Sam Ervin Wakefield

Sam Ervin Wakefield, 82, of the Oak Hill Community in Morganton, NC passed away unexpectedly Sunday, September 15, 2013. Sam was born on December 7th, 1930 in Burke County to the late Thomas Edgar Wakefield, Sr. and Atha Bama Cox Wakefield.Sam was a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from1948 to 1952. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1987 and enjoyed a fulfilling retirement spending time with family, friends, gardening, and serving his community.Sam’s community service was varied and extensive. For many years he coached midget football at Oak Hill and Little League baseball at Morganton. He was an active member of the Oak Hill Ruritan Club. Sam served 2 terms on the Burke County School Board. He was a volunteer at City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium (CoMMA) and Burke County Hospice & Palliative Care.Sam was a dedicated Christian and shared his faith with others in many ways. He was a faithful member of Oak Hill United Methodist Church where he actively participated in the Mabel Harbison Sunday School Class, was a choir member for many years, taught Sunday School, and worked on mission projects. He was involved in the men’s group and enjoyed working on their many construction projects. Sam was known for purchasing and giving Daily Walk Bibles to family and friends as another way of sharing his faith.Sam was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and showed interest and took great pride in everyone’s lives and accomplishments. He enjoyed camping trips with his family and attended countless sporting and other events supporting his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren throughout the years . Sam always taught by example instilling the values of honesty, respect, and service to others.He will be remembered for his smiles, hugs, and kind words by all who knew him.Sam is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lorece Virginia Burleson Wakefield of the home; children, Gail Clark of Morganton, Michael Wakefield and his wife, Glenda of Valdese, Joel Wakefield and his wife, Sherry of Morganton and Susan Allison and her husband, Greg of Cary; sister, Dorothy Reams and her husband, Carlisle of Columbia, SC; grandchildren, Traci, Talon, Daniel, and Able Wakefield, Grace Warren, Kenneth, Gregory and Tim Clark, Chelsea and Marc Wakefield and Brittain, Nathan and Hannah Allison; and eleven great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, Sam was preceded in death by siblings, Lola Small, Lena Haigler, Katheline Stallings, Edgar Wakefield, Jr., Virginia Barrier Thompson, Mac Wakefield, Hazel Finch, Atha Lambert, Lucille Wakefield, Barbara L. Wakefield, and Dan Wakefield; and a son-in-law, K. Harold Clark.The funeral will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, September 20, 2013 at Oak Hill United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mike Wakefield and the Rev. David Lawrence officiating. Burial will follow in Mtn. Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery with military honors provided by the N.C. National Guard. The family will receive friends Thursday night from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Oak Hill United Methodist Church Impact Building.Memorial contributions may be made to the Oak Hill United Methodist Church Building Fund, 2239 NC 181, Morganton, NC 28655 or to the Mountain Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery Fund, 3625 Fish Hatchery Road, Morganton, NC 28655.Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.