Johnny Darrell Cline

April 3, 1946

January 23, 2010

Johnny Darrell Cline, 63, of Gilbert Creek, left this earthly world on Saturday, January 23, 2010, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and be united with his loved ones, from Cabell Huntington Hospital following a lingering illness.

Born April 3, 1946, Johnny was a lifelong resident of Gilbert Creek.  He retired from Mountain River Tours as a river guide with 28 years of rafting the New and Gauley Rivers.  Johnny was of the Baptist Faith.

Johnny was preceded in death by his parents Elmer P. and Audrey Cline, brother-in-law Jesse “Jack” Fortner, and a niece Sherry Gwen Fortner.

Johnny was a graduate of Gilbert High School and attended Concord College.  Johnny was an excellent Chess player and an avid history buff especially when it came to West Virginia and the history of the New River Gorge.  He loved to read and listen to music.  He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Johnny is survived by: his brother, William Paul (Linda) Cline of Greer, SC; his two sisters: Phyllis Fortner of Lenexa, KS, and Pat (Burl) Moore of Gilbert Creek; his nephew, Gary Fortner of Lenexa KS; his two nieces:  Krystal Fortner of Prairie Village KS, and Libby Perry of Myrtle Beach SC;  his grandnephew, Zacary Airington of Myrtle Beach SC; his two aunts:  Chlela Lockhart of Abingdon VA and Rebekah England of Silver Springs MD; many cousins;  special lifelong friends: Aaron Thompson and wife Missy of Culloden WV and Regan Allen of Gilbert Creek; and a host of family and friends from his days on the river.

Friends may gather with the family at the Mounts Funeral Home Chapel in Gilbert on Tuesday, January 26^th with the visitation beginning at 4:00 pm and service at 7:00 pm with Pastor Jim Nagy and Timer May officiating.

Johnny’s wish was to be cremated and his ashes returned to the New River, the place he loved.

Honorary pallbearers are all the River Guides that Johnny worked with over the years from Mountain River Tours.