Piercie "Van" Evangeline (Gunter) Pirkey

Piercie Evangeline “Van” (Gunter) Pirkey, 78, of Milford, Ohio, passed away on Friday, October 18, 2024 at her residence.
Mrs. Pirkey was born in Bluefield, West Virginia on March 1, 1946, daughter of the late James O. Gunter and Marie (Lacy) Gunter.
Evangeline “Van” grew up on the Gunter family farm in Evington, VA.  She attended New London Academy where she was a star basketball player, leading her team to a state championship.  She then played college basketball at Longwood College, where she was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education.
She taught government at Brookville High School before becoming a stay at home mother to her children John Jr. and Jamie.
After her husband, John, passed in 2011, she moved to Jacksonville, Florida to be with her sons and grandchildren. When work took her sons to Ohio, she then moved to Milford, Ohio where she could stay close to her grandchildren.
She was an avid sports fan, and loved to watch her favorite teams – the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds in baseball, and the Virginia Tech Hokies, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Cincinnati Bengals in football.  However, her favorite of all, was Coach Pat Summitt, and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers.
She also loved to play individual and team golf club tournaments at Ingleside in Staunton.
Prior to leaving Verona, Van and John Pirkey were members of Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church.
In addition to her husband John, Mrs. Pirkey was preceded in death by a son, James (Jamie) Pirkey and a brother, James O. Gunter, Jr.
Surviving is a sister, Nancy (Gunter) Robertson of Bedford; a son, John Pirkey, Jr. and his wife, Dena of Milford, OH; two grandchildren, John III and Elizabeth; daughter-in-law, Amy Pirkey of Westerville, OH; a sister-in-law, Patricia Gunter; and several nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 27, 2024 in Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church by Pastor Drew Showalter. 
Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be John Pirkey, III, Nathan Foutz, Jeremy Arehart, Gerald Harmon, and Gordon Saunders.
It is suggested that those desiring make memorial contributions to Mt. Pisgah Church, 160 Mt. Pisgah Road, Mt. Sidney, VA 24467.
Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory, 230 Frontier Drive, Staunton is in charge of her arrangements.
Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.coffmanfuneralhome.net.