James Vallandingham

James Walter Vallandingham, 72, of San Antonio, TX, formerly of Hinton, passed away on October 8, 2007 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born the son of the late Marvin and Lois Bennett Vallandingham on March 8, 1935, in Hinton, West Virginia. After graduation from Hinton High School, he had his first tour in the US Army from 1953 to 1955, where he served in the infantry. Upon his discharge in 1955, he worked for the railroad and sent himself to college at Morris-Harvey College, where he would earn a B.S. in Economics. On his twenty-second birthday, March 8, 1957, he married Sue Richmond, also of Hinton, and they would remain married for 50 years until his death. They had one daughter, Cindy Peirce, now of San Antonio, Texas. He joined the Army again in 1960, this time as a commissioned officer in the Medical Service Corps. He remained in the Army until his retirement as a Colonel in 1990. While in the Army, he earned a Master of Public Health from University of Pittsburgh, and a Masters in Education from University of Southern California. He served in the Fourth Infantry Division in Viet Nam in 1969-70, and was highly decorated. Included among his honors were five Bronze Stars, Combat Medic Badge, Expert Infantrymanâ??s Badge, Ranger Tag, Soldiersâ?? Medal, Air Medal, several Army Commendation Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, Vietnamese Campaign Medal with two stars, Vietnamese Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Medal, and Vietnamese Civic Actions Medal. The Soldiersâ?? Medal is the nationsâ?? highest award for heroism in a non-combat situation. He loved to travel. He set foot on every continent on Earth, including Antarctica. He loved football, especially the West Virginia Mountaineers, the Pitt Panthers, the USC Trojans, and the Washington Redskins. He loved to hunt and fish. He loved his friends, and they loved him. He maintained many friendships from the early days of Hinton and from his Army service, too many to name here, and he continued to make new friends until his final illness. He was known to most around Hinton simply as â??Dubbyâ??, and on his return trips to Hinton, he never failed to drop by Buzz Hellemsâ?? Store to catch up. Most of all, he loved his wife and family, and he was an adoring grandfather to his two grandsons. He was generous about everything with everyone. He had no regrets, and nothing to regret. James Walter Vallandingham is survived by his wife, Sue Vallandingham, his daughter Cindy Peirce and son-in law Steve Peirce, and his grandsons Jacob Walter Peirce and Samuel Quincy Peirce, all of San Antonio. He is also survived by his brother Glenn Vallandingham and sister-in-law Brenda Vallandingham of Hinton, West Virginia. Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 19, 2007 at St. Patrickâ??s Catholic Church in Hinton with Rev. Fr. Arthur Bufogle as Celebrant. Burial will follow in the Restwood Memorial Gardens at Hinton. Friends may call at the Ronald Meadows Funeral Parlors in Hinton from 6-8:00 P. M. Thursday, October 18, 2007. In lieu of flowers, donations of sympathy should be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association or St. Patrickâ??s Catholic Church, 309 2nd Ave., Hinton, WV 25951.
Viewing Information: Friday, October 18th from 6-8 P.M. at the funeral parlor
Funeral Information: 11:00 A.M. Friday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Hinton