Obituary of John Edward Abersold

John Edward Abersold, 74, passed away peacefully at home on July 23, 2026, surrounded by his loving family after a long and courageous battle with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a rare neurodegenerative disease. John was born on April 4, 1952, to the late John Dee Abersold and Hallie Margarette VanBuren Abersold. He is survived by his devoted wife of 48 years, Sandra Kay Abersold (Poling), whose loving care and unwavering support carried him throughout his life and illness. John became a licensed minister in 1990 and faithfully served the Fairmont community as pastor of Pentecostal Lighthouse Church for 33 years. He was an avid farmer with a deep love for agriculture and spent 35 years as a proud union steelworker at Alcan. John will be remembered as a gentle giant, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and a faithful pastor. He was always willing to lend a helping hand, offer a kind word, and be there for anyone in need. His unwavering faith, compassion, and servant's heart touched countless lives, and his legacy will continue to live on through the many people he loved and inspired. In addition to his wife, he is also survived by his brother, Silas Abersold of Enterprise, Alabama; his two sons, John Lee Abersold (Cheryl) of Hamptonville, North Carolina, and Ben Abersold (Rhondell) of Morgantown, West Virginia; and his eight grandchildren: Karley and Clay Rainer of Florida; John Colton, Emlyn, and Sutton Abersold of Hamptonville, North Carolina; and Mattea, Brenton, and Liam Abersold of Morgantown, West Virginia. He is also survived by his brothers- and sisters-in-law: Skip (Sherry) Poling, Cathy (Carl) Ables, Arlene Poling, and Lillie (Wayne) Finniss, as well as many nieces, nephews, and close cousins. In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by his brothers, Samuel and Nathan Abersold; his parents-in-law, Wilburt and Thelma Poling; and his brother-in-law, David Allen Poling. The family would like to thank Amedisys Hospice and WVU Hospice, as well as especially thank Angie and Delphia from Amedisys Hospice for the extra love and care they provided John. The family has entrusted the arrangements to Ford Funeral Home, 201 Columbia Street, Fairmont, WV. Friends and family may visit at the funeral home on Sunday, July 26, 2026 from 1PM until 8PM, and on Monday, July 27, 2026 from 10AM until 11AM. The funeral will be held in the funeral home on Monday, July 27, 2026 at 11AM with Michelle Taylor and Ben Abersold officiating. Interment will follow at Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens in Westover, WV. Online condolences may be made to www.fordfuneralhomes.com.