Carl Wesley Vallance Dies

Carl Wesley Vallance

Carl Wesley Vallance, 88 years old, born March 18, 1918, at Holden, died at Hospice House of Huntington, Saturday, May 27, 2006.

Carl was the first son of Alfred Vallance Senior (Sep 24, 1886 to April 21, 1968) and Ina Deer Vallance (Jan 26, 1894 to March 16, 1953). Both parents were born with twin siblings. He was graduated from Kitt's Hill High School, Ohio, in 1936, with highest-grade honors in his class.

Carl was married to Laura LaVerne Hall, Nov. 12, 1939, in Grayson, Ky.; their first home was in Monaville, where he was employed by Island Creek Coal Co. as a carpenter. They had two sons, Robert Carl Vallance (Sep. 9,1941 to March 11, 2006) and James Edward Vallance.

He is survived by his loving wife, LaVerne; youngest son, James, and wife, Lois, of LaVergne, Tenn.; a daughter-in-law, Marybeth Nuzum Vallance and her daughter, Sara Elizabeth Murray, of Huntington; three grandchildren, Robert Ryan Vallance, wife, Elizabeth, and sons, Andrew and David, of
South Riding, Va., Sara Michelle V. Nash, husband, Tony, and daughters, Emily, Layne and Genna, of Smyrna, Tenn., and Lara Jane V. Nash, husband, Zachary, daughters, Kate and Grace, of Milan, Tenn.; two brothers, Sanford Clifford Vallance of Florida, Jack Franklin Vallance and wife, Carolyn, of
Huntington, and sister-in-law, Zelmalee Evans Vallance of Gallipolis, Ohio.

Carl was predeceased by his parents; one brother, Alfred Vallance Jr., of Gallipolis, Ohio; one sister, Loretta May Vallance Smith of Monaville; and a son, Robert Carl Vallance of Huntington.

For many years Carl was bi-vocational, working full time as a master carpenter in the Huntington area, building, selling and remodeling homes. His greatest joy in woodworking was cabinet construction. He taught both sons the trade in their formative years. In his later years Carl was a member of the local carpenter's union until retirement age.

He also served as a church pastor for over 68 years of active ministry.

Carl considered the most important happening in his young life occurred May 10, 1938, when he asked Jesus Christ to forgive his sins, and was saved. He immediately began to preach, was licensed and ordained in the West Virginia Yearly Meeting of Free Will Baptists, which later became a part of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, Inc., and was faithful in his service to God for all his life. More than 20 men accepted
the call to preach through his ministry. One of his favorite sayings, which he quoted often, was “When you accept the call to preach, you must be ready to preach, pray or die.” He was known as a man of prayer.

His work included numberless revivals from Canada to Florida. His spiritual impact on West Virginia, the United States and worldwide, will continue through the many lives he touched with the message of the Gospel.

He always promoted Bible education, missions and the denominational ministries of Free Will Baptists. Carl was called to pastor churches, but his ministry always reached into the community citywide where he served, and extended through the United States by his love for people.

His first pastorates included these churches in Logan County, WV: Holden No. 7 and No. 8 Community Church, Holden No. 22 Community Church, Pine Creek Church at Omar, and Monaville Community Church, which through his leadership became Monaville Free Will Baptist Church. While there, he once
preached to over 3,000 in an open-air service without aid of voice amplification. He was noted for the loudness of his voice, his knowledge of the scripture, his authority in the pulpit and his abiding concern for the spiritual needs of the people as he preached.

In October 1950 the family moved to Huntington, in Cabell County, W.Va., when he accepted the pastorate of Thomas Memorial FWB Church. He served there for 26 years, until 1976. In those years the church enjoyed growth to over 500 in attendance, and underwent several expansions of the property.

Pastor Vallance and his wife hosted 15 trips to Israel, beginning in Christmas of 1969. They introduced hundreds of travelers to the awesome experience of walking in the footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land.

He became founding pastor of Central FWB in Huntington in 1976, where he ministered until retirement in 1994. During his pastorate the church purchased property at 6th Ave and 5th Street. He was overseer of construction of the new worship center in 1980, using plans drawn by his son, Robert, a civil engineer. With Carl's leadership the church purchased four plots of property to provide growth opportunity for the church. He and his family became charter members of the church, and he remained a faithful and loyal servant until his death.

In the service of his denomination, Carl began his ministry in the Yearly Meeting of Free Will Baptists in West Virginia. He was in attendance at the organizational meeting of the WV Free Will Baptist State Association, and was a pioneer in this ministry. He served many years in such positions as Moderator, Parliamentarian, and Foreign Missions Board member. He was
elected as the General Board member, making him the representative of the WV state ministry to the National Association. He began attending the National Association of FWB in 1947, and only missed three meetings due to illness. He also served as Executive Committee member on the national
level, helping to oversee the ministry operations of the National Executive Office, and plan programs for annual National Conventions. Using his lifelong experience as a carpenter, he went on one mission-building trip to Haiti.

The visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. at Central Free Will Baptist Church, 6th Avenue at 5th Street, Huntington, on Tuesday, May 30, 2006.

Presiding at the funeral service at 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 31, 2006, at the Church will be the Rev. Steve Williams, Pastor of Central FWB, the Rev. Luther Morgan and the Rev. Ray Williamson. Burial will be in White Chapel Memorial Garden Barboursville. Special music will be by Jim Hutchison, soloist and Wayne Doss, pianist. A special section will be reserved for visiting fellow ministers and their wives, as well as Deacons and their wives.

Pallbearers are Gary Workman, Sharrell Anderson, Bob Lipscomb, Mike Copley, Bill Webb, and David Barnett.

Special thanks to Doctors James Goetz and Sangetta Amin, their Nurses and Staff at the Oncology Department of HIMG and the caregivers at Hospice House of Huntington.

The family expresses their thanks for the prayers, gifts of food and flowers, and condolences from the members of Central FWB church, the extended churches in the Tri-state area and the multitude of friends, neighbors and business acquaintances.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made to Central Free Will Baptist Church Building Fund, 451 Sixth Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701 or Gideons International. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.beardfuneralhome.com.

Beard Mortuary, Huntington, is in charge of the arrangements