Ronald Ray Wetherholt went to be with the Lord on March 10, 2022. He was born March 6, 1948 to loving parents Linval Ray and Olive Wetherholt in Huntington, West Virginia. His childhood was filled with many adventures outdoors and sports of all kinds. He loved baseball, football, and track and excelled at all of them. He joined the Navy in 1967 and served his beloved country in Vietnam. While in the Navy and stationed in Alameda, California, he met and married his first wife, Patricia Huajardo Wetherholt. After leaving the Navy, Ronnie went to work for Chessie System Railroad and they moved back to his hometown in West Virginia. There, they had two daughters, Vanessa Kate Davis (Katie) and Andrea Nicole Bishop (Nikki). Ronnie was always a loving and doting father and loved with his whole heart. The family of four moved to Savannah, Georgia in 1987 as Ronnie accepted a new position with CSX Railroad.
Ronnie later remarried his beloved wife, Mary, in Savannah in 1998. Ronnie and Mary shared almost 24 years together and many happy adventures along the way. Ronnie loved his stepdaughters, Christina Clifton, Kimberly Clifton and Stephanie Clifton as his own and cherished the time with them. Ronnie and Mary shared a beautiful life together on Wilmington Island.
Ronnie loved anything and everything to do with gadgets, tools, lawncare, electronics, and woodworking. There was no device on the planet that he couldn’t fix and nothing he couldn’t build – and if Ronnie built it, it was perfectly and beautifully constructed every time. He was an expert fisherman and spent many mornings getting up early before work to go fish on the Wilmington River before dawn. He never turned down an opportunity for a project or a problem to solve. He was selfless and giving and spent nearly all his time doing for others. He loved nothing more than to hop on his riding lawn mower and graciously take care of the lawns in the neighborhood, never expecting payment, only wanting to bring joy. He absolutely adored spending time with his grandchildren and always had a sweet smile and warm hug to share.
Ronnie is survived by his wife, Mary Wetherholt of Savannah; sister Sharon Simon and brother in law James Simon of Barboursville, WV; daughter Katie Davis and son-in-law Dr. Joseph Davis of Denver, NC and daughter Nikki Bishop and son-in-law Ben Bishop of Orlando, FL; stepdaughters, Christina Clifton of Athens, GA, Kimberly Clifton of Charleston, SC , Stephanie Clifton Wohl of Macon, GA and seven grandchildren – Anna Kate and Cody Davis, Ava Holzman, Stella and Quin Wohl, Christian and Collin Bishop; nieces Shannon Simon of Huntington, WV and Tiffany Hensley of Huntington, WV, great niece Olivia Hensley; and Jason and Allison Stein of Kennesaw, GA whom he loved like a son and daughter with daughters, Ava and Caitlin Stein.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 17, 2022 at the Wallace Funeral Home & Chapel, Barboursville. Burial will be in White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Barboursville.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations for the Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org
