James Walter Heatwole, 94, Colonel, United States Army, Retired of Daleville, Virginia, formerly of Narrows, Virginia died Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 at LewisGale Medical Center in Salem, Virginia.
Colonel Heatwole was born in Covington, Virginia and grew up in Elizabethton, Tennessee. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1940 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and later received an MBA from Ohio State University. Colonel Heatwole was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army from the Georgia Tech ROTC unit in 1940. His service in World War II included duty in Northern Ireland, England, North Africa and Italy. Colonel Heatwole’s subsequent service included duty as an ROTC instructor at the University of Minnesota and duty on the Army General Staff in Washington with additional duty in Korea and Germany. Colonel Heatwole graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, and from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair. His decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star. Following retirement in 1972, Colonel Heatwole served as Town Manager in Narrows for ten years. He was a member of Riverview Baptist Church, the Roanoke Chapter Retired Officers Association, the Narrows Kiwanis Club, the American Legion Post #68 of Narrows and the Giles County Camp of Gideons International.
He was the son of the late Walter James Heatwole and Bernice Effie Hipes. In addition to his mother and father, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Hazel Miller and Ruby Jennings.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 65 years, Nancy Franklin Heatwole of Daleville, Virginia; a daughter, Nancy Heatwole Miller and husband Kenneth of Bland County, Virginia; a son, James F. Heatwole and wife Elizabeth Gregory Heatwole of Charlotte, North Carolina; three grandchildren, Gary Ratliff and wife Amy of Glen Allen, Virginia, Emily Heatwole of Columbia, South Carolina; and Elena Barlow and husband Chad of Springville, Virginia; two great-grandchildren, Holden Barlow and Elle Ratliff; several nieces, nephews and cousins, and many special friends.
The family wishes to thank the staff of the assisted living wing of The Glebe of Daleville, Virginia for the loving care given to Jim, and the excellent care they continue giving to Nancy. The love and comfort they have provided are deeply appreciated.
Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011 at 10 a.m. in the Chapel of Riffe’s Funeral Service in Narrows with Pastor Shahn Wilburn officiating. Burial will follow at Happy Valley Memorial Park in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The family will receive friends at Riffe’s Funeral Service Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. The family requests that those sending memorial contributions, please consider the Giles County Camp of Gideons International, for the purchase of Bibles.
The family is being served by Riffe’s Funeral Service in Narrows, Virginia, (540) 726-2442, and online at riffefuneralservice.com.
