Ernest Matthew Church Sr.

Ernest Matthew “Fireball” Church Sr., 70, went to be with the angels, Monday, July 16, 2007, at Brian Center of Lexington, after declining health of two years. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Davidson Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. James Byrd. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Memorial Park. Mr. Church was born on April 6, 1937, in Boomer Township, Wilkes County, NC, to Everett Church and Leona Miller Church. He was of the Baptist faith and retired from Dixie Furniture. Surviving are his sons, Ernest M. Church Jr. and wife, Robin, of Lexington, and Eric Shane Church of Salisbury; daughters, Teresa Owensby and husband, Danny, of Mooresville, April Hamby and partner, Ellen Miller, of Midway, and Mary Lou Church and partner, Tony Tysinger, of Lexington; seven grandchildren, Adam Barnes, Brandi Hamby, Cody Johnson, Colton Johnson, Samantha Spears, Tricia Burns, and Joseph Partin; brother, Vernon Church; sisters, Dorthy Tickle of West Virginia, and Daphne Byrd of Lexington; and former wife and friend, Yvonne Wilson and her husband, Chub. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and other times at 5436 Highway 52, Lexington.