Reverend Nease, Jr.

Lake Junaluska-Reverend Dr. Edgar Harrison Nease, Jr., age 80, of Lake Junaluska, NC, died Monday, October 18, 2004 at Givens Health Care Center in Asheville. He was born in Durham, NC on March 27, 1924, son of the late Dr. Edgar Harrison Nease, Sr., and Mabel Winkler Nease. A graduate of Central High School in Charlotte, NC, he graduated from Duke University and Duke Divinity School. While at Duke he was active in Kappa Alpha Fraternity, associate director of Duke Chapel Choir and tenor soloist. He directed the Duke Divinity Choir and was tenor soloist for the traveling Duke Glee Club. At Duke, he was elected to ODK leadership fraternity, was president of the Freshman Advisory Council, and president of his senior class. During his ministerial career, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from High Point University in 1967. His first appointment in the Western North Carolina Conference was as associate minister at Central United Methodist Church in Asheville. Following this, he was appointed to Memorial UMC in Kannapolis where he organized and built the first phase of the church. He served Abernethy UMC, Asheville, as their first full-time minister. From there he served churches in Asheboro, Valdese, Rutherfordton, High Point and then District Superintendent of the High Point District. In 1970 he was appointed Executive Director of Lake Junaluska Assembly for seven years, followed by other appointments to First UMC Hickory, Dilworth UMC Charlotte, then as Senior Minister at Central UMC in Asheville, having begun and finished his active ministry at the same church. He retired in 1989. After his retirement, he served Clyde Central UMC for five years completing a building program. Following his "second" retirement, he organized the Chaplaincy program at Haywood Regional Medical Center, serving as Senior Chaplain for five years. While active in the WNC Conference he served on many boards including the executive board of The Children's Home in Winston Salem, the Methodist Home in Charlotte for 33 years, and the former WNCC Credit Union. He was Registrar for the WNC Conference Board of Ministerial Training, Chairman of the WNC Conference Board of Hospitals and Homes and returned as Vice-Chairman of the Health and Welfare Board from 1980 to 1989. He chaired the WNC Coordinating Council, the Board of Evangelism, and the Board of Discipleship, and was the only clergy person to serve on the Study Commission of Elementary Education, U.S. Dept. of Education, Washington, D.C. He was speaker on many college campuses including the New Orleans Baptist Seminary, and the Logan Preaching Mission in 1987. He enjoyed golf and music, and was an avid sports fan, but his greatest passion was serving wherever he was appointed by the Western NC Conference. Dr. Nease was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Mabel Ruth Miller; and his son, Eddie. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marianna Caldwell Nease; a daughter, Marilynda Nease of Richmond, VA; three nephews and five nieces. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 23, 2004 at the First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, with the Reverend Drs. W. Lyn Sorrells, John H. Christy, Jr., Robert Little, and John Davis officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service, at the church. Members of the Asbury Sunday School class will serve as honorary pallbearers. Interment will be at Evergreen Cemetery, Charlotte, NC. An additional memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, October 25, 2004 at Dilworth UMC, Charlotte, NC, with the Reverend Drs. Frank Ison and Kenneth Lyon officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service, at the church. Memorials may be made to Givens Estates, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803. Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Waynesville is in charge of arrangements.

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