WW2 vet, 103, served as choir director for 60 years

COAL GROVE — A World War II veteran and the oldest member of Zoar Baptist Church will be honored on May 21.

A celebration of the life of Lloyd Richmond, 103, a Coal Grove native who now lives in Barboursville, is set for 5 p.m. that day, Jim Beals, the church’s pastor, said.

Beals said that Richmond served as choir director of the church for more than 60 years and that the church will sing from his folder of songs.

Richmond started attending the church in 1951.

The event will feature fellowship and refreshments.

After serving in World War II, Richmond attend Marshall College on the GI Bill and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in history and music and a Master’s Degree in history in 1950.

Richmond, who served in the U.S. Army Air Corp’s 336th Air Service Squadron during World War II, has also been a farmer, a soldier, a baker, a teacher, a librarian, working in the Rock Hill and Dawson-Bryant school districts.

It was at Dawson-Bryant that Richmond was asked to compose a marching song for the highway patrol.

The teacher and the Dawson-Bryant High School Mixed Choir performed “Wheels on Ohio’s Highways” at the OSHP Academy’s graduation in 1968.

He was chosen as honorary grand marshal for the Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade in 2022 at the age of 102.

“It is an honor to represent the service members who came before me and will come after me, as America has always been worth fighting for,” Richmond said.