RINER, Virginia — Don Hugh Loomis, 76, of Riner, Virginia, formerly of Cumberland, passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2009, at his home.
Born November 25, 1932, in Anna, Illinois, he was the son of the late Oliver King and Kathryn Snyder Loomis. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Aletha Pearson, of Riner, Virginia; a younger brother, Jon Loomis; and two nephews, Mark and Jon Loomis, of Anna, Illinois.
Don grew up in Southern Illinois on his father's dairy farm and orchard. As a young boy, he heard classical music on his transistor radio for the first time and it became a lifelong passion. He was especially excited about Beethoven, Wagner and Mahler's music. He learned to identify the composer by the first five notes, and he would "air-conduct" huge imaginary orchestras.
He graduated from University of Illinois with a BS in Agriculture and was the first to specialize in Pomology (biology of fruit trees). He was in the U.S. Army, then moved to Cumberland, where he worked for Cal Chem, and then became manager of Mt. Levels Orchard in Levels, West Virginia, from 1964-1969.
He moved to Winchester, Va. and opened a framing business,”The Art Shop.”
He married Aletha Pearson on March 17, 1980.
Don and Aletha moved to Floyd County in 1985, after they fell in love with the rolling Blue Ridge mountains and friendly neighbors. Don and Aletha volunteered in the Humane Society of Floyd, Retired Senior Volunteers and Skyline Nursing Home. After Aletha's death in 2008, Don became a rook card player and even ran in the Senior Olympics in 2009. Don helped build the food bank for the New River Community Action Senior Center in Floyd and taught himself carpentry, adding several additions to his home.
He loved nature, loud Beethoven, plowing snow with his 1949 Ford tractor, any kind of extreme weather system, and his beloved cats.
Surviving are his children from his former wife, Shirley Giarritta; daughters, Sherri Loomis, of Cumberland, and Gina Loomis Hill and husband Jeff, of Cincinnati, Ohio; two grandchildren, Lindsay and Johnny Hill, of Cincinnati, Ohio; brother, Dr. Carroll Loomis and wife Nola Faye, of Anna, Illinois; and nieces and nephews, Dr. Becky Loomis and Mary Loomis, of Clermont, Georgia, Sarah Loomis Mack and husband Dan, of Grayson, Georgia, Ben Loomis, of Carbondale, Illinois; and Kari Loomis Hedin and husband Mark, of Atlanta, Georgia.
A memorial service by Rev. Donna Sharp will be held Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m., in Mount Elbert United Methodist Church, Mount Elbert Road off Alum Ridge Rd., Floyd, Va. There will be a pot luck lunch at the church, served following the service.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the Mahaylas, Bents, Beverly Siemann, Quesenberrys and Dr. Osbourne and "Safe House" for finding homes for three of Don's cats.
The family has requested in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Humane Society of Floyd, P.O. Box 862, Floyd, VA 24091.
Born November 25, 1932, in Anna, Illinois, he was the son of the late Oliver King and Kathryn Snyder Loomis. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Aletha Pearson, of Riner, Virginia; a younger brother, Jon Loomis; and two nephews, Mark and Jon Loomis, of Anna, Illinois.
Don grew up in Southern Illinois on his father's dairy farm and orchard. As a young boy, he heard classical music on his transistor radio for the first time and it became a lifelong passion. He was especially excited about Beethoven, Wagner and Mahler's music. He learned to identify the composer by the first five notes, and he would "air-conduct" huge imaginary orchestras.
He graduated from University of Illinois with a BS in Agriculture and was the first to specialize in Pomology (biology of fruit trees). He was in the U.S. Army, then moved to Cumberland, where he worked for Cal Chem, and then became manager of Mt. Levels Orchard in Levels, West Virginia, from 1964-1969.
He moved to Winchester, Va. and opened a framing business,”The Art Shop.”
He married Aletha Pearson on March 17, 1980.
Don and Aletha moved to Floyd County in 1985, after they fell in love with the rolling Blue Ridge mountains and friendly neighbors. Don and Aletha volunteered in the Humane Society of Floyd, Retired Senior Volunteers and Skyline Nursing Home. After Aletha's death in 2008, Don became a rook card player and even ran in the Senior Olympics in 2009. Don helped build the food bank for the New River Community Action Senior Center in Floyd and taught himself carpentry, adding several additions to his home.
He loved nature, loud Beethoven, plowing snow with his 1949 Ford tractor, any kind of extreme weather system, and his beloved cats.
Surviving are his children from his former wife, Shirley Giarritta; daughters, Sherri Loomis, of Cumberland, and Gina Loomis Hill and husband Jeff, of Cincinnati, Ohio; two grandchildren, Lindsay and Johnny Hill, of Cincinnati, Ohio; brother, Dr. Carroll Loomis and wife Nola Faye, of Anna, Illinois; and nieces and nephews, Dr. Becky Loomis and Mary Loomis, of Clermont, Georgia, Sarah Loomis Mack and husband Dan, of Grayson, Georgia, Ben Loomis, of Carbondale, Illinois; and Kari Loomis Hedin and husband Mark, of Atlanta, Georgia.
A memorial service by Rev. Donna Sharp will be held Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m., in Mount Elbert United Methodist Church, Mount Elbert Road off Alum Ridge Rd., Floyd, Va. There will be a pot luck lunch at the church, served following the service.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the Mahaylas, Bents, Beverly Siemann, Quesenberrys and Dr. Osbourne and "Safe House" for finding homes for three of Don's cats.
The family has requested in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Humane Society of Floyd, P.O. Box 862, Floyd, VA 24091.
RINER, Virginia — Don Hugh Loomis, 76, of Riner, Virginia, formerly of Cumberland, passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2009, at his home.
Born November 25, 1932, in Anna, Illinois, he was the son of the late Oliver King and Kathryn Snyder Loomis. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Aletha Pearson, of Riner, Virginia; a younger brother, Jon Loomis; and two nephews, Mark and Jon Loomis, of Anna, Illinois.
Don grew up in Southern Illinois on his father's dairy farm and orchard. As a young boy, he heard classical music on his transistor radio for the first time and it became a lifelong passion. He was especially excited about Beethoven, Wagner and Mahler's music. He learned to identify the composer by the first five notes, and he would "air-conduct" huge imaginary orchestras.
He graduated from University of Illinois with a BS in Agriculture and was the first to specialize in Pomology (biology of fruit trees). He was in the U.S. Army, then moved to Cumberland, where he worked for Cal Chem, and then became manager of Mt. Levels Orchard in Levels, West Virginia, from 1964-1969.
He moved to Winchester, Va. and opened a framing business,”The Art Shop.”
He married Aletha Pearson on March 17, 1980.
Don and Aletha moved to Floyd County in 1985, after they fell in love with the rolling Blue Ridge mountains and friendly neighbors. Don and Aletha volunteered in the Humane Society of Floyd, Retired Senior Volunteers and Skyline Nursing Home. After Aletha's death in 2008, Don became a rook card player and even ran in the Senior Olympics in 2009. Don helped build the food bank for the New River Community Action Senior Center in Floyd and taught himself carpentry, adding several additions to his home.
He loved nature, loud Beethoven, plowing snow with his 1949 Ford tractor, any kind of extreme weather system, and his beloved cats.
Surviving are his children from his former wife, Shirley Giarritta; daughters, Sherri Loomis, of Cumberland, and Gina Loomis Hill and husband Jeff, of Cincinnati, Ohio; two grandchildren, Lindsay and Johnny Hill, of Cincinnati, Ohio; brother, Dr. Carroll Loomis and wife Nola Faye, of Anna, Illinois; and nieces and nephews, Dr. Becky Loomis and Mary Loomis, of Clermont, Georgia, Sarah Loomis Mack and husband Dan, of Grayson, Georgia, Ben Loomis, of Carbondale, Illinois; and Kari Loomis Hedin and husband Mark, of Atlanta, Georgia.
A memorial service by Rev. Donna Sharp will be held Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m., in Mount Elbert United Methodist Church, Mount Elbert Road off Alum Ridge Rd., Floyd, Va. There will be a pot luck lunch at the church, served following the service.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the Mahaylas, Bents, Beverly Siemann, Quesenberrys and Dr. Osbourne and "Safe House" for finding homes for three of Don's cats.
The family has requested in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Humane Society of Floyd, P.O. Box 862, Floyd, VA 24091.
Born November 25, 1932, in Anna, Illinois, he was the son of the late Oliver King and Kathryn Snyder Loomis. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Aletha Pearson, of Riner, Virginia; a younger brother, Jon Loomis; and two nephews, Mark and Jon Loomis, of Anna, Illinois.
Don grew up in Southern Illinois on his father's dairy farm and orchard. As a young boy, he heard classical music on his transistor radio for the first time and it became a lifelong passion. He was especially excited about Beethoven, Wagner and Mahler's music. He learned to identify the composer by the first five notes, and he would "air-conduct" huge imaginary orchestras.
He graduated from University of Illinois with a BS in Agriculture and was the first to specialize in Pomology (biology of fruit trees). He was in the U.S. Army, then moved to Cumberland, where he worked for Cal Chem, and then became manager of Mt. Levels Orchard in Levels, West Virginia, from 1964-1969.
He moved to Winchester, Va. and opened a framing business,”The Art Shop.”
He married Aletha Pearson on March 17, 1980.
Don and Aletha moved to Floyd County in 1985, after they fell in love with the rolling Blue Ridge mountains and friendly neighbors. Don and Aletha volunteered in the Humane Society of Floyd, Retired Senior Volunteers and Skyline Nursing Home. After Aletha's death in 2008, Don became a rook card player and even ran in the Senior Olympics in 2009. Don helped build the food bank for the New River Community Action Senior Center in Floyd and taught himself carpentry, adding several additions to his home.
He loved nature, loud Beethoven, plowing snow with his 1949 Ford tractor, any kind of extreme weather system, and his beloved cats.
Surviving are his children from his former wife, Shirley Giarritta; daughters, Sherri Loomis, of Cumberland, and Gina Loomis Hill and husband Jeff, of Cincinnati, Ohio; two grandchildren, Lindsay and Johnny Hill, of Cincinnati, Ohio; brother, Dr. Carroll Loomis and wife Nola Faye, of Anna, Illinois; and nieces and nephews, Dr. Becky Loomis and Mary Loomis, of Clermont, Georgia, Sarah Loomis Mack and husband Dan, of Grayson, Georgia, Ben Loomis, of Carbondale, Illinois; and Kari Loomis Hedin and husband Mark, of Atlanta, Georgia.
A memorial service by Rev. Donna Sharp will be held Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m., in Mount Elbert United Methodist Church, Mount Elbert Road off Alum Ridge Rd., Floyd, Va. There will be a pot luck lunch at the church, served following the service.
The family would like to give a special thanks to the Mahaylas, Bents, Beverly Siemann, Quesenberrys and Dr. Osbourne and "Safe House" for finding homes for three of Don's cats.
The family has requested in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Humane Society of Floyd, P.O. Box 862, Floyd, VA 24091.
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