JOHN O. ACREE -- March 25, 1932– June 24, 2005
John
Ogden Acree, 73, died Friday at Wayne Memorial Hospital.The funeral will be held 5 p.m. Monday at New Hope United Methodist Church. The Rev. Hunter Preston will officiate. Following the service, friends and family will gather to celebrate John's life at the home of Mike and Cyndi Acree, 155 S. Marion Dr., Goldsboro. A private graveside service will be held Tuesday at Wayne Memorial Park.
John was born in Petersburg, Va., and was the son of the late John O. Acree Sr. and the late Ruth Wynn Acree. He was a Korean War veteran and graduated from West Virginia University before pursuing a career in Sales and Marketing. John moved to Goldsboro in 1990 with his wife, Betty, and became an active member of New Hope United Methodist Church, where he served in several positions including Administrative Council Chairman, Pastor Parish Chairman, and choir member.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Betty Reed Acree; three sons and daughters-in-law, John and Cami Acree of Norfolk, Va., Steve and Mary Acree of Bexley, Ohio, and Mike and Cyndi Acree of Goldsboro; a sister, Jean Bryan of Havelock; five grandchildren, Mitch Acree, Mrs. Cora Acree Proctor, Ellen Acree, Kevin Acree, and Erin Acree; one great-grandson, Austin.
Memorial donations may be made to New Hope United Methodist Church, 200 E. New Hope Road, Goldsboro, N.C., 27534.
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The
grief that was felt throughout the church when our dear friend and often
confidant John Acree (lovingly known in the choir as “Jiggy John”) passed
away was indeed difficult. But little did we know that he would continue
to be with us with that same fun-loving spirit that we knew at choir practice. It
only took one practice to know he was going to visit us and keep us on
our toes. Hope finally got usR &
R singers (Rowdy but Reverent) to settle down and get ready to sing. However, when
she sat down to play and turned on her piano light, the light began to
wink and blink. She mumbled under her breath that she didn’t know what
was wrong with her light as the rest of us continued in our reverent stance
and watched. However,
as she bopped it on one side and then the other, we began to slip from
reverent to rowdy again. It was when Mike spoke up that the light quit
blinking … ”Well,”
he said, “there’s Pop; he is still winking and flirting and holding
up choir practice”. We
eventually went back to practice—but not before blinking back a tear and
having agood love filled laugh. His
spirit lives on at New Hope United Methodist Church and in the hearts and
memories of all who knew and loved him. I know there will be many times
that we’ll have little things happen at choir practice and we’ll say “there’s
Jiggy John…he’s here to say “I love you” and remind us what life is really
all about. Carla Bedford |