Obituary as published in THE PARKERSBURG NEWS – December 12,
2002
Wilmer Fenton
Wilmer C. "Bill" Fenton, 79, of Williamstown, died Dec.
11, 2002, at his home.
He was born Nov. 13, 1923, son of Frank L. and Lillian Muhleman. He
graduated from Williamstown High School in 1939, and attended Marietta College
until he joined the U.S. Army and served as a medic during World War II. He
married Elinor Pryor on Oct. 21, 1943, while still in the service. Following
his military service, he returned home to Williamstown and joined the family in
operation of the Fenton Art Glass Company. He became Mr. QVC, for his being on
the QVC television network and was their first guest host in 1988. He talked
about and sold Fenton Art Glass on QVC several times a year, and did his
retirement show in January 2002. He was a lifelong Williamstown Lions Club
member, member of Marietta Country Club, where he was an avid golfer, and was a
fan of every sport played at Williamstown High School. He and Elinor gave a
music award scholarship every year to a member of the Williamstown High School
Band to help with college. He was always ready with a story or a joke to
brighten the day. And if WVU was playing, he was watching. He sang in the Choir
of the First United Methodist Church for 25 years, and helped in anyway at the
church. He served on the Marietta Memorial Hospital Foundation Board. He loved
his family and Williamstown, and will be missed by all.
He is survived by two sons, Don Fenton and his wife Donna of
Williamstown, and Randy Fenton and his wife Debbie of Williamstown; two
daughters, Christine Fenton of Williamstown and Shelley Ash and husband Danny
of Vienna; nine grandchildren, Greer Fenton of McLean, Va., Brice and Craig
Fenton of Williamstown, Amanda, Alex, and Elinor "Ellie" Ash of
Vienna, Danielle McDonald and her husband Scott of Indiana, Pa., Cassy Fenton
of Williamstown, and Justin Fenton of Marshall University, Huntington; one
brother, Frank M. Fenton of Williamstown; and one sister, Ruth Jenkins of Dayton,
Ohio.
He was preceded in death by one three-year-old son, W. Craig Fenton Jr.; his
wife of 58 years, Elinor Pryor Fenton on Feb. 13, 2002; and five sisters,
Dorothy Fenton, Carol Bell, Martha Treash, Lillian Aracher, and Marjorie
Cummings.
Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church of
Williamstown, 304 W. 5th St., with the Rev. Joseph Shreve and the Rev. Leo
Farley officiating. Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery, Williamstown. The
family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Reno Chapel of
Hadley Funeral Home. Mr. Fenton's body will be taken to the church one hour
prior to services Saturday.
Memorials may be made to Program & Missions Endowment Fund in memory of
Bill Fenton of the First United Methodist Church of Williamstown