Rev. Harvey Yates Criminger, Jr.

The Rev. Harvey Y. Criminger, Jr., 84, formerly of Salisbury, died Thursday, July 4, at Winston Salem Nursing and Rehab after an extended illness. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, July 7, at First Baptist Church in Salisbury, by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Lance. Burial will follow at Jerusalem Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday prior to the funeral service. Rev. Criminger was born March 6, 1929 in Mecklenburg County to Harvey Yates Criminger and Miriam Rebecca Wherry Criminger. He was a graduate of Berryhill High School in Charlotte, Mars Hill College and Baylor University. He later graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and was ordained at his home church, Pritchard Memorial Baptist in Charlotte. Rev. Criminger served at Sharon Baptist and Fairview Baptist in Reidsville, Finley Baptist in Finley, ND, Piney Fork Baptist in Gretna, VA, Ramoth Gilead Baptist in Elizabeth City and lastly, Jerusalem Baptist Church in Mocksville until his retirement. His wife, Peggy Peters Criminger, preceded him in death, as well as his parents; his step-mother, Ruby Criminger; and his son-in-law, Keith Johnson. He is survived by his son, Dan Criminger of Greenville; his daughters, Jane Johnson of Lexington and Betsy Lowery (Jeff) of Helena, AL; his sisters, Lottie West (Ernest) and Connie Hamilton of Charlotte; and his grandchildren, Kristen Boyle (Dean) of Winston Salem, Matt Johnson of Lexington, and Dawn and Andrea Lowery of Helena, AL. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Salisbury, 223 N. Fulton Street, Salisbury NC 28144 or to Alzheimer’s Association Western Carolina Chapter, 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215