Jerry Darrell Godby, 76, formerly of Chapmanville, West Virginia, died Wednesday, December 28, 2022, following a long illness.

He was born in Verdunville, West Virginia, on September 25, 1946, the son of the late Amos and Jewell (Baldwin) Godby.

In addition to his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by one brother, James Godby and one infant son.

After graduating from Chapmanville High School in 1964, Jerry attended the Logan Branch of Marshall University for a little over a year until he voluntarily joined the United States Navy during the Vietnam War era. While in the Navy, he was stationed in Groton, Connecticut and Norfolk, Virginia and served as a hospital surgical technician.

At the end of his four-year Naval career, Jerry moved back to his beloved hometown of Chapmanville, West Virginia. From the 1970s through the 1990s, Jerry was very well known as a “newsman” in Logan County. For many years, he served as news director of the former Logan radio station, WLOG. Additionally, Jerry worked for The Logan Banner and was editor of The Guyandotte Voice, a weekly newspaper published in Chapmanville to serve that portion of Logan County as well as Lincoln County. It was during this time that you could constantly find Jerry volunteering and becoming actively involved in a variety of community organizations. It was his passion to give back to the county is loved so well.

Following a devastating car accident in 2005, Jerry was forced to retire due to injuries he obtained in the accident. It was at this time that he chose to move to Putnam County, West Virginia, to be closer to his daughter and granddaughters during his retirement years. Unfortunately, through those years, his health continued to deteriorate up until the time of his death. His family has found comfort in knowing that Jerry is now at peace.

Jerry is survived by one daughter and son-in-law, Leah and Michael Worley of Scott Depot, West Virginia; two granddaughters who were the “apple of his eye”, Hannah and Kristen Worley also of Scott Depot; and one sister, Judy Neal of Beckley, West Virginia.

Services will be conducted 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 2, 2023, at Evans Funeral Home, Chapmanville, with Pastor John E. Godby officiating.

Visitation will be conducted two hours prior to the service with burial following in the Godby Family Cemetery at Godby Branch, Chapmanville, West Virginia.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Evans Funeral Home & Cremation Services at Chapmanville, West Virginia.