| A former Calhoun man, Burl Gainer, 86, has died in Kanawha County, one of several well-known Grantsville brothers. He passed away at his home on February 28, 2003.
He was born Dec. 26, 1916, in Grantsville, a son of the late Lee and Laura Gainer. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Denzil and Otho; and Bob and Carol's mother, Ruby.
He retired from Consolidated Gas Transmissiion in 1979, where he worked as an office clerk and bookkeeper. He had 36 years of service with the company and enjoyed 23 years of retirement.
Burl served in the Navy in World War II and was on the ship Wechauken when it was sunk during a typhoon that killed more ment than any single Navy battle in the war. The men were ordered topside where they held onto ropes to keep from being swept overboard. After three days, when the storm was over the crew discovered that the ship had settled on a reef with all but the bow underwater. Not a single man from the ship was lost.
He was a 60-year member of Clendenin United Methodist Church.
He is survived by Bethel, he wife of 46 years; his sons and daughters-in-law, Robert and Janet of Conway, S.C., Jeff and Collyer of Grand Junction, Colo., Geary Caldwell of Kenova; his daughters and a son-in-law, Carol of Clendenin, Terri and Edward Jones of Port St. Lucie, Fla., Becky of Clendenin. Burl was a devoted grandfather to his grandchildren and their spouses, Sandy and Len Eskew, Sheri and Les Dennard, Matt and Tammy White, Molli Lewis, Stacey Burford, Rob and Stephanie Gainer, Jason Jones, Abdell Jones, Jose Jones and Jasmine Jones. Burl liked to say that the only pleasure greater than a grandchild was great-grandchildren. His great-grandchildren numbered 15, including Marisa, Michael and Nicholas Pantuso, Josh, Ashley and Allyssa Dennard, Drew and Courtney Forbes, Beth Ann, Luke and Matthew Eskew, Matthew and Alex White, George Brown and Sydney Lewis.
Service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, at Clendenin United Methodist Church, Clendenin. Burial will be buried in Martha Mullins Cemetery, where he will rest with his beloved mother-in-law, Martha.
Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Matics Funeral Home, Clendenin.
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