Remembering
Brother Greg Vanover
December 31, 1947- April 14, 2011
Gregory J. Vanover
suddenly passed from this life into eternity on Thursday April 14, 2011.
He was preceded in death by his father, Otis Vanover in 1998. He is
survived by his mother Helen Vanover, sister, Sheila Hunt and husband, Doyle
and brother, Gary Vanover. Other survivors include nephew, Dustin
Hunt, aunts, uncles, cousins, a host of other friends and relatives and a
special friend, Andy Rose.
Funeral
services were held 11 o’clock a.m. at Lick Fork Free Will Baptist Church,
Darwin, Virginia with Pastor Allen Viers and Brother Lynn Vanover
officiating. The church cemetery serves as his final resting place.
He was a 1971
graduate of Clinch Valley College, Wise, Virginia and was the owner and
operator of Vanover Service Station.
Brother Greg
will be remembered as a soft-spoken, gentle man, who had a warm smile for
everyone. Whose gifted hands were accustomed to hard work, as well as
playing beautiful music. He accepted Christ at the age of
thirty-three, was baptized and joined the fellowship of Lick Fork Free Will
Baptist Church. He and his music were well known within our region.
He often played at various churches, always enjoying an opportunity to
glorify Christ in song and music. He was the second-generation owner
of Vanover’s Service Station. Not only was he a knowledgeable and
skilled mechanic, he was a very generous and kind-hearted man. He
often extended credit to those in need and never hesitated to inconvenience
himself in order to help another.
Greg enjoyed
the fellowship of others, whether it be at a church picnic, homecoming
service or a lunch time visit at Vanover’s Supply, where he would visit and
enjoy a tall-tale or hunting story shared with friends over a sandwich and
soda-pop. In addition to being a hard-working business owner, dependable
friend, gifted musician and faithful church-member; possibly his greatest
attribute was that of son. He was a loving and devoted son to both his
parents and assumed the responsibility of caring for his aging mother upon
the passing of his father. He faithfully looked after and cared for
his mother in her home and provided care and supervision in his absence
during his work-day until his sudden passing.
A painful
void now exists within the heart of our community, as a result of the
passing of this our dear brother. May each of us strive to serve
others daily with a joyful heart, gentle character and warm smile, just as
Brother Greg did.
“Nay, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39
