Our community sadly lost a pillar on September 24, 2025 when Billy Joe Kessler passed away at the age of 82.

Born in Hinton, WV on November 1, 1942, he was the son of the late William Edward and Dolly Pack Kessler.

Known affectionately as "Joe", he was a man of quiet strength and enduring love…a respected community leader. He was a humble man but had an impressive resume.  He obtained a BS in Business Administration from Concord College in 1972 after proudly serving in the United States Air Force as Inventory Management Specialist and was awarded a Vietnam service medal.

Joe devoted countless hours to his career as Business Manager for the Summers County Board of Education and his work at Jarrell's Exxon Station, where he worked under Mack and Joyce Jarrell from 1969 until taking over ownership in 1994.  One could search this country over and never find the personal and first-class service Joe provided to his customers at Jarrell's.

He was devoted to his community as evidenced by his involvement in various clubs and organizations such as Lions Club, Moose Lodge, Christmas Toy Fund, Hilldale Ruritan Club, Hilldale Community Club, Summers County Public Library, Hinton Area Foundation, Hinton Railroad Museum, Joyce Jarrell Scholarship Trustee, and the VFW.  Joe left a lasting impact on many lives and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Don Kessler, and one sister, Nancy Richmond.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife, Sylvia Fitzgerald Kessler; son, Jerry Kessler of Hinton, WV; daughter, Kimberly Dotson and son-in-law, Richard H. Dotson, II of Charleston, WV; three grandchildren, Patrick and Nicholas Parmer of Charleston, WV and Abbey Parmer of Kanab, UT; and sister, Betty Kessler of Hinton, WV.

Graveside services with military honors will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at Restwood Memorial Gardens in Hinton, WV with Pastor Larry Deeds officiating.  A visitation will be held from 12 to 1:30 pm on Tuesday at Pivont Funeral Home.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Kessler, Kimberly Dotson, Patrick Parmer, Abbey Parmer, Richard Dotson, and Michael Falls.  Honorary pallbearers are David Rudisill, Dave Ballard, Ed Yates, Sleepy Grimmett, Wes Bennett, Robert Bennett, Greg Weed, Roger Persinger, Roy Cooper, Tim Wheeler, and Melvin Cushman.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of Joe's love of animals, the family asks donations be made to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where his granddaughter Abbey works, at Best Friends Lifesaving Center, 2005 South 1100 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84106 (or online at bestfriends.org) or Three Rivers Avian Center, 2583 Brooks Mountain Road, Hinton WV 25951 (or online at tracwv.org).