Dove Sr., Claude Thomas

The Rev. Claude Thomas Dove Sr., 92, of Blacksburg, died Monday, January 14, 2013, at Kroontje Health Care Center. He was born in Blacksburg March 28, 1920, to the late Gilbert Wesley and Kate Irene Lowry Dove. He is also preceded in death by his wife, Claudie Palmer Alls Dove; brothers, Frank Dove and Paul Dove; sisters, Violet Bradley, Gertrude Slusser and Helen Lowry. He retired after 33 years from the R.A.A.P. and was also a minister for 60+ years. He was the founder of Mountain Top Mission Church in Christiansburg. He preached and held many revivals in Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia. He was an avid hunter. He especially enjoyed coon hunting. He loved to garden and took pride in his flower gardens. He is survived by a daughter and fiance, Janice Dove Hodge and Kirk Litton, of Christiansburg; sons and daughters-in-law, Claude Jr. (Ted) and Diane McMahan Dove, of Chesapeake, Ernest and Eva Jo Epperly Dove, of Norfolk, Calvin and Darlene Poff Dove, of Blacksburg; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Timothy and Kim Dove-Marshall, Dillon, and Logan, Connie and Gene Leis-Sara Leis and Herman Wong and Austin, Shanna and David Simmons-Kara and Cory, Wesley and Nancy Dove-Lauren, Weston, and Fran, Nichole Hodge, Ashley and Steven Hopper-Russell and Anna Lauren, Crystie Currie and Joey Stump-David and Aiden, Greg Litton; sisters-in-law, Glenda Swearengin and Hazel Bland. Funeral services will be conducted 11 a.m. Saturday, January 19, 2013, in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Leon Alley and the Rev. Virgil McHone officiating. Interment will follow in the Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Christiansburg. Friends may call after noon Friday and the family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday evening at the McCoy Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gideons International, Attn. Fred Walters, P.O. Box 366, Christiansburg, VA 24068. Special thank you to Kroontje, Medi-Home Hospice, Dr. Wilder and staff, Charles and Margaret Taylor, Terri and Lou Ferrier, Emma and Roger Poff, Richard Hinkley, and Ray Fisher. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.