James Wilford Venable

Mr. James Wilford Venable, 76, of 127 Honey Branch Lane, Ararat, passed away Monday, October 9, 2006, at Central Continuing Care. Mr. Venable was born December 30, 1929, in Surry County, to the late Coy Elzavan and Lottie Maude Sawyers Venable. Mr. Venable served our country in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. He was a retired farmer, retired from Larco Construction Company, and a member of Little Mountain Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sarah Frances Puckett Venable of the home; three daughters and sons-in-law, Kathy and Benny Watson, Kim and Tim Lazenby, and Karen and Bobby Morrison, all of Ararat; two sons and daughters-in-law, James Michael and Teresa Venable and Randy and Daphne Venable, all of Ararat; seven grandchildren and spouses, Melissa Venable of Raleigh, Tony and Stephanie Venable of Cana, VA, Kandi and David Wilson of Winston-Salem, and Tonya Venable, Krystal and Neil Simmons, Zack Haynes, and Zain Haynes, all of Ararat; a great grandson, Carson Simmons of Ararat; and three sisters and a brother-in-law, Peggy and David Sellers of Whiteville, Jackie Lanier of High Point, and Brenda Dunning of Mount Airy. In addition to his parents, Mr. Venable was preceded in death by three sisters, Josie O'Neal, Betty Tilley, and Cleo Taylor; and two brothers, Gilbert Venable and Ed Venable. The funeral service will be held Thursday, October 12, 2006, at 2:00 PM at Little Mountain Baptist Church. The service will be conducted by the Rev. Bill Watson and the Rev. Grover Jarrell. Burial will follow in the Little Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the VFW Memorial Honor Guard Post 2019 of Mount Airy and Post 9436 of Pilot Mountain. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home in Mount Airy, where his body will remain until carried to the church to lie-in-state 30 minutes before the funeral service. Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 401 Technology Lane, Suite 200, Mount Airy, NC 27030, or to Central Continuing Care, 1287 Newsome Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030.