Charles David Lilly, age 68, of 275 Clyde’s Run, Eagle Rock, Virginia, died Monday, June 19, 2017 at Lewis Gale Medical Center in Salem.

Charles was born June 30, 1948 in Rhodell, West Virginia, to the late Garvus Ogden Lilly and Remona Hercil McGuire Lilly.

He was a 1966 graduate of Sophia High School in Sophia, WV. He had a certificate from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College for Paper Manufacturing, in conjunction with the Westvaco paper mill, which was his last place of employment. He worked in Quality Control as a lab technician for MeadWestvaco. Prior to employment with Mead Westvaco, Charles worked in several coal mines around the Beckley, WV area.

He had an amazing tenor voice and sang with many gospel quartets over his lifetime, the last quartet Charles sang with being The Announcers, based in Clifton Forge.

He served as a Sunday school teacher for many years with the Soak Creek Gospel Tabernacle in Soak Creek, WV. He loved each child as his own, teaching mainly the teenage class. He later served as a Deacon with Sophia Freewill Baptist Church in Sophia, WV and, since moving to Virginia, because of coal mine layoffs, attended Iron Gate Baptist Church in Iron Gate when he was able.

Charles has been disabled since 2007.

He was the oldest of six siblings, which he lovingly referred to as "The Gang". He loved his children, and never recovered from the loss of his baby girl, Tanya Lynn Lilly Bennett, who passed from cervical cancer in 2014.

In addition to his parents and daughter, Charles was preceded in death by a sister, Yvonne Lilly Cadle and a brother, Garvus O. Lilly, Jr.

He is survived by his wife of forty-eight years, Velma L. Walker Lilly of Eagle Rock; a daughter, Leigh Ann Lilly Firestone and husband, Scott; a son, Charles David Lilly II and wife, Sherri; a son-in-law, Jason Morgan Bennett; two sisters, Drema Faith Lilly Acord and husband, Wayne, and Darlene Kay Lilly Martin; a brother, Roger Earl Lilly and wife, Alma; eight grandchildren, Samantha Lilly Barr, Tamika Carr Peterson, Nathan Lilly, Allison Carr, Caitlyn Carr, Joshua Bennett, Lila Bennett, and Noah Bennett; seven great grandchildren, Gabriella Peterson, Phillip Petterson, Jonathan Peterson, Luke Barr, Lilly Barr, Laura Barr, and Ryland Kennedy, the one great grandchild who will probably miss his Pampaw the most.

Charles also had a large extended family, with many beloved nephews and nieces. In keeping with his wishes, his body has been cremated. Charles was to host his family's reunion at his home, 275 Clyde's Run, Eagle Rock, VA on July 2, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. His immediate family has decided to follow through with this reunion as a memorial to Charles' memory. Anyone, friends or other family members, wishing to attend are invited to do so and are asked to bring a covered dish. We are asking everyone to bring a personal story to share with attendees. However, if you are not able to attend and would like to have your story relayed to the group, mail it to his home address. The family will make certain your story is shared.

The family suggests memorial tributes take the form of contributions in Charles' memory to St. Jude's Childrens Research Hospital, the Habitat for Humanity, or Disabled Veterans.

The Nicely Funeral Home, Clifton Forge, is handling arrangements.