Victor Honeycutt
Pvt. Victor Honeycutt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Honeycutt, West Van Lear, was reported August 4 as seriously wounded in France. He enlisted on December 10, 1940. His brother Joe is in the Pacific area.
Paintsville Herald Thursday August 10, 1944
MYSTERY SHROUDS DEATH OF VAN LEAR YOUTH SATURDAY
Believed Struck By Hit-Run Truck Near Crossing
Mystery today surrounding the death early Sunday morning of Victor Honeycutt, 23, of Van Lear, who was found in an unconscious condition shortly after 1 o'clock Sunday morning near the C & O Railroad Crossing at Van Lear Junction, Sheriff Wiley Hall reported. He died about 15 minutes after he was found. It was first believed that he was struck by a hit-and-run truck driver, but a coroner's jury, after conducting an inquest over the body, rendered a verdict that the youth met his death at the hands of unknown parties. A fractured skull was given as the cause of his death. Young Honeycutt, a veteran of WW II, with six years service left his home at Van Lear about 1 o'clock, and was found at 1:20. He had been in a restaurant at West Van Lear and was reported to have left the restaurant presumably to go home. Witnesses stated that a red truck stopped near the crossing and they thought that Honeycutt had caught a ride home. He later was found by the roadside. Sheriff Hall had said this morning that no clues had been uncovered which would lead to the arrest of the guilty parties.
A son of Malcolm and Sylvia Bolden Honeycutt, the accident victim was born at Van Lear March 26, 1923. He entered the service six years ago and and served four years in the European Theater of War. He was wounded in action on two different occasions, receiving the Purple Heart with a cluster, and also the Combat Infantryman's Badge. After returning from service in 1945 he was married to Miss Dorthy Jo Preston, who with a daughter, Brenda Sue survive him. In addition to his wife and child and his parents, he is survived by six brothers; Joe, Arlo, Homer, and Malcolm Honeycutt, Jr., all of Van Lear, Edward of West Van Lear, and Elmon of Silver Lake, Ind.; and four sisters; Arbutice of West Van Lear, and Lillie Mae, Darlene, and Cherline, all of Van Lear. Funeral services were conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Christian Church at Van Lear, Rev. S. C. Honeycutt officiating. Interment was in the Van Lear Cemetery in charge of the Preston Funeral Home.
ŠPAINTSVILLE HERALD
DECEMBER 5, 1946