I don’t recall them ever having a cross word or an argument.  I remember growing up when dad got home from work and finished his chores he would sit in his chair and mom would crawl up in his lap until bedtime. Everywhere dad drove mom was setting in the middle of the seat as close as she could. Dad worked at Hercules for 39 years and retired in 1985.  He has been retired for almost as many years as he worked and I don’t recall many days that they were not together since he retired. What a great life to remember.  Dad will be missed.