R.G. "PETE" GURLEY
Nov. 19, 1936-Jan. 17, 2017
Raymond Glenwood "Pete" Gurley, longtime resident of Mount Olive, passed away early Tuesday morning, Jan. 17, at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. He was 80 years of age.
Visitation with the Gurley family will be Thursday, Jan. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, corner of East James and North Church streets in Mount Olive, and at other times, the family will be at the residence.
Funeral services will be Friday, Jan. 20, at 1 p.m. at the church. Officiating will be the Rev. Marti Hatch and Dr. H. Dennis Draper Jr., with a eulogy and personal reflections being offered by Jimmy Williams. Burial will follow at Wayne Memorial Park.
Mr. Gurley was a native of the Rosewood area of Wayne County.
His life was one of service to others -- his God, family, fellow educators, multitudes of students and his fellow man, whether neighbors, friends or fellow church parishioners.
He graduated from Rosewood High School, attended East Carolina University and was recipient of a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Arts degree and an advanced education degree.
He also participated in numerous environmental management, plant maintenance, plant design and wastewater treatment seminars, and was certified as a wastewater plant operator.
A retired educator, he spent 36 years in the public school system as a classroom teacher and coach, principal on the elementary, junior high and high school levels and as assistant superintendent, having served in Wayne, Nash, Greene and Hertford counties during his career.
Mr. Gurley had been a member of First United Methodist Church of Mount Olive since 1965. Here he served on the administrative board, and was past chairman, was past chairman of its board of trustees, past stewardship chairman, a longtime Sunday school teacher, past member of the Chancel Choir, a member of the Men's Choir and a member of the church's Peanut Crew.
At Southern Wayne Country Club, he was a charter member, and was past president of its board of directors.
He was a member of the Executive Club of Mount Olive, had served on the Wayne County Transportation Committee, was a former member of the Wayne Community Affairs Committee and was past president of Mount Olive United Way prior to its merging with Wayne County United Way.
He was a Jaycee, having been past president of the Mount Olive chapter, was past president of Mount Olive Rotary Club, a former member of the board of directors with the Wayne County chapter of the American Red Cross and was a member of the Wayne County Board of Education, having served 12 years on the board and was twice its chairman.
Too, he was past chairman of the board of directors for Wayne County Memorial Community Building.
He was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by former North Carolina Governor Bob Scott.
Mr. Gurley is survived by his wife, Joyce Crisp Gurley of the home; two daughters, Sharon Gurley Jeanes and husband, James Jeanes, of Mount Olive and Carolyn Gurley Rathbone of Dudley; four beloved grandchildren, Neal Owen Benton Jr., Emily Caroline Benton, Kelsey Rae Rathbone and Willis Brett Long Rathbone; a sister and brother-in-law, Martha Ann Gurley Ellis and Harold Ellis of Rosewood; sisters-in-law, Norma Lou Crisp of Greenville and Virginia Crisp Corbett of St. Augustine, Fla.; and other brothers-in-law, William Oscar Crisp Jr. and Allison "Al" Price Crisp both of Greenville.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Raymond Thaddeus Gurley and Mary Glenn Thompson Gurley, and a sister, Mary Ellen Gurley Dowdy and her husband, Frank Dowdy.
Floral tributes are welcome and so are memorial gifts to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 420, Mount Olive, N.C., 28365, or to the charity of one's choice.
A Tyndall Funeral Home service.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on January 18, 2017 9:57 AM