Reverend Sterling Moore Bargeron - REIDSVILLE - "Please, no flowers" were the only words "the Preacher" dictated for his obituary, and he insisted that these be the first words! Those of you who knew the Preacher will not be surprised by specific instructions like these. Rev. Bargeron passed away at the age of eighty-seven on September 13, 2011. Visitation will be held at Bradley B. Anderson Funeral Home in Reidsville on Friday, September 16th from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. The funeral will be held at the Reidsville Baptist Church on Saturday, September 17th at 11:00 a.m., with visitation at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. The burial service will be held at the Reidsville City Cemetery immediately following the funeral. Rev. Bargeron was born on April 14, 1924, in Sardis, Georgia, to Charles Thomas (C.T.) and Lillian Bargeron. He attended Berry College, Brewton-Parker Junior College, and then graduated from Mercer University in 1948. He married Thomasine McCoy 65 years ago on June 15th. During the late 1940's and early 1950's, he taught high school math and coached football, basketball, and baseball in Trion and Donaldsonville, Georgia, and Irmo, South Carolina. Rev. Bargeron was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister at the age of 18 and pastored churches in Georgia until 2006, including 26 years at the Reidsville Baptist Church. For several years in his mid-80's, he was a Hospice Chaplain in Tattnall and surrounding counties. This service provided him immense pleasure and a sense of purpose even while undergoing cancer treatment. He is survived by his wife, Tommie; his son, Robin, wife, Ravonda, and their children, Adelyn and Greyson; his daughter, Amy Dale, husband, Mark, and their son, Doug; by Terry Carter, wife, Theresa, and their children, Will, Savina, and Marin; by two sisters-in-law, Lillian Bargeron and Donna Murry; and also by 4 nieces and 2 nephews and 14 great-nieces and nephews. The family invites all to attend the visitation and funeral to celebrate Rev. Bargeron's love of God, family, friends, and life. He often said that he'd never had a morning that he didn't look forward to getting out of bed and starting the day. His sense of fun and adventure continued until the very end of his life on this earth, and by that his family feels exceedingly blessed. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Dr. Michael Choti's colon cancer research. Contributions in Rev. Bargeron's name can be made payable to Johns Hopkins University and sent to: Michelle Cohen, Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, Suite 422-A, 100 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201. www.bradleybanderson.com Bradley B. AndersonFuneral Home Reidsville Chapel
Published in Savannah Morning News on September 15, 2011