Richard Lewis Mentzer 1910-2002 Obituary
Richard Lewis Mentzer, 91, of 113 S. Main St., Philippi, in the house he had purchased in 1949, died at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21, 2002, at his home.
He was born Dec. 15, 1910, in Catasauqua, Pa., a son of the late Robert Clewell, who later married Dr. Clayton Mentzer, who adopted Richard Lewis and his brother, Robert.
The love of his life for more than 50 years, Sylvia Katherine Wilson Mentzer, died Aug. 25, 1987.
Surviving are one daughter, Joyce Louise Kerr Borchert and husband, Lee, of Weston; three sons, Richard Lewis Mentzer of Baton Route, La., Lawrence Bruce Mentzer and wife, Hele’n, of Dallas, Texas, and Jahn Harmon Mentzer and wife, Vicki, of Ingram Pa.; eight grandchildren, Richard Lewis Mentzer III and wife, Charlene, of Baton Rouge, La., Danielle Marie Mentzer of Hollywood, Calif., William Yates Kerr and wife, Pam, of Point of Rocks, Md., Charles Lewis Kerr and fiance, Trisha, of Carrollton, Texas, Jennifer Elizabeth McConaughy and husband, Todd, of Plano, Texas, Christopher Isaac Mentzer of Richardson, Texas, Emily Virginia Mentzer of Ingram, Pa., and Andrew Rutherford Mentzer of Ingram, Pa.; and six great-grandchildren, Jordan Lewis Mentzer, Megan Marie Mentzer and Michael James Mentzer, all of Baton Rouge La., Nathaniel Yates Kerr, Mason Garrett Kerr and Gabrielle Alicia Kerr, all of Point-of-rocks, Md.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Lewis Mentzer.
He was a petroleum engineer, first for United Natural Gas Co. in Pennsylvania. He then worked in Venezuela until 1961 for Creole Petroleum Corp., first as a petroleum engineer and eventually as supervisor of a whole camp and oil field operations, with responsibility over several hundred employees and their families.
Upon retirement from Creole, he moved back to Philippi, where he kept himself busy from the 1960s through the 1980s as an engineer for the West Virginia State Road Commission, helped lay new water and sewage lines in Philippi, worked on additions to the old Alderson-broaddus Hospital, helped plan the second bridge in Philippi and assisted in the planning of the new buildings located where the old Philippi High School was located. He also was a shareholder of the old Barbour Department Store and a shareholder and employee of Davis Drug Store.
He was a member of Philippi Crim Memorial Methodist Church in Philippi. He enjoyed his work with Kiwanis Club and as a member of the Barbour County Planning Commission. He was a petroleum engineer with a degree from West Virginia University.
Friends will be received at Crim Memorial United Methodist Church Thursday from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., the service hour, with the Rev. Alicia Rapking officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Vernon Memorial Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Foundation, American Cancer Society or to Mt. Hospice.
Richard Lewis Mentzer 1910-2002 Obituary
