Former St. Albans mayor 'Jack' Gessel Jr. dies at 81

Lewis Oliver "Jack" Gessel Jr., a former mayor of St. Albans, died Friday at his St. Albans home from complications of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). He was 81.
By Staff reports

ST. ALBANS, W.Va. - Lewis Oliver "Jack" Gessel Jr., a former mayor of St. Albans, died Friday at his St. Albans home from complications of ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). He was 81.

Gessel served as the city's mayor for four years from 1998 to 2001. He also was a member of City Council for 12 years.

Born in South Charleston, Gessel served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War, and was a member of area American Legion and VFW posts.

He was the retired owner of Gessel's Garage in St. Albans and a member of Washington Masonic Lodge 58 AF & AM, where he served as past master.

Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Grace Baptist Temple, 1901 MacCorkle Ave., St. Albans, with the Rev. J. David Pence and the Rev. Tim Campbell officiating. Burial with Masonic rites and military honors will follow in Cunningham Memorial Park, St. Albans.

Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Chapman Funeral Home, 409 Sixth Ave., St. Albans.