Wayne County, NC - Ernest James Pipkin Memorial ¤¤¤¤¤¤ ERNEST JAMES PIPKIN Ernest James Pipkin, son of Moses and Cynthia Coats Pipkin was born March 23, 1884 in Wayne County, where he lived his entire life. He was married to Hettie Rose Pipkin, and they were the parents of five children: Lillian Potts, Margaret Thigpen, Rose Ginn and Edna Price, all of the Mount Olive area, and John M. Pipkin now of Guilford College. For thirty years Ernest Pipkin taught the Adult Sunday School Class and served as superintendent of Rhodes Friends Church, which was named for his wife's family. He and his family were dedicated to the Church and to helping people in the community who were sick and needy. As evidence of their faithfulness they always welcomed visiting ministers, friends and family in their home for days or weeks at a time. In the early years many of the members moved away or died leaving a small membership at the Church. Therefore, for a period between 1920 and 1940 the Church's survival depended on Ernest and his family. His daughter Lillian, played the organ, his wife taught the Beginners Class and the rest of the family participated in other ways. He and his son John made pews for the sanctuary from lumber from home grown cypress trees, as well as making all necessary repairs along the way. Even in later years he kept an active interest in the Church, and in 1968 when land was needed for a parsonage for the Church's ministers, he and his wife gladly gave the land. The welcome for visitors was still there and those who came to visit an aging Ernest and Hettie will surely remember their warmth and the homemade pound cake and coffee which was served as they sat around the kitchen table. Living to be eighty-six years of age, he died on his birthday, March 23, 1970. Ernest is buried beside his wife of sixty-four years in Wayne Memorial Park. In his death the community lost a tower of strength but the Lord received His own. Written by their daughter, Edna Pipkin Price ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Dorothy Price Holt ___________________________________________________________________