Charles Malcum Fraley

Charles Malcum Fraley, 89, of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, born August 9, 1935 in Logan County, West Virginia, went to his eternal home on September 9, 2024, surrounded by daughters at one of their homes, after a courageous fight with cancer. Twenty-nine days prior, Charles asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into his heart and be his Savior.

Charles enlisted in the US Navy at the age of seventeen and served his country for twenty years, earning the rank of Petty Officer First Class. He was in combat duty on the battleship USS Wisconsin in Korea and on the USS Vogelsang in Vietnam. He also served on the destroyers USS Leary, USS Cecil, USS Eaton, and the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, while being stationed at Norfolk in Portsmouth, Virginia. When he was not out at sea, Charles worked a second civilian job driving a taxi cab to supplement their income to ensure his wife was able to stay at home and raise their six daughters.

After retiring from the military, Charles worked at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Plant, retiring after 22 years. Charles was an example of a strong work ethic, always providing for his family; he was a very proud US Navy Veteran.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Viola (McCoy) Fraley; his wife of 66 years, Arleda (Franklin) Fraley; an infant daughter, Belinda Fraley; brothers, Dallas Fraley, Menford Fraley, Wenford Fraley, and William Fraley, Jr.; and sisters, Dorothy Ooten and Mary Rader.

Charles is survived by daughters, Sandi (Ken) Baker of Bowie, Maryland; Debby (Kevin) Joyce of South Point, Ohio; Judy (Steve) Hamelin of St. Augustine, Florida; Jan (Lee) Holcomb of Gallipolis, Ohio; and Kathy (Scott) Rhoton of Greeneville, Tennessee. Charles is also survived by his sister, Patti Custer of Silver Spring, Maryland; his beloved dog, Bunny; and grandchildren, Ryan (Jen) Baker, Jason (Ashley) Baker, Eric (Katie) Baker, Justin (Sherri) Baker, Nicholas (Courtney) Joyce, Daniel Joyce, Elisha (Jake) Dorsey, Megan (Kevin) Jester, Krista (Dave) Kroc, Adam Holcomb, Andrew (Rebekah) Holcomb, Jesse Peavley, Chad Peavley, and Erma Katherine Metcalf. He was a very proud papaw to thirty-one great grandchildren.

The funeral service for Charles will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14, 2024 at Willis Funeral Home with Pastor Randy Carnes and Jay Jarvis officiating. Burial will follow at Aid Cemetery in Kitts Hill, Ohio, where military honors will be bestowed by the Funeral Honors Team. Visitation will be prior to the funeral service from 12:00-2:00 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Charles’s grandsons.

The family would like to thank the nurses and Dr. Hamid of the Holzer Cancer Center and the staff of Holzer Hospice for their care to Charles, as well as to all those who prayed for Charles during his illness and especially for his salvation, reminding everyone never to give up or to stop praying. Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”