A Former Publication Of Alderson High School
“Alderson’s Longest Running News Media”
Franklin Donald Godby - Obituary
February 18, 1939 - September 21, 2023
Franklin
Donald
Godby
went
to
be
with
his
daughter
and
many
loved
ones
in
the
early
morning
hours
of
Thursday,
September
21,
2023,
at
Roanoke
Memorial
Hospital.
He
was
born
on
February
18, 1939, in Sutton, West Virginia, and was the son of the late Frank Ray and Minnie Shaffer Godby.
Frank
attended
Alderson
High
School.
He
joined
the
Air
Force
at
17
and
was
stationed
in
Alaska
and
Kansas.
While
stationed
in
the
service,
he
attended
Washburn
University.
After
his
time
in
the
military,
he
attended
Potomac
State
College
and
went
to
and
graduated
from
Concord
College.
On
December
20,
1961,
he
married
Mary
Copeland
Godby.
They
started
building
their
family
in
Arlington,
Virginia,
where
he
worked
for
Retail
Credit
and
Arlington
Detective
and
Security,
a
company
he
eventually
purchased
and
ran.
After
the
death
of
his
father-in-law,
they
moved
back
to
the
Greenbrier
Valley
where
he
ran
Copeland
Chevrolet-Oldsmobile
and
Frank
Godby
Chevrolet.
He
later purchased Frank’s Gun and Pawn, which he ran for many years.
Mr.
Godby
was
preceded
in
death
by
his
daughter,
Sara
Elizabeth
“Becky”
Godby,
two
infant
brothers,
Robert
Bruce
Godby
and
Joseph
Benson
Godby,
brother,
Henry
Ray
Godby,
sister
Lavonne
Godby
Miller,
brother
John
Russell
Godby,
father-in-law
Robert
“Bob”
Copeland,
and
mother-in-law Mamie Conger Copeland.
Those
left
to
cherish
his
memory
are
his
wife,
Mary,
sons
Robert
Franklin
and
wife
Kelly,
James
Benson
and
companion
Jamie
Baker,
Joseph
Scott
and
companion
Drue
Noland,
Carl
Estil,
and
Samuel
David
and
wife
Tracy;
grandchildren
Tracy
Shambaugh
and
husband
Josh,
Sarah
Godby,
Franklin
Godby
and
wife
Tiffany,
Rosemary
Godby,
Thomas
Godby,
William
Godby,
and
James
Godby;
great-grandchildren
Jackson
and
Jude
Shambaugh,
and
Briar,
Jameson,
and
Finley
Godby;
brothers,
Dana
Godby
and
his
wife
Doris
and
Dave
Godby
and
his
wife
Jane;
sisters,
Ruth
Thompson
and
her
husband
Gary,
and
Glenna
Adams
and
her
husband
Dick;
many
beloved
nieces
and nephews, and special family friend, Carolyn Bryant.
Frank
was
extremely
generous
and
always
willing
to
give
all
he
had
to
those
in
need.
He
enjoyed
farming
and
was
an
avid
gardener.
He
loved
playing
and
watching
sports
and
spending
time
with
his treasured grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A
visitation
will
be
held
at
Wallace
&
Wallace
Funeral
Home
in
Lewisburg
from
3:00
PM
to
4:00
PM
on
Sunday,
September
24,
2023
with
a
memorial
service
at
4:00
pm.
Pastor
Derek
Hall
will
officiate
the service.
Wallace
&
Wallace
Funeral
Home
in
Lewisburg
is
in
charge
of
arrangements.
Please
send
online
condolences by visiting
www.WallaceandWallaceFH.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Franklin, please visit our floral store.