Obituary

Silas Elmo Bledsoe
(April 30, 1930 - July 15, 2011)

Silas Elmo Bledsoe, born on April 30, 1930, the son of John Thomas Bledsoe and Gertrude Butcher Bledsoe, went to meet his maker on July 15, 2011. He is survived by Patsy Ruth Smith Bledsoe, his wife of 61 years. Other survivors include daughter, Patty Pauley and her husband Rick of Barboursville, a son-in-law, Steve Adkins of Barboursville, granddaughter, Myra Marie Cazad Bartilson and her husband, Bryan of Scott Depot, grandson, Shannon Dwight Cazad and his wife, Tara of Hurricane, grandson, Jon Thomas Wilkes of Barboursville, and three great-grandchildren, Benjamin Mathias Bartilson, Carmen Marie Bartilson, and Owen Shannon Cazad. In addition to his immediate family, he leaves behind a special group of in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by two daughters, Carmen Marie Bledsoe and Lora Gail Bledsoe Adkins; four sisters, Opal Lewis, Yvonne Lewis, Madelyn Clark and Kathleen Gwinn and one brother, Russell Bledsoe, who was an ordained Baptist Minister. Elmo made his living working in several different capacities for the C & O Railroad, the Chessie System and CSX Railway System. He began his career as a scrap yard laborer at the Barboursville Reclamation Plant in June of 1947 and retired from a middle management position on November 30, 1987 in Jacksonville, Florida. His soul was saved in April of 1976 at Hebron Baptist Church where he attended as a child and many other times throughout his life. He was a current member of a very loving church family at Lewis Memorial Baptist Church. Singing was the hobby that he enjoyed the most and he chose to sing praises to his Lord and Savior. He wanted to be remembered as one who loved God and his fellow man. He demonstrated this on a daily basis. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, July 18, 2011, at Lewis Memorial Baptist Church, by Dr. David Lemming and Nathan McClay. Burial will be in Oaklawn Memorial Park, Huntington. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Wallace Funeral Home, Barboursville and after 10 a.m. Monday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Lewis Memorial Baptist Church.