Lloyd Allen Applewhite
Published 12:56 pm Saturday, December 15, 2018
COURTLAND — Lloyd Allen Applewhite, 95, passed away on Dec. 14, 2018, at Courtland Health and Rehabilitation Center in Courtland, Virginia.
He was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Lillia “Doodle” Johnson.
Mr. Applewhite was born and raised at the family’s century farm, Applewhite Acres, on Indian Woods Trail, Courtland. He was the seventh child born to Ashton Eugene and Martha Vann Applewhite.
In 1942, while attending the University of Virginia, he entered the Marine Corps as a Private First Class Marine, and continued his Marine training at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
He served during World War II aboard the USS Iowa in the Pacific from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay, where the peace treaty was signed.
A longstanding member and former deacon of the Courtland Baptist Church, Mr. Applewhite was also a member of the Courtland Ruritan Club, the American Legion, and founding member of a bank and investment club.
He was an avid member of the National Wine Growers Association, and won many awards and Associated Press recognition for his success in cultivating French hybrid grapes. Devoted to his garden and orchard, Mr. Applewhite also enjoyed cooking, reading and traveling.
Mr. Applewhite is survived by his three children, Judith Applewhite Chen of Northport, New York; L. Allen Applewhite (Martha) of Courtland; and Debra Applewhite Crisp (Jimmy) of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Always mindful of the importance of family, Mr. Applewhite was the proud grandfather of six grandchildren, Gregory Allen Applewhite (Courtney,) Christopher Carter Applewhite (Tracy,) Ashton Chen (Jeff,) Clifford Ashton Applewhite (Anne Katherine,) Abbie Crisp Williamson (Pier) and Heather Chen Eisner (Jason;) and 10 great-grandchildren, Taylor Ann, Will, Carter, Reid, Ford, Ben, Jacob Sullivan, Maxine, Libby and Edie.
The visitation will be in Wright Funeral Home on Sunday, Dec. 16, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The graveside service with military honors will be on Monday, Dec. 17, at 11 a.m., at Riverside Cemetery in Courtland, followed by a reception at the Courtland Baptist Church.
Memorial donations may be made to the Courtland Baptist Church, P.O. Box 148, Courtland, VA 23837.