Oren Lavern Wing died on Sunday evening, July 28, 2019, in his home in Lebanon, Indiana. He was 86 years old. Lavern was born on January 18, 1933 in Lebanon, a son of the late Oren Ellis and Marjorie Evelyn (Weber) Wing.
Lavern was a 1951 graduate of Perry Central High School and a 1955 graduate of Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.
Lavern dedicated his life to God at a young age and, while attending Bible school at BJU, spent his weekends evangelizing in area churches all over the South. During his freshman year, he met the love of his life, Martha Elaine (Judd) Wing, whom he married at Mt. Carmel Regular Baptist in Luray, Virginia on June 26, 1956. Lavern and Martha were dedicated to a church ministry for most of their 41 years together. They were members of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches and Lavern pastored at Salem Baptist in Boyce, Virginia; Greenbriar Regular Baptist in Ronceverte, West Virginia; Beckley Regular Baptist in Beckley, West Virginia; Bethel Baptist in Great Falls, Virginia; and Broadway Baptist in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Lavern was a devoted husband, father of four, grandfather of three, and great-grandfather of five who exemplified the love of God in every aspect of his life. Following his wife Martha’s death on September 20, 1997, he became an avid genealogist tracing his family’s history and even performing upkeep on many of his family cemeteries. In 2004, he left his wife’s hometown of Luray, Virginia, to return to his home in Lebanon, Indiana, to live out his later years.
Lavern is survived by two sons, Timothy Lavern (Julie) Wing of Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and Samuel Jay Wing of Richmond, Virginia; one daughter, Rebekah Joy (Stephen) Brown of Richmond, Virginia; three grandchildren, Ashley Marie (Phil) Burchfield of Phenix City, Alabama; Amber Michelle (Brandon) Tellez of Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ozric Wing Panza of Richmond, Virginia; three sisters, Marjorie (Tom) Waggoner of Brownsburg, Indiana; Jenny (John) Preston of Lebanon, Indiana; and Patsy (Jim) Marshall of Lebanon, Indiana. In addition to his parents, Lavern was preceded in death by a son, Daniel Ray Wing, and both brothers, Lawrence (Betty) Wing and Lowell (Shirley) Wing.
A funeral service will be held at Mt. Tabor Regular Baptist Church on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 1pm with a viewing beginning at noon. His interment will follow at 11am on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at Beahm’s Chapel Cemetery in Luray, Virginia.
