Henry Cabot Lodge Compton, 80, of Vansant, editor and publisher of The Virginia Mountaineer for more than 40 years, died Friday, March 22, 2013 following a short illness.

The son of Hannibal Albert and Celia Cox Compton, he was born at Compton Mountain, December 6, 1932.  He was preceded in death by his brothers, Victor, Ray and Ralph Compton.

He began school at the old Loggy Bottom School at Whitewood. In the early 1940s, the family moved to Grundy and he attended Grundy High School where he graduated in 1951.

He began working at the Mountaineer in 1944 at the age of 11 as an apprentice helper, or “printer’s devil” – the official newspaper jargon for the title. He continued to work for the newspaper throughout his growing up years, also working at the former Lynwood Theatre.

Following his graduation from Grundy High School, he went on to Hiwassee College, but when ownership of the newspaper changed hands shortly after he left to attend college, he was asked to return to the Mountaineer as a part owner. He did so and continued in that capacity until 1971 when he assumed the role of editor and publisher of the Mountaineer and became its sole owner. During his tenure as editor and publisher, the Mountaineer achieved numerous statewide honors from the Virginia Press Association recognizing its work.

He was inducted into the Buchanan County Hall of Fame in 2003 and was a charter member of the Grundy Lion's Club, having served as its president at the age of 25. He also served for six years on the statewide Virginia Press Association board of directors. He was a former president of Willowbrook Country Club and remained an avid golfer until his death. He was a former member of the Buchanan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and remained active on numerous committees of the chamber through the years.

He is survived by his three children, Jennifer Compton, of Roanoke, Va.; Jane Compton  Noel and husband, Rick, of  Granger, Ind.; Jonathan Compton, of Holland Mich.; long-time companion Rosa Lee Nuckolls, of Bluefield, Va.; one brother, Blake Compton and wife, Shelby, of Grundy, Va.; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Funeral  services will be Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 11 a.m. at Grundy Funeral Home Chapel with Evangelist Mike Rife officiating. Burial will follow at Compton Cemetery on Compton Mountain.

Pallbearers will be Rick Noel, Sam Bartley, Joe St. Clair, Scotty Wampler, Ryan O’Quinn, Ethan Noel, Randall Winebarger and Todd Baker.

Honorary pallbearers will be Ron Cole, Tom Holland, Lyle Mutter, F.D. (Red) Robertson, Brad VanDyke, Todd Owens, Vern Presley and the staff of Mountaineer Publishing Company, Inc.

There will be no evening visitation.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Appalachian School of Law Scholarship Fund, 1169 Edgewater Drive, Grundy, VA 24614.

Grundy Funeral Home, Grundy, Va., is in charge of arrangements.