Rev. William Louie Wease Sr., 93, of Statesville, N.C., passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at Carolina Caring Hospice facility in Newton, N.C. He was born in Lincoln County, N.C., on July 19, 1930, to the late C.C. Wease and the late Annie Mae Shrum Wease.
He was raised on a farm and attended Lincolnton High School. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953 and married his wife of 71 years, Lois Bolding Wease, on March 28, 1953. Rev. William attended Fruitland Bible College, where he obtained his minister degree. His ministry started at the Pearl Baptist Church in Iron Station, N.C., and would go on to span more than 60 years as a minister. He also served at Pleasant View Baptist Church in Morganton, N.C., Zion Baptist Church of Morganton, N.C., Brushy Fork Baptist Church of Boone, N.C., and Hebron Baptist Church of Statesville, N.C., from where he first retired. He later served at Linney’s Grove Baptist Church of Hiddenite, Union Chapel Baptist Church of Statesville, and Taylor Springs Baptist Church of Union Grove, N.C., where he last preached in December of 2023.
Besides being a full-time minister, he was active in many communities. He was the Chaplain at the Lincoln County Rescue Squad and served as a fill-in Chaplain at Iredell Memorial Hospital, and at the prison camp in Iredell County. He also served as Chaplain and was on the Board of Directors of the Ebenezer Fire Department. He enjoyed preaching, driving trucks, and meeting his friends at Carolina Café for morning fellowship.
He was a member of Hebron Baptist Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by seven brothers and sisters.
Along with his wife, he is survived by his two sons, William “Bill” Wease Jr. (Janet) of Morganton and Allen Wease (Phyllis) of King, N.C.; his grandchildren, Angie Link (Chris) and Nathan Wease (Heather); his step-grandchildren, David Moxley (Linda), and Rusty Hollifield (Christina); a brother, Hugh Wease (Cynthia) of Greenville, N.C.; and five great grandchildren.
A service to celebrate the life of Rev. Wease will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at Hebron Baptist Church with Rev. Darren Johnson, Rev. Robin Miller, and Rev. Ralph Gross officiating. Full military honors will follow the memorial service. The family will visit with friends following the services. Burial will follow on a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Carolina Caring Hospice, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC 28658 and to all the churches where Rev. Wease preached, including Pearl Baptist Church of Iron Station, N.C., Pleasant View Baptist Church of Morganton, N.C., Zion Baptist Church of Morganton, N.C., Brushy Fork Baptist Church of Boone, N.C., Hebron Baptist Church of Statesville, N.C., Linney’s Grove Baptist Church of Hiddenite, Union Chapel Baptist Church of Statesville, N.C., and Taylor Springs Baptist Church of Union Grove, N.C.
Troutman Funeral Home is serving the family.
Well done, thou good and Faithful Servant. You will be missed, but we all shall meet again.
Reverend Wease was truly a man of God. I met him in the late 1970s and our paths kept crossing through the years. The last place I saw him was when he was ministering at Statesville Place. Reverend Wease never changed. He was always kind and caring. What a blessing to our community!