Clarence Frederick "Fred" Shewey, 95, of Gainesville, FL, formerly of Kermit, passed away January 16, 2012, at home of complications due to kidney disease.
Fred was an influential community and business leader in the Tug Valley region of West Virginia for many years. He was a major force in the state's natural resource industries, beginning in oil and gas and evolving into lumber and coal. He was one of the founders of Dash Coal Company, which grew into International Industries, Inc. He worked daily with his dear friend and business partner, James H. "Buck" Harless. In addition, he was owner and president of Grey Eagle Construction Company, Inc.
He was a member of Kermit United Methodist Church, and served on the board of directors of Inez Deposit Bank in Inez, Ky. At Marshall University in Huntington, he was a member of the Fine & Performing Arts Gala and Annual Fund; a member of the President's Circle; the John Marshall Society; and an emeritus member, Circle of God, of the Marshall University Foundation. He was a member of the International Oil and Gas Producers Association; the West Virginia Coal Association; Shriners International; Boy Scouts of America; Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce; and many other civic organizations.
Fred believed strongly in the value of education, and served 18 years on the Mingo County Board of Education. He established scholarships at Marshall University and the University of Florida. He started the Shewey Research and Learning Center for the southern counties of West Virginia, with an emphasis on Mingo County. He contributed to the new Mingo Central Comprehensive High School, and its wellness center bears his name.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, January 20, at Callaham Funeral Home, Inez, Ky.
Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 21, at Kermit United Methodist Church, Kermit with the Rev. Tex Frye and the Rev. Glenn White officiating. Interment will follow at Cyrus Cemetery, Prichard.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Kermit United Methodist Church, Cabell Street, Kermit, WV 25674.