Chapmanville mourns the sudden loss of Charles “Hillbilly” Marcum, a 52-year-old truck driver and mechanic whose big heart and ready laugh were fixtures along Logan County’s backroads. He passed away peacefully at his residence on November 24, 2025. Born April 23, 1973, Charles leaves behind a family that was his greatest pride and joy.
Charles grew up in the hills of Chapmanville, where the rumble of diesel engines and the smell of coal dust shaped his early love for anything with a motor. From a young age he could be found tinkering on four-wheelers and pickups, skills that later made him a trusted hand for neighbors and fellow drivers across southern West Virginia.
For decades Charles earned his living behind the wheel, hauling freight with the steady reliability that fellow truckers respected. When he wasn’t on the road, he was elbow-deep in the engine of “Old Red,” his beloved red truck that carried him through countless miles and became as much a part of him as the nickname “Hillbilly” itself.
Family was Charles’s true north. He was a devoted father to two daughters and one son, and a doting papaw to four grandchildren who lit up every time he walked through the door. Weekends were filled with cookouts, fishing trips, and the sound of little feet running to greet him after a long haul.
Charles enjoyed the simple pleasures of country life: working on Old Red in the driveway, riding the ridges, and sharing stories with friends around a fire. His easy smile and willingness to help anyone in need made him a favorite in Chapmanville’s tight-knit circles.
Though his CB handle has gone silent, Charles “Hillbilly” Marcum’s legacy of hard work, family devotion, and West Virginia grit rolls on in the lives he touched. The community gathers to celebrate a life well-lived; arrangements are forthcoming through local services.