Alvernon "Al" Pierce Dies

HIGH POINT- Alvernon "Al" Pierce, 80, passed Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at his residence. Funeral mass will be held Friday, December 31, 2010 at 11 a.m. in the Lady of the Highway Catholic Church in Thomasville; Rev. James M. Turner, O.S.F.S officiating. Burial will follow in Floral Garden Memorial Park Cemetery. Born in Davidson County, October 29, 1930, a son of Lacy and Dora Myers Pierce. Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth Russell Pierce of the home; two sons, Brad Pierce and wife Theresa of Salisbury and Brian Pierce of Greensboro; four grandchildren, Jessica Moscardini and husband Gian, Ashley and Dean Pierce, all of Salisbury and Brianna Pierce of Greensboro; a sister, Pam Hilton and husband J.C. of Salisbury; a brother, Ret. Commander Leon "Pete" Pierce and his wife Dot of Thomasville; a great-grandson, Luka Moscardini of Salisbury.

Margaret Granger Griffin Gallimore Dies

Margaret Granger Griffin Gallimore, age 62 of Denton, NC passed Sunday December 26. 2010. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Wednesday, December 29 at Briggs Funeral Home Memorial Chapel; Rev. Claudie Harrison and Rev. Kelly Creekmur officiating. Burial will follow at Holly Hill Memorial Park in Thomasville. Born in Nash County on May 29, 1948 to Harold Wilson Griffin and Elsie Mae Granger Griffin. Survived by her husband Ralph W. Gallimore of the home; sons, Sammy Barnes of Elizabethtown, PA and Chris Barnes of Wilson; a brother Harold Griffin of Raleigh; a sister Katie Ervin of Rocky Mount and 3 grandchildren.

Mary Veva Nance Lewallen Dies

Mary Veva Nance Lewallen, 83, of High Point, passed Sunday, December 26, 2010. Memorial service will be at Cumby Family Funeral Service in High Point on Thursday, December 30, at 10:30; Rev. Chris Cornette and Dr. Roland Cavanaugh officiating. Burial will be at Floral Garden Park Cemetery. Mrs. Lewallen is the daughter of the late Norman Glenn Nance and Mary Hattie Jackson Nance; predeceased by her husband Jack Douglas Lewallen, brothers Shirley and Reitzel Nance, and two great-grandsons. Survived by her daughters, Dolly Jennings (Danny) and Gloria McDowell (Bobby); brother Max Nance (Lorene); sister Jewel Ridgeway; grandsons Daniel Jennings, Dale Jennings, Derric Jennings (Sheri), David Jennings (Mandy), Dustin Jennings (Shelley), Drew Jennings, Dylon Jennings, and Kevin McDowell (Leslie); and granddaughters Daryn Jennings Harrell (John), Devyn Jennings Cornette (Chris), Danya Jennings Parrish (David), and Karen McDowell Cox (Jack), and 20 great-grandchildren.

Dock Nixon Swaney Passes

Dock Nixon Swaney, 83, of Asheboro, passed December 24, 2010. Funeral arrangements are at Ridge Funeral Home in Asheboro, with visitation for family and friends at Ridge from 6 to 8 PM on Monday, December 27. Funeral service will be at Rushwood Park Wesleyan Church of Asheboro, at 2 PM on Tuesday, December 28, 2010; Dr. Ron L. Hamilton and Rev. Brent C. Tysinger officiating. Native of Randolph County, he was born April 1, 1927, to Henry Taylor Swaney and Sarah Garren Swaney. Preceded in death by his parents, brother Charles, sister Frances Luther (who passed on November 30, 2010), and wife of sixty-three years, Kathleen Cox Swaney. Survived by his daughter Carolyn Tysinger and husband Charles of Asheboro, sons Darrell Swaney of Denton, Jerry Swaney and wife June of Staley, Todd Swaney and wife Charlene of Asheboro, brothers Jack Swaney and wife Irene of Trinity, Rev. Arthur Swaney and wife Hilda, Ted Swaney and wife Louise, Donald Swaney and wife Bonnie, sisters Gladys Hinshaw and husband Paul, Bobbie Tysinger and husband Kenneth, and Doris Gordon and husband Jaffey, all of Asheboro, eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

Henry Odell "Pete" Rush Passes Away

Henry Odell "Pete" Rush passed December 22, 2010 at Wesley Long Hospital in Greensboro.Funeral service will be held on Monday, December 27 at 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church-Kimesville in Liberty, NC; Rev. Aaron Moss and Rev. Steve Joyce officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Native of Randolph County, born to the late Jeff and Nannie Rush on March 12, 1931. Preceded in death by sisters, Doris Parrish, Allene Burgess, Wilma Kinley, and Frances Wall; and brothers, Clarence Rush and Dr. Dallas Rush. Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Loberta McNeill Rush of the home; son, Randy Rush and wife, Heather of Liberty; grandson, Ryan Rush of Greensboro; granddaughter, Morgan Rush of Liberty; sisters, Leona Wood of Trinity and Lalah Bowman and husband, Allen of Sophia; brother, Lester Rush and wife, Beulah of Candor; mother-in-law, Lucille McNeill of Carillon Assisted Living in Asheboro; sister-in-law, Frances McNeill Blanton of Brooksville, FL; brother-in-law, Ray McNeill and wife, Joanne of Haines City, FL and a host of beloved nieces, nephews and friends.

Sidney "Sid" Bailey Dies

HIGH POINT-Sidney E. Bailey, 89, passed December 19, 2010. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in High Point, N.C. Reverend Dr. Kenneth Broman-Fulks officiating. Graveside services will be held in Floral Gardens Park Cemetery. Born April 28, 1921 in Waycross, Georgia to Carl Byron and Marguerite Morton Bailey. On December 18, 1952, Sid married Magalene "Marge" Cashatt. She preceded him in death on January 11, 2001. Preceded in death by his brother, Carl A. Bailey. Survived by daughter Nancy and her husband Keith Kinard of Montgomery, AL, son John and his wife Shannon of High Point, N.C., daughter Jeanne Lassiter of High Point, N.C. and son Joseph Bailey of Whitsett, N.C. He has seven grandsons and two granddaughters, Kirby and Chris Kinard, Leah, Lacie and Jack Cramer, Taylor and Blake Lassiter and Cameron and Cole Bailey. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Ruby Pauline "Polly" Biggs Farlow Dies

Ruby Pauline (Polly) Biggs Farlow, 85, formerly of Greensboro, passed December 22nd, 2010 at River Landing at Sandy Ridge in Colfax. Funeral service will be 3:00 p.m. December 23, 2010 at Bunker Hill Primitive Baptist Church with Elder John Wingfield officiating. Interment will follow in Guilford Memorial Park Cemetery. Born February 2nd, 1925 in Rockingham County, a daughter to Seth and Mabel Tucker Biggs. In 1943 she married Thomas Arrington Farlow who preceded her in death in 2000. Also preceding her in death was a son, Rodney Tom Farlow in 1992. Surviving is a daughter, Gayla Dean Farlow of Greensboro; three sisters, Eva Deaton of Laurinburg, Irene Kennedy and husband Bill of Martinsville VA and Donna Fulp and husband Charles of Winston-Salem; a grandson, Benjamin (Ben) Thomas Farlow of Goldsboro and several nieces and nephews.

Opal Harvell Nelson Dies

NOTE: Mrs Nelson's sister, Trilla Harvell married Kenneth Hunt. His father is Tennyeson Hunt who's father was actually Wesley Briles.


Opal Harvell Nelson, age 77, of Asheboro, passed Saturday, December 18, 2010 at Randolph Health & Rehabilitation, Asheboro. Funeral will be Wednesday at 2:00 at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro with Johnny Harvell officiating. Burial will follow in Franklinville Cemetery, Franklinville. Born October 13, 1933. Preceded in death by her mother and father, Reece Ervin and Pauline Graves Harvell, husband Paul R. Nelson, and sister Martha Allen. Survived by sister, Trilla Hunt of Sophia, NC; sister and her husband, Linda & Clyde Reeder of Seagrove, NC; brother and his wife, Wayne and Barbara Harvell of Badin Lake, NC; Johnny and his wife Nancy Harvell of Asheboro, NC; stepdaughter and her husband, Faye and Frank Andrews of Asheboro, NC; Brenda and her husband, Ray Kennedy of Asheboro, NC; stepson, Jerry Nelson of Asheboro, NC; 7 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; 4 great great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and special little friends Michael, Devon, and Leland.

Gurney Calvin Peace Dies

Gurney Calvin Peace, 101, passed December 14th, 2010 at Hospice Home of High Point. Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 17, 2010 at Trinity Memorial United Methodist Church; Rev. Faye Harbin, Rev. Tammy Talbert, Rev. David Talbert and Mrs. Elizabeth Ingram officiating. Interment will follow in Trinity Cemetery. Born July 8th, 1909 in Randolph County, a son to Earl and Nannie Spencer Peace. His wife, Juanita Andrews, preceded him in death in 1995. Surviving is a daughter, Jan Boyles of the residence; a grandson, William Andrew (Andy) Boyles of the residence; a niece, Elizabeth Andrews Ingram of Summerfield; and two nephews, Darrell Peace of Trinity and Marvin K. Andrews of Trinity.

Howard Gary Briles Dies

Howard Gary Briles, age 74 of Grace Health Care Nursing Home passed Wednesday Dec 15, 2010 in N. C. Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. Memorial service will be held later. Born Sept 9, 1936 in Davidson Co. NC son of the late George Walter Briles and Willie Mae Cattlette Briles. Surviving are, Three daughters, Teresa Briles Thrift, Melanie Briles and Tina Briles; one sister, Diane Ferguson and husband Don; two brothers, John Briles and wife Donna and Eugene Briles and wife Cheryl.. Three grandchildren, Darin Briles, Preston Briles and Tia Thrift; one great granddaughter, Desire'e Briles.

Helen Smith Oakleaf Passes

This lineage dates back to John & Nancy Beckerdite Briles.

Helen Smith Oakleaf passed November 18, 2010. A graveside services took place at 2 p.m., Monday, November 22, 2010 at the Veteran`s Section of Fairmount Cemetery. Born on February 1, 1943 at Campo, Colo. to Wesley Elmer and Beulah Bertha (Briles) Smith. Per Mrs. Oakleaf`s request there will be no public viewing.Ppreceded in death by her husband Clyde E. Oakleaf on November 16, 2007, her parents and a granddaughter Tabitha Rae Oakleaf, sister Earnestine Bronson, niece Leucrettia Zavala and her son-in-law Michael Russell, brother-in-law Donald Russellt also precede her. Survived by her children; Leonard (Betty) Oakleaf of Joplin, Mo., Janet Russell of Joplin, Mo., Steven (Rebecca) Oakleaf of Trenton, Mo., Donald Oakleaf of Mulberry, Fla., and her granddaughter she raised, Melissa Oakleaf of Las Animas. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and her siblings; Hester Kay (Fred) Zavala of Lamar and Eugene (Jackie) Smith of Lewiston, Maine, brother-in-law Robert Bronson of Henderson, Nev., sister-in-law Betty Wonderley of Fulton, Kan., Leona Russell of Colorado Springs, her aunt and uncle Lena and Elmer Briles of Pritchett, many cousins, nieces, nephews other relatives and many friends.

Mildred Hepler Younts Dies

Mildred Hepler Younts, 85, passed Friday, December 3, 2010 at Mountain Vista Health Park. Funeral service was on Monday, December 6, 2010 at 11:00 AM at Tabernacle United Methodist Church; Rev. Bill Foust and Rev. Randy Lucas officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Born on August 17, 1925 in Davidson County to Troy G. Hepler and Dora Black Hepler. preceded in death by her husband John Worth Younts, Sr. in March 2005; sisters, Aliceteen Hepler and Betty Lou Hepler. Surviving is her son, Worth Younts and wife Beth of Trinity; brother, Wilbur Lee Hepler and wife Irene of Thomasville; and grandsons, Allen and Stephen Younts.

Linda Gale Bulla Dies

Linda Gale Bulla, age 61, of Asheboro passed Wednesday, November 24, 2010 at her home. Service to be held later. Native of Randolph County. Survived by her daughter, Angela Dunn Montgomery and her husband Steven of Asheboro; son, Michael Dunn of Asheboro; grandson, Billy Davis, III of Asheboro, brother, Charles Bulla and his wife Ann of Asheboro, sister, Doris Bulla of Sophia; life long best friend, Jan Davis of Asheboro.