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Life story

" Mr. Avis W. A Armentrout, Jr, age 75 passed away Sunday, August 18, 2024.
Mr. Armentrout was born March 18, 1949 in Grottoes, Va.
Avis served his country in the United States Army and Army Reserves where he was nicknamed
“Boom Boom” because “he liked to blow stuff up”. Avis was a welder and iron worker by trade,
working for Arlington Ironworks, Ben Gravett, Herbert McGee, and Lynchburg Steele. While
working for Ben Gravett, he was given the opportunity to travel to Russia to teach overhead
welding.
In 1989, Avis and his wife of 42 years, Jean moved to Lowesville, Va where he called their
mountain home a “Hunter’s Dream”. He loved football (especially the Vikings), hunting, collecting guns, knives, and gemstones,
and oh boy, did he make the BEST pies.
Avis became a member of the Piney River Moose Lodge in 2002, where he served on the
Lodge Board as Chaplain to Trustee to Vice President, among many other roles. He was
awarded his Fellowship Degree in 2023 and most recently, received the Golden Gavel award.
If you knew Avis, you knew he was accepting of all, and he was the best storyteller. It did not
matter if you heard a story once or a thousand times. When he told it, you were invested. He
was larger than life with his playfulness, dressing up as Santa Claus for the children, and he
was especially playful with Jean. Family was certainly important to him. He loved us all. He even
told Jean “Your people are my people”.
Avis leaves behind his beloved wife, Jean and his two daughters Carrie Ann Brady of TX
(Charlie) and Chanda Andes of VA (Darrell), and his
deceased stepson’s (Donnie White)
wife, Carla White. His grandchildren, Alyssia M Hudgens (Kelynn) of TX, Darrell R. Andes, Jr of
VA, SSGT Devin Avis Andes (Brandi) of NC, Dustin P Andes (Maddie) of VA, Dylan C Andes of
VA, and Dustin and Chelsea White of PA. His great grandchildren, Davis
A, Kade A, and Juliet A Hudgens, all of TX. Avis also leaves behind numerous members of the
Shipe family, Amos Lee Shipe (Jane), Glen Shipe, (former sister in law Cheryl Clopton) Steve Shipe
(Peggy-deceased), Donald Shipe (Sharon) ( former sister in law, Mary Jacobchik), Kay Leebrick (Phil-deceased)
(Pete MacWelch-deceased), as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. Avis also had a place in his heart for Chanda's sister, Marlo and her children.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Avis and Grace Mae (McIntosh) Armentrout, his siblings
Milton Vernon Crouch, Ralph Thomas Crouch, Preston Lee Crouch, Sr, James David Crouch,
Robert C “Bobby” Crouch, Benjamin D “Benny” Crouch, and Eddie Crouch. He is also
preceded in death by his in laws Dorothy Shipe Roland (Edward Shipe) (Allen Roland), his stepson
Donnie White, Walter Terry and Jenny Shipe, Shirley and Calvin Tyler, and Edward “Buzz”
Shipe, Jr.
We will miss him dearly.

Services will be held at later date. "