My sincere sympathy to the family. It is a blessing Hugh lived a long life because there are many people who may never see his age. May Almighty God who provide comfort to us (2 Cor 1:3) be with you during this difficult time of your life.

Note: Hugh's Aunt Bertha ( initially referenced in second paragraph of remembrances posted on 02/07/14 )  was a Dyson at birth and a Smith by marriage.   Thus, she was in fact, Mrs. Bertha Smith, and her children, Dad's double first cousins, were all rightfully born and righteously raised in the name of Smith.

Adrienne......we are so very sorry about the loss of your daddy.  Our thoughts and hearts are with you and we love you very much.

I am so sorry to learn of Hugh's passing.  Please know that y'all are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

These remembrances from Hugh's son and namesake in his own words are also wonderful reminders of the man our father was:  

Although an only child, DAD did have 5 double-first cousins who were like brothers and sisters to him.   For those unfamiliar with that relationship, double-first cousins result when a brother and sister from one family marry a sister and brother from another family.    Most of them remained down east near Elizabethtown, N.C. in a microcosm of a community by the name of Lagoon where my Dad's Aunt Bertha Dyson served as U.S. Postmistress out of a corner of her old country store.   With its cracker barrel, pot-bellied stove, huge cookie jars, checker board, pickled eggs and such, it was a natural gathering place for locals as they retrieved special and general delivery mail or picked up items to restock cupboards vs. a longer trip into town.   Dad spent many summers here and even one full year of high school, so its influence on him in his love of extended family and his appreciation and practice of neighborliness had especially strong and deep roots.   In addition, my Dad's love of fishing was most certainly influenced by Aunt Bertha who would don her oversized straw hat before grabbing a cane pole and casting her hook into the family pond adjacent to the rambling old home place.   Dad said she always felt that fishing was like singing in God's choir - that it was about re-creation as much as recreation - and he shared that sense of spiritual closeness with her,  
 
The Smith family was a formidable factor in the fellowship of the local Baptist Church just down the road, a simple whitewashed structure which was pastored in the circuit rider tradition.   In the true spirit of a community congregation, whole-hearted sharing and support were hallmarks of its core dynamic.  Because of these traits, I believe that Dad found much common ground with the Ephesus family as a result of his childhood experience in Bladen County.   Even today many "Ephesians" of Ephesus Baptist Church (where Hugh's memorial is being held) most assuredly will vividly recall Dad's Aunt Elvia Smith who passed almost 7 years ago at the age of 106 after 75 years of church membership.   Aunt Elvia was the widow of Dad's Uncle James from down home and along with Dad's mom ( my Granny )  and Aunt Bertha epitomized the sustaining substance exhibited by the many American women who survived spouses' early passing in the aftermath of the Great Depression, World War II, and the postwar economy.   No doubt these role models led to the reverence and respect that Dad manifested in his marriage as well as his relationships with females in any context.
 
Dad and Mom were both blessed to be contemporaries of Lonnie and Mary Woolweaver, who answered the call to serve at Ephesus Baptist Church coincident with the time of the season that Hugh & Dorothy joined the Church.   Lonnie, in fact, was just as likely to come visit a jobsite in mid-afternoon as he was to drop by the home while making his rounds as it were.   Dad particularly enjoyed the camaraderie which Reverend Woolweaver would willingly spread throughout the workplace often enough so that most of the crew would recognize him when he would pull up at any given time.    His folksy humor played well with the workers, offering a welcome change of pace to the rigors of residential home building in the era of stick built construction.   Indeed, Dad frequently commented on L.M.'s gift of gab and gag lines, for he always was prepared to impart a humorous anecdote or just a good old-fashioned joke to help one "let the sunshine in and face it with a grin".  
 
Les Giles, who was called to pastor Ephesus after Lonnie Woolweaver, was someone that Dad also held in high regard and with whom he shared a special closeness.   In 1979 when the Church decided to move forward with a Sanctuary Renovation, Dad referred the Building Committee, of which he had been a long-time member, to architectural designer B.A.Farrell.    B.A. subsequently provided the final drawings of the construction which Dad oversaw.  In this case, Dad spent a great deal of time on the Preacher's turf, a fact that afforded many opportunities for interaction that would, of course, vary from the "Sunday-go-to-meeting" variety.   In sum these instances amounted to a bond cemented with cherished memories.  We all miss Reverend Giles yet rejoice in his upward mobility and his enduring legacy which abides with us today and from here on in God's house.               
 
A few further words bout the workplace.   Dad was fortunate to enjoy an extensive association with fellow Church member David Scoggins, a master craftsman in the skill of carpentry.   David was a key member of Hugh M. Dyson, General Contractor for a couple of decades prior to his peaceful passing in the 1980's.   His green Ford pickup, loaded with every woodworking tool imaginable,  was as much a sign of a Dyson built home under construction as the building permit posted out front.   Whenever Dad would speak to a client about the company, he spoke in a collective tense.    David was a big reason for that.   One thing that always impressed me about their relationship was how it differed on Sunday only to the extent that they dressed to worship and honor God.   Without pretense or façade they could be the same man to man the following Monday morning.   I look back with pride in witnessing firsthand how each man represented truthfully in their daily demeanors.   Perhaps this would help to explain why so many building industry pros would actively seek out Dad's advice when questions and/or challenges arose as they often do during the course of construction.   He and his men were both receptive to and respected for their experienced counsel.   Dad custom-built primary residences for prominent physicians and accomplished attorneys alike.   But his craftsmanship was appropriately validated when he and his team delivered the keys to the brick broker, the brick and ceramic tile chief, the roofing supply executive, and the building supply owner among others.   And he so looked forward to advising and mentoring the young and aspiring builders who found him to be invariably accessible.
 
During his active years of Church membership, Dad was most appreciative of the music and choral ministries.   Two soloists who individually stand out from " back in the day" are soprano Pat Wickham and tenor Thurston Hare.   He consistently complimented them as he spoke of their "being in good voice".    I'm quite sure that many others deserve a mention here, but these are the ones I remember him commenting on most as I had yet to go away to school.   In that light, Dad also ensured that all of his children received a quality education at the institution of their choosing.
 
From playground marbles champ in grade school to hustling a bit of pool in high school, Dad was a gamesman from early on.  His love of the water made fishing a natural pursuit, and he was  an avid fan of virtually all competitive sports.   He was partial, you could say "true blue", to one particular school, but, even so, was probably as objective as anyone I've ever known insofar as real enjoyment of the effort vs. the result.   With all that said, he also found time in retirement to nurture his innate talent for art, portraiture in particular.   Safe to say  he was somewhat of an everyman version of a Renaissance man.
 
I do recall something he shared with me about his days in the Navy as a young man seeing a great deal of the world for the first time.   When there was shore leave, most of his buddies wanted to exit the land -based mode of transportation at  "the first sign of urban civilization".  But Dad said that he wanted to wait for the last stop.   He wanted to ride to the end of the line.   He said he figured that way he would  see as much of the world and its people as he could possibly see.   Well, he's been here, and he's done that.   Kind of feel like he's airborne now; that he's "slipped the surly bonds" heading toward a destination that is not final, but everlasting; that he will find rest in our Father's house of many mansions - custom built - a place prepared for Hugh M. Dyson, General Contractor: Husband, Father, Friend, Brother in Christ, and Child of GOD.  -Hugh Monroe Dyson, Jr.

I was very sorry to hear about Hugh's passing. Hugh and Dorothy were so kind to me when I moved back to Raleigh in the early 90's. I fondly remember many afternoons visiting with them, they were both warm and witty and fun to talk to. They had loads of parenting advice too as I had 2 young kids at the time. I remember Hugh's excitement before the birth of his grandson Adam and all the things he was looking forward to teaching him. I wish the family well in their time of grief, especially to Dorothy. Sincerely, Sandra Cohn

Adrienne,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.
In deepest sympathy,
Ruth Ann & Jesse Grimes
Garner, NC

OBITUARY

Hugh Monroe Dyson

13 November, 1924 – 1 February, 2014

Brown-Wynne Funeral Home

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