Herbert Otis Ellison, 88 of Hinton, died Thursday May 25, 2017 at an Athens area personal care home following a long illness.

Born May 6, 1929 in Logan County, he was the son of the late William L. and Ethel Grimmett Ellison.

After moving to Hinton when he was 10 years old, Herbert attended Avis Elementary School and graduated from Hinton High School in 1948.

For much of his adult life he worked in the banking business and retired as a branch manager at City National Bank in Hinton. Herbert also served for many years as the "Voice of the Bobcats", announcing both basketball and football games for Hinton, and later, Summers County High Schools. In recognition of his contribution to Bobcat sports he was inducted as an honorary member of the Hinton High School Bobcat Hall of Fame.

Herbert enjoyed singing and often sang for residents of the third floor at Summers County Hospital on special occasions. He especially enjoyed teaching favorite old songs to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He "never met a stranger" and liked to create nick-names for everyone he met.

He was an Orthodox Christian and a member of Saint Mary's Orthodox Christian Church in Bluefield, WV. In earlier years, he also attended both Central Baptist Church and Ascension Episcopal Churches in Hinton and Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in Beckley.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Lonnie, Bill and Fred Ellison; two sisters, Daisy Wheeler and Gussie Harris; and nine half –brothers and sisters.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 68 years, Aileen Meador Ellison of Hinton, two sons, Herb S. Ellison and his wife Mary of Hinton, and Robert M. Ellison and his wife Sherri of Melbourne, FL; four grandchildren: Lora Harrell, Tim, Jason and Holly Ellison; and six great-grandchildren: Zoe, Thomas and Ally Harrell, Christian and Ayla Ellison, and Charlotte Ellison.

Visitation will be held at Pivont Funeral Home in Hinton on Tuesday May 30, 2017 from 6 untiil 8 p.m. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday May 31, at Saint Mary's Orthodox Church in Bluefield with Father Mark Tyson serving. Burial will follow in Greenbrier Burial Park in Hinton.

Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Saint Mary's Orthodox Church, 187 Justin Lane, Bluefield, WV 24701, or Bibles may be placed in memory through "The Gideons International" at https://www.sendtheword.org/