John Cherry

WILSON - John William "Bill" Cherry, Jr, 91, died Friday, June 15, 2007 Bill was born in a leap year - February 29, 1916 - and has now gone to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was a son of John W. and Mallie Cobb Cherry of Elm City and predeceased by a brother, Philip Cobb Cherry. A 1937 graduate of Wake Forest College in Wake Forest - later to become Wake Forest University - he was a member of Alpha Kappa Pi and secretary of the Pan-Hellenic Council while there. After graduation he served in World War II in the Pacific Theatre. He traveled aboard the Queen Mary for 40,000 miles finally to reach his destinations of Australia and New Guinea for his tour of duty. After the military he returned home to manage the family farms in Wilson and Edgecombe counties. At age 62 a new career path began as a serviceman for Rochester Midland Chemical Company where he worked until the age 85. He loved life and was always the first in the family to know of any new electronics whether it be cameras, televisions or motor vehicles. He brought much laughter to his family and all that knew him. Funeral, Sunday, 1:00 PM, Wilson Memorial Service, 2811 Fieldstream Drive, with a time of sharing to follow. Interment, Pineview Cemetery, Rocky Mount. Surviving is his wife of 62 years, Inez Carraway Cherry: daughter, Jill Conkwright (John) of Wilson: son, John "Jack" W. Cherry, III (Jane) of Hendersonville: grandchildren, John W. Cherry, IV, of Granite Quarry, Julie C. Edge (Allen) of Hendersonville, William Hughes Conkwright of Vilas: step-grandchildren, Michael Conkwright and Kathy Conkwright of Nashville, TN: great-grandchildren, Keegan and Nolan William Edge of Hendersonville. Also he leaves behind special friends, Linwood and Frances Griffin and Charles and Shannon Narron of Temperance Hall. Memorials are suggested to the John Cherry Memorial Fund, PO Box 7185, Wilson, NC 27895, or to the charity of one's choice. of Wilson; son, John "Jack" W. Cherry, III