UNION, WV --- Millard Byrl Pence, age 91, of Union, WV passed Thursday, December 10, 2015 following and extended illness at his home at Sarton, WV. Born August 9, 1924 at Sarton, WV he was the son of the late Andrew P. and Lula Baker Pence. He was a retired dairy farmer, who also raised chickens for sale, he was a school bus driver for Monroe County Schools, and he was a bank teller at the Bank of Greenville. Mornings he would drive the bus, walk from the school to the bank and work a full day, then return to the school to take the students home. He was a little league coach, umpired many Greenville baseball games behind the plate and coached the church softball team, of which he requested his team to be honorary pallbearers. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard and was stationed out of Savannah Georgia where he met his wife. In his later years his passions were his garden and woodworking. His garden was always weed free and produced a bounty of which he shared. He made many wooden items but his most requested item was the adirondike chairs. He was known to go into doctor's offices and the ER and come out with two or three orders. They have found their home in many states. Millard was a member of two gospel quartets, The Kinsmen and Five For One. He loved to travel and sing for the glory of God.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a daughter, Penny Stover, a son-in-law, Reid Kendrick, and eight sisters, Hazel Perkins, Pauline Parker, Bernice Weikle, Mary Cummings, Lillian Hill, Kathleen Furrow, Maybelle Pence, and Lula Agnes Pence, and 2 brothers, Maynard Pence and Andy Preston Pence. Survivors include his loving wife of 69 years, Charlotte Pence of Union, WV; one son Byrl Pence and wife Cheryl of King, NC; three daughters, Patricia Sims and husband Delbert of Greensboro, NC, Linda Kendrick of Reidsville, NC, and Connie Dunbar and husband Donald of Sarton, WV; twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 13, 2015 at the Groves Funeral Home Chapel in Union, WV with Rev. Frank Naglic and Rev. Terry Utterback officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Alexander United Methodist Church Cemetery at Sarton, WV. Friends may call Sunday, December 13, 2015 from 1:00 p.m. until time of services at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to the Union Rescue Squad P.O. Box 78 Union, WV 24983. Those wishing to send the Pence Family online condolences or sign the online guestbook may do so by visiting www.grovesfuneralhome.com Groves Funeral Home in Union, WV is serving the Pence Family.