William Dana (Bill) Poole Sr.

William Dana (Bill) Poole Sr.

William Dana (Bill) Poole Sr., 99, of Vienna, died peacefully at his home, surrounded by loved ones, July 28, 2019.

He was born May 8, 1920, the first child of the late Dewey A. and Elah Moynelle Poole. He was a 1938 graduate of Parkersburg High School, Bill would later graduate from Mountain State Business College, shortly before enlisting in the Navy. He arrived for duty two weeks before Pearl Harbor, stationed on the ammunition ship, USS Shasta, Bill spent the next four years traversing the globe, ending his duty shortly after the war ended.

Back home, in the Mid-Ohio Valley, Bill utilized drafting skills he learned, prior to the war, to join the Johns Manville Plant in Vienna, where he would remain a draftsman for over 30 years. A milestone of Bill’s life occurred, in 1947, when he went on a blind date with Martha (Jo) Ward. A few months later Bill and Jo would marry at what is now Wesley United Methodist Church, of which Bill was a lifelong member. They remained together for the next 60 years. In that time they raised five children, and were inseparable.

The years went by, and Bill and Jo formed the foundation of a family that added in-laws and grandchildren. Bill retired about the time his grandchildren were starting to grow up, and was the perfect grandfather. Later he would continue on as a great grandfather. In 2008, he would lose Jo, but soldiered on into his nineties. Though he would physically slow down, as age made mobility difficult, his mind remained ever sharp. Even in his last years, he made sure he and his family lived right and level, just as he made sure each design, he drafted at John Mansville, was just right. He will be forever remembered.

Surviving Bill are his children, Nancy Childers (Jerry) of Parkersburg, William Poole Jr. of Vienna, Marsha Cox (Frank) of Parkersburg, Kimberly Poole (Gene Fulmer) of Parkersburg, and Tammy Poole (Shawnna Walker) of Cross Lanes. Additionally, he is survived by grandchildren, Valarie Caltrider (Bryan) of Parkersburg, Jeff Childers of Wheeling, and Chesney Poole of Huntington; great-grandchildren, Ashton Childers of Vienna, Dani Delong of Parkersburg, and Ryder Delong of Parkersburg, special niece, Rose Congrove of Parkersburg, special great niece, Tiffany Congrove of Parkersburg, and special great nephew, Ryan Congrove, along with several additional nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Jo, and brothers, Charles Poole and Harold (Gene) Poole.

We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to the staff at Housecalls Hospice for the care and compassion shown to Dad and our family at this time.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at the Lambert-Tatman Funeral Home, Vienna with Pastor Keith Belt officiating. Interment will follow at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wesley United Methodist Church, 497 21st Street, Vienna, WV 26105 in memory of Bill.