Jerry Bays

Jerry Bays was proud of his roots in Southern West Virginia. He was born to Wilda and Kenneth Bays on November 30, 1936, at home in Sabine, West Virginia.  At a year and a half, the family moved to Slab Fork, WV where he lived until he left for WVU.  A true gentleman & Christian he earned his angel wings as he passed on March 6, 2025, at 88 years old.  God sent snow the morning of his passing to enable him to ski into heaven with his friend Jesus.

The first thing one noticed when you met Jerry was how unaware he was of his gifts as he walked in the shoes of a man from humble beginnings. He was a gracious soul and had a generous spirit.  He was kind, honest, loyal, fair, and hard-working.  A private man who avoided the spotlight, he made a positive impact on the lives of those he encountered.  Jerry was passionate about his spirit with the Lord.

Jerrys' entrepreneurship began at six years old picking up bottles and taking them to the company store for a refund.  He would then buy chewing gum and give sticks to the little girls of his class in the coat room.  Sometimes, holding hands, he was a natural romantic.

At nine he and his lifelong friend, Primo Molinari, who he met in the first grade, would gather salamanders to sell to the miners.  The miners would use them as bait for their weekend fishing trips.

When he wanted a bike, he funded the purchase by securing a paper route.   He began delivering papers at 6 a.m., riding throughout the camp of Slab Fork Coal.  He told stories that sounded like Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn of his growing up in Slab Fork.  With freckles on his nose, a slingshot in his back pocket and a pea shooter in his shirt pocket, he would journey for the day throughout the hills of WV with his friends.  They would dam up a creek every summer for a swimming hole and Jerry would pick wildflowers to bring home to his mother. It was a happy time.

Jerry's love of sports began when he played center on the Sophia High School football team that won the 1955 Raleigh County Championship. He lived in the joy of every moment buying a fishing boat and taking his father on fishing trips.  Later he would find the fondness in the sport of snow skiing.  He spent many snowy days going up and down the slopes at Snowshoe, one of his favorite places. He traveled all over the country skiing.  His last trip down the mountain on skis was at 83 years old.

His artistic ability was noticed by a teacher who bought him a watercolor set and put him to work drawing on the bulletin boards and decorating the school interior. As a child (eighth grade) Jerry played Scrooge in the school Christmas play. He had extremely interesting stories of this time growing up. As an adult Mr. Bays continued his artistic ability by making Christmas tree ornaments that reflected Christmas scenes.  Each ornament had hand carved wooden pieces that were painted and inserted into an egg.  The 70 eggs were carefully displayed each Christmas on the tree.

Growing up, Jerry was a boy scout and proud of the fact that he was chosen at 13 years old to attend the first boy scout jamboree after World War II at Valley Forge, PA.  The boys came from all over the country on a special train that picked them up at different stops, as the train meandered to the destination.  The jamboree was honored to have President Harry Truman and General Dwight Eisenhower as speakers at the event. As an adult he was a Boy Scout troop leader at the Beckley Presbyterian Church.

After graduating from Sophia High School in 1955 and spending the summer working in 36 inches of coal, his mother drove him to Morgantown to the University of West Virginia.  He had twenty dollars in his pocket and not a clue as to where the balance would be to pay the tuition.

He worked his way and his brother Neil's way though University of West Virginia, School of Mines in Morgantown and became a professional Engineer in 1962.  He always had a job, even working in the boarding house where they lived.  He was innovative in finding ways to make money. Later in life he was delighted in being able to help others by giving them a job.

In 1962, he began his working career as the only engineer at a company located in Glen White, West Virginia. In 1980, he was head engineer of the engineering department of 60 engineers. They traveled by plane, helicopter, and car reaching the many destinations to the structures they designed and completed.

In 1986, he started Bays, Inc. with his two brothers Neil and Larry.  Together they designed coal handling and preparation facilities. Jerry spent over 50 years in the engineering profession and was a member of SME (Society of Mining Engineers) and NSPE (National Society of Professional Engineers). In 2021, SME honored Jerry with a 50-year membership pin. He retired at 86 years old.

He and his wife Margaret Ann established a scholarship through Beckley Area Foundation to provide for students at Independence High School wanting to pursue a career in engineering at WVU.

He visited every state in the union, through work and pleasure, he also traveled to Canada and Mexico.  He returned many times to China through work, he also traveled to Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the Maltese. He journeyed through 26 European countries. Connecting these continents through the Panama Canal. Going through the Pacific Side.

He always looked forward to going to church, specifically to the Sunday morning bible school class held in the library at the Beckley Presbyterian Church. He loved life and was full of hope.  He met Margaret Ann Sharpenberg, his second wife in this class.  Margaret Ann and Jerry were married six weeks later in the chapel of the church 32 years ago.

In the Beckley Presbyterian Church he was a deacon, elder, Sunday school teacher, served on the property committee, and was instrumental in the organ installation that is housed at this church.   He was a member of the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) through the Brooks Family.  He was a past member of the Beckley Rotary Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents and all his siblings, sister Kenna Bays Holt, Brothers Neil Bays and Larry Bays, brother-in-law Harold "Hank" Holt, sister-in-law Theresa Bays (Larry)...

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Margaret Ann Sharpenberg Bays, daughters Caroline Crumpton (Jeff), Amelia Island, Florida, Mary Bays and her daughter and only grandchild Leah Zuger. Fairlawn, New Jersey, Sister-in-law, Sandy (Neil) Bays, nieces Carol Cullen (Brian) Villages, Fl. Lisa Bays, Texas and Julie Bays, Beckley.  Nephews, Pierce Holt, North Carolina, Ken Bays, Greenbrier County, Max Bays, Maryland.  AND BAXTER HIS FAITHFUL SCOTTISH TERRIER!

A service will be held on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the Methodist Temple, 201 Templeview Drive in Beckley, West Virginia. The church will be open at 1:00 PM for visitation. The funeral begins at 2:00 PM. Final, rite of commitment will be held at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Following this, family and friends are invited for High tea at the church hall. Mr. Bays also enjoyed afternoon tea on his journeys.   In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Beckley Area Foundation 1210 South Kanawha Street Beckley, WV 25801 Jerry and Margaret Ann Bays Scholarship fund (for Educating Engineers) or a charity of your choice.

Private online condolences and other expressions of sympathy may be directed to the family via our guestbook at www.roseandquesenberry.net.  Arrangements are by Rose and Quesenberry Funeral Home, 1901 South Kanawha Street, Beckley, WV