Pringle, James Ray

Passed: 2015-02-12

Age: 84

Source: Jackson County Newspapers

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 2015-02-14

Information: About dawn on Thursday, February 12, 2015, an angel was dispatched from heaven to escort James Ray Pringle, 84, of Ripley, formerly of Given, to his heavenly home to be with his Lord and Savior whom he loved and worshipped. Ray, or ""Spark Plug"", as he was known to his family and friends, was born on April 1, 1930, the only child of the late Hoyt and Dixie Harrison Pringle.  He graduated from Ripley High School with the class of 1949 and was a member of the 1948-1949 Ripley Viking football team, which was the first team to play in Memorial Stadium.  He was also a member of the Ripley High School Vo-Ag class which helped plant the trees on the land which is now Cedar Lakes and was the recipient of the 1949 State FFA degree.  He worked several years in construction work throughout West Virginia and other states before being hired as a heavy equipment operator for Princess Susan Coal Company and Pritchard Mining Company, from which he retired in 1995.      He was a member of the Jackson County Landowner's Association, was past president of the Given Cemetery Association for several years, and a member of the United Mine Worker's Association.  Ray was a Christian and was an active member of the Parchment Valley United Methodist Church until his health prohibited him from attending.  Ray was a ""people person"" who never met a sranger and could communicate with all of them. He loved his family, his church family, his extended family, and his many friends.  He spent many hours on his farm at Given, caring for his chickens, his donkey, Ben, and his dogs, Rachael and Sparkle.  He loved to deer hunt with his neighbor and friend, the late Otis Skidmore.  He loved to attend gospel concerts, auctions, estate sales, going on senior citizen bus trips with Sandyville Tours and other groups, and going to Cincinnati to watch the Reds play baseball.  He loved watching his grandchildren participate in sporting events, horse shows, and beauty pageants.      He is survived by wife, Wanda M. Pringle, of Ripley; daughters, Dixie Fields of Given and Kathy (Bill) Kelly of Sissonville; granddaughters, Amy (Brandon) Landis of Kenna, Amanda (Dr. Benjamin) Dyer of Teays Valley and Hillary Sirbaugh of Kenna; great-grandchildren, Adrianna Dalton of Kenna and Addison and Gus Dyer; step-grandchildren, Drew Shamblin, Karla Arthur and family and Annette Bailey and family; several cousins and extended family members.  In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of his children, Hilda Casto Pringle, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.  He will be greatly missed by his beloved family and many friends, however, we know that HEAVEN IS RICHER SINCE ANOTHER JEWEL HAS BEEN ADDED, and we will meet him again someday.  Funeral service will be 1:00 Sunday, February 15, at Parchment Vally United Methodist Church.  Visitation will be at the Waybright Funeral Home, 511 S. Church St. Ripley, (today) Saturday, February 14, 2015, 4-7 p.m.  Burial will be in the Given Cemetery.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.waybrightfuneralhome.com.