Home > United States of America > Virginia > Galax City > Galax > Felts Memorial Cemetery > John Alvin Messer Sr.

John Alvin Messer Sr.

Birth	:	10 Aug 1885 New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York, USA
Death	:	24 Jan 1961 Galax, Galax City, Virginia, USA
Burial	:	Felts Memorial Cemetery, Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate	:	36.6804314, -80.9088821
Description	:	John A. Messer, Sr, 75, long-time Galax industrialist and greatly beloved citizen passed away in a local hospital at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday, January 24, 1961. He had suffered a severe heart attack less than an hour earlier in the Galax Mirror Co. building on East Grayson Street. He had been in declining health for several months. Mr. Messer suffered what seemed to be a fainting spell, and plant and office personnel who happened to be near him managed to into his private office and quickly summoned an ambulance in which he was rushed to the hospital. He is survived by his wife... Read More	John A. Messer, Sr, 75, long-time Galax industrialist and greatly beloved citizen passed away in a local hospital at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday, January 24, 1961. He had suffered a severe heart attack less than an hour earlier in the Galax Mirror Co. building on East Grayson Street. He had been in declining health for several months. Mr. Messer suffered what seemed to be a fainting spell, and plant and office personnel who happened to be near him managed to into his private office and quickly summoned an ambulance in which he was rushed to the hospital. He is survived by his wife Mrs Augusta G. (Germain) Messer; one son, John A. Messer Jr, Galax; two daughters Mrs. B. M. (Beatrice Mercedes) Nunn, Galax and Mrs John M (Gertrude Louise) Cheek Jr. Mt Airy NC and a number of grandchildren. (10). (son Kenneth Gilbert Messer died in 1956, buried Felts Cemetery Galax) Mr Messer was born in New York City August 10, 1885. (Born in Russia and immigrated to the US in 1895). He came to Galax in 1927 and organized the Galax Mirror Company on borrowed capital, plus a strong faith in the future of Galax as an industrial center. From that humble beginning the venture has grown into the present Messer Industries which in little more than twenty-five years have paid to employees in excess of $20,000,000.00 in salaries and wages with gross sales of manufactured products in the period amounting to some $88,000,000. A number of furniture plants have been operated here and in Mount Airy NC as units of Messer Industries. Mr. and Mrs Messer celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1957. (correct date of marriage 3 Jul 1909, Guilford Co NC) Mr Messer has long been a member of the First Methodist Church and a member of the church's Board of Stewards and Board of Trustees. He was a member of Galax Lodge No. 68, A. F. & A and Kazim Temple of Shrine, Roanoke, and Galax Lodge 733, Loyal Order of Moose. A staunch Republican, Mr Messer was an alternate delegate from the fifth congressional district of Virginia and was in attendance at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco in 1956. He was engaged in furniture manufacturing in Bassett between 1923 and 1927 after which he came to Galax. Earlier he had served as a field representative for Woodman of the World insurance service. Funeral services were held at the First Methodist Church today (Thursday) at 3:30 PM with Dr Mark M Moore, pastor of the church and Dr W. Bunts, a former pastor (retired) and long time friend of Mr Messer conducted the services. The body was removed from Vaughan-Guynn Funeral Home to the residence east of the city on Hillsville Highway at 4:30 PM Wednesday. It was placed in the church an hour before the services. Interment was in Felts Cemetery. Pallbearers were Wiley Gentry, Robert L Hudson, Sam C Hampton, Paul Wilson, Everette H Mayes, Dean Sutherland, W. James Sessoms, Duane E Ward, Gene C Nuckolls, M. Dean Gordon, William C. James, Buford B Crockett, Charles D. Moore, Alton Jones, R. Mabe, T. W. Williams. R. Brown, and John Wingate. All plants of Messer Industries were closed Wednesday and today.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John Alvin Messer Sr.'s memorial?
John Alvin Messer Sr.'s memorial is located at: Felts Memorial Cemetery, Galax, Galax City, USA.
When did John Alvin Messer Sr. death?
John Alvin Messer Sr. death on 24 Jan 1961 in Galax, Galax City, Virginia, USA
Where are the coordinates of the John Alvin Messer Sr.'s memorial?
Latitude: 36.6804314
Longitude: -80.9088821

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Augusta Gertrude “Gussie” Germain Messer

(1890 - 1977)

Siblings

Children

Beatrice Mercedes “Bea” Messer Nunn

(1910 - 1993)

Kenneth Gilbert Messer

(1916 - 1956)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Felts Memorial Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6804314, -80.9088821

2. Allen Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6748810, -80.9113388

3. Galax City Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6677818, -80.9081192

4. Sutherland Family Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6739388, -80.9233704

5. Monta Vista Gardens
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6871430, -80.8913250

6. Caldwell-Givens Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6647301, -80.9176331

7. Blair Cemetery
Cliffview, Carroll County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6936798, -80.9233170

8. Gladeville United Methodist Church Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6880188, -80.8884811

9. Jennings Cemetery
Hebron, Carroll County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7019190, -80.9029460

10. Mooney Cemetery
Grayson County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6808690, -80.9414890

11. Alex Jennings Cemetery
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Coordinate: 36.7043304, -80.9226227

12. Ballard Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6703606, -80.9393768

13. James Anderson Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6550827, -80.9217529

14. McKenzie Cemetery
Grayson County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6847000, -80.9460983

15. Carter Cemetery
Grayson, Carroll County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6926490, -80.8687310

16. Amos Ballard Family Cemetery
Grayson County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6665700, -80.9503400

17. Jones Cemetery
Carroll County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6826100, -80.8637500

18. Trimble Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6444817, -80.9186172

19. Isom Cemetery
Carroll County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7001450, -80.9478250

20. Floyd Williams Family Cemetery
Fries, Grayson County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6698100, -80.9548740

21. John Frost's Cemetery
Carroll County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7184530, -80.8954020

22. Old Town Memorial Cemetery
Grayson County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6545800, -80.9510600

23. Calloway Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6374817, -80.9159470

24. Mount Ararat Old Regular Baptist Church Cemetery
Galax, Galax City, USA
Coordinate: 36.6374397, -80.9159393