Willliam H. Claypool

FORT WORTH -- William "Bill" H. Claypool, 84, passed away peacefully in his sleep Friday, Sept. 22, 2006, at home following a long illness.
Graveside services will be Wednesday at 3pm at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Central, SC.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Arborlawn United Methodist Church, 5001 Briarhaven Road, Fort Worth 76109.
Bill was born Feb. 25, 1922, to Daisy M. and John Claypool in Logan, W.Va. He moved to Pearisburg, Va., at the age of 8 and, except for a brief relocation for college and military service, lived there until 1973.
Bill graduated from Virginia Tech in 1942 with a B.S. in agronomy. In college, he began his love of Virginia Tech sports by playing football and managing the basketball team as an undergraduate.
Upon graduation, he served with the 306th Infantry, 77th Division in the Western Pacific, Philippines and Ryukyus campaigns during World War II and later returned to service during the Japanese invasion. He had the good fortune of being interviewed by Ernie Pyle the day before Ernie's death.
After World War II, he returned to Virginia Tech to obtain a B.S. in chemistry and used the knowledge acquired through that degree during his working career at Celanese Corp. (23 years), Petro Chemicals (13 years) and Synthetic Products Co. (seven years).
Just below the love for his family and church was his love for Virginia Tech and the football and basketball programs at the university. He read everything he could find on Virginia Tech sports in newspapers, in magazines and on the Internet. Whenever possible, he traveled to the games, watched them on TV or listened to them on the Internet or satellite radio.
He was a longtime member of Arborlawn United Methodist Church, the Questers Sunday school class, the Lions Club and the Virginia Tech Monogram and Hokie clubs. He taught an adult Sunday school class at First United Methodist Church in Pearisburg, Va., for many years before moving to Fort Worth.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Pearlie M. Duncan and Doris M. Huffman.
Survivors: His loving wife of 59 years, Pat Noble Claypool; daughters, Sue Claypool Woods and her husband, Charles of Pearisburg, Va., and Margie Claypool Clevinger of Lynchburg, Va.; grandsons, Gary S. Clevinger Jr. and his wife, Susan of Laurel, Md., William W. Woods and his wife, Jacque of Columbia, Md., and Benjamin W. Woods and his wife, Lorrie of Pearisburg, Va.; and four great-grandchildren.
Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central-Clemson Commons is assisting the family with arrangements.