Harold William Dula

Harold William Dula entered his rest on Saturday, April 15th, 2017. Born November 13th, 1927 to Cloyd and Millie Corpening Dula, he was a native of the Dulatown community in Lenoir where he lived most of his life. One of eleven children, he attended school in Dulatown and eventually went to work in the local furniture industry. In 1952 he was drafted into the Army where he served as a Field Medic in Inchon, Korea until 1954. During his service he formed a quartet with three other African-American soldiers and they formed a show called the A-Frame Review, singing at service and officers clubs all over Korea. Eventually gaining the rank of Corporal, Harold received the Korean Service Medal, the U. S. Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Silver Star, and the Good Conduct Medal.
Harold returned from the war to Lenoir and the furniture industry where he worked as an upholsterer, and married Rosa Lee Forney. Together they had one daughter, Leslie Haroldean Dula. Harold was a loving and proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, who taught his descendants by word and by example how to love the Lord and how to love each other. He was lovingly known as “Unk” to a host of nieces, nephews, grand-neices, and grand-nephews, and as “Cousin Harold” to an even larger group of his kinspeople.
A lifelong member of Dulatown Presbyterian Church, Harold served as Clerk of Session, treasurer, elder, trustee, and a member of the choir and Men’s Chorus. The clear tenor voice that had entertained servicemen and had once taken him to second place at New York’s Apollo Theater blessed the Dulatown community for years as he sang songs such as “Jesus, Be a Fence” and “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.”
Harold was well known as family historian and archivist for the Dulas of Caldwell County. After reading the book “Roots”, he embarked on a lifelong quest to uncover and share the history that he had learned by listening to the stories that his grandfather, Edward Vine Dula, told him. He loved to tell stories of his great-grandparents, Harriet Harshaw and Alfred Dula, and he became an extraordinary source of Dula history for relatives as well as for local historical organizations such as the Caldwell Heritage Museum. In that role he met Dula descendents from all over the country and played an integral part in breaking racial barriers and bringing the larger family together. Harold defined family broadly, he loved deeply, and he was, himself, well-loved.
Preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosa Lee, Harold spent his last few years living with his daughter, Dr. Leslie Dula McKesson and her husband George, who survive him. He is also survived by his grandchildren Alton Michaux and wife Tiffany, Johnathon Michaux, Meredith Michaux, and Griffin McKesson. Also left to cherish his memory are Yolanda Holiday and husband Jay, Christopher Lytle, Justin Lytle, 13 great-grandchildren, including Jaylin Michaux of the home, two sisters Rosalee Patterson and Betty Boston, sisters-in law Lois Dula and Helen Dula, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
The family will receive friends on April 21st at 12:00 pm at Dulatown Presbyterian Church in Lenoir, followed by a 1:00 service with Rev. Harold J. Bennett officiating. Burial will follow at the Dulatown Cemetery, with military honors provided by the N.C. National Guard and the Caldwell County Veteran’s Honor Guard. The family is served by Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center.