Ian Dransfield Obituary, Death – On Thursday, December 8, 2022, at his property in Gap Mills, West Virginia, Ian Beirne Dransfield was freed from his earthly worries. Brother to Devon Wesley Dransfield and his wife Maggie Earhart of Greenville, Virginia, Ian was born in Union, West Virginia to parents Donald Wayne and Pamela Furrow Dransfield. In addition to Bear, he is survived by his God-Grandparents Wayne and Nancy Bostic and God-Brother Aaron Bostic, all of Union.
His parents, Dr. Beirne Virgil Dransfield and Dr. Mary Williams Dransfield, both of Greenville, Virginia, and his grandparents, John McIlhaney Furrow and Barbara Long Dransfield, of Gap Mills, as well as his great-grandparents, Homer and Edith Long of Red Sulphur Springs and Fred and Alleen Furrow of Waiteville, all went on to their heavenly reward before him. Ian has the utmost respect for his parents and siblings.
His future wife Chelsea Cook of Sweet Chalybeate, Virginia, as well as his two beloved uncles, Charles Beirne Dransfield of Charleston and John David (Betty) Furrow of Waiteville, and his cousin, Brennan (Rebecca) Furrow of Pasadena, Maryland, will forever remember him. Aunt Judy and Uncle Earl Booth of Union, Washington; Aunt Linda and Uncle John Stimpson of Ballard, Washington; and Aunt Ana Furrow of Union, Washington. Henry Ray and Ann Dransfield, Betty Dransfield, Karen Mitchell of Union, Steve Dransfield, Doug and Tracy Dransfield, Doris Ann Dransfield of Gap Mills, Nancy and Mike Potts of Purcellville, Virginia, Patti Rhea of Falling Waters, West Virginia, and Isabelle Holt of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, as well as their respective families, and his farming kin.
Ian, who was born on November 8th, 1991 in Low Moor, Virginia, learned to appreciate farming at the knee of his pop paw john. An All-State pitcher for the Mavericks in 2010, he graduated from James Monroe High School in 2010 with a state championship under his belt. He had graduated from Virginia Tech with honors in 2014 with a degree in Agriculture and Applied Economics and a minor in Crop/Soil Science. He participated in the pilot “COINS” Investment Program established by the Ag Economic Department and served on the Collegiate Beef Council. At Tech, he was a Noble Ruler of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, surrounded by brothers he revered and loved.
He participated in the 4-H camping program, where he served as an adult volunteer, and the 4-H Shooting Sports Shotgun program, where he taught. In 2010, he received his FFA State Farmers Degree. After becoming interested in farming and cattle through the 4-H program, the Seneca chief went on to establish a thriving cow-calf herd and agricultural operation as the owner and manager of Valley View Farm, where he made a lot of friends. A lot of people remember him as the friendly kid who sold sweet corn and pumpkins he’d raised himself. Outside of farm work, his favorite pastime was watching his talented Great Uncle Jim Walker play pool.