LUCINDA P. GURLEY
Sept. 23, 1956-March 27, 2009
CLINTON -- Lucinda "Cindy" Parnell Gurley, 52, left this earthy life the morning of Friday at her home and went to meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
A service to celebrate her life and home-going will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dr. Ed Gunter and the Rev. Hugh Cameron officiating. Burial will follow at Wayne Memorial Park in Goldsboro.
Cindy was born in Durham to Malcolm C. and Grace S. Parnell. In 1978, Cindy graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing and began her nursing career at Durham County General working in labor and delivery. Cindy discovered her gift and life-mission for teaching in 1980 when she began a new career as a nursing instructor at Sampson Community College in Clinton where she had the opportunity to help shape the lives of many area nursing students. In 1987, she earned a master's degree in nursing from East Carolina University, was named the Outstanding Nursing Graduate Student, and was inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society. Cindy continued her career at Sampson Community College where she became the Division Chair of Healthcare Programs, a position she held until her early medical retirement in 2007.
Her love of teaching extended outside the classroom, as she very willingly tutored students desiring further study. In addition to her nursing students Cindy was a long-time Sunday School and Bible Study teacher for high school students, young people, and adults at First United Methodist Church. She also served on the Staff-Parish committee, chaired the Vision 2000 committee, and was a founding member of the Stephen's Ministry at First Church.
She is survived by her husband of 28 years, Claude Daniel "Dan" Gurley; a son, Adam Daniel Gurley of Phoenix, Ariz.; her parents, Malcolm and Grace Parnell of Raleigh; a sister, Margaret Anne Parnell of Wilmington; a brother, Malcolm Currie Parnell Jr. and wife, Kim, of Alpharetta, Ga.; nephews, Alexander K. Vincent and James W. Vincent of Wilmington; Malcolm C. Parnell III of Alpharetta, Ga.; and niece, Katherine Blair Parnell of Alpharetta, Ga.; Shirley Branson, close family friend and faithful companion; and Luci, her beloved peek-a-poo.
The family will receive friends at Royal-Hall Funeral Home, Clinton today from 6 until 8 p.m., and other times at her home at 204 Fox Lake Drive, Clinton.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 208 Sampson St., Clinton, N.C. 28328, or to the Lucinda Parnell Gurley Nursing Fund c/o Sampson Community College, P.O. Box 318, Clinton, N.C. 28328.
Condolences may be sent through www.royalhallfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on March 29, 2009 11:01 AM