Courtland – John Wayne Plyler, 70, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away February 13, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Born in Chesterfield County, SC, he was one of thirteen children of the late Johnnie William and Mary Beatrice McManus Plyler. A Navy veteran, he was retired from Norshipco as a marine electrician with twenty three years service. John spent eighteen years in food service, including ten years with Jack-in-the-Box Restuarants in California and Virginia Beach as a franchisee and manager trainer. He also owned Little John's Hideout, the Silver Dollar Restaurant & Lounge, J & J Seafood Outlet, the Four P's Trucking Company, all in Virginia Beach, and J & J Pullet Farm in Southampton County. Through his businesses, John raised money for the community and was one of the sponsors of the first Virginia Beach Neptune festival. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved the outdoors.
Left to cherish his memory is his high school sweetheart and wife of 50 years, Joyce Player Plyler; two sons, Anthony Wayne Plyler and wife, Tanis, of Parkland, FL, and John Wayne Plyler, Jr., and wife, Sandi, of Newsoms; three grandchildren, Charlotte, Andrew, and Christopher Plyler; six sisters, Carolyn Price of Rock Hill, SC, June Marler of Greenville, SC, Ethel McIntosh of New Bern, NC, Sue Gibson of Chester, SC, Janice Cox of Paducah, KY, and Deborah May of Charlotte, NC; six brothers, George Plyler of Bishopville, SC, William Plyler and Joseph Plyler, both of Rock Hill, SC, Larry Plyler of McConnells, SC, Gene Plyler of Charleston, SC and Thomas Plyler of , and his favorite niece, Melinda Murch of Sunderland, Md.
The funeral will be conducted at 11 am Wednesday in the chapel of Wright Funeral Home with the Rev. Chad Brady and the Rev. Gene Plyler officiating. Interment, with military honors, will follow in the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 pm at the funeral home and suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, c/o Ms. Kathy Worrell, 717 Fairview Drive, Franklin, Va. 23851. Condolences may be offered at www.wrightfuneralhome.org