Mr. Elroy Byron Craig Basham, age 96, of Covington, Virginia entered the gates of Heaven on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at Roanoke Memorial Hospital surrounded by loving family.
Mr. Basham was born May 27, 1922 in Laurel Branch, VA. He was the son of the late James Basham and Addie Carter Basham.
Mr. Basham served his country as a member of the United States Army during World War II, where he was stationed in the Pacific. He also served in the Virginia National Guard for eight years.
He retired from Westvaco with 45 years of service as a millwright mechanic.
Mr. Basham was a member of Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, Falling Spring Fire Department and the Westvaco Retirees Association. He was a lifetime member of Curtis A. Smith Post 1033 Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Elroy was a "Jack of all trades." He enjoyed tinkering with things and fixing them himself, gardening, automobile repair, singing, reading his Bible and playing with his great grandchildren.
He was the co-founder of Michael's New York Style Pizza and enjoyed eating the "Elroy’s Special" – (no onions).
Mr. Basham is survived by his two daughters, Bonnie B. Keyser and husband, Michael and Kay Munsey. He had two grandchildren, James Hodges III and wife, Christie and Addie Holesapple and husband, Shawn and four great-grandchildren, Mason Holesapple, Cora Hodges, Amelia "Daisy" Hodges and James Elroy Davis Hodges. He is also survived by his loving caregivers, Joyletta Lemon, Brenda Via and Sherry Keyser.
Mr. Basham is preceded in death by his first wife and mother of his children, Maggie Francis Bane Basham; infant daughter, Maggie Francis; his second wife, Marie Christine Gaines Basham; three brothers, Francis, Gene and Otmer; and two sisters, Madian and Lucille.
A funeral service will be conducted at 4:00 p.m., Thursday, March 21, 2019 from the chapel of Loving Funeral Home with Paul Linkenhoker officiating. Interment will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Graveside rites will be conducted by Curtis A. Smith Post 1033 Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Pallbearers will be Michael Keyser, James Hodges III, Shawn Holesapple, Joyletta Lemon, Sherry Keyser and Brenda Via. Honorary pallbearer will be Haze Williams.
The family will receive friends Thursday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. until service time.
The family suggests that memorial tributes take the form of contributions to the Alleghany Historical Society, 149 N. Maple Ave., Covington, VA, 24426 and to Falling Spring Fire Department, 303 Friels Dr., Covington, VA, 24426.
Arrangements are being handled by Loving Funeral Home; www.lovingfuneralhome1913.com.
