David Clevinger Obituary – Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home (Grundy)

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home (Grundy) on Dec. 23, 2023.

David W. “Sonny” Clevinger, 82 years of age of Maxie, VA, passed away Friday, December 22, 2023, with his loving family by his side. Born April 9, 1941, in Maxie, VA, he was the son of the late Lonnie Clevinger and June Kathleen Shortridge Clevinger.
David was a Born-Again Christian of the Baptist Faith. Early in his career, David worked for Harman Mining as a mechanic for 13 years before deciding to become self-employed in the Coal Mining Business until his retirement.
David was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He was incredibly devoted to his family, whom he always put first in life. To David, material possessions meant nothing. He often said, “The only thing in life that you truly have is your family”. David was kind to everyone that he knew and said that “you never prosper by doing wrong”. David was a source of strength and wisdom to those who loved him. On many occasions, he would give his time freely to help people with his extraordinary mechanical talents. He developed these talents as a child. These same talents paved the way to a successful working and business career. David always held himself and others to the highest standards, often saying things such as “there is nothing that ‘he’ couldn’t fix’ and “a winner never quits, and a quitter never wins”. He had extraordinary courage with whatever he faced in life along with a permanent positive attitude.
For his recreation, he loved fishing and spending time with his family more than anything. In the early years, David enjoyed hunting with his father and friends. A lifelong love was spending time on “The Mountain” that he cleared for his father as a young man, which served as a garden to feed our families, and an apple orchard that supplies family and friends to this day. Even so, David enjoyed working more than any recreation. He loved to create things. Every day, he would constantly strive for moving forward with his ideas and his planning. People would often say he was a “workaholic”, but everything he did was for his family and loved ones.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his infant brother Donald Clevinger, brothers-in-law Everett Delaney, David Ratliff, and Eric Corby.
Survivors include his loving wife of 57 years Rita Gail Taylor Clevinger of Maxie, VA; son John David Clevinger of Maxie, VA; daughter Rhonda Karen Clevinger Lunsford and husband Andrew Nelson Lunsford of Las Vegas, NV; granddaughters Sarah Grace Lunsford of Fort Worth, TX, Emily Faith Lunsford of Raleigh, NC; sisters Wanda Sue Delaney of Grundy, VA, Pat Ratliff of Maxie, VA, and Vicki Corby of Sunrise, FL.
He is also survived by several loving nieces, nephews and other family members.
Graveside services for David W. “Sonny” Clevinger will be conducted Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. at Greenhills Memory Gardens, Richlands, VA, Mausoleum 1 with Pastor Shea Shrader officiating. Burial will follow in the Greenhills Memory Gardens, Richlands, VA.
The family will begin to receive friends at the Mausoleum beginning at 2:00 p.m. until the service begins at 2:30 p.m.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. D. Patel and Staff, Dr. H. Patel, Dr. Mansour, Dr. Jawad, Kristen Stapleton, and the staff of Clinch Valley Medical Center for their wonderful care and kindness shown to them and David in his time of need.
Online condolences may be viewed at www.shortridgeramey.com.
The family of David W. “Sonny” Clevinger have entrusted the care of their loved one to Shortridge-Ramey Funeral Home of Grundy, VA.
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