A service of remembrance and celebration of her life will be held Friday, June 20, 2014 at 2 p.m. in Memorial Chapel of First Presbyterian Church, 617 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, N.C. Interment will take place immediately following in the church columbarium. Visitation will be held one hour prior of the worship service in the Blair Hagan Room.
Dee was born on October 3, 1926, the youngest of seven children to Annie Black and Joseph Edward Covington of Ramseur, N.C. She was educated in the Asheboro City Schools and graduated in 1947 from Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina (now UNC-Greensboro) with a B.S. Degree in Business Administration.
For five years, Dee served as an executive secretary to Mr. J. Spencer Love, CEO and Founder of Burlington Industries in the Washington, D.C. corporate office until its closure and relocation to Greensboro, N.C. Dee chose to remain in Washington and continued her professional career as secretary to United States Senators Willis Smith and his successor, Alton Lennon of North Carolina. From 1954 to 1956, she also served on the staff of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In 1957, Dee moved back to Greensboro and resumed her former executive secretarial position with Burlington Industries. Following the death of Mr. Love and the retirement of his successor, Dee ended her thirty-five year career at Burlington serving as their first Coordinator of Consumer Information. Dee’s second career began in 1987 when she joined the staff at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro as the Membership Secretary and held that position until her retirement in 2007.
Dee loved Greensboro where she led an active life of community involvement. Having joined First Presbyterian Church while a college student, Dee eventually immersed herself also in the educational, historical and cultural organizations of the city. She enjoyed memberships with the United Arts Council, the Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art, the Greensboro Opera Companions, the English Speaking Union and the Guilford County Chapter of the UNCG Alumni Association. As a volunteer, Dee served at the Greensboro Historical Museum, Moses Cone Hospital and as a leader of a local Brownie Scout Troop.
In addition to her parents, Dee was preceded in death by her sisters, Ruth C. Burke, Maxine C. Burkhead, Ellen C. Steere, Mary C. Smith and brothers, Joseph Banks Covington and John Alfred Covington. Surviving are nieces, Marylin Smith Fowler (Les), Doris Jean Covington LaCoss of Asheboro, N.C. and Emmeline Smith Severance of Lexington, N.C. Surviving are nephews, Edward Henry (Pete) Steere III (Tonya) of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Steven Craig Covington (Kathy) of Greenville, N.C., Paul Jefferson Burke, Jr. of Haw River, N.C. and Joseph Edward Covington of Davidson, N.C. In addition there are sister-n-law, Edith T Covington of Asheboro, NC, plus thirteen great nieces and nephews and their respective thirteen children.
The family would like to express gratitude to the caregivers and staff of All Generations Home Care of Asheboro, N.C. and to Hospice of Randolph County.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 617 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27401 and to Hospice of Randolph County, P.O. Box 9, Asheboro, N.C. 27204.
Hanes Lineberry Funeral Home of Greensboro, N.C. (Elm Street) is assisting the family with arrangements.
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