Gary Wayne Jarrell

With great sadness, we announce the passing of Gary W. Jarrell, of Martinsburg, WV, on March 5, 2021, at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Virginia. He departed this life after a brief but valiant battle with a rare illness. Gary was 71.

Originally from Whitesville, WV, Gary graduated from Sherman High School in 1967. In 1971, he received a BA in Marketing and Management from Morris Harvey College, now the University of Charleston.

He served two years in the US Army during the Vietnam conflict (1971-1972). Most of his time was spent in Panama. After being honorably discharged from the army, he earned a MBA at

Marshall University.

Gary was a successful business executive for many years in the homebuilding industry. He worked for Burke Parsons Bowlby, and later, Appalachian Log Structures in Ripley, West Virginia, where he and his wife raised their family. They moved to Hamilton, MT, in 1999. There, he worked for Rocky Mountain Log homes. Nationally, he was very active in the Log Home Council and National Home Builders Association. He retired in 2008 to spend more time with his family.

Gary was the only son of Kenneth and Addie Mae Jarrell, now Addie Mae Shimer, of Whitesville. He was preceded in death by his father.

He is survived by his mother; his loving wife, Sondra (Lewis) Jarrell; and his twin children, Joshua (Stefanie Jarrell) of Morgantown, WV and Whitney (Brendan Devine) of Falls Church, VA.

He has four adoring grandchildren - Jillian (10) and Ainsley Devine (7) of Falls Church, VA and Luca (4) and Leo Jarrell (5 months) of Morgantown, WV. He loved his many nieces and nephews, and will be sorely missed by his golden retriever, Maisie.

Gary, with his friend Bernie Dowler, helped to pioneer youth soccer in Jackson County. They were instrumental in initiating it into the sports programs of Ripley High School. He even coached the soccer team at Ripley High School. His favorite times were spent on the soccer field with his young Greyhound team.

He was also extensively involved with both Little League baseball and softball, and coached Little League Softball through Senior League.

Beloved by family, friends, colleagues, and strangers, he was, among many other things, a distinguished community member, a savvy businessman, an animal-lover, a Mountaineers fan, a teacher, a mentor, a handyman, master-griller, and more than anything, a gentleman. He will be deeply missed by all whose lives he touched.

Per Gary’s wishes, he will be cremated. Murphy Funeral Home of Falls Church, VA is in charge of cremation. A Celebration of Life for Gary will be held on March 27th, 2021 from 1:00PM until 3:00PM at the Poor House Farm Park, Poor House Rd., Martinsburg, WV 25403.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Gary’s honor be made to support the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, which may be made online at the link below.