Virgil Leon Holdren passed away on Thursday, September 29, 2011, at home with his loving wife by his side after a long battle with cancer.
He was born on December 24, 1940, and raised in Cannelton, and was the son of the late Eva and Frank Holdren. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Earl Holdren and Clarence Holdren.
He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, fishing, digging for ginseng and picking blackberries with his little sidekick, his great-grandson, Zarian Shaw. In his earlier years, he coached little league baseball for Mountain State Little League. He worked as a coal miner for numerous coal companies. He worked for Jeffrey Mining and Machinery, which his job allowed him to travel to many places, but his most memorable trips were the ones that sent him to South Africa on different occasions. He was last employed and retired from Fluor Daniel Fernald in the state of Ohio.
He served his country with 20 plus years in the United States Navy, from which he also retired.
Virgil is survived by his loving wife, Lula Holden; his stepchildren, Pennie Fragale of Louisiana, Ricky Brown of California, Sterling “Boo” Brown of Hansford, Sherry Elliott and husband, Greg Elliott, of Charleston, and Brenda Brown of Pratt. Virgil is also survived by his siblings, Elvera Gifford of Idaho, Robert “Bob” Holdren of Alabama and Lillian “Sissy” Goodson of Cannelton. Virgil is survived by several grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and his special and loyal companions, his dogs, Coal and Winchester.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the wonderful and compassionate care that was given to Virgil by his Hospice Care nurse, Becky Powell, and the thoughtfulness and caring ways of his neighbors, the Wagner family.
Service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Crown Hill Freewill Baptist Church at Crown Hill with Bill Lively officiating. Burial will follow in Kanawha Valley Memorial Gardens at Glasgow. Friends may call form 6 until 9 p.m. Sunday at O’Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery.
Expressions of sympathy may be sent at www.odellfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Kanawha Hospice Care, 1606 Kanawha Blvd. W, Charleston, WV 25312.