Kermit Pike, Jr.

Burlington-Kermit Taft Pike, Jr. passed from this life to his eternal life with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, September 12, 2014. Kermit was born on April 27, 1934 the oldest of nine children to the late Kermit Taft Pike and Elsie Sadie Smith Pike. He was the husband of 60 years to Jean Isley Pike who survives. Kermit retired from AT & T after 37 years where he helped perfect an underwater listening device for the government and he was a veteran of the US Army. Kermit was an active member of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Burlington and a member of the Fellowship Sunday School Class. He was a former Boy Scout Leader, member of the Moose Lodge and a volunteer with the Telephone Pioneers of America. Kermit loved gardening and being outdoors and he always made the comment "I feel closer to God in nature". He spent many happy hours ballroom dancing with his wife and traveling. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, Papa and brother. He is survived by his wife, Jean Isley Pike of the home and a daughter, Melissa P. Forsyth and her husband, Jim Forsyth of Raleigh; granddaughter, Ashlea Dixon Fields and her husband, Michael Alex "Chuck" Fields also of Raleigh; great grandchildren, Brooke Alexis Fields and Caleb James Fields; brothers, James Pike and wife, Carolyn of Liberty and Marshall Pike of Greensboro; sisters, Nina P. Stout of Greensboro, Barbara Kivett and husband, Kenny of Liberty and Miss Brenda Pike of Liberty; sister-in-law, Mary Lee Pike of Liberty and a brother-in-law, Leach Murray of Liberty. Preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, a son, Kevin Stanley Pike; brother, Jerry Pike; sisters, Juanita P. Redding and Shirley P. Murray. A service to celebrate his life will be held on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at Noon at Emmanuel United Methodist Church by Rev. Kjersti L. Lockhart and burial will follow at St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery with military honors provided by the 82nd Airborne Division. The family will receive friends from 10:45-11:45 am prior to the service in the church parlor and other times at the home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 2331 La Vista Drive, Burlington, NC 27215 or Hospice and Palliative Care of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.