Homer “Buddy” Brown Tolbert Jr., died Saturday, March 29, 2025, at home with his family by his side.

Buddy was born in Iredell County, N.C., on October 9, 1938, to the late Homer Brown Tolbert Sr. and Nellie Tucker Tolbert. He graduated from Troutman High School in 1956 and from Mars Hill College in 1959. He attended Wake Forest University from 1959-1960. He worked as a shipping supervisor at Draymore from 1960-1998 and at Freightliner from 1999-2013. He served in the National Guard from 1961-1967.

He was a lifetime member of Cleveland First Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon, and he was a member of the Lions Club. He enjoyed softball, gardening, crossword puzzles, attending and pulling for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and watching Gunsmoke.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Carolyn T. Jordan.

Those left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 60 years, Elizabeth Ann Talbert Tolbert; daughter, Angela “Angie” T. Cherry; grandsons, Matthew Dean Cherry and Tyler Austin Cherry; brother, Carl Tolbert (Mary); brother-in-law, Carroll Jordan; and uncle, Jimmy Tolbert.

He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He loved his grandsons, Tyler and Matthew, very much. He was a man of strong Christian faith, and he loved life. He will be missed.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, at Cleveland Baptist Church with Rev. Kestler Ruth and Rev. Keith Mason officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will visit with friends prior to the service from 2 until 3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cleveland Baptist Church, 200 Maple Street, Cleveland, NC 27013.

Troutman Funeral Home is honored to serve the Tolbert family.