Slate Funeral Home

06/03/2026

Garry Vance Norman, 61, of Tobaccoville, passed away Monday, June 1, 2026, at Novant Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Born in Stokes County, he was the son of the late Mable Venable Norman and Carl Richard Norman, who survives.

After graduating from South Stokes High School, Garry attended Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He worked for Hanes Dye and Finishing before retiring from ECR. Garry was loved by his family and friends and enjoyed Duke football and basketball. A devoted soccer enthusiast, he coached in the King Soccer League as well as boys’ and girls’ teams at Atkins High School. He was also a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association.

Left to cherish his memory, in addition to his father, is his twin brother, Barry Lance Norman, along with several other family members.

The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Slate Funeral Home. A funeral service will follow at 3:00 p.m., officiated by Pastor Paul Norman. Interment will follow at King First Baptist Church Cemetery.

Slate Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Garry Vance Norman. An online guestbook is available at www.slatefh.com.

06/03/2026

Frank Louis Dray, 87, of Carolina Bay at Autumn Hall Retirement Community in Wilmington, NC, passed away suddenly on May 31, 2026

Frank was born on August 15,1938, in Greensboro, NC. He was a beloved husband, father, granddaddy, great-granddaddy, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He loved his family deeply and faithfully, living life with kindness, generosity, integrity, and unwavering love. He cherished his friendships as he never met a stranger and was always lending a helping hand.

Frank loved to read, play golf with his buddies, travel with his wife, and watch Carolina Hurricanes hockey, as well as reruns on TV of good old-fashioned Gun Smoke. He was a Mason, dedicated to serving his community. He served in the US Army reserves and was a member of Stoney Ridge Baptist Church in Westfield, NC. His favorite pastime was being with his family.

Frank began his career selling door-to-door Ware Ever and Cutco. No matter the product, Frank knew it well and believed in it so much that he became the top salesman! He continued in sales at Potters Industries for many years until 1986, when he started his own company, Engineered Processing Equipment, in Cary, NC, where he raised his family.

Frank is preceded in death by his mother Jessie Lee Ryals Dray, brother John “Jackie” Dray, sister Sharon Dray Cartonia, and baby brother Donald Dray. He is survived by his loving, devoted wife, Annette Ferguson Dray, his brother Larry Wright (Ramona) of Greensboro, son Jeff Dray (Laurie) of Winston Salem, son Dean Dray (Cindy) of Clayton, and daughter Melissa Dray Lester of Wrightsville Beach. He was blessed with 7 grandchildren, Brandon Dray, Bradley Dray, Nicole Robinson, Kathryn Schamens, Seth Dray, Conner Lester, Kristen Dray, and 7 great grandchildren.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate his life at Stoney Ridge Baptist church in Westfield on Saturday, June 13, with visitation from 1:00pm to 1:45pm. A funeral service led by the Reverend Paul Norman will be at 2:00 pm, and a graveside service will follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Stoney Ridge Baptist Church, 1030 Stoney Ridge Rd, Westfield, NC 27053

The Dray family is grateful to Slate Funeral Home in King for its service and care during this difficult time.

06/01/2026

Jeffrey Ward Gullett, 73 of King, NC, passed away on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC.

Mr. Gullett, born on January 15, 1953, in Mercersburg, PA, to the late Francis and Nancy Johnson Gullett, led a vibrant life filled with fascinating hobbies like scuba diving, Tae Kwon Do, and photography.

Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 24 years, Donna West; his children: Ian Gullett and Gwen Gullett; his stepchildren: Justin Hurlburt and Nathan Hurlburt; a brother, Tim Gullett; a sister, Missy Locklin; and 8 grandchildren.

There are no formal services scheduled at this time.

Slate Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Jeffrey Ward Gullett. Online condolences may be offered at www.slatefh.com.

06/01/2026

05/29/2026

Lisa Clemmons Finney, 63 of King, NC, passed away on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at Atrium Health, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, with her beloved family by her side.

Lisa was born in Gaston County, NC, to the late Edward Luther Clemmons Sr. and Linda Gale Weaver Clemmons. She was the wife of the late Johnny Finney, Sr.

Lisa was known for being outgoing, witty, and charming. Her warm personality naturally drew people to her, creating bonds everywhere she went. Reflecting on her life, one sees a person who truly cherished meaningful connections and joyful moments. She loved listening to all types of music, watching TikTok videos, and spending precious time with her family. Every day, she made it a point to call her children, sharing her love and presence. As a dedicated member of Truway Baptist Church, she loved her Lord Jesus and sought to live her faith fully.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Kristina Tucker (Mark Noah), Billy Tucker III (Alicia Clayton), Cynthia Shouse (Bob), Jonathan Tucker (Dana), and Zachary Tucker (Trinity); her stepchildren: Pamela Finney, Tammy Finney (Chris Mickey), Lisa Kroll (Corey), Mary Finney, and Johnny Finney, Jr. (Amber); two brothers: Edward Luther Clemmons, Jr. and Darrell Clemmons; and a sister, Stephanie Corbett; along with 38 grandchildren, several great grandchildren, several aunts, uncles, cousins and other family, and many beloved pets.

The family will receive friends and loved ones on Monday, June 1, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Slate Funeral Home in King, NC. The funeral service will begin at 1:30 p.m. with Pastor David Keaton and Pastor Kevin Dezern officiating. Interment will immediately follow at New Beginning Baptist Church Cemetery.

Slate Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Lisa Clemmons Finney. Online condolences may be offered at www.slatefh.com.

05/29/2026

Music can help us express our feelings in a way words alone often can't, which is why personalizing the music at a funeral or celebration of life is so important. If your loved one grew up in the 1940s - or just loved 1940s music - here are 10 songs you can incorporate into their service.

Want to incorporate music from the 1940s in your loved one's celebration of life? Check out our list for 10 beautiful options.

05/25/2026

Dennis Medina Galarza, 32, of King, NC, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, May 17, 2026.

Dennis was born on December 24, 1993, in Yauco, Puerto Rico, to Dennis Medina and Maria Galarza. He was a loving father, husband, son, grandson, brother, uncle, and friend. He was full of life; he exuded joy, and he always had a smile on his face. His happiness was contagious; you couldn’t help but smile and laugh with him.

Dennis loved his children, wife, and family dearly. He was known for having great fashion sense, especially his shoes. He enjoyed fishing and taking his sons with him. He had two favorite hobbies: spending time with his children and working on his car. He loved his car.

His memory will live eternally with his wife, April Compton; his children: Ryder Medina, and Jedziel Medina; his mother, Maria Galarza; his father, Dennis Medina; his stepfather, Christian Golderos; two brothers: Onix Medina (Dominique Brown), and Alex Medina; a sister, Aleysha Lee Medina, his grandparents: Josefa Madera, Ramon Galarza, Rosa Mattei; his uncles: Ramon Galarza (Stephanie Figueroa), Ryan Medina, Pedro Medina, and Pedro Galarza; his nephews: Ian Delgado, and Leo Medina; his nieces: Danielyis Quitana, and Amelia Medina; his mother-in-law, Kimberly Compton (Michael); his grandparents-in-law, Jim and Tammie Johnson; his great grandparents-in-law, Jim and Joyce Compton; his sisters-in-law: Athena Browning and family, Tiffany Compton and family and Jessica Compton and family; his aunts-in-law: Tammy Compton Branson and family and Shelly Compton Eason and family; along with his best friends that were like brothers to him: Joshua Morales, Victor Enriquez (Lily), and Angel Rodas (Kritzia).

The family will receive friends and loved ones on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Slate Funeral Home in King, NC.

Slate Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Dennis Medina Galarza. Online condolences may be offered at www.slatefh.com.

05/25/2026

Today, we salute the brave men and women who have paid the ultimate price to preserve our freedom and our way of life. We can never repay you for your dedication, your courage, your valor, or your commitment to keeping our country safe and its citizen protected. We honor you, and we remember you - today and all days.

05/23/2026

Congrats, Class of 2026! What an accomplishment! Our best wishes to you as you look forward to the next adventure.

05/22/2026

Memorial Day is about remembrance and paying respect where it is due, and as humans, one way we do that is through memorials. Today, we honor the lives of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom and our way of life. Without them, we would all live in a very different world. Thank you for your courage, your dedication, and your willingness to give your everything to protect and preserve our way of life.

As we remember our fallen soldiers this Memorial Day, look into the history of the Marine Corps War Memorial and how it came to be.