Obituary of John Laurie

John Laurie, 99, of Star City, died Wednesday, May 9. He was born on March 31, 1913 in Kilarm, West Virginia. He is a son of the late Ben and Mary Gumont Laurie. Throughout his life, John had many storied accomplishments. In 1929, he was a member of Morgantownâs American Legion baseball team â" the first from Morgantown to win a state championship and advance to play in the national tournament in Washington, DC and Philadelphia. From 1931 to 1933, John was an undefeated wrestler and two-time state champion at Morgantown High School. He then wrestled one year at West Virginia University, again going undefeated, before leaving school to join the Civilian Conservation Corps. He enlisted in the Army Air corps following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. John served in China from 1942 to 1945 as a crew chief on the Monsoon Maiden, a B-24 âLiberator.âUpon returning to the states, John trained to be a barber under the GI Bill, and then opened a barber shop in Star City. In the early 1960s he relocated his shop to the new WVU Medical Center where he continued to cut hair until his retirement in 1977. After briefly living in Cape Coral, FL, John returned to Star City. He was actively involved in the Suncrest Kiwanis Clubâs Terrific Kids Program and its annual Christmas tree sale. He was a member of St. Maryâs Catholic Church.He is survived by his daughter, Johna Laurie Weber and son-in-law, John Weber of Morgantown a granddaughter and spouse, Laurie Weber Larsson and Christopher Larsson of Frederick, MD a grandson and spouse, Jamie Weber and Shelby Gainer of Raleigh, NC and four great-grandchildren, Natalie and Kiersten Larsson and Abigail and Avery Weber.He is preceded in death by his wife, Thresa Madia Laurie and 12 brothers and sisters.Friends will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce Street, Morgantown from 4 to 8pm on Sunday, May 13. Visitation will continue at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church on Monday, May 14, from 10am until the 11am Mass of Christian Burial with Father Vincent Joseph as Celebrant. Interment will follow at Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens, Westover.Donations may be made in his memory to St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 1 Guthrie Lane, Morgantown, WV 26508.Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com