Lewis Jewell Villers, 88 years of age, departed this life on July 8, 2018 in a Hospice room at Ruby Memorial Hospital surrounded by family.
He was born at home on Little Creek in Calhoun County on June 15, 1930, a son of the late Walter and Carrie (Cooper) Villers.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Louise Wiseman Villers. He is survived by three sisters-in-law, Pat Wiseman and Wilma Horn of Irvine, KY and Virginia (Jenny) Wiseman of Lexington. He is also survived by a daughter Ladonna (Tim) Hayes of Elizabeth, WV and a son Jonathan (Koreen) Villers of Philippi, WV, 6 grandchildren: Chasity (Kevin) Sions of Morgantown, WV; Kayla (Dustin) Amerson of Grand Rapids, Ml; Caleb (Maci) Villers of Summersville, WV; Allison Villers, Thomas Villers, and Bobby Villers of Philippi, WV, and 7 great-grandchildren: Miriam Sions, Hannah Sions, Eli Sions of Morgantown,WV and Colton Montcastle, Layne Montcastle, Lysle Amerson and Cahlen Amerson of Grand Rapids, MI, and several other "adopted" children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren that called him "Pap" and "Papa".
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Virgil Villers Sr. and Harold Villers. Uncle Lewis continues to be cherished by nieces and nephews and their families from the Barberton/Akron, Ohio area and Irvine/Lexington, Kentucky. Almost 40 gathered in Norton, Ohio on his birthday to celebrate eighty-eight glorious years!
He was first introduced to Jesus at the Little Creek Community Church. He accepted Christ while Pastor Bud Graham was holding revival there. He was a 1948 graduate of Calhoun County High School. When he went off to college at Glenville State, the preacher at First Baptist said he could be baptized, and he started teaching Sunday School the next week.
He finished his teaching degree at Glenville State College and entered the armed service to serve our country during the Korean Conflict. Upon returning, he attended Southern Baptist Seminary, Louisville, KY. He was employed by the Wirt County Board of Education at Elizabeth, WV as an upper science teacher for 35 years, and was a public-school teacher in Kentucky and Huntington, WV in the 1960's.
In their 53 years of marriage Louise assisted him in ministry in American Baptist Churches at Greenbrier Baptist Church in Wagersville, KY; Adda Baptist Church, Hurricane, WV; Rush Run Baptist Church, Stumptown, WV (32 years); Strait Creek Baptist Church, Brohard, WV (27 years); Mt. William Baptist Church, Blue Goose, WV; Two Ripple Baptist Church, Elizabeth, WV (22 years); and Handley Baptist Church, Handley, WV (15 years). Lewis will be greatly missed by all who had come to know him as a most gracious and loving friend and follower of Jesus Christ.
The Celebration of Rev. Lewis Villers will start in Philippi WV and continue to Grantsville, WV and finish at the Villers Family Cemetery on Little Creek. The Philippi celebration will be held at Wright Funeral Home, Philippi WV. Friends and Family may visit on Wednesday, July 11 from 2-4pm, 6-8 pm and Thursday, July 12 from 8am-10am and the Celebration Service will be Thursday, July 12 at 10am. The Philippi Celebration will be led by Rev. Kenny Kendall and Mr. John Hicks.
The Grantsville Celebration will be held at Stump Funeral Home, Grantsville, WV. . Friends and Family may visit on Thursday, July 12 from 6-8pm and Friday, July 13 from 8am-10am and the Celebration Service will be Friday, July 13 at 10am. The Grantsville Celebration will be led by Rev. John Vannoy and Rev. Gary Richmond. A Graveside Service will follow at the Villers Family Cemetery on Little Creek. All services will involve words of celebration from his family. Among them will include two grandsons, Rev. Kevin Sions and Rev. Caleb Villers.
In lieu of flowers or other tokens of sympathy, we are requesting contributions in memory of Rev. Villers to be sent to the West Virginia Baptist Education Society for the education of those in ministry. The WVBEC provided needed funds over the last five decades for the education of Lewis, His son, Jonathan and wife Koreen. His granddaughter, Chasity and her husband Kevin, His grandsons Caleb and Bobby! You can send donations to Rev. Lawrence Hoptry - 129 Green Acres Drive, Hurricane, WV, 25526 |
