John King Nelms

John King Nelms, 95, passed away on June 22, 2017 after a brief illness. He was born oneeptember 14, 1921 in Granville County to the late Johneenry Nelms and Daisy Hobgood Nelms. He was preceded ineeath by his wife of 60 years, Mary Ruth Clark Nelms, in 2009. He was a graduate of Oxford High School and North Carolina State Uneersity where he earned a BS ineechanical engineering. After college, he served his country during WWII as a Captain in the Uneed States Air Corps where he earned a Bronze Star. He owned neerous businesses including a machine shop, a grading business and a dairy farm. In 1963, he became the Economic Developer for Granville County. In his 30 years as economic developer he brought over 75 businesses and industries to the county including Revlon, Certaineed and Bandag. He served on the Board of Directors of Granville Medical Center and the Board of Trustees of Vance-Granville Community College for 35 years. He was a past president of neeconomic Development Association. He was a faithful member of Oxford Baptist Church where he led multiple Sunday School classes and served as a Deacon. He is survived by his son, John King Nelms, Jr. and wife, Autney of Raleigh, NC; two grandchildren, Jack and Anna Clark; and nephews, Roy and John Laney. He was preceded ineeath by his sister, Lucille Nelms Laney. Visitation will be Sunday, June 25th from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at Gentry, neell & Vaughan Funeral Home in Oxford. Funeral services will be held Monday, June 26th at 2:00 pm at Oxford Baptist Church. ??Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery in Oxford. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund, PO Box 917, Henderson, NC 27536.