John Lee Sipes, Jr. passed away Thursday morning, November 17, 2011, at his home in Troutman, North Carolina. He was born July 8, 1922, in Iredell County. He was a son of John Lee Sipes and Bertha Mae Troutman Sipes, both of whom predeceased him. He was also predeceased by his wife, Julia Martha Mills Sipes; two sisters, Ila Walters and Mary Helen Brawley, and two brothers, Ray Sipes and Ernest Sipes.
John was a life-long resident of Iredell County, except for a brief time when the family moved to Tennessee during his early years. He attended Iredell County Schools in Statesville and Troutman, graduating from Troutman High School in 1941. John enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served during World War II until the final surrender. John and Martha Mills were married on February 19, 1943. They had one child, Julia Rebecca, who survives.
John was reared in the Troutman Baptist Church. After his marriage, he joined Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Statesville, NC, where he and Martha were active members. John sang with Martha in the choir for many years, served as deacon, and was a servant of the church in countless other ways. John retired after 38 years as an employee of Thonet, previously North Carolina Furniture Company, in Statesville. He was also a dedicated member of the Troutman Lions Club, of which he was the oldest member. John Sipes was a true community spirit.
Survivors include four sisters; Addie Lee Brown, Shirley Miller (Kelly), Virginia Winecoff (Robert) and Nancy Wooten; one brother, Allen Sipes (Flora) , and a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Sipes, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends.
Funeral services will take place at Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Statesville on Sunday at 3 pm with the Rev. Canessa Stafford officiating. Pallbearers will be Kim Miller, Graham Neilson, David Wilfong, Reid Cooke, Terry Oglethorpe and Gene Honeycutt. Honorary pallbearers will be the members of the Troutman Lions Club. Interment will be in the Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends after the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Bethesda Cemetery Memorial Trust Fund, 802 Bethesda Road, Troutman, NC 28166, Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, NC 28625, the Troutman Lions Club or a charity of the donor’s choice. Condolences may be sent to the family online to www.bunchjohnsonfuneralhome.com.
Military Honors will be accorded at the graveside by the Iredell County Veterans Council Burial Detail. Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements for Mr. Sipes.
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.8.18