He was preceded in death by his father, Pastor Harry Jackson Zickafoose and mother, Margaret Harrah Zickafoose Johnson and his brother, Steve Zickafoose. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sandra (Osborne) Zickafoose, a son, David Zickafoose and wife, Kelli (Sparks) Zickafoose of Hico, WV; a daughter, Wendy Hamilton and husband, Mike Hamilton of Lewisville, Texas as well as a sister, Pennie Burnett (Abram) of New Cumberland, PA. Lyell had five grandchildren – Noah Sparks, Kaile (Hamilton) Weddle, Kayleigh Stewart, Andrew Hamilton and Alexa Hamilton and many sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and dozens of treasured nieces and nephews and a multitude of extended family and friends.
Lyell was born in Richwood, West Virginia on September 28, 1949. He was the youngest of three children. He grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and on Loops Road in Rainelle, West Virginia. He graduated Rainelle High School in 1967. He received multiple bachelor degrees in education and religious studies from Hyles-Anderson College and a Masters of Education from Faithway Baptist Bible College in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
He served in full-time ministry as senior pastor of Stanaford Road Baptist Church in Stanaford, WV for over 43 years. During the course of his life, Lyell also taught Bible classes at Greater Beckley Christian School in Prosperity, WV and multiple grades and subjects during his tenure as a teacher at Victory Baptist Academy in Beaver, WV. Lyell had the heart of an evangelist and loved preaching revivals at a number of churches throughout West Virginia.
Lyell was passionate about sharing the gospel with others and it was common to find him at any store, restaurant or sporting event engaged in conversations with others about life, God and family. In recent years, Lyell worked for the coal mines, the United States Postal Service and a multitude of other businesses and organizations across West Virginia and Virginia giving him ample opportunities to connect to the people he loved and served during his life. Pastor Zickafoose inspired many to become teachers, pastors and evangelists and his faith legacy lives on not only through his children and grandchildren but through those that he taught and encouraged.
Services for Lyell Zickafoose will be at Blue Ridge Funeral Home in Prosperity, WV on Wednesday, January 22nd at noon (12:00 pm) with a family only viewing from 10:00 to 10:30 and then viewing by others from 10:30 to 12:00 pm. Interment will follow with a short graveside service at Wallace Memorial Gardens at Crawley, WV.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the doctors, nurses and team of caregivers at Ruby Memorial Hospital at Morgantown, WV for the remarkable care given to Lyell over the last two months.
Letters of condolences can be mailed to the family at PO Box 1165, Crab Orchard, WV 25827. Online condolences may be offered at www.blueridgefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a donation in Lyell Zickafoose’s name to your local charity of choice. Blue Ridge Funeral Home has the honor of serving the family.
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