Naaman George Clonch, 92, of Glen Ferris, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015. He was born Sept. 25, 1923 in Mount Olive. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Ada Clonch of Clay County; four brothers, Arnold Clonch, William Clonch, Thomas Clonch and Benjamin Clonch; and two sisters, Lois Bussey and Phala Rader.
Naaman was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, serving in the Philippines, and was stationed in Japan after the war. On Sept. 1, 1947 he began a very successful 41-year career in the coal industry with Cannelton Industries. Starting as a trainee in the engineering department, he rose to the position of vice president. He was an avid golfer, enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a loyal WVU football fan. Naaman was very active in the community and several organizations, including: he was a 32nd degree Mason; member of the Beni Kedem Shrine, the Royal Order of Life's Jester, the Royal Order of Scotland, and the Boomer Lions Club. He served as a director on the board of the Montgomery General Hospital; director of Montgomery National Bank (now United Bank); and board member on the Advisory Council at West Virginia Institute of Technology (now WVU Institute of Technology), where he received an honorary degree in 1987. He attended the Episcopal Church in Montgomery, where he had served as a deacon.
Naaman is survived by his wife of nearly 72 years, Lucy (Hicks) Clonch of Glen Ferris, and six children, Jean Allen Clark of Preston County, Kenneth William Clonch (wife, Gladys) of Simpsonville, Ky., Christina Lynn Tolley (husband, Terry) of Smithers, Charles Edwin Clonch (wife, Connie) of Portland, Ore., Naaman George Clonch, Jr. (wife, Sherry) of Lutz, Fla., and Richard Wayne Clonch (wife, Jenine) of Laytonsville, Md. He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Daniel Clonch of Summersville, and two sisters, Pauline Burrow of Mesa, Ariz., and Jennie Boggs of Taylor, Mich.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at O'Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery. Burial with military honors will follow in Montgomery Memorial Park, London.
Visitors will be received from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at O'Dell Funeral Home, 1301 Fayette Pike W., Montgomery.
The family requests that donations be made to Union Mission Ministries, Inc., 700 S Park Road, Charleston, WV 25304; phone: 304-925-0366.
Expressions of sympathy can be sent at www.odellfuneralhome.com.