Gary Ramsey Obituary Gary Davis Ramsey, Sr. April 18, 1961 - June 8, 2022 Drewryville, Virginia - Gary Davis Ramsey, Sr. 61 beloved husband, father, son, brother, grandfather and friend passed away Wednesday, June 8th at his home in Drewryville. He was born in Franklin on April 18, 1961 to parents Bert Travis Ramsey, Jr. and Catherine Pack Ramsey. Gary grew up farming with his father and brother where he developed a strong work ethic that proved invaluable in all that he did. In his 20s he pursued a career in the lumber industry that spanned over 30 years. A millwright by trade Gary started his career at Union Camp which was later purchased by International Paper. Following the closure of the International Paper saw mill in Franklin he went to work for West Fraser in Seaboard, North Carolina. Later he transferred to the Newberry, South Carolina saw mill, ultimately returning to Seaboard in 2017 where he retired in January 2021. Gary loved everything outdoors hunting, fishing, farming, hiking and boating were among his favorites. His greatest loves were his family and friends. Gary never met a stranger and was always willing to extend a helping hand. His gardens were big enough to feed his family, neighbors, co-workers and more and he shared his harvest with everyone. He also enjoyed helping others with their gardens, giving advice when to plant, the best fertilizers and how to control pests. When the vegetables were ripened to perfection and ready for harvest he would begin gathering supplies for canning, juicing and freezing. The pantry was always stocked at the Ramsey house. Gary was also very good with his hands and could build just about anything to make a job easier. After shelling butter beans and then black eyed peas until his hands (and Betty s) were raw and stained purple he built a motorized bean sheller that made quick work of the task Betty was especially grateful. He was a great teacher and shared his vast knowledge of the outdoors, with his wife, children and grandchildren. He taught them how to hunt, fish, garden and to identify the many animals and birds in the woods. He had a beautiful voice and loved to sing. Gary captured Betty s heart and convinced her to move to Virginia 18 years ago by singing her to sleep each night. Theirs was a fairy tale love story come true. His father, Bert Travis Ramsey, Jr. preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving wife Betty, adoring mother Catherine "Kitty" Pack Ramsey, brother B. Travis Ramsey, III (Lynn); sister Kay Ramsey, sons Gary Davis Ramsey, Jr. (Rachel), Michael Ramsey, Zachary Ramsey, Garrett Ramsey (Jordan); stepson Keith Hopkins and stepdaughter Jessica Bates (Michael); grandchildren, Caleb Hopkins, Malia Werndli, Madelyn Thompson, Lillian Ramsey, Chance Thompson, Christian Thompson, Steven Bates, Ava Ramsey, Owen Ramsey and Lucas Ramsey; nephew Jason Ramsey (Betty Anne) and niece Amy Hinson (Jonathan) along with many cousins. He will be greatly missed by the many people who loved him. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 18 at 4 p.m. at Wright Funeral Home, 206 W. 4th Ave., Franklin, VA 23851. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the funeral home and suggest that memorial donations be made to www.vawildlife.org. Obituary published on Legacy.com by Wright Funeral Home and Crematory - Franklin on Aug. 21, 2022. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: 1) https://www.wrightfuneralhome.org/obituary/gary-ramsey-sr 2) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/gary-ramsey-obituary?id36284495 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Narrative Summary of the Obituary Gary Davis Ramsey, Sr., 61, of Drewryville, Virginia, passed away on 8 June 2022. Born on 18 April 1961 in Franklin, he had a 30-year career in the lumber industry. Gary loved the outdoors, gardening, and singing. He was survived by his wife Betty, mother Catherine, four sons, two stepchildren, and ten grandchildren. ### Narrative Summary of Funeral Services A memorial service was held on 18 June 2022 at 4 p.m. at Wright Funeral Home, 206 W. 4th Ave., Franklin, VA 23851. The family received friends one hour prior to the service. Memorial donations were suggested to be made to www.vawildlife.org. Burial location was not specified. ### The Edited Obituary Gary Davis Ramsey, Sr. 18 April 1961 - 8 June 2022 Drewryville, Virginia - Gary Davis Ramsey, Sr., 61, beloved husband, father, son, brother, grandfather, and friend, passed away Wednesday, 8 June at his home in Drewryville. He was born in Franklin on 18 April 1961 to parents Bert Travis Ramsey, Jr. and Catherine Pack Ramsey. Gary grew up farming with his father and brother where he developed a strong work ethic that proved invaluable in all that he did. In his 20s he pursued a career in the lumber industry that spanned over 30 years. A millwright by trade, Gary started his career at Union Camp which was later purchased by International Paper. Following the closure of the International Paper sawmill in Franklin, he went to work for West Fraser in Seaboard, North Carolina. Later he transferred to the Newberry, South Carolina sawmill, ultimately returning to Seaboard in 2017 where he retired in January 2021. Gary loved everything outdoors; hunting, fishing, farming, hiking, and boating were among his favorites. His greatest loves were his family and friends. Gary never met a stranger and was always willing to extend a helping hand. His gardens were big enough to feed his family, neighbors, coworkers, and more, and he shared his harvest with everyone. He also enjoyed helping others with their gardens, giving advice on when to plant, the best fertilizers, and how to control pests. When the vegetables were ripened to perfection and ready for harvest, he would begin gathering supplies for canning, juicing, and freezing. The pantry was always stocked at the Ramsey house. Gary was also very good with his hands and could build just about anything to make a job easier. After shelling butter beans and then black-eyed peas until his hands (and Betty's) were raw and stained purple, he built a motorized bean sheller that made quick work of the task. Betty was especially grateful. He was a great teacher and shared his vast knowledge of the outdoors with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He taught them how to hunt, fish, garden, and identify the many animals and birds in the woods. He had a beautiful voice and loved to sing. Gary captured Betty's heart and convinced her to move to Virginia 18 years ago by singing her to sleep each night. Theirs was a fairy tale love story come true. His father, Bert Travis Ramsey, Jr., preceded him in death. He is survived by his loving wife Betty, adoring mother Catherine "Kitty" Pack Ramsey, brother B. Travis Ramsey, III (Lynn); sister Kay Ramsey, sons Gary Davis Ramsey, Jr. (Rachel), Michael Ramsey, Zachary Ramsey, Garrett Ramsey (Jordan); stepson Keith Hopkins and stepdaughter Jessica Bates (Michael); grandchildren, Caleb Hopkins, Malia Werndli, Madelyn Thompson, Lillian Ramsey, Chance Thompson, Christian Thompson, Steven Bates, Ava Ramsey, Owen Ramsey, and Lucas Ramsey; nephew Jason Ramsey (Betty Anne) and niece Amy Hinson (Jonathan) along with many cousins. He will be greatly missed by the many people who loved him. A memorial service will be held Saturday, 18 June at 4 p.m. at Wright Funeral Home, 206 W. 4th Ave., Franklin, VA 23851. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the funeral home and suggest that memorial donations be made to www.vawildlife.org. ### Vital Statistics Summary | Name | Gary Davis Ramsey, Sr. | |---------|-------------------------------| | Age | 61 | | Birth | 18 April 1961; Franklin, VA | | Death | 8 June 2022; Drewryville, VA | ### Table of Relationships | Name | Relationship | Residence | |-----------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------| | Gary Davis Ramsey, Sr. | Decedent | Drewryville, VA | | Betty Ramsey | Spouse | Unknown | | Bert Travis Ramsey, Jr. | Predeceased Parent | -- | | Catherine Kitty Pack Ramsey | Parent | Unknown | | B. Travis Ramsey, III | Sibling | Unknown | | Kay Ramsey | Sibling | Unknown | | Gary Davis Ramsey, Jr. | Child | Unknown | | Michael Ramsey | Child | Unknown | | Zachary Ramsey | Child | Unknown | | Garrett Ramsey | Child | Unknown | | Keith Hopkins | Stepson | Unknown | | Jessica Bates | Stepdaughter | Unknown | | Caleb Hopkins | Grandchild | Unknown | | Malia Werndli | Grandchild | Unknown | | Madelyn Thompson | Grandchild | Unknown | | Lillian Ramsey | Grandchild | Unknown | | Chance Thompson | Grandchild | Unknown | | Christian Thompson | Grandchild | Unknown | | Steven Bates | Grandchild | Unknown | | Ava Ramsey | Grandchild | Unknown | | Owen Ramsey | Grandchild | Unknown | | Lucas Ramsey | Grandchild | Unknown | | Jason Ramsey | Nephew | Unknown | | Amy Hinson | Niece | Unknown | ### Other Relevant Information - Gary never met a stranger and was always willing to extend a helping hand. - He was very good with his hands and could build just about anything to make a job easier. - He had a beautiful voice and loved to sing, capturing Betty's heart by singing her to sleep each night.