Sonny Vanover

Sonny Vanover, age 82 years, 7 months, and 21 days, passed Monday, September 15, 2025, at his home in Whitley City, Kentucky, and was placed in the care of the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home.

Funeral services were held Thursday, September 18, 2025 at 11:00 am at the Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home with Bro. Hap Strunk officiating. Burial was in the Sandhill Cemetery.

He was born January 25, 1943 in Whitley City, Kentucky, to Willie Vanover and Bessie Bryant Vanover. A man of the mountains, Sonny found his greatest joy in the outdoors whether catfishing, camping, or hunting. He lived and loved the old Appalachian ways, carrying a lifetime of wisdom, stories, and laughter that he freely shared with those around him. Known for his quick wit, mischievous sense of humor, and love of a good yarn, Sonny was a man who never met a stranger.

He worked hard all his life as a logger and coal miner, embodying the strength and resilience of the generations before him.

Preceding him in death were his parents, sons, Tim Kidd and Toby Vanover, daughter, Terri Vanover Smith, and grandchildren, Betty Cox and Dylan Smith, and sisters, Hazel Poole, Verna Bargresser, Vela Childe, Thressa Vanover, Beatrice Claxton, and Betty Smith.

Survivors include son, Tim Vanover, and wife, Rita, daughter, Melissa Phillips, and husband, Mark, grandchildren, Dustin Smith, Samantha West, Kayli Gregory, Tyler Kidd, Lauryn Phillips, and Molly Phillips, great grandchildren, Nathan Neeley, Coleman Neeley, Maddison Smith, Lukas Smith, Nash Gregory, Keira Kidd, Laquia Kidd, R. D. Kidd, Gage Kidd, and Levi Kidd, and Evy Smith.

Hickman-Strunk Funeral Home was honored to serve the family of Sonny Vanover.