Herman Eugene Vess, age 96, of 4807 Riverland Road, Clifton Forge, died Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at Alleghany Regional Hospital, Low Moor.
Born September 8, 1912 in Rockbridge County, Virginia, Herman was a son of the late Sam and Inez Vess.
He began his long work career working on the farm as a boy. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) that was responsible for building Douthat State Park.
He served overseas in the United States Army in the European Theatre of Operations during World War II.
Afterwards, he worked for R.B. Bennington at the Triangle Service Station before he and his wife, Georgie purchased the business.
She ran the restaurant and he ran the store, which they sold in 1964. During this time, he was also a Justice of the Peace.
Later, he was employed by Nicely Funeral Home as a funeral director, retiring in 1987.
Herman was a former member of Central Advent Christian Church, a current member of Lone Star Advent Christian Church, and was currently attending Central United Methodist Church, where he belonged to the Men's Bible Class and sang in the Men's Chorus.
As one of the original trustees of Central Advent Christian Cemetery, he dedicated most of his life to the organization and care of the cemetery, which he helped start in 1941, first by cutting the trees and brush from the land leased from the National Forest Service. He then served the cemetery for sixty-four years as an original and ongoing member of the Board of Trustees, who worked without pay by determining location of grave spaces, opening and closing the graves, and maintaining the cemetery grounds. Herman was still closing the graves there when he was ninety years old.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of fifty-three years, Georgia "Georgie" Wallace Vess in 1989; a daughter, Ruth Jane Vess in 1962; a sister, Marna Nicely; and three brothers, Leroy Vess, John Vess, and Ed Vess.
He is survived by a son, Tommy Vess and wife, Maye of Clifton Forge; a sister, Dorothy Miller of Natural Bridge; a number of nieces and nephews, including special niece, JoAnn Anderson; special friends, Liz and Mack Higgins, Wayne and Lana Harlow, Hattie Knick, Joe Lewis Wallace, Kathy Bowen, and the Senior Saints of Lone Star Advent Christian Church, and special companions, Tom Boy and Hermie.
A funeral service will be conducted on Monday at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge with Reverend Bill Hartsfield and Reverend Louis Dodd officiating. Interment will follow in Central Advent Christian Cemetery, Clifton Forge. Pallbearers will be Anthony Nicely, Joe Wallace, Wayne Harlow, C. J. Nicely, Charles Downey, George Jenkins, Jr., and Mitch Vess. Honorary Pallbearers will be John Mandeville, Ronald Wright, Bob Slusser, Tommy Slusser, Richard Dobbs, Gene Mason, J.D. Williams, Fred Whiting, Mack Higgins, Sam Torian, Buck Rumpf, and Wayne Botkins.
The family will receive friends on Sunday afternoon from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Nicely Funeral Home. The family suggests memorial tributes take the form of contributions to the Lone Star Advent Christian Church Building Fund, 4704 Nicelytown Road, Clifton Forge, VA 24422.
The Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, is in charge of arrangements.
