William Russell Ames Legrande Ii

William Russell Ames LeGrande II, 78, of Huntington, passed away on Sunday June21, 2009 at the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House. Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday at noon at the Celebration Church at 610 W 19th Street, Huntington, WV by Pastor Steve Wayne. Entombment will follow at Abbey of Remembrance, Woodmere Memorial Park. William was born on May 8, 1931 in Cabell County, WV the son of the late Clarence Russell and Virginia Lunsford LeGrande. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his three sisters; Georgie Plymale Cook, Louise Plymale Wilson and Helen Faye Smith and a nephew; Daniel Maynard He was a retired credit manager at Banks Miller and State Electric He is survived by his Nieces: Linda Nucheit, Sherri Lee Maynard, and Barbara Holt. Great nieces and nephew: Amy Maynard, Matthew Maynard, Marsha Carter and Roseanne Geffert Friends may call from 4-9 pm Tuesday at the church Contributions may be made to Hospice of Huntington In his personal life, he achieved his dream of being an award-winning poet and author pursing the deeper meaning of mans relation to man, and to God. Early in his writing career he won the prestigious American Poets Cup in 1952, and went on to publish his work in major national poetry journals for the next four decades. He was listed in Whos Who in the East, and in the International Whos Who of Poetry. Mr. LeGrandes first and only published novel, The Wayward Leaves, is a powerful work that explores murder, guilt, and love. He said of the book later, That book consumed years of my life. He wrote several other novels, and was working on his autobiography in the last months of his life. Mr. LeGrande was deeply involved in the Huntington community, having served on the board of directors of the Huntington Writers and Authors Guild and the Huntington Mental Health Association. He ran for Huntington City Council, District A in 1973. Mr. LeGrande was passionately involved with his church, and was most proud of having his poetry published weekly in the Celebration Church bulletin. Online condolences may be made to www.timeformemory.com/reger