On Tuesday, Sept. 27th, 2011, at the home where he grew up, his favorite place, William Gravley was taken away in his sleep to meet his Lord and Savior. Our Beloved Bill has been recovering from the complications of a severe stroke he suffered in May of this year. He was 53 years of age. The middle child of three children, William Edward Gravley was born on Sept. 11, 1958, in Beckley. He is the precious son of the late Mary Angeline Lehman Gravley and Charles Edward Gravley and his wife, Barbara Jo, of Old Eccles Road, here in Beckley. William’s paternal and maternal grandparents, William W. Gravley and Mary Moore Gravley Richards and William Arthur and Blanche Lehman, have preceded him in death. William spent his childhood on Old Eccles Road on his family’s farm. He attended Woodrow Wilson High School. He was a heavy equipment operator working around mines and construction sites throughout the southern part of the state. When Bill’s family recalls him they remember his beautiful singing voice and his gift of playing the harmonica. He loved to hunt and fish. In these final days of his life he loved being at his childhood home overlooking the fields and woods where he grew up. In addition to his father and Barbara he leaves to cherish his memory his children, sons, Michael and his wife, Charissa, of Charlottesville, Va., William Daniel and his wife, Joanna, of Daniels, Matthew of Beckley, his daughter, Amanda Allmon and her husband, Beau, of Beckley; he was the proud "Pa Pa Bill" of five grandchildren, Oliva, Kate, Aiden, and Summer. Grandson Andrew Mark has passed away. Bill was the dear brother of Patricia "Pat" Gravley of Beckley and David "Bert" Gravley and his wife, Lisa, of Bradley. He leaves a large extended family; among them are his stepmother Barbara’s children, Mary Jo Troub of Columbia, Ky., and James Watson of Beckley. As a young man Bill lost his childhood friend, Michael Johnson. He named his son Michael in his memory. On Friday afternoon, William’s family will bring him back to his home church, The Spoken Word Tabernacle at Beaver, where he and his family are faithful members. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday evening. His funeral service will be Saturday, October 1st, at 1 p.m. Rev. Ivan England will be officiating. William will then be laid to rest near his mother and grandparents at the Canaday Cemetery at Glen View. Family members and friends will serve as pallbearers. And now we must say goodbye to Our Beloved Bill, too much loved to ever be forgotten. Condolences may be sent to the family’s guestbook at www.meltonmortuary.com. Arrangements by Melton Mortuary, Inc., Beckley.