Former editor John Veasey remembered as a legend

FAIRMONT – Former Times West Virginian editor John Veasey died Tuesday due to a stroke he had Monday. He was 82.

After graduating from West Virginia University, Veasey was hired as a sports reporter on Oct. 3, 1958, for the Fairmont Times, the old morning paper in Fairmont. Veasey didn’t know it at the time, but he would go on to become one of the city’s biggest advocates in modern history.

On June 28, 2015, Veasey was named editor emeritus where he continued “in his day-to-day role, including writing a daily column, sports columns, articles and feature stories.” Veasey retired from the Times West Virginian on Oct. 2, 2016, the close of a 58-year career at the paper. He continued writing a Sunday column for the Times West Virginian right up to his passing.

“John was a West Virginia legend and for good reason,” said Donna Barrett, president and CEO of CNHI Inc., owner of the the Times West Virginian. He will be missed in our company and in this community.”

Veasey’s years of community building reached a pinnacle on Oct. 3, 2008, when then-Gov. Joe Manchin came to Fairmont to present Veasey with the Distinguished West Virginian Award.

As a 15-year-old, Manchin met Veasey after a Farmington High School football game in which Manchin played three different positions.

“He always wrote favorable stories about us, and when he started doing that, we started inviting him to our roasts and he just became part of our community, and that just grew into a lifelong friendship,” Sen. Manchin said.

Manchin also remembers Veasey as a family man who dearly loved his son, Chance Veasey, as much as he loved the community.

“He was a wonderful father. He loved kids and was always involved,” Manchin said.

Manchin said Veasey was an ethical journalist who treated others fairly.

“He was always so ethically fair. He was truly a reporter’s reporter. He was also a dear friend and a valuable member of our community,” Manchin said.

Manchin said he will keep Veasey’s family in his prayers during this time of loss.

“He’s a special person and he’s going to be missed. My prayers go out to his wife and family,” Manchin said.

Like Manchin, Times West Virginian Community Columnist Elton Slusser remembers Veasey as a dear friend.

“The first encounter we had, we disagreed on something, but over the years, we became very close,” Slusser said. “I said when he left the paper, we lost the equivalent of a library of Marion Country history.”

Slusser described Veasey as “quite an icon here in Fairmont.”

“Over the years, we just became very very close friends. It really happened sort of slowly,” Slusser said.

Slusser describes Veasey as “just a giving fellow.”

“He was just a community asset for all those years. He could just recall just about everything, from Mary Lou Retton to the mine disaster and all of the things he played a big part in,” Slusser said.

Veasey’s son, Chance Veasey, said his father truly loved Fairmont and being able to make positive changes in the community.

“The newspaper and journalism were really important to my father but as important to him was the community and he really enjoyed being able to use his platform to make an impact in the community,” said Chance Veasey.

Over his career, John Veasey was recognized by multiple agencies for his community service.

In 1993, Marshall University and the West Virginia Sports Writers Association presented Veasey the Gene Morehouse Memorial Award for Sports Journalism. In 2006, The West Virginia Press Association presented Veasey with the Adam R. Kelly Premier Journalist Award. In 2009, Fairmont State University inducted Veasey into its Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 2017, the Fairmont State University School of Fine Arts Department of Communication and Theatre Arts presented Veasey with the Heart of the Community Award.

The Marion County Youth Soccer Association honored him with the Community Service Award for his launching and operating the “For The Kids” initiative that directly led to the development of youth soccer fields in FairmontVeasey also served on the board for the Salvation Army and loved to help raise funds for the United Way of Marion County.

Chance Veasey said his father loved coaching Little League baseball and church league basketball because he loved mentoring kids from a leadership perspective.

“He loved interacting with kids and having those teachable moments,” he said.

Veasey was preceded in death by his Father, Clifton Allen Veasey, mother, Laura Veasey and first wife, Marilee Hohmann.

He is survived by his wife, Rita Veasey of Bluffton, S.C., his brother, Allen Veasey of Crofton, Md. and Allen’s wife, Barbara Veasey. He is also survived by his son, Chance Veasey of Minneapolis, Minn. and his wife Keiko, stepson, Todd Corbin of Edmond, Okla. and his wife Victoria, stepson, Ryan Corbin of Sissonville, W.Va. and his wife Alison, brother-in-law George Hohmann of Charleston and his wife Malissa, as well as eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on April 20 at 2:30 p.m. at Life United Methodist Church, 3000 Technology Dr., Fairmont.

The family is asking that donations be made in the honor of John Veasey to the following organizations:

Sharing and Caring Cancer Support Group, Attn: Stella Hawk, 32 Birch St., Grafton, WV 26354.

United Way of Marion County, 112 Adams St., Suite 201, Fairmont WV 26554.

Salvation Army of Marion County, 1512 Locust Ave., Fairmont, WV 26554.

Life United Methodist Church, 3000 Technology Dr., Fairmont, WV 26554.