Obituary for William Thomas Wohlford III
William Thomas Wohlford III, age 93 of Pulaski, died Thursday, May 4, 2023 at his home in Pulaski. He was born August 22, 1929 in Dante, Russell County, VA. He was educated in the local Public-School grades 1-11 and graduated from Dante Central High School in June 1946. The summer of 1946 was spent picking slate for Clinchfield Coal Company and he was a section hand for Clinchfield Railroad– as a result he attended Shenandoah Junior College. He later transferred to Madison College where he graduated June 1949 with a B.S. in Chemistry and Education. He enlisted in the US Air Force July 1950 and was discharged as a Sergeant transferring to the Army’s Chemical Corps in 1951. He served as an Instructor at the Military District of Washington’s Chemical Biological and Radiological Defense School and was honorably discharged as a 1st Lt. in 1954. He served in the Army reserve until 1963. Bill was married February 13th 1952 to Mary Clare Dougherty of Pulaski. The family moved to New Jersey in 1957 where he pursued various occupations including 12 years as a teacher of Physics and Math in the Public High Schools of Williamstown and Pitman NJ. Graduate work was pursued at UVA, Fairleigh Dickinson, and Wake Forest University. The couple were convinced Quakers and among founders of the Friends School, Mullica Hill, NJ a 3K-12th Grade school. He was the first Chairman of the Board while she was the first Principal. They raised 4 daughters while living in NJ. They moved back to Pulaski in 1972 and shortly thereafter founded and operated Cove Mountain Goat Dairy in Wythe County VA, selling Grade A Pasteurized Goat Milk and Ice Cream in VA, WV and NC. In the early 1990s, he was awarded a Master Electrician status and opened an Electrical Upgrade and repair business in Pulaski and Wythe Counties. The Electrical business was operated successfully until it was closed November 2021. His wife Mary Clare died in 2012 and one daughter Elizabeth Garter died in 2020.
He is survived by three of his four daughters: Jayne Mitchell of Lake Oswego, Susan Wysor of Troutdale, and Anne Heck of Pulaski. He is proud to have Six Grandchildren and five Great Grandchildren.
The family is planning a memorial service in August 2023. In lieu of flowers donations are requested for New River Community College in Dublin VA to the scholarship fund in the name of Ernest and Beth Garter.
He died from complications due to cancer treated successfully since 2009 and more recent heart failure. The family will forever be thankful to Heidi Klepin, MD and Ashlyn Duke Hedgecock at Wake Forest Baptist hospital.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.seaglefuneralhome.com Arrangements by Seagle Funeral Home, Pulaski, VA. 540-980-1700