DATELINE: MARION, VA
Kenneth Lee Sturgill, age 68 passed away Saturday March 14, 2015 at the Bristol Regional Medical Center in Bristol, TN.
Kenny was born in Smyth County, VA to the late Elmer Lee Sturgill & Dorothy Ward Sturgill and was preceded in death by his son in law Harold Lewis Crook II. He is survived by his children Kim Crook, Marion, VA, Seth Sturgill & wife Julie, Marion, VA & Tonya Rena Sturgill of Chilhowie, VA., grandchildren Amber Crook Hester & husband Zak, Harold L. “Trey” Crook, III, Aleaha Rouse, Shai-Leigh Brown, Peyton Boyles, Brooklyn Sturgill, Alexis Harris, Ava Hammons, Evan Hinton Hammons. Great Grandchildren Colton Mack Hester & Chas Lewis Hester. His Partner in life & best friend Beth Russell, step children, Misty Rouse of Marion, VA, Adam Boyles of Batavia, NY and his beloved dog Zoey. He is also survived by numerous friends and many cousins and one special Cousin he loved dearly, Carol Trammell
He was retired as head design engineer of Blue Ridge Public Television and had attended the Marion Business College. He was a Ham radio enthusiast and a former member of the Car Nuts Club.
Kenny spent a great deal of his time insuring that the history he had discovered would be preserved for future generations. He did this in many ways; the Gollehon Family Museum, generously sharing his documents with anyone who asked for copies, contributing his photograph collection to the Smyth County Genealogical Society. Everyone seems to have a story to tell of how Kenny shared his knowledge with them. Kenny left himself behind in many important ways. No one will ever be able to look at the Kenny Sturgill Photo Collection and his other contributions without recognizing that fact.
He authored & coauthored several books to include Smyth County Virginia Cemeteries, Volumes 1-4, A Southern Family in the Civil War, A History of the Gollehon Family.
He truly believed that, someday, history would be lost if we didn't take the time now to save it. His mission in life was to preserve our local history and make sure that it was easily accessible to everyone.
We will all miss being able to pick up the phone and call him for a "history consult.” We will miss his stories of tromping around Smyth County to document cemeteries. Kenny wrote the following after the death of Mack Sturgill: “We will hear those [stories] no more and it is that silence that will haunt us all.”
Kenny has now slipped quietly into Smyth County's history, but he also made sure that he will be an important part of its future thanks to his many contributions.
On the back cover of the Smyth County Cemetery books compiled by Kenny and his Uncle Mack Sturgill are the words, “Gone but not Forgotten.” This is surely true of Kenny.
Funeral services will be held at 4:00 PM Sunday March 22, 2015 at the Bradley’s Funeral Home Chapel in Marion with Elder Larry Blevins officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00 PM at the funeral home or any time at Kim’s residence. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Smyth County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1333 Marion, VA 24354. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.bradleysfh.com. Bradley’s Funeral Home is serving the Sturgill family.
