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In Memory of
Victor Kent
Stallard Sr.
Stallard Sr.
1924 - 2023
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O'Dell Funeral Home
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Obituary for Victor Kent Stallard Sr.
It is with sorrow and gratitude that we share that our beloved father, Victor Kent Stallard, Sr., died peacefully in his sleep on April 28th just a few months shy of his 99th birthday. Our sorrow is because his family and friends will no longer benefit from wonderful times with him and his outrageous sense of humor. Our gratitude is that he was in our lives for such a very long time—a gift that many do not have—and that he left this world peacefully when he was ready.
Vick was born in 1924 in Harlan, Kentucky, but as a child lived in Wise County, Virginia, before moving to Hugheston, WV, where he stayed for most of his life. His deepest friendships were made there, and that is where he settled with his wife Irene Cook Stallard, until they moved to Scott Depot, WV, in 1994.
As a child of the Great Depression, Vick worked in the coal mines and was forced by circumstance to drop out of school. He later earned his GED and believed so strongly in education that he worked several jobs, so his children had the opportunity to go to college. Vick had a passion for reading and taught his children to love literature and history. His home was always filled with books and both he and Cookie read every day until they were in their early 90s. They educated themselves through reading and travel and encouraged their children to broaden their horizons as well.
A member of the Greatest Generation, Vick met Cookie while on leave from the US Army during WW2. He served two tours of duty in Europe as a military policeman and kept in touch with military buddies over the years.
Vick reminisced often about his extensive travels throughout the country with Cookie and friends. He and Cookie also traveled with their adult children. They brought back cuttings from Nevada and grew roses at home. They traveled to Washington State to see Cookie’s sister, and to the WW2 Memorial in Washington, DC. They were guests of the president of the University of Virginia at football games, Vick fished at the Outer banks, and they saw the wonders of London, England. One of Vick’s trips was to Massachusetts in 2016 to visit an army buddy with whom he kept up a written correspondence, and another to Tennessee to visit his sister Jean in 2020.
After retiring from the Army Corps of Engineers in the early 1990s, Vick found a new passion in woodworking—making astonishingly beautiful clocks, cradles, tables, chests and rocking horses for his children and grandchildren. He also joined the Coal Valley Masonic Lodge in Montgomery, WV.
Everyone who met Vick Stallard immediately became his friend. He was a warm and funny raconteur. Vick loved to entertain people, especially children. He made his children laugh every day with his silly antics—including his famous skeleton dance—and he continued this with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, giving them funny nicknames and telling hilarious stories.
He was also exceptionally generous, helping those less fortunate. Even at age 98, he helped purchase and deliver shoes to children in Putnam County twice per year, and regularly brought meals to “old folks” who were decades younger than he.
Until he was injured in a fall late last year, Vick continued to live in his own home, mow his grass on a John Deere like he was a NASCAR driver, and tend a bountiful garden. He even grew watermelons in an old tree stump. Vick loved paw-paws and persimmons but not as much as he loved his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends, and siblings.
Victor Stallard was preceded in his death by his wonderful wife of 71 years, whom he nicknamed Cookie. He is survived by many people who admired and loved him, especially Frank and Karen Stallard Nowviskie, Victor (Chip) Stallard, Jr., Sondra Stallard, and sister Jean Lively. He will be sadly missed by his grandchildren (Bethany Nowviskie, Kent Nowviskie, Lauren Keller, Evan Pols, and Lorea Stallard) and their families, including six great-grandchildren.
Interment with Military Honors will be held at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar, where he will be buried beside Cookie on Thursday, May 4th, 2023, at 11:30am. Wonderful family friend Pastor Gary H. Tucker will officiate.
O’Dell Funeral Home in Montgomery is in charge of arrangements. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to the family at www.odellfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, Vick would have requested that you donate to Putnam Shoes for Children, via the Putnam Shoes for Children Facebook page (or c/o Sowers and Company AC, PO Box 1050, Hurricane, WV 25526)—or to the charity of your choice.
Vick was born in 1924 in Harlan, Kentucky, but as a child lived in Wise County, Virginia, before moving to Hugheston, WV, where he stayed for most of his life. His deepest friendships were made there, and that is where he settled with his wife Irene Cook Stallard, until they moved to Scott Depot, WV, in 1994.
As a child of the Great Depression, Vick worked in the coal mines and was forced by circumstance to drop out of school. He later earned his GED and believed so strongly in education that he worked several jobs, so his children had the opportunity to go to college. Vick had a passion for reading and taught his children to love literature and history. His home was always filled with books and both he and Cookie read every day until they were in their early 90s. They educated themselves through reading and travel and encouraged their children to broaden their horizons as well.
A member of the Greatest Generation, Vick met Cookie while on leave from the US Army during WW2. He served two tours of duty in Europe as a military policeman and kept in touch with military buddies over the years.
Vick reminisced often about his extensive travels throughout the country with Cookie and friends. He and Cookie also traveled with their adult children. They brought back cuttings from Nevada and grew roses at home. They traveled to Washington State to see Cookie’s sister, and to the WW2 Memorial in Washington, DC. They were guests of the president of the University of Virginia at football games, Vick fished at the Outer banks, and they saw the wonders of London, England. One of Vick’s trips was to Massachusetts in 2016 to visit an army buddy with whom he kept up a written correspondence, and another to Tennessee to visit his sister Jean in 2020.
After retiring from the Army Corps of Engineers in the early 1990s, Vick found a new passion in woodworking—making astonishingly beautiful clocks, cradles, tables, chests and rocking horses for his children and grandchildren. He also joined the Coal Valley Masonic Lodge in Montgomery, WV.
Everyone who met Vick Stallard immediately became his friend. He was a warm and funny raconteur. Vick loved to entertain people, especially children. He made his children laugh every day with his silly antics—including his famous skeleton dance—and he continued this with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, giving them funny nicknames and telling hilarious stories.
He was also exceptionally generous, helping those less fortunate. Even at age 98, he helped purchase and deliver shoes to children in Putnam County twice per year, and regularly brought meals to “old folks” who were decades younger than he.
Until he was injured in a fall late last year, Vick continued to live in his own home, mow his grass on a John Deere like he was a NASCAR driver, and tend a bountiful garden. He even grew watermelons in an old tree stump. Vick loved paw-paws and persimmons but not as much as he loved his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends, and siblings.
Victor Stallard was preceded in his death by his wonderful wife of 71 years, whom he nicknamed Cookie. He is survived by many people who admired and loved him, especially Frank and Karen Stallard Nowviskie, Victor (Chip) Stallard, Jr., Sondra Stallard, and sister Jean Lively. He will be sadly missed by his grandchildren (Bethany Nowviskie, Kent Nowviskie, Lauren Keller, Evan Pols, and Lorea Stallard) and their families, including six great-grandchildren.
Interment with Military Honors will be held at Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery in Dunbar, where he will be buried beside Cookie on Thursday, May 4th, 2023, at 11:30am. Wonderful family friend Pastor Gary H. Tucker will officiate.
O’Dell Funeral Home in Montgomery is in charge of arrangements. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to the family at www.odellfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, Vick would have requested that you donate to Putnam Shoes for Children, via the Putnam Shoes for Children Facebook page (or c/o Sowers and Company AC, PO Box 1050, Hurricane, WV 25526)—or to the charity of your choice.