Dennis Rayburn Church

October 19, 1941 - December 19, 2019

Dennis Church, age 78, of Elk Park, passed away Thursday, December 19, 2019 at Watauga Medical Center in Boone. He was born on October 19, 1941 in Carter County, TN to the late Norman R. and Louis M. Church. In addition to his parents he was also preceded in death by one daughter, Belinda Church; two brothers, Leslie and Owen Church; and one sister, Judy Parlier. Dennis Church was a great man of faith and loved by all who had the privilege of being in his presence. He graduated from Hampton High School in 1960 where he was a member of the track team. Sometime after he graduated, his Grandma Church told him he would be her preacher. Turns out she was right. He pastored many churches in his lifetime, the most recent being Beech Mountain Missionary Baptist Church in the Beech Mountain Community for the better part of the past 26 years. He loved God and his family. Dennis was faithful and devoted to his church and his friends. He was an amazing father, grandfather and great grandfather. He loved preaching and working in his flower and vegetable gardens. If ever there was an angel to walk this earth, it was him. He is loved and will be missed by everyone. In his words and how he ended all his posts, God is Good. Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 57 years, Junella Church of the home; three daughters, Melita Russell of Beech Mountain, Edwina Church of Newland, and Sheila Velasquez and husband Roberto of Elk Park; two brothers, Keith Church and wife Reba of Butler, TN and Tony Church and wife Debbie of Texas; two sisters, Merle Irick of Elizabethton, TN and Nancy Harmon of Butler, TN; seven grandchildren, Tiffany Church, Brandy Dial, Kayla Calhoun, Dillon Huffaker, Hannah Presnell, and Aiden and Kadence Russell; six great-grandchildren, Emmanuel Nichols, Sky Ramsey, Tristan and Rowan Dial, and Jace and Rosie Calhoun. Funeral services will be held Monday, December 23, 2019 at 1:00 P.M. at Beech Mountain Baptist Church. Interment will follow immediately at the Beech Mountain Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday, December 22, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home in Newland. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that memorial contributions be made to the Baptist Children’s Home of NC, P.O. Box 338, Thomasville, NC 27361 or Conquer Cancer, The ASCO Foundation, P.O. Box 896076, Charlotte, NC 28289. Words of Comfort and Memories may be shared with the Church family by visiting our website www.rsfh.net The care of Dennis and his family has been entrusted to Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home of Newland.