Charles Westley Grounds, 87, of Barboursville, passed away April 24, 2026. Having accepted Jesus as his Savior in 1972, we are assured Charles is in Heaven seeing Jesus face to face. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at Fellowship Baptist Church, Barboursville, by Pastor Greg Wagoner. Burial will be in White Chapel Memorial Gardens, Barboursville. He was born March 25, 1939, in Ironton, Ohio, a son of the late Walter C. Grounds and Marguerite Clark Grounds. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, serving 21 years including two 13 month tours in Vietnam. One of our grandsons serving in the Air Force nearly 20 years, no, not the Marine Corps - Charles said “He is no longer in the will!” He worked at the VA office in Huntington under “Woody” Williams. He served on the staff at Fellowship Baptist Church as Treasurer and Director of Children’s Ministry. FBC had six buses that brought up to 400 children and some parents to church. Second hour was “Super Church” for children. Charles as leader gave lessons from God’s Word and opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as Savior. All received Bibles, saw prayers answered and experience joy that only Jesus brings. On May 11, 1985, he received his degree from Marshall University after seven years. He worked full time while attending Marshall at night. He would say which means “I’m only smart after dark”. He also spent 21 years at Job Service. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Lisa Renee Adkins; son Charles Westley Grounds II; and Helen Heffner, who he considered his other mother. He is survived by his wife, Diana Grounds; two daughters, Annette Boston of Huntington and Michelle Merritt (Greg) of Durham, NC; five grandchildren, Brandon, Taylor, Stephen, Travis, Diana; 11 great-grandchildren, Alex, Dominick, Dawson, Averie, Caleb, Autumn, Seppe, Emma, Luna, Dexter, and ShayLea; and several honorary great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Fellowship Baptist Church, Barboursville. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace.
