Poling, James B.

Passed: 1977-09-04

Age: 80

Source: Jackson County Newspapers

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1977-09-05

Information:       A long-time county resident, former store owner and school teacher, James B. Poling, 80, died Sunday afternoon, September 4, 1977,  in Jackson General Hospital after a short illness.  A native of Jackson County, he was born June 14, 1897, at Kentuck, the son of Greeley and Adaline Skeen Poling.   As a youth he assisted his father on the farm and also as a rural carrier.  He obtained a certificate to teach and served as a teacher in both Jackson and Kanawha Counties.  He was united in marriage to Ada Skeen and moved to Kenna where he established a business as a store and garage owner.  He also taught school during this time.  He was first to provide lighting along the Kenna street from a Delco unit in 1930.  He and a brother operated a mine in Kanawha County for a time.  During World War II, Mr. Poling worked at the atomic plant at Knowville, Tenn., and at the Kaiser shipyard in California as an electrician.  After the war years, he followed the construction trade in many states.  He established Poling Electric in Ripley in 1956 in parternship with his sons.   Mr. Poling was active in Republican political circles.   He had been limited in activities since 1954 when he suffered the loss of a leg in an automobile accident.  He was a member of Grace Gospel Church in Ripley, a member of I.B.E.W. Electricians ocal 317, Huntington and a past member of the IOOF Lodge in Ripley.  Funeral services were held Tuesday, September 6, at 2 p.m. in Vail Funeral Home, Ripley, with the Rev. William F. Lovejoy officiating.  Burial was in Pine Hill Cemetery.  Survivors include his wife, Ada; three sons, James Howard of Columbus, Ohio, John Paul and B. Noel Poling, both of Ripley; one daughter, Betty Ann Tolley, also of Ripley; 14 grandchildren and nine great- grandchildren; one brother, Beecher Poling of Crown City, Ohio; four sisters, Miss Hazel Poling and Mrs. Dollie Staats of Charleston, Reva Scott of Ocala, Fla., and Dessie Skeen of Kentuck.