Claude Elmer Bostic, age 99, of Honaker, Virginia went to his Heavenly home on June 2, 2023. He was the fourth of sixteen children born to Edd and Mary Osborne Bostic on April 15, 1924. Claude quit school in the third grade to go to work and help support his family since his father was totally blind. He married at the age of seventeen and was drafted into World War II at the age of nineteen. He served in the United States Army, First Infantry Division, commonly called the Big Red One. He was injured in the Battle of The Bulge and was awarded the Purple Heart and many additional awards. Upon his return from the war, he started school in the ninth grade. After graduation, he got a job teaching grades one through seven in a one room school. He did not own a vehicle, so he walked seven miles each way to and from school. During the summers, he attended college until he obtained his degree. He retired as an educator after twenty-nine years of service to Buchanan County School System. He spent his retirement helping others by raising a large garden to share with family and friends; tending to his beautiful flowers and mowing and weed-eating for the neighbors on his street, just to have something to do. He would always say, “They have to work everyday and I have nothing to do. It helps me pass the time and they don’t have to worry about doing it after a tiring day at work.” He loved to sew and share his talent with others by giving his home sewn items away. His goal was to put a smile on everyone’s face. He enjoyed showing the love of God to others and he was a member of the Pine Creek Pentecostal Holiness Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death the love of his life, Martha Lambert Bostic; daughter, Mary Lou Stevens; sons-in-law, Joel Ball, Calvin Ball and Jerry Stevens; three grandchildren, Phillip Ball, Jerome Stevens, Tamera Bennett and ten siblings.
Survivors include six children, Lovis Ball, Ray (Belinda) Bostic, Faye (Clarence) Stevens, Nadene (Larry) Cox, Yvonne (Lance) Cook and Russell (Lillian) Bostic; twelve grandchildren, Sheila Perkins, Teresa (Jim) Worley, Adrian (Mike) Dye, Karen (Wade) Taylor, Sharon Reed, Mark (Becky) Stevens, Sabrina McCain, Melanie Stevens, Cavenna (Michael) Hunsaker, Justin Cook, Keagan (Kristen) Bostic, and Keeton Bostic; four step-grandchildren, Lisa (Scott) Davis, Jason (Karen) Duncan, Sandy (Robert) Jones and Kim (Troy) Paisley; seventeen great-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by three sisters, Beulah Ball, Angie Combs and Letha Wilson and two brothers, Herman Bostic and Jess Bostic and a host of nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend a very special thank you to the nurses and staff of Mountain View Retirement Home for the loving care they provided and especially Abbey Lester, a wonderful, loving and caring Comfort Care Nurse, who came several times each day and night to check on him. He always told her that he loved her as she was leaving.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 PM Wednesday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Jim Richardson officiating. Interment will follow in the Russell Memorial Cemetery in Lebanon, Virginia.
Pallbearers will be Mark Stevens, Richmond Reed, Hunter Stevens, Jason Duncan, Tyler Opelia, David Bostic, Lloyd Ball and Christopher Ball.
Men of the Pine Creek Pentecostal Holiness Church and his many friends will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family will receive friends after 5 PM Tuesday at Honaker Funeral Home, where an evening service will be conducted at 7:00 PM with Rev. Robert Tiller officiating.
Online condolences may be made at www.honakerfuneralhome.net.