Nelson Lee Vest

NELSON LEE VEST, 93, of White Gate, VA, went to be with the Lord he so faithfully served on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at his home. He was born August 27, 1931 in White Gate, VA, the oldest son of Edward & Sadie Vest.

Nelson faithfully served the Lord and was a lifelong member of Mt. Zion Church. Besides caring for the grounds for many years, he held the position of treasurer for 50+ years and was a member of the Mt. Zion Quartet for many years. Nelson loved music, especially four-part harmony, and loved listening to good gospel music as loud as he could stand it.

Nelson spent his life in service to his community. He was involved in many aspects of the community he loved and cherished. He was drafted and served in the United States Army. He was the community barber. He was a caretaker of the Stinson Cemetery and was member of the cemetery board.

Nelson was a charter member of the Poplar Hill Fire Department. He was a charter member of the White Gate Ruritan Club where he served for 50+ years. He was the caretaker of the White Gate Community Center for many years, a job he took very seriously.

He worked in the dye house at Klopman Mills for 30 + years until the plant closed.

He had achieved the status of the oldest member of his church, the Vest family and of his community.

Nelson was most proud of his work along side his family as a funeral director at A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home. He has served his community with compassion and dedication for 68 years. He held many titles within the business, be he was most proud to be the driver of the hearse that carried his friends and neighbors to their final resting place.

Nelson’s life was an exemplary example of a life well lived. He will be greatly missed by those who loved him. On Saturday evening, his goal was achieved and he heard his master reply, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your master!”

Nelson was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Sheffey & Sadie Mustard Vest, his wife, Pauline Hooker Vest, his daughter & son-in-law, Brenda Leigh & Jerry Horn, his grandson, James Bradley Perdue, his granddaughter, Kelley Leigh Perdue, his brothers, Edward Louis Vest and Carl Lynwood Vest, his sister, May Dell McPeak, his brother-in-law, Roger Sutphin and Pauline’s siblings, Roy, Jr., Juanita, Olena, Glenna, Eula and Ralph.

Left to cherish his memory are his son & daughter-in-law, Jackie & Debbie Vest; his granddaughters, Leslie & Eric Sharp, Miranda & Michael Webb and Tara Clark; his great-grandchildren, Lainy, Easton, Jordan, Drew, Emmanuel, Brantley and Lakin; his great-great-grandchild, Kasen and one on the way, Analeigh; his brother, Jimmie Lane Vest; his sister, Rebecca Ann Sutphin; his brothers-in-law, Wayne McPeak and Jack Cunningham; several special nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. at A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home Chapel, White Gate, with Pastor Brian Consley and Charles Henderson officiating. Burial will follow in the Stinson Cemetery where military rites will be provided by his friends from the Bland American Legion Post #20 and the Bland VFW Post# 7969.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made in Nelson’s honor to either the Stinson Cemetery Fund, 2508 Walkers Creek Valley Rd., Pearisburg, VA, 24134 or to Mt. Zion Church, 200 Old Church Road, Pearisburg, VA, 24134.

Nelson’s family would like to extend a special thanks to his caregivers, Dana Nicolas, Jodie Giles, Tammy Riggs, Kaidyn Giles, Vickie Greenway and Vinia Davis, to his friends at the Giles Heath & Family Adult Day Center and to Carilion Hospice for your love and care throughout the last few years, months and days.

The Vest family is in the care of their family at A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home, White Gate, avestandsons.com, (540) 921-2985.