Lawrence “King” Tolley, age 86, of Island Ford Road, Forest City, NC, died Friday, August 16, 2013 at the Hospice House of Rutherford County.
Lawrence was born March 14, 1927 in McDowell County, West Virginia to the late Lawrence Allen Tolley and Martha Alice Tolley. He was a veteran of the US Navy having served on the Minesweeper USS Prime during World War II. He also served twenty-five years in Civil Service before retiring and was active in the Avery County Chapter of Disabled American Veterans for many years. He enjoyed trains, baseball and traveling but most of all he loved spending time with his family.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of forty years, Philomena Ann Tolley; son, Raymond Lamontagne; daughter, Patsy Flannagan; two brothers, Scott and Benjamin Tolley; three sisters, Vivian Cummings, Georgia Seim and Mat Davis.
Survivors include three daughters, Frankie Weddington of Fayetteville, Georgia, Carol Andrea Tolley of Columbia, SC and Melanie Angela Miller of Cliffside; brother, Patrick Tolley of Cranberry, NC; eighteen grandchildren, Miriam Simmons, Bryan Lamontagne, Patrick Lamontagne, Virginia Wilburn, Connie Flannagan, Katrina Smith, Gina Whaley, Lisa Beck, Angela Varisco, Kathleen Rutherford, Amanda King, Jennifer Jernigan, Lindsay Bradberry, Savannah Jernigan, Cory Hinkle, Crystal Hinkle, Nicholas Miller and Ashley Reid. He is also survived by twenty-nine great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 20th at the Harrelson Funeral Chapel with Reverend Glen Wilson officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the funeral home. A graveside service with military honors will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Cranberry Cemetery in Cranberry, NC.
Harrelson Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family.
