Hancock Jr., Samuel Eldridge

Rev. Samuel (Sam) Eldridge Hancock, Jr., 87, of Blacksburg, died Saturday, November 20, 2010 at VA Medical Center, Salem. He was born in Floyd County, Va. on June 17, 1923 to the late Samuel Eldridge, Sr. and Guyda Veleriah Bowman Hancock. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Marie Maupin Hancock, brothers-in-law, W. Raper Shelton, Victor Ellis, and Edward Pennington. Sam joined the United States Navy before the start of World War II. During the war he served on a number of ships, including the USS New Mexico. Upon leaving the Navy he took up farming in Maryland and Pennsylvania and later moved to the Luster’s Gate area, where he operated a dairy and beef farm and was an avid horseman. He graduated from the Liberty Bible Institute in Lynchburg, Va. Sam ministered at the Anath Baptist Church, which is now called the Open Door Baptist Church, from 1976-2001. He was well known for visiting hospitals and nursing homes. He is survived by his three sons and daughters-in-law, Samuel Lee and Mary Jo Hancock, of Richmond, Va., David Michael and Janet Hancock, of Wytheville, John Mark and Barbara Hancock, of Eagle Rock; six grandchildren, Lee Hancock, Emily Williams and husband, Carl, Michael Hancock, Elisabeth Hancock, Miriam Hancock and Consuela Hancock; three sisters, Frances Shelton, of Christiansburg, Sylvia Ellis, of Amarillo, Texas, and Hazel Pennington, of Williamsburg, Va.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 1 p.m. in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dewey O. Weaver, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Christiansburg. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gateway Baptist Church, 2196 Harding Road, Blacksburg, Va. 24060. Friends may call anytime after 12 noon on Monday, and the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday evening at McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive SW, Blacksburg.