Jonah Titus (J.T.) Drye

Obituary: Reverend J. T. Drye, of 5130 Trinity Church Rd., Kannapolis, North Carolina died Wednesday November 18, 2009 at the age of 91. Services for Reverend Drye will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 21 in the Chapel of Whitley's Funeral Home in Kannapolis with Rev. Charles Savage officiating. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Friday, November 20 at Whitley's Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the residence. Born December 9, 1917 in Cabarrus Co., Rev. Drye was a son of the Late Jonah T. Drye, Sr. and the Late Pattie Melton Drye. He was a WWII veteran of the US Army. He fought through the European Theatre of operation as a Machine Gunner. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and 6 other medals. While in Germany he was honored as Soldier Of The Week. He was saved from a life of sin to a life of Christian usefulness in 1939. Nine months later he was sanctified Holy and filled with the Holy Spirit. To know him was to love him and to be associated with him was to believe in him. He was a Christian gentleman. J. T. attended college in Cincinnati, OH and Sanford College in FL. He also attended Southern Nazarene Univ. in Bethany, OK for 3 years. Rev. Drye evangelized extensively throughout the nation including 5 different countries. He also pastored in the states of Oklahoma, Arizona, Mississippi and North Carolina. His Ministry was over a period of 62 years. At the time of his death he was a member of Westside Church of the Nazarene in Kannapolis. In addition to his parents, Rev. Drye was preceded in death by 5 sisters and 4 brothers. He was married in 1947 to Vesta Rushing, who died in 1976. He married Marie Hamm in 1977. He is survived by his wife, Marie, of the home, his son, Phillip, of Concord and a sister, Ruth Billings, of Kannapolis. Also surviving are 3 step-daughters, Linda Lowery and Patty Hardeman of Kannapolis and Terry Coleman of Statesville and many friends. Online condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com and should friends desire Memorial Contributions may be made to Westside Church of the Nazarene at 4700 Isenhour Rd. Kannapolis, NC 28081. Whitley's Funeral Home is serving the Drye family.
Visitation: 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Friday, November 20, 2009, at Whtiley's Funeral Home

Service: 2:00 pm, Saturday, November 21, 2009, at Whtiley's Funeral Home Chapel

Interment: Carolina Memorial Park