Circleville Resident James Russell Vandevander Passes Away Following Highland County Rollover Crash
CIRCLEVILLE, West Virginia — Community members across Pendleton County are mourning the loss of James Russell Vandevander, 59, who passed away on Sunday evening, September 13, 2026, following a single-vehicle rollover collision in Highland County, Virginia. As reported in regional news coverage and official notices, including updates by The Inter-Mountain, Mr. Vandevander succumbed to his injuries at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville following emergency transport. Accident Details and Emergency ResponseAccording to crash reports from Virginia authorities, emergency personnel were dispatched at approximately 4:25 p.m. to Highland Turnpike, located just east of Route 614.Investigators determined that Mr. Vandevander was operating a Toyota Scion when the vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned. Responders provided immediate medical care before transferring him to UVA Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Location: Highland Turnpike, east of Route 614, Highland County, Virginia.Time of Incident: Approximately 4:25 p.m., Sunday, September 13, 2026.Investigating Agency: Virginia State Police.Life and Community BackgroundBorn June 16, 1967, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Mr. Vandevander was a lifelong resident of Circleville, West Virginia, and a 1985 graduate of Circleville High School. He worked for 21 years at the Walmart Distribution Center in Mt. Crawford, Virginia, and attended Big Run Baptist Church. An avid outdoorsman, he was known by family and friends for his love of hunting, fishing, hiking, and mechanical repair work. Surviving FamilyMr. Vandevander is survived by his wife of 34 years, Tammy Marie (Bennett) Vandevander; his mother, Linda Susan Vandevander; daughters Lindsey, Bernice Renee, Ashley Nicole, and Rebecca; sons Jamie Eugene, Preston, and Michael Benjamin; his brother, Harold Jr.; three sisters, Abby, Joyce, and Sylvia; twelve grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Harold E. "Buck" Vandevander. Funeral and Service ArrangementsArrangements have been entrusted to Kimble Funeral Home in Franklin, West Virginia: Public Visitation: Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Kimble Funeral Home. Funeral Service: Monday, September 21, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at Kimble Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Mike Lambert officiating. Interment: To follow at Vandevander Cemetery