Laverne West Gilreath

LaVerne West Gilreath, 86, died peacefully Monday, February 2, 2009, at her home in Roanoke Rapids, NC. Visitation will be held at 1:30 pm Saturday, February 7, 2009, at Wrenn, Clarke, & Hagan Funeral Home, 1015 West 5th Street, Roanoke Rapids, NC. A funeral service will follow at 2:30 pm, officiated by Reverend C. B. Owens. A graveside service and interment will be held on Monday, February 9, 2009, at 1:00 pm at Riverside Cemetery, 1301 Riverside Drive, Macon, GA, officiated by Reverend James A. Meriwether. The service will be facilitated by Hart's Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Georgia Baptist Children's Home and Family Ministries, Inc., 505 Waterworks Road, Palmetto, Georgia 30268 or online at www.gbchfm.org. Born September 26, 1922, in Macon, GA, Mrs. Gilreath was the daughter of the late James Luther West and Lula Morrison West. She graduated from Miller High School and attended Wesleyan College. She and her husband were charter members of three churches: Highland Hills Baptist Church, Macon; Somerset Hills Baptist Church, Basking Ridge, New Jersey; and Sweetwater Baptist Church, Longwood, Florida. At the time of her death, she was a member of Dunwoody Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, James Thomas Gilreath; two daughters, Gail G. Mitchell of Pendleton, SC and Joan G. Gilstrap and her husband, Rick Gilstrap, of Roanoke Rapids, NC; 5 grandchildren, Julie G. Miller and her husband, Lance Miller, of Winston-Salem, NC; Claire G. McCaskill and her husband, Jamie McCaskill, of High Point, NC; James M. Mitchell and his wife, Kellie Mitchell, of Ft. Polk, LA; Joanna M. Page and her husband, John Page, of Charlotte, NC; and Lauren G. Baxter and her husband, Jason Baxter, of Durham, NC; and 8 great-grandchildren: Anna Kate, Laney, and Jackson Miller; Avery and Max McCaskill; Sarah and Elijah Mitchell; and West Page. Loving wife and mother, beloved "Muzzie" to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she will be missed, but has found joy in our Lord Jesus Christ. Online register is located at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary and Crematory, Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements.