Mrs. Irene Gilbert Gurganus | Eastern North Carolina Now

   Mrs. Irene Gilbert Gurganus, 82, of Greenville, died Saturday, March 30, 2013 at Harmony Hall with family by her side.

   The funeral service will be conducted Wednesday at 11 am at Wilkerson Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow in Pinewood Memorial Park.

   Mrs. Gurganus, daughter of the late Cleveland Dixie and Verda Sanders Gilbert, lived most of her life in the Greenville and Pactolus communities. She was employed with Carolina Telephone for 36 years retiring from Sprint in 1987. She was a member of First Free Will Baptist Church. She was active serving her church in various positions while she was able. She was member of the Carolina Telephone Pioneer Club, and the Pitt County Senior Olympics. For several years she held medals in shuffle board, horseshoes, frisbee golf, crochet, softball and football throw. She went on to compete on the state level. She also won a blue ribbon in eggshell crafts at the Carolina Show at Carolina Beach.

   Irene was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Norman Wesley Gilbert and Cleveland Dixie Gilbert, Jr.

   She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 63 years, David “Junior” Gurganus; daughter, Betty Irene Gurganus and husband, James Dale Smith, of Leland, NC; grandchildren, Crayton Dixon Smith, Rusty Smith and wife, Allison, and Andy Smith and wife, Tracy; four great-grandchildren; and sisters, Mamie Ruth Forrest, of Winston-Salem, and Verda Joyce Cherry (Glenn), of Kinston.

   The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wilkerson Funeral Home.

   Memorials may be made to First Free Will Baptist Church 2426 Charles Blvd., Greenville, NC 27858 or Continuum Home Care Hospice 704 M Plaza Blvd. Kinston 28501-1567.

   Irene died from complications of Lewy Body Dementia.