Obituaries

In Memory of
JOHN WILSON LOHR
April 9, 1919 - October 3, 2003

Visitation:
Lohr and Barb Funeral Home
Tuesday, October 7, 2003 from 5:30p.m. until 9pm

Service:
First United Methodist Church
Wednesday, October 8, 2003 at 11:00 a.m.

Interment:
Maplewood Cemetery at Elkins, WV

JOHN WILSON LOHR, age 84 years, a well known and respected funeral director of Elkins, West Virginia, departed this life Friday evening, October 3, 2003, at Ruby Memorial Hospital, Morgantown, following a massive stroke at his home on Thursday evening. He was born Wednesday, April 9, 1919, at Rochester, Pennsylvania, a son of the late Charles Webster Lohr and Florence Geneva Guthrie Lohr. He was raised in Paden City, West Virginia. Following graduation in 1937 from Magnolia High School at New Martinsville, West Virginia, he served his apprenticeship at the Glen A. Mowery Funeral Home, Paden City. He graduated from Cincinnati College of Embalming in 1940 and was employed at A. L. Hawkins Funeral Home, Bluefield, West Virginia, until he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942. On September 17, 1944, at Littleton, West Virginia, he married the former Katherine Louise "Kitty" Bradley, who survives. Upon his discharge from the Navy, Mr. Lohr accepted employment with the F. E. Runner Funeral Home in Elkins, beginning work there on Thanksgiving Day 1945. On July 1, 1947, Mr. Lohr purchased the Kendall Funeral Home and established the John W. Lohr Funeral Home, which he owned and operated until his retirement in 1982. At the time of his death he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home.

Also surviving are two daughters, Patricia Louise Patty Lohr Pearson, Charleston and Marcia Ann Lohr, Raleigh, North Carolina, and two brothers, Charles Edward Tate and Maurice Neil Lohr.

Preceding him in death besides his parents are one infant brother, Patrick.

Mr. Lohr was a member of the First United Methodist Church, where he served as Chairman of the Finance Committee for nearly forty years. He served on the Board of Directors of the Davis Trust Company from 1967 to 2000. In 1968, Mr. Lohr was elected to the Board of Directors of National Selected Morticians, serving in that capacity for three years. He was elected International President of NSM at Houston, Texas in 1971. He was affiliated with the Elkins - Randolph County YMCA for many years, having served as President and Board Member and was named Director Emeritus in 1998. He was named Business Man of the Year by Beta Alpha Beta Honorary Fraternity at Davis & Elkins College, where he had been a student during the early 1950's. He was a past member of the Elkins Kiwanis Club, was a member of the Kerens Lodge # 183, I.O.O.F., the Knights of Pythias Lodge # 76, the Elkins Lodge # 1135, B.P.O.E., as well as the Elk's Country Club, where he was an avid golfer, the H. W. Daniel's Post # 29, American Legion, the 40 & 8 Voiture # 1117, at Elkins, the West Virginia Funeral Director's Association, the National Funeral Director's Association, the Mountaineer Chapter, Izaak Walton League, the Elkins Lodge # 108, A. F. & A. M. over fifty years, the Osiris Temple at Wheeling, the Pilgrim Commandry # 21, Knights Templar, the Tygart Valley Shrine Club and the Elkins Chapter # 35, Royal Arch Masons over fifty years. The family received friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home, Tuesday from 5:30-9 PM. On Wednesday, October 8, 2003, Mr. Lohr was moved to the First United Methodist Church where final rites were conducted at 11 AM. The Reverend Doctor Ellis E. Conley and the Reverend Doctor Basil A. Hensley officiated and interment followed at the Maplewood Cemetery at Elkins, West Virginia, where members of the Elkins Lodge # 108 A.F. & A.M, conducted Masonic Graveside Rites.