Merrimon L. Pressley

Fairview Merrimon Lewis Pressley, 84, of Spring Mountain Road, went to be with the Lord on Monday, April 20, 2015 at the St Joseph Campus of Mission Hospitals. A lifelong resident of Buncombe County, he retired in the mid 80s as a Truck Driver with Blue Ridge Trucking and was a former employee of Central Motor Lines. He was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church and was a US Army veteran during the Korean War. Mr. Pressley was a son of the late Fate Presley and Annie Edna Ballard Presley and husband of Barbara Lee Gilliam Pressley who died March 31, 2007. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Wilburn, Jay and Leroy Presley and sister, Arsula Penland. Surviving are his daughters, Dr. Joyce C. Pressley and Michael P. Schumacher of New York City, NY, Elaine Wilkes and Rev. Tommy Wilkes of Fairview and Cindy Anderson and Andy Anderson of Barnardsville; son, Larry Pressley and Aundria Pressley of Statesville; sisters, Ruby Watkins of Swannanoa and Barbara Elkins of Fairview; brothers, Robert Presley of Asheville and Jim Presley of Fairview; grandchildren, Eric Wilkes, Kelly Ray, Jeremy Rogers, Phillip Pressley and Melissa Pressley and six great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Friday, April 24, 2015 at Anders-Rice Funeral Home with Rev. James Lamb and Rev. Dr. John T. Tiller officiating. Burial will follow in Spring Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 PM Thursday at the funeral home. Merrimons devotion to his family, church and Saviour, Jesus Christ was evident to all who knew him. He gave sacrificially of his time and resources and will be greatly missed. Memorials may be made to: Oak Grove Baptist Church, 1552 Cane Creek Road, Fletcher, NC 28732.