Rev. Bennie Lee Wade

Asheville Rev. Bennie Lee Wade, 91, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at the NC State Veterans Home. A native and resident of Buncombe County for most of his life, he started in the ministry while in his teenage years, which expanded over 70 years and on December 12, 1948, he was ordained as a Baptist Minister at Georgetown Baptist Church. Rev. Wade started his radio ministry The Shut In Hour in the 1940s, serving in Virginia and WNC for over 50 years. He was employed with the Asheville Citizen-Times for 18 years in the Advertising Department, was a member of Christian Creek Baptist Church and served in the US Army veteran during WWII. Rev. Wade was the son of the late Paul Wade and Minnie DuVall Wade and husband of Nellie Bishop Wade who died May 24, 1991 and Patricia Louise Morris McFalls Wade who died March 7, 2015. He was also preceded in death by his granddaughter, Ericka Nichole Wade, great granddaughter, Avery Scarlett Wade and sister, Nedra Rice. Surviving are his children, Glenda Rice (Dennis) of Concord, Ralph Wade (Sherry) of Crewe, VA, Sandra Moore (Rev. Eugene Moore) of Albemarle, Larry Wade (Mitzi) of Leicester, Rev. Paul Wade (Donna) of Crewe, VA and Eric Wade (Debbie) of Ironton, MO; 14 grandchildren, 29 great grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Saturday, January 20, 2018 in the chapel of Anders-Rice Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Wade and Chaplain Jack L. Taylor officiating. Military graveside services will follow in Skyview Memorial Park with Rev. Allen Rash officiating and honors conducted by the NC National Guard. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 PM Friday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Ericka Wade Foundation, PO Box 46, Pilot Knob, MO 63663.