David Wilson Dixon, Jr.
David Wilson Dixon, Jr., 55, of Winston-Salem, died May 8 [2003] at his home.
He was born August 23, 1947, in Forsyth County, to David Wilson Dixon, Sr. and Elizabeth Roberson Dixon.
He was a member of Hickory Ridge United Methodist Church on Germanton Road.
He was a lifelong musician, playing in numerous bands, the last being The Dixon Brothers.
He enjoyed crafts and especially loved his faithful companion, Teddy.
Surviving are his wife, Deborah “Debbie” Grubbs Dixon, of Winston-Salem; a daughter, Heather Nicole Dixon; a son, Christopher “Chris” Dixon; his mother, Elizabeth Dozier, all of Winston-Salem; three sisters, Leigh Blount and husband Doug of Clemmons, Denise Dixon of Chapel Hill, and Candice Dixon of Winston-Salem; six brothers, Michael Dixon and wife Phoebe of Lewisville, John Dozier and wife Glenda of Raleigh, Mark Dozier of Emerald Isle, Chuck Dozier and wife Kathy of Charlotte, David Dozier of Charlotte, and Sonny Chandler of Lewisville.
Funeral services were held at Hickory Ridge United Methodist Church, with Rev. Frank Aldridge officiating, and burial followed in the church cemetery.
W.R. Hunter
W.R. Hunter, 90, of Mocksville, died May 9 [2003] at Forsyth Medical Center following a period of declining health.
He was a native of Conner, Ga., but lived most of his life in Davie County, where he worked and retired from Mocksville Elementary School as a custodian.
Surviving are five daughters, Linda Riggs of Lewisville, Annie Benson and husband LeRoy and Phyllis Studevent, both of Mocksville, Hazel Dillard of the home, and Janice Summers of Graham; five sons, Thomas Hunter and Kenneth Hunter, both of Mocksville, James Hunter and wife Carol of Winston-Salem, Michael Keith Hunter of Sunrise, Fla., and Ben Parker of North Wilkesboro; 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at Mainville AME Zion Church, with Rev. Robert Bailey officiating, and burial followed in the church cemetery.
William Lawrence Ward, Sr.
William Lawrence Ward, Sr., 84, of Madison, died May 14 [2003] at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro.
He was born January 4, 1919, in Stokes County, to the late Ellis M. Ward and the late Alice Martin Ward.
He was a retired brick mason and a longtime member of Bethesda United Methodist Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife in March of 2002, Mabel Elizabeth Hazelwood Ward.
Surviving are his son, W.L. Ward, Jr. and wife Brenda of Madison; two grandchildren, Christy Knight and husband George of Madison, and Tricia Thomerson and husband Kevin of Clemmons; and three great-grandchildren, George Knight, Emma Thomerson and Zachery Knight.
Funeral services were held at Bethesda United Methodist Church in Madison, with Rev. Beth Glass officiating, and burial followed in the church cemetery.
Bobby Ray Durham
Bobby Ray Durham, 68, of Germanton, died May 10 [2003] at Forsyth Medical Center.
He was born June 27, 1934, in Stokes County, to the late James Graham Durham, Sr. and Marie Pyrtle Durham Chilton.
He was a member of Pleasant View Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, and had retired as a chief mechanic at Sara Lee Hosiery, with 41 years of service.
He was preceded in death by his father; a brother, James Graham Durham, Jr.; and his wife of 35 years, Dorothy Cook Durham, on April 28 this year.
Surviving are his mother, Marie Pyrtle Durham Chilton of Pilot Mountain; two daughters, Jody Lawrence and husband Don of Clemmons, and Brenda Yokeley and husband Mac of Wallburg; three grandchildren, Amanda Lawrence of Clemmons, Craig Yokeley and wife Chastity of Georgia, and Jason Yokeley and wife Pam of Arizona; two great-grandchildren, Cody and Cheyenne Yokeley; two sisters, Betty Gwyn and husband Floyd of Mount Airy, and Dolly Spigner and husband Stuart of South Carolina; and a brother, Donald Durham, Sr. and wife Wilna of Pilot Mountain.
Funeral services were held at Pleasant View Baptist Church, with Pastors David Harmon and Michael Gates officiating, and burial followed at Crestview Memorial Park in Rural Hall.
Walter C. Joyce, Sr.
Walter C. Joyce, Sr. of Clemmons, died October 6 [2003] at Meadowbrook Manor of Clemmons.
He was born in Sandy Ridge, to Wallace Clyde and Lemma Amos Joyce.
He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II, as a technical sergeant.
He was commissioned in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1953.
He held numerous reserve assignments including signal company commander, service school instructor and staff officer, retiring with the rank of major in 1979 after 29 years of service.
After leaving active service following the war, he returned to Appalachian State Teachers College, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education in 1947, and a Master’s of Arts degree in elementary education in 1950.
He began his teaching career at Deep Gap Elementary School and subsequently held various teaching positions and principalships in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system, culminating in his service as the first principal of Prince Ibraham Elementary School and later, as principal of Oak Summit Elementary School.
He retired from the school system in 1979, after 32 years of service.
He served as the Forsyth County president of the N.C. Education Association in 1956, state president of the National Department of Elementary School Principals in 1966 and as state representative to that organization from 1967 to 1970.
Active in his community, he served as a Diaconate member of Wake Forest Baptist Church and later, upon his move to Clemmons, as a Stephens minister in Clemmons Moravian Church.
He was a charter member of the White Rock Civic Club and as past president of the Appalachian State Teachers College General Alumni Association.
He also served as president of the Alumni Board of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at Davidson College, where he was an honorary initiate and recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Service Award in 1984.
Surviving are his wife of 56 years, Grace Sherwood Joyce; a son, Walter C. Joyce, Jr. and wife Mary Ann of Clemmons; a brother, Wesley Joyce of Sandy Ridge; and two grandchildren, Elizabeth Evans Joyce and Benjamin Alexander Joyce.
Funeral services were held at Clemmons Moravian Church, with Rev. Ray Burke officiating, and burial followed at Forsyth Memorial Park, conducted by Rev. Robert R. McGee, with military honors by District 11 Memorial Honor Guard.
Grace Davis Foster
Grace Davis Foster, 88, of Bermuda Run, wife of Arlie O. Foster, died September 20 [2003] after a long illness.
She was born in Wilkes County, a daughter of the late James Harrison Davis and Mary Ethel Vannoy Davis.
She and her husband were married in 1938, and after World War II, they moved from Wilkes County, to the Winston-Salem area.
She was employed at Hanes Hosiery, was a member of Old Town Woman’s Club, Old Town Garden Club and was active in Becks Baptist Church in the Circle Class.
When her health began to decline, she and her husband moved from Winston-Salem, to Bermuda Village.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Elizabeth, and several brothers and sisters.
Surviving are her husband of the home; two daughters, Joan F. Allan and husband Peter of Winston-Salem, and Janice F. Jordan and husband Chris of Mocksville; two sisters, Gladys Billings of Wilkesboro, and Doris Eysenbach of Bristol, Pa.; four grandchildren, Laurel Walter of Raleigh, Andrea Hicks of Clemmons, Jonathan Jordan of Raleigh, and Karen Jordan-Foster of Mocksville; a step-granddaughter, Laura Payne of High Point; four great-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held in Hayworth-Miller’s Silas Creek chapel, with Dr. Ray Hamilton and Rev. Paul Wonders, Jr. officiating, and burial followed at Forsyth Memorial Park.
Hazel Marsh Fath
Hazel Marsh Fath, 91, died October 1 [2003] at Vienna Village.
She was born February 1, 1912, in Forsyth County, to the late William Thomas and Mabel Reynolds Marsh.
She was a member of Olivet Moravian Church.
Surviving are her husband, Urban Henry Fath; a sister, Nelle Marsh Bailey of Lewisville; and a number of nieces and nephews.
A graveside service was held at Olivet Moravian Church Graveyard with Rev. Douglas Rights officiating.
Jeanne Davis Ray
Jeanne Davis Ray, 79, of Lewisville, died September 29 [2003].
She was born in Winston-Salem, on February 10, 1924, to Claude G. Davis and Della Transou Davis.
She worked for the U.S. Army Air Corps Office of Flying Safety during World War II.
Later, she worked for the Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel and retired from the Wake Forest University Babcock Graduate School of Management.
She was a member of New Philadelphia Moravian Church.
She was preceded in death by six sisters and a brother.
Surviving are her husband, Bill Ray of Lewisville; two sons, Bill Ray, III of Lewisville, and David Ray and wife Cheryl of Greensboro; a sister, Louise Burke of Winston-Salem; and a step-grandson, Quentin Jones of Wilmington.
A graveside service was held at New Philadelphia Moravian Church Graveyard, with Dr. Worth Green officiating.
John Edwin Royall
John Edwin Royall, 71, of Winston-Salem, died suddenly October 3 [2003] at his home.
He was born June 15, 1932, in Surry County, to the late Millard H. and Minnie Brown Royall.
He was retired from Sara Lee with 34 years of service.
He was a frequent patron of Gordon Manor Diner and loved fishing and growing tomatoes while his health permitted.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Joyce and Hester, and a brother, Joseph.
Surviving are a daughter, Lori Collier and husband Steve of Clemmons; a son, Mark Royall of the home; a granddaughter, Jessica Bennett of Greensboro; three brothers, Kenneth, Charlie and Boyce Royall; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A graveside service was held at Forsyth Memorial Park, with Rev. Randy Wall officiating.
Cecil Franklin Cruthers
Cecil Franklin Cruthers, 77, of Winston-Salem, died October 1 [2003] at his home after a long period of declining health.
He was born December 8, 1925, in Goodwill, W.Va., to Ralph and Dora Aust Cruthers.
He was a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific, and was the retired owner and operator of C.F. Cruthers Builders.
He was of the Baptist faith.
Surviving are his wife of 50 years, Maxine Harman Cruthers of the home; five children, Cathy L. Cruthers of Lewisville, Carolyn C. Knoop and husband Douglas of Raleigh, Kenneth F. Cruthers of Winston-Salem, Michael S. Cruthers and wife Sharon of Walnut Cove, and Barry G. Cruthers of Virginia Beach, Va.; two grandchildren, Ashley Knoop of Raleigh, and Wendy Rutan of Williamsburg, Va.; a sister, Mae Butt and husband Bob of Stanleyville; four brothers, Lawrence Godfrey and wife Clara of Winston-Salem, Tommy Godfrey and wife Judy of Sacramento, Calif., Charlie Godfrey and wife Scarlet of Charlotte, and David Godfrey and wife Mert of Charlotte; a step-grandson, Shane Stoltz of Walnut Cove; a step-granddaughter, Shana Bennett of Rural Hall; seven great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and a special friend, Albert Perdue and wife Ruby of Bluefield, W.Va.
A graveside service was held at Gardens of Memory in Walkertown.
