Dudley, Harold Eugene

Harold Eugene (Gene) Dudley, 86, of Dublin, Va., passed away peacefully at his home on Thursday, February 24, 2011. He went to be with the Lord after a short illness. He was born on February 3, 1925, and lived most of his life in Prices Fork, Va. Harold was a tool-and-die marker, who retired from Electro-Tech in Blacksburg in 1988. Afterwards, he taught students the same skills at New River Community College for several years. He was a volunteer, for numerous years, with The Gideons International/Montgomery County Camp and Pulaski County Camp, distributing bibles and visiting prisons. He was a faithful member of the Gospel Light Baptist Church, Christiansburg. In 1943, at the age of 18, he joined the Coast Guard, which was under the United States Navy in World War II. He attended boot camp in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, N.Y., and Camp Lejeune, N.C. He served on two ships in the Pacific–the U.S.S. Aquarius and the U.S.S. Bayfield. He was a carpenter’s mate-first class, and was honorably discharged in 1946. He is survived by his loving wife, Elsie Duncan Dudley, of Dublin; and a sister, Suzanne Russell, of Lexington, S.C. Also by four children, Linda Dudley (Jerry Cherry), of Athens, Ga., Dori Smith (Rupert), of Palm Desert, Calif., Angela Helwig (Steve), of Bogart, Ga., and Darrell Dudley, of Athens, Ga. He has two special stepsons, Steve Duncan (Barbara), of Dublin, and Billy Duncan (Linda), of Radford. Harold had seven grandchildren, Roger Akers, of Cary, N.C., Stephanie Wirt, of Athens, Ga., Amanda Gland (Steve), of Christiansburg, Emily Thrasher (Michael), of Aiken, S.C., Stacey Akers (Jason Bridgman), of Matamata, New Zealand, Michael Slusher, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Kelly Combs, of Athens, Ga. Special stepgrandchildren are, Missy Hedge (Preston), of Hiwassee, Renee Duncan, of Pulaski, Regina Duncan, of Wytheville, Billy Duncan Jr. (Shellie), of Clayton, N.C., Ray Cherry (Mary), of Boyton, Va., Sara Nuckolls (Will), of Walkersville, Md., Ben Cherry (Rachel), of Bristol, Tenn., Chandler Smith, of Durham, N.C., and Trent Smith, of Cary, N.C. He had 18 great-grandchildren. On the Dudley side, Nicole Gland, of Christiansburg, Gia Thrasher, of Aiken, S.C., Leah and Drew Cherry, of Boyton, Va., David, Maliyah, and Malahkai Nuckolls, of Walkersville, Md., Nola and Lane Bridgman, of Matamata, New Zealand; and Samuel Smith, of Cary, N.C. On the Duncan side, Cody and Carley Hedge, of Hiwassee, Alex, Matthew, and Tanner Duncan, of Clayton, N.C., Joshua Duncan and Zackary Akers, of Dublin, and Erin Martin, of Lincolnland, Ill. Also left to treasure his memory are his special friend, Roger Adkins; his cousin, Arnold Olinger; and his caregivers, Cherry Kobia and Shirley McKinney. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen Snider and Frank Olinger, of Prices Fork; his sister, Priscilla Gwynn, of Prices Fork; and his first wife, Lee Dudley, of Athens, Ga. Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 26, 2011, at McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg. The funeral will be held 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Gospel Light Baptist Church, 1556 Gallimore Street, Christiansburg conducted by special Pastors Jerry Otey and Mike Coleman. Interment will be at the Snider Family Cemetery, Keister’s Branch Road, Prices Fork. In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations made to the Gospel Light Baptist Church or The Gideons International. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive, Blacksburg, Va., 540-552-3211.