Cherryville - Mr. Donald Franklin Lavery, 82, of Cherryville Hwy., died
peacefully in his home on October 22, 2015.

Don was born January 18, 1933 to John Lavery and Estelle Murray Lavery
Craft. Don graduated from Waco High School and served in the United States
Army from 1954-1956 during the Korean Conflict and was stationed in Germany.
Don was a retired truck driver and drove for Aker Motor Lines, Custom
Transport, Carolina Freight and Foothills Trucking. Aside from driving
trucks, he drove church buses and the Cherryville High School band truck for
many years. Don was an active member at Anthony Grove Baptist Church in
Crouse, where he was a lay minister and active on prayer teams and a member
of the Barnabas Sunday School Class. Don was a member of Cherryville
Masonic Lodge #505 A.F. & A.M. for over 50 years and Cherryville American
Legion Post 100. Don enjoyed serving the Lord in many ways, from helping
neighbors out with lawn mowers to mission trips. He was active in the NC
Baptist Disaster Cooking team. He had a passion for missions from Honduras
to Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina Relief up
until a few years ago, when his health started to decline. Don had a
passion to keep living no matter the difficulties he faced. When he couldn't
get out, he took to the kitchen making brownies for any one on any occasion.


In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his stepfather, John
W. Craft, Sr.; two brothers, Kenneth Lavery, and William Craft and a sister,
Elisabeth Odell.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Wilma "Willie" Willis Lavery of the
home; four daughters, Donna Lavery of Cherryville, Barbara Hill and husband
Paul of Statesville; Anita Lowe and husband Neal of Lynchburg, VA; Carol Ann
Hoard and husband Joel of Shelby; a brother, Klent Craft of Cherryville;
Don's pride and joy were his grandchildren: Paula and Mindy Hill and fiancé,
Marcus Abernathy, Brandon, Grayson and Allena Lowe, and Lavery and Will
Hoard. Don had an "extra daughter" and special friend in Jeri and Rob
Pasour.

Visitation will be will be on Saturday, October 24, 2015 from 2:00PM to
3:45PM at Anthony Grove Baptist Church in Crouse

Funeral Service will be held at 4:00PM on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at
Anthony Grove Baptist Church, with Dr. Dennis Bean and Rev. Ken Faulkenbury
officiating.

Burial will be at Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Cherryville with
Military Rites by Cherryville American Legion Post 100 and Masonic Rites by
Cherryville Masonic Lodge at the graveside.

Memorials may be made to Anthony Grove Baptist Church Building Fund, 100
Anthony Grove Church Rd., Crouse, NC 28033 or to Hospice of Cleveland
County, 951 Wendover Heights Dr. Shelby, NC 28150.

A guest register is available at www.stameycherryvillefuneralhome.com

Stamey-Cherryville Funeral Home & Cremation Service is serving the family of
Mr. Lavery.