Charles E. VanDevender

Chas. Elliott VanDevender, 94, prominent Wood county businessman and educator, and brother of Mr. M. L. VanDevender, of Spencer, died at his home at 1517 Twenty-third street, Parkersburg, at 8:30 Sunday evening.

Rev. Roy McCuskey, pastor of the St. Paul's Methodist church, conducted final rites from the family residence, Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 and internment was made in the Mt. Olivet cemetery.

The deceased was prominent in the lumber, oil, mining and real estate business but his greatest service to the public was his part in purchasing the property and constructing the new high school building at Parkersburg, when presiding at the city board of education. This deal was consummated and the building constructed over heavy objection from the public, but his intuition and far sightedness provided Parkersburg high school with the finest campus in West Virginia.

Surviving in addition to the bro0ther; are four daughters, Mrs. Bertie V. Smith, Mrs. Orran Wells, and Mrs. W. C. Bingham, all of Parkersburg and Mrs. Edwin L. Marsh, of St. Petersburg, Florida; and one sister, Mrs. Albert L. Wells, of Parkersburg. (1942)

(Submitted by Evelyn Bissell Starcher)