| A well-known West Virginia clergyman and Calhoun native, Rev. Jennings Woodrow Burch, 98, of Hamlin, died on June 22.
Born in 1914 in Calhoun County, he graduated from Calhoun County High School and attended Morris Harvey College.
Being called to the ministry, he was first licensed by his home church, Enon Baptist in 1936 at the age of 22.
He pastored churches in Wirt, Calhoun, Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Boone, Jackson and Lincoln Counties.
"He baptized more than one thousand souls, eloquently conducted over one thousand funerals and married more than six hundred couples," according to his obituary.
Born in Calhoun County, he was the fifth of eleven children born to the late Charles and Virginia Burch.
Surviving are four children, James (Debbie) of Dalton, Ohio, Jennings (Gloria) and David (Paula), all of Hamlin, and Rebecca (Andy) McClure of Yawkey; nine grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Woodrow was a charter member of the First Baptist Church of Hamlin, a member, Past Master and secretary of Hamlin Lodge No. 79, a member of the Beni Kedem Shrine Temple, Charleston, a member of the Huntington Commandry Knights of the Templar, and Past Grand Chaplain of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of West Virginia.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the First Baptist Church of Hamlin with Pastor David Burch and Pastor Timmy Burch officiating. Burial will follow at Fairview Memory Gardens, Hamlin, with Masonic graveside rites by Hamlin Lodge No. 79.
Family and friends will gather from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Hamlin.
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