JAMES E. WOOTEN
Oct. 9, 1922-Feb. 11, 2011
James Edward Wooten at the age of 88 departed this earthly home for his eternal home with his Lord and Savior on Feb. 11, 2011. He died peacefully with his wife and his family by his side at Wayne Memorial Hospital.
A service to celebrate his life will be held on Monday, Feb. 14, at 2 p.m at Stoney Creek Church. The Revs. Gary M. Bailey, Frank Flowers, Barry Williamson and James "Jimmy" Elton Wooten will officiate. Interment will follow in the Pikeville Cemetery.
Mr. Wooten was born Oct. 9, 1922, in Wayne County to the late James A. and Ellen Herring Wooten.
Mr. Wooten was a faithful and dedicated member of Stoney Creek Free Will Baptist Church. There he served as a deacon since the early 1950s. He served his church as Sunday School superintendent, trustee, and music director for 30 years. For 10 years, Mr. Wooten was the lead singer in the Wooten Family Quartet.
Having spent most of his life working in the tobacco industry, Mr. Wooten retired with 45 years of service, most recently Universal Leaf Tobacco Company. He was a charter member of the Belfast Fire Department and actively served the department for 20 years. He was honored as the "1975 Honorary Fireman of the Year," was instrumental in the organization of the Wayne County Firemen's Association, the Firemen's Brotherhood Fund, and the Belfast Boy Scout Troop 18. He was an active member of the Pikeville Lions Club for many years. Mr. Wooten was a strong supporter of the Charles B. Aycock High School Music Department as well as Mount Olive College.
Mr. Wooten is survived by Marjorie Combs Wooten, wife of 26 years; daughters, Carolyn Wooten Thornton (Preston), of Mount Olive; Renette Wooten Dupree (Steve), of Sanford; step-daughter, Rhonda Lancaster Nichols (Greg) of Pikeville; son, Jimmy F. Wooten (Brenda) of Goldsboro; and stepson, Mark Lancaster (Bonnie) of Pikeville; 11 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; a brother, John Wooten (Nina); a sister-in-law Edna Jones Wooten, of Goldsboro, and several special nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Wooten was preceded in death by his first wife, Ida Pope Wooten; a sister, Marie Wooten Peele and husband, Robert; a brother, Robert (Bob) Wooten; and a granddaughter, Leah Sage Gore.
Pallbearers will be Tyler Lancaster, Brett Lancaster, Benjamin Nichols, Jimmy Dupree, Tally Dupree and Brandon Wooten.
The family will receive friends at Seymour Funeral Home today, Feb. 13, 2011, from 2 until 4 p.m., and other times at the home, 104 Ashley Ave., Goldsboro, NC 27530.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Stoney Creek FWB Church General Fund, 752 Stoney Creek Church Road, Goldsboro, NC 27534, or the James E. Wooten and Marjorie Combs Wooten Music Endowment Fund at Mount Olive College, 634 Henderson St., Mount Olive, NC 28365.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on February 13, 2011 11:07 AM