Mr. David Alderman

David Noel Alderman, 82, passed away suddenly and tragically on the first day of spring, March 20, 2022. He was born on December 26, 1939, in Beaver, West Virginia, to Virginia Maxine Maxey Alderman and Lonzie Thurman Alderman, and thus barely missed being a Christmas baby. He was the second of six children, in a close-knit family, with young parents. He happily lived almost his entire life in the mountains of Southern West Virginia.

As a teenager, with his blonde locks and handsome face, he won “First Prize” at the Alderman Family Reunion’s Beauty Contest. Dave also worked for Henry’s Market then, which was the “Amazon Prime” of Beaver in the 1950s and 60s. He delivered groceries and supplies all around Beaver, Blue Jay, Crow, and Glen Morgan, in the store’s old truck. He often rode his kid brother, Dan, down Blue Jay’s Rabbit Street with him, while making deliveries. Strangely enough, Dave was also sent out on deliveries after dark with huge sacks of corn, to the deepest and most secluded “hollars”. We can’t imagine why… He enjoyed tinkering with cars and was quite a mechanic while growing up, too.

On June 7, 1959, David married Donna Gaye Hatcher Alderman and he remained her husband for the next sixty years. They found each other while playing Mary and Joseph in a church Christmas play and were high school sweethearts before marriage. He was a devoted and loving father who provided well for his children, son Timothy David and daughters Robin Dawn and Cheryl Diane. His strong work ethic allowed Donna to be a full-time stay-at-home mother, ensuring that his children had a charmed childhood. Always armed with a winning personality and a golden singing voice, as trite as it may sound, he truly never met a stranger. He was often in demand as a soloist for a multitude of functions, both happy and sad. Also, as a part of his family’s gospel quartet, The Stewards, he performed all over the area, and they even released a full-length album. For many years he tuned pianos in his spare time, as his father had trained him to do. If there was one thing he could never be, it was idle.

Dave opened the first Goodyear Tire and Appliance store in Beckley and managed that for several years, before going to work at Gooding Rubber Company. There, with his love of people and problem-solving skills, he became their top Sales Account Executive, for the next thirty-five years. He invented several parts and procedures, which are still in use today in various mines and steel plants. Even after he retired, they called him back for one last big, complex project, which he accepted. So then, after a few months, Dave had to “retire” for a second time.

He was a handyman extraordinaire, and able to fix or engineer almost any project. He remolded the first home they bought entirely from top to bottom and added on several rooms and extensions, over many years. He was a master carpenter, plumber, gardener, electrician, all-around fixer, and gadget man. Dave firmly believed that there was a tool (or three) for every project and repair! He amassed a collection of hundreds of tools and accessories. His fellow woodworking buddies, Cheryl and Ray, will be using them for the rest of their lives now. He was forever active and health-conscious, thus always fit and trim. David walked his beloved dogs daily, and would often cycle for many miles. He had a big sweet tooth and loved chocolates, junk food, and ice cream, but never excessively.

David devoted his full life to the work and administration of Daniels Bible Church and continued to do so to the very end. When he moved to Florida permanently in mid-2021, an era ended at the church. For the first time in more than seventy-five years, there were no Aldermens in the Daniels Bible Church family. As a devout Christian, he loved the Lord and his church passionately. He spent much of his retirement continuing to study and teach.

After the death of his wife, Donna, in 2019, he worked continuously with his son, Tim, to coordinate, move, organize and finally retire permanently in Orlando, Florida. He spent half of his time there, before his final move in August of 2021. After arriving, months of work began in order to remodel and redecorate his “retirement apartment”, adjacent to his son’s home. He was able to finally move in only weeks before his death and loved it. Dave became a part-time “beachcomber” in Florida too, relishing his frequent trips to Tim and Ray’s second home on the Atlantic Ocean, in Indian Harbour Beach. He cherished these long stays in Florida during the last two and a half years and was able to visit his daughter, Cheryl, and brother, Bill often.

Dave’s last dog and best buddy, Shenandoah (Shandy) is inconsolable without him, as are we. His wife, Donna Gaye Hatcher Alderman, father, Thurman Alderman, mother, Virginia Alderman, and brother, Harlie Alderman, predeceased him. He is survived by his son, Timothy Alderman (Ray), daughter, Robin Mitchell (Stephen) and daughter, Cheryl Alderman (Missy), sister Mary Alderman, brothers William Alderman, Homer Alderman (Pat), Daniel Alderman (Connie), grandson, Seth Mitchell (Sarah), grandson, Luke Mitchell (Natalie), granddaughter, Olivia Porter (Joseph), granddaughter, Savanna Scheffel (Daniel), and three great-grandchildren, Audrey, Caleb and Marian.

Visitation will be held at the Blue Ridge Funeral Home, 5251 Robert C. Byrd Drive, Beckley, WV, 25801 on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, from 7:00-9:00 pm. The funeral service will follow on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at 11:00 am, at Daniels Bible Church, 1351 Ritter Drive, Daniels, WV, 25832.