Laurence Mason Everhart, Jr.,

Laurence Mason Everhart, Jr., “Pud,” 87, of Kearneysville, went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, after a long illness, while at Winchester Medical Center Comfort Care.

Born Jan. 24, 1927, in Middleway, he was the son of the late Laurence Mason Everhart Sr. and Clara Irene Ring Everhart.

He was a member of the Leetown Baptist Church and was baptized in the faith.

He lived his entire life in Jefferson County, with the exception of his service in the Navy. He was a loving, giving, happy, pleasant, and smiling father and grandfather. He will be dearly missed and will leave a void in the Everhart family left here on this Earth.

He attended Leetown and Middleway School before enlisting in the United States Navy on April 5, 1944. He fought in World War II and was a petty officer third class motor machinist mate. He received the Victory Medal, the American Area Ribbon, and the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with one star. He was extremely proud of his service in the Navy. He was a retired farmer (past owner of Cherry Hill farm in Middleway) and truck driver. In 1986, he retired from his son’s business, LM Everhart Construction Inc., as a heavy equipment operator. He was a member of the American Legion Post 71.

He is survived by one son, Lawrence Mason Everhart III, and wife, Georgia, of Kearneysville; three daughters, Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” Willingham and husband, Donnie, of Martinsburg, Judith Ann Burch, of Middleway, and Kimberly K. Comstock, and companion, Richard Greist Sr., of Shepherdstown; one sister, Josephine Fremstad and husband, Donald, of Leetown; eight grandchildren, Robin Colter and husband Patrick, Dale Comstock III and fiance, Yvette Mason and husband Hunter, Brian Everhart and wife Julie, David Everhart and wife Tammy, Laura Lahman and husband Jeremy, Michael Gayhart and wife Becky, and Charles Gayhart and wife Crystal; 15 great- grandchildren; one great- great-grandson; close friend, Norma E. Everhart; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Cecil Everhart, of Leetown and Robert Lee Everhart, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and one sister, Sidney Everhart Custer, of Inwood.

The family would like to give a “special thank you to Winchester Medical Center Critical Care/Comfort Care Units and to Hospice for their outstanding care and support during our difficult time.”

A celebration of life, with military honors, was held 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Middleway United Methodist Church with the Rev. Owen Womack officiating. Interment will be in the Pleasant View Memory Gardens at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Middleway Methodist Church.

Arrangements by the Jefferson Chapel Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be offered at www.BrownFuneralHomesWV.com.