James Cecil

James Matthew Cecil Jr., 63, of Midway, died Monday, March 27, 2006. A service will be Thursday, March 30 at 2 p.m. at Davidson Funeral Home, Hickory Tree Chapel. Mr. Cecil was born in Baltimore, Md., on Sept. 8, 1942, to James M. Cecil Sr. and Kate Elizabeth Payne Dantre. He served with the 44th and 54th Artillery United States Army during the Vietnam War. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device 1960. After leaving the military, he worked for AMF in Washington, D.C., for three years then moved back to North Carolina and worked for Long Engineering Co. for seven years, Schlitz Brewery for five years and then retired from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Surviving are his loving wife, Meka June Cecil; his stepmother, Peggy L. Cecil of Midway; his stepfather, Alex Dantre of Raleigh; one son, Robert Dean Cecil of South Carolina; one grandchild, Brandon L. Cecil of Greensboro; two brothers, Anthony Payne Cecil of Asheville and Alex Jefferson Dantre and his wife, Ann, of Watkinsville, Ga.; two sisters, Monica J. Cecil and Lisa R. Cecil, both of Midway; very special uncle and aunts, L.C. and Charlotte Beckerdite, Dorothy Robbins of High Point and Ruth Brinkley of Winston-Salem; and numerous special cousins. Donations may be made in memory of James M. Cecil Jr. to the American Cancer Society, 1900 South Hawthorne Road, Suite 462, Winston-Salem, NC 27103, phone 768-1224, or to the charity of the donor's choice. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 Wednesday at the funeral home.