WILLIE RAY ADKINS

WILLIE RAY ADKINS, 81, of Wayne, passed away Thursday, June 20, 2019, at St. Mary's Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 24, 2019, at the Wallace Funeral Home & Chapel, Barboursville, by Pastor Paul Michael Booth. Burial will be in Adkins Family Cemetery, Wayne. He was born May 21, 1938, in Wayne County, a son of the late Presley "Babe" and Isabelle Adkins. He worked at Steel of West Virginia as a laborer for over 47 years. Willie loved to fish and hunt and be in the outdoors. He loved his family and was always there for them. He enjoyed going to ball games when his family was playing. He loved his wife, Jo Ann, dearly and was married to her 52 years at her death. He had a love for the West Virginia Mountains and the sound of Lake Loons when he visited Canada. He had a heart of gold and was a gentle giant. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jo Ann Plybon Adkins. He is survived by three daughters, Joy Nelson (Glenn), Isabelle Adkins (Jimmy) and Fannie Adkins, all of Wayne; two sons, Willie Ray Adkins Jr. (Gloria) of Wayne and Presley Adkins (Shelly) of Ceredo; two sisters, Annie Ratcliffe of Wayne and Hester Joyce Greene of Spring City, Tenn.; grandchildren, Anndrea, Greggy, Jessica, Bridgette, P.J., Cassie, Willie Joe, Larry Ray, including two very special grandchildren, Isabella and Waylon, who were his world and lived with him; great-grandchildren (whom he loved very much), Ashton, Gavin, Addyson, Aniston, Lenoir, Lexi, Jesslynn, Logan, Levi, Raven, Corbin and Larry Dale; special sister-in-law, Rosie Leep and her husband Ray Leep that was Willie's lifelong friend; sister-in-law, Maxine Adkins; and many, many nieces, nephews and friends. Visitation will be from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday prior to the service. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace.