BY MIKE FUHRMAN

2021 will remembered for years as a year of great loss for families across Iredell County.

We lost too many people — too many to COVID-19, to accidents, to crime, to mental illness and to drug overdose.

We lost too many children — from babies to teenagers — and too many young adults. Too many people in our community died in the prime of their lives. Too many young parents and too many young grandparents were gone too soon.

We lost captains of industry, dedicated educators, first responders, a martial arts guru, devoted moms and proud soccer dads. We lost veterans, truck drivers, adventurers, big thinkers and free spirits. 

Since we launched Iredell Free News in January 2016, we have published thousands of obituaries at no cost to families and funeral homes. While we are proud to honor the lives of those who call Iredell County home, we are sorry that we published so many tributes in 2021.

Here are links to 50 of our most read obituaries in 2021: