Charles B. ‘C.B.’ Ely Jr.

Charles B. ‘C.B.’ Ely Jr., 77, of Corbin passed away Dec. 31st, 2018 at the UK Bluegrass Hospice Center in Lexington, after a long fight with cancer.

Born May 30th, 1941, in Pennington Gap, VA., to Charles and Betty Ann Ely, where he lived until his father transferred to Pineville, KY., for work with the Kentucky Utilities Company.

A graduate of Pineville High, class of 1961 where he enjoyed all sports. While in high school he worked at Chain Rock Service Station.

He and LauraLee married in 1962 and moved to London shortly after to start a career with KU, starting out as a ground man, working up to 1st class lineman. C.B. and his family moved to Corbin in 1973 where he then moved up to be the Local Manager for Corbin in 1980, until retiring in 1998, when the office closed. Charles was a member of Trinity United Methodist church and he also enjoyed the Kentucky Wildcats, spending time with his family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren or helping out a friend in need.

C.B. is preceded in death by his parents, Charles B. Ely Sr. and Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Ann (Walden) Ely, and parents-in-law, Bill and Chloeva (Colson) Chadwick, all of Pineville.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, LauraLee (Chadwick) Ely, sons, Charles B. ‘Chuck’ Ely III and wife, Lisa, of Lexington, W. Clayton Ely and wife, Diane, of Corbin, and daughter Laura Catherine Ely, also of Corbin; grandchildren, Jennifer Rebekah Hawkins (Scott), Sarah Elizabeth McAfee (DJ), Rachel Marie Nicole Ely, Emily Ann Ely, Andrew William Siler, Chloe Elizabeth Siler, and two great-grandsons, Coleson Hawkins and Cameron McAfee; sisters, Kate Hendrickson (Bob), Mary Margaret Stacy (Adam, deceased), Phyllis Biliter (Honsel), all of Pineville and Wanda Bailey (Lyle) of Knoxville, along with a host of many friends, nieces, and nephews to mourn his loss.

Services were held Saturday, January 5, 2019 at the Vankirk-Grisell Funeral Home in Corbin with the Rev. Jeff Frost officiating.

Interment immediately followed at the Rest Haven Cemetery in Corbin.

Vankirk-Grisell Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements, where messages may be written to the family at www.vankirkgrisellfuneralhome.com.