BRANSON GAY HOVATTER, age 93 years, a resident of St. George, WV, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at Ruby Memorial Hospital at Morgantown.
He was born Sunday, August 20, 1916 at Bull Run. He was the son of the late Walter and Minnie Nestor Hovatter. On March 11, 1946 at Red House, MD, he was married to the former Rachel Mae Kalar, who preceded him in death January 19, 2003. They had celebrated fifty six years of marriage.
Surviving are two sons, Ronald Hovatter and wife Sharon of Parsons, Rick Hovatter and wife Kathy of Bull Run; two daughters, Carol Mullennex and husband Larry of OH, Brenda Dotson and husband Lonnie of St. George; two brothers, David Hovatter and wife Maycel of VA, Keith Hovatter and wife May of MD; two sisters, Hester Hunt and husband Monty, Eleanor Cox and husband Don, all of VA; two granddaughters, Lora Skrobut and husband Bill, Amanda Hile and husband Jeremy; four grandsons, Greg Mullennex and wife Katie, Eric Mullennex and girlfriend Becky Armstrong, R.J. Hovatter and wife Mindy, Nick Hovatter and wife Solena; five great grandsons, Matthew Skrobut, Ayden Mullennex, Branson Hovatter, Kaden Hovatter and Brock Hovatter and one great granddaughter, Addison Mullennex.
He is the last surviving member of his immediate family having been preceded in death by four brothers, Ona, Victor, Scott and Jack Hovatter; and two sisters, Nell Cathell and Grace Spessert.
He attended the one room school at Bull Run and he was a graduate of Parsons High School with the Class of 1937. He was a Veteran of the United States Navy, serving during WWII. Gay and his father ran a steam powered saw mill on Bull Run. He was employed for Hope Gas. He then went to work for the WV. Dept. of Highways as an Inspector, until his retirement. He enjoyed the outdoors. He loved to hunt, fish, woodworking and quilting and he sang with the Gospel Five. Most of all he enjoyed his family. He was a wonderful person, who was loved by all and will truly be missed by all. He was a Christian by faith and attended the Sycamore Grove Church, the First Church of the Nazarene and he was baptized at the First United Methodist Church in Leadmine.
The family will receive friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Parsons on Thursday from 5 to 8 PM. Final rites will be conducted at the funeral home parlor Friday April 30, 2010 at 11AM. The Rev. Neil Precht will officiate and interment will follow at the Nestor Cemetery at Bull Run, where the H.W. Daniels Post #29 American Legion and the Tygart Valley Post #3647 Veterans of Foreign War and the Tucker Co. Veterans Assoc. will conduct full military rites.
