Reba Jean Aulbert

REBA AULBERT CHANGED HER ADDRESS ON MARCH 31, 2023. SHE’S IN HEAVEN TO AN AWAITING CROWD AFTER AN AMAZING 97 YEARS.

REBA WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 28, 1926 (ALMOST A LEAP YEAR BABY) IN WELCOME NC TO THE LATE LUTHER RALEIGH THOMAS AND MARY ETHEL HILL THOMAS. ALSO PRECEDING HER IN DEATH, THE LOVE OF HER LIFE, HAROLD ASHFORD “CHIP” AULBERT, HER SON HAROLD VAN AULBERT, GRANDDAUGHTER, ANSLEY RICE AULBERT WOLFFIS, HER SISTER PEGGY JOYCE THOMAS OWENS, BROTHERS JOHN WADE THOMAS, BRICE HILL THOMAS, STEPSISTER NANCY EPPERSON.

REBA ATTENDED ROBBINS SCHOOL IN LEXINGTON AND THOMASVILLE SCHOOL.

SHE WORKED AT KRESS DIME STORE IN HIGH POINT EARLY ON. THEN, DURING THE WAR, SHE WORKED WITH THE RECORD BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT IN HIGH POINT, LATER GOING TO GREENSBORO WITH THE ORD.

ONE SATURDAY, SHE WAS HANGING OUT WITH HER GIRLFRIENDS IN THOMASVILLE AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 16, WHEN A GROUP OF YOUNG MEN CAME BY, FLIRTING OF COURSE. CHIP WAS A BIT BRAZEN AND SAID SHE’S GONNA SIT BESIDE ME. WELL AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT SHE DID. HE TOLD HIS FRIENDS RIGHT THEN, “SHE’S WITH ME.” AND SHE WAS. THEY WERE MARRIED ON EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 5TH 1942 IN CHESTERFIED SC. THEY WERE TOGETHER UNTIL HIS PASSING IN AUGUST OF 2009 AFTER 67 YEARS. THEY RENEWED THEIR VOWS WHEN DAD WAS AT CLARE BRIDGE IN ALZHEIMER’S CARE. WHEN ASKED IF HE TOOK HER TO BE HIS BRIDE AGAIN, HE RESOUNDINGLY SAID YES. AN AMAZING LOVE STORY FOR THE AGES.

CHIP AND REBA LOVED TO TRAVEL TO THE BEACHES OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, ADVENTURES UP THE EAST COAST, TO NOVA SCOTIA, ACROSS THE USA TO THE WEST COAST, UP TO WASHINGTON AND OREGON, THE GRAND CANYON, VISITING THE PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS AND THE ONE MEMORABLE MOMENT AT THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE.

IN THE 60’S THEY MOVED TO WOODSTOCK, ONTARIO, CANADA AS CHIP WAS PART OF THE SET UP OF A NEW THOMAS BUILT BUS PLANT. REBA WAS NOT A FAN OF THE COLD AND SNOW. SHE TRIED WINTER SPORTS. FIRST TIME ON THE ICE RINK RESULTED IN A BROKE ARM. RETURNING BACK TO NORTH CAROLINA, REBA TRIED TENNIS-SPRAINED HER ANKLE THE FIRST TIME OUT-END OF THAT SPORT.

REBA LOVED FISHING. SHE AND POP AULBERT WOULD GO FISH AT THE LAKES AT COLONIAL, SURF FISH AT ALL THE BEACHES, PIER FISHING, WHERE SHE HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE BIGGEST BLACK DRUM CAUGHT IN JUNE 2000, WEIGHING IN AT 6 POUNDS.

FINALLY, SHE FOUND GOLF.

WHEN REBA STARTED PLAYING GOLF IT BECAME A WEEKLY SPORT. SHE AND CHIP WOULD PLAY. REBA, CHIP, VAN, AND TERRY WOULD BE THE FORMIDABLE FOURSOME. A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE JAMESTOWN LADIES GOLF ASSOCIATION. SHE MADE LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS WITH THE LADIES. WINNING AND TRAVELLING TO TOURNAMENTS. HER FAVORITE COURSE WAS DORAL GOLF. WHEN CLEANING OUT SOME OLD LUGGAGE, SHE FOUND SOME MONEY.” OH YEAH, THAT’S MY CARD PLAYING MONEY WITH MY GOLF BUDDIES.” REBA NEVER SAID BAD WORDS. BUT HER SON IN LAW DID GIVE A PHRASE TO USE WHEN THE BALL WENT THE WRONG WAY. STUFF HAPPENS, OR A VERSION OF THAT. WHEN SHE NO LONGER PLAYED, SHE BECAME AN AVID WATCHER OF ALL TOURNEMENTS.

REBA HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CAREGIVER, NURSE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DOCTOR OF THE FAMILY. SHE WAS ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF SOMEONE OR A PET. SHE LOVED HER PETS. FROM THE PIG HER MOM GAVE HER NAMED CHRISTMAS TO THE SICKLY EASTER CHICKEN THAT BECAME A ROOSTER NAMED CHESTER AND ALL THE CATS AND DOGS THRU HER LIFE. WITH ONE EXCEPTION, SQUIRELLS. THEY WANTED TO EAT THE CEDAR HOUSE SHE AND CHIP LIVED IN. SHE DID NOT ALLOW CHIP TO SHOOT THEM. SO, THEY GOT A TRAP. THIS BEGAN THE GREAT SQUIRELL CAPER. THEY WOULD TRAP THEM, RELEASE THEM AT THE GOLF COURSE AND COME DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. EXCEPT THE TIME THEM GOT ONE IN THE TRAP, PUT IT IN THE TRUNK, FORGOT TO GO TO THE GOLF COURSE AND WENT TO AN APPOINTMENT. OPPPS, THEY OPEN IT UP TO FIND A DEHYDRATED SQUIRELL. REBA GAVE IT WATER, ALWAYS THE NURSE/VET. IT CAME TO AND OFF TO THE GOLF COURSE THEY WENT.

AS CHIP’S ALZIHIEMERS PROGRESSED SHE STAYED DAILY WITH HIM AT CLARE BRIDGE. FEEDING HIM AND HOLDING HIS HAND. SHE AND GROUP OF OTHERS MET, FEEDING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. THEY FORMED A STRONG BOND AND WOULD GO OUT TO EAT AS A GROUP. THE FRIENDSHIPS AND MEMORIES CONTINUE TO THIS DAY.

AFTER CHIPS PASSING, SHE RELOCATED TO VILLAGE ONE AT PROVIDENCE PLACE. SHE IMMEDIATELY MADE NEW FRIENDS. DISCOVERED BINGO, FOR MONEY NO LESS. THAT QUARTER BAG COULD BE A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. MONTHLY TEAS. WEEKLY DEVOTIONS WITH RHONDA. AND WAS VOTED MOST FRIENDLY. AFTER GIVING UP DRIVING, REBA AND VAN WOULD HAD A SATURDAY ROUTINE. HE WOULD TAKE HER TO GET HER HAIR DONE, THEN THEY WOULD GO HAVE A CHINESE LUNCH, A HIGHLIGHT OF HER WEEK. ONE OF HER BEST FRIENDS, DELLA STROUD WOULD GO WITH REBA TO MONDAY NIGHT HYMN SINGING ALONG WITH ANY AND ALL EVENTS TOGETHER. THEY HAD TEAS, PARTIES, HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS AND RHONDA’S WONDERFUL MESSAGE EVERY THURSDAY MORNING. WHEN WE WOULD ASK MOM WHAT SHE HAD PLANNED DURING THE WEEK- “EVERYTHING I CAN” WAS THE ANSWER.

A MEMBER OF OAK HILL FRIENDS, SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE UNITY CLUB. THEY WENT ON EXCURSIONS TO THE MOUNTAINS, LEXINGTON BBQ, SOUTHERN SUPREME FRUITCAKE AND SO MANY MORE. SHE WAS USUALLY IN THE SHOT GUN SEAT OF JUDY B.’S RIDE. SHE AND CHIP WERE A PART OF ALL THINGS QUAKER. SHE LOVED HER CHURCH FAMILY.

IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022 REBA MOVED COASTAL TO ARBOR LANDING IN SHALLOTTE NC. ONCE AGAIN, SHE MADE NEW FRIENDS QUICKLY. BECAME PART OF THE DOLLIES DINING TABLE. THE KITCHEN STAFF LOVED HER. THEY LOVED FIXING HER A CHICKEN LEG. SHE LOVED THE FOLKS THERE.

FROM HAVING A RARE SKIN CONDITION, SURVING A BRAIN TUMOR, AND A CANCER SCARE, SHE POWERED ON TO HAVE A MOST REMARKABLE LIFE.

GOD & FAMILY IS HER GREATEST LOVE.

SO MANY MEMORIES OF DINNERS ON TUESDAY NIGHTS. HOLIDAY MEALS, COOKOUTS, BIRTHDAYS, MAKING ALL KINDS OF COOKIES WITH ANSLEY AND KELSEY. THEY HAD THEIR OWN APRONS AND UTENSILS. SHE WAS BLESSED WITH CHILDREN, GRAND CHILDREN AND GREAT GRAND CHILDREN. HOLDING EACH ONE MADE HER SMILE.

FOOD WAS A CLOSE SECOND TO THINGS SHE LOVED. IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, SHE DECEIDED THAT HER BIRTHDAY MEANT A BANANNA SPLIT, FROM THE HUGE VERSION IN LEXINGTON TO MAYBERRY’S TO THIS PAST FEBRUARY WHEN SHE WANTED A JAMMIE DAY. HER SON IN LAW, DANNY WHIPPED UP A HUGE BOWL IN HER APARTMENT. SHE ATE IT ALL. SHE NEVER MET A CHICKEN LEG, CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLED DONUT, A GOOD HOT DOG OR A BISCUITVILLE BISCUIT THAT DIDN’T FLING A CRAVIN’ ON HER.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY THE FAMILY THAT LOVES HER SO MUCH; DAUGHTER SUE AULBERT SNIPES (DANNY), DAUGHTER IN LAW TERRY AULBERT; THE GROUP THAT GAVE HER THE MOST IMPORTANT TITLE “GRAM”, GRANDDAUGHTERS KELSEY AULBERT HARRIS (CHUCK) AND SARAH BYRD (JON); GREAT GRANDS, COLBY WOLFFIS, GRAYLYN WOLFFIS, ETHAN DUMOULIN, SADIE DUMOULIN, LILY DUMOULIN, BENNETT BYRD, JENNA BYRD, BANKS BYRD, TORI HARRIS AND LUKE HARRIS; HER VERY SPECIAL NIECE, MARTY LIVINGOOD, WHO WAS REBA’S ANGEL AND A SECOND MOM TO MARTY; NEPHEW BILLY COLEMAN

A CELEBRATION OF REBA’S LIFE WILL BE HELD AT OAK HILL FRIENDS MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2023, AT 11:00 A.M. BY PASTOR JOHN SIDES. IF YOU ATTEND HER SERVICE, SHE ASKED THAT FOLKS

WEAR BRIGHT CLOTHING IN HER MEMORY AS SHE NEVER WANTED DRAB COLORS AND ALWAYS SHARE A SMILE AND A HUG

‘CAUSE SHE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU MORE MORE’

MEMORIALS MAY BE DIRECTED TO OAK HILL FRIENDS MEETING AT 2001 WESTCHESTER DR. HIGH POINT, NC 27262

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sechrestdavisphillipsavenue.com for the Aulbert family.