Rev. John H. Pace Sr.

: Rev. John H. Pace, Sr. of Quail Ridge Drive passed away on Thursday February 11, 2010 after a serious illness of three months. He served as pastor of Reeds Baptist Church in Lexington from June 1969 until his retirement in January, 1991. Funeral services will be conducted at Reeds Baptist Church at 3:00 PM Sunday, February 14, 2010 with Revs. David Williams, Morris Hollifield and Dr. John H. Pace, Jr. Interment will follow in Reeds Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 3:00 PM prior to the service at Reeds Baptist Church and at other times at the home on Quail Ridge Dr. Rev. Pace was born January 13, 1926 to Seth L. and Nettie Simmons Pace in Pickens, SC. He attended the local schools and graduated from Pickens High School in 1943. He was a veteran of World War II, having served with the 14th Armored Division in the European Theater of Operations. He was awarded the European-African service medal with two bronze stars, World War II Victory medal, and the European Army of Occupation Medal. He was wounded in action and received the Purple Heart. He attended Furman University in Greenville, SC, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration. Following graduation he worked for the U.S. Postal Service for five years. He began his theological studies in September, 1956 at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and completed his studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary at Wake Forest, NC in 1959. During his service in the ministry he served seven churches. They are Arlington Street Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, NC as minister of music. He served as pastor at Blandwood Baptist Church, Rocky Mount, NC, Fork Shoals Baptist Church, Pelzer, SC, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Greer, SC, Marietta First Baptist Church, Marietta, SC, Reeds Baptist Church, Lexington, NC and served as interim pastor at Park Place Baptist Church in Thomasville, NC. He was very active in the work of the Liberty Baptist Association, and served 4 years as member of the General Board of the North Carolina Baptist State convention as well as numerous other ways in the state and local service. He has compiled and authored two books of church history, one of Reeds Baptist Church, and the other of New Friendship Baptist Church, each of them in the Liberty Baptist Association. Rev. Pace was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Dwight, Hoyt, Edgar and Donald Pace and three sisters, Aldine P. Brown, Rosalie P. Jones and Azilee Pace. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Bobbie S. Pace, two daughters, Pamela P. Hines and husband Ron of Lexington, NC and Carolyn P. Smith and husband Bill of Clemmons, NC, two sons, Dr. John H. Pace, Jr. and wife Dawn Hill Pace of Terry, Mississippi and Stephen L. Pace and wife Tammy Leonard Pace of Lexington, NC, nine grandchildren, David Hines, Christopher Hines, Allison Hines, Ashley Smith, Jonathan Pace, Andrew Pace, Caleb Pace, Seth Pace and Jordan Pace and 3 great grandchildren, Tyler Hines, David Hines and Brooklyn Allen. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages that memorial gifts be made to the New Building Fund at Reeds Baptist Church, 180 Reeds Baptist Church Rd., Lexington, NC 27295