Thomas "Tom" Colley

Thomas A. "Tom" Colley BLUEFIELD - Thomas A. "Tom" Colley, 67, of 1014 Longview Avenue, Bluefield, died early Saturday morning, January 10, 2009, at Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Va., following a brief illness. He was born in Richlands, Va., on May 18, 1941, a son of the late, Leona (Fletcher) Colley and Thomas J. Colley. He attended Buchanan County public schools and graduated from Garden High School in 1959. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and advanced to the rank of airman first class before he received his honorable discharge in 1964. He attended San Antonio Junior College and the University of Maryland where he majored in English. He began his career in newspapers with the Auburn Evening Star in Auburn, Ind., in the late 1960s, and returned home to work at the Sunset News-Observer in Bluefield and the Tazewell Free Press in Richlands, Va. He accepted a job as copy editor with the Bluefield Daily Telegraph in 1969, and soon advanced to the position of managing editor. He left Bluefield in 1979 for an editor's position with the News & Courier in Charleston, S.C., and remained in that position until 1985 when he returned to Bluefield to serve as executive editor of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, a job he had dreamed of holding since his youth. He was serving in that position at the time of his death. During his tenure as executive editor, he was instrumental in the success of several community service initiatives including serving as chairman of the Community Christmas Tree, organizing the Chicory Square Concert Series, chairing the Literacy Committee of the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce that spawned the highly successful "Reading Bee." He was an active member of the Bluefield Rotary Club, and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was serving as chairman of the Center for International Understanding's board of directors at the time of death, and worked to establish the CIU Youth Outreach Programs. He was an award-winning journalist who received numerous awards of excellence from the West Virginia Press Association for his columns and editorials. He received the Press Association's Adam R. Kelly Premier Journalist Award on Aug. 6, 2005, and received the "Distinguished Citizen Award" from Bluefield's Riley Vest Post No. 9, of the American Legion on Nov. 11, 2003. Gov. Joe Manchin presented him the "Distinguished West Virginian Award" on Dec. 12, 2007. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Frances (Lockhart) Colley of the home; two sons, Kevin and his wife, Michele Colley of Bluefield; and Eric Colley and his girlfriend, Lauren Block of Los Angeles, Calif.; two granddaughters, Zoe and Erika Colley, who were the joys of his life; a brother, Denver and his wife, Juanita Colley of Auburn, Ind., a sister, Sue Carol Ward of Auburn, a brother, Donald and his wife, Ramona Colley of Jacksonville, Fla., a sister, Ann and her husband, Jack Holley of Reidsville, N.C., a sister, Peggy and her husband, Wilbur Claridge of Lynnville, Ind.; an uncle, McAdoo Fletcher of Richlands, Va.; his loving father and mother-in-law, Oscar and Irene Lockhart of Tazewell, Va., sister-in-law, Martha Schlag and her husband, Albert of Hopkinsville, Ky., brothers-in-law, Michael Lockhart and Oscar Lockhart Jr., both of Tazewell and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Wednesday, January 14, 2009, at the First Presbyterian Church, 208 Tazewell Avenue, Bluefield with the Reverend Dr. W.D. Hasty officiating, Burial will follow at Clinch Valley Memorial Cemetery in Richlands. The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at the Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory in Bluefield. Pallbearers will be Ran Henry, Dave Williams, Randy Deason, Tom Cole, Charlie Cole and Albert Schlag. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Bluefield Rotary Club. In lieu of flowers, tax deductible contributions may be made to the Center for International Understanding Inc., 110 Lovell Avenue, Princeton, WV 24740. In special memo section, please indicate Tom Colley Memorial Fund. Those wishing to share memories or e-mail condolences may do so by visiting www.mercerfuneralhome.com. Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family of Thomas A. Colley.

Thomas "Tom" Colley

May 18, 1941 - January 11, 2009