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Herald/Times
April 29, 1999 Section B, Page 1
MR. AND MRS. EDWARD ALLEN SCRUGGS
(Cynthia Greene Poole)
Poole-Scruggs
Cynthia Greene Poole of Ellenboro and Edward
Allen Scruggs of Kings Mountain exchanged their
wedding vows April 3, 1999 at the home of David
and Lisa Clary in Earl.
John Cashwell, pastor of Campfield Memorial
Baptist Church, Ellenboro, officiated. Eric Ross
and his daughter, Jennifer Ross, vocalist, present-
ed a program of wedding music.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Billy
Joe Greene of Ellenboro. She is a graduate from
Gardner-Webb University with a Masters Degree
in Elementary Education. She is employed at
Township Three Elementary School.
The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry
Scruggs of Kings Mountain. He is a graduate of
Winthrop University with a degree in education.
He is a member of Sigma Nu and is employed by _ ate of Appala
Comserv of Shelby.
The bride was given in marriage by her father,
Bill Greene. She carried a bouquet of spring flow-
ers of tiger lilies, pink roses, tulips and daisies.
She wore a formal gown of blush crepe with a V-
cut back enhanced with bow.
She chose her sister, Tracy Harrill of Ellenboro,
as her Matron of Honor. She wore a sage, tea
length gown with a V-cut back enhanced with
bow, and carried a bouquet similar to the bride's.
Jennifer Ross was flower girl and Ridge
Scruggs was ring bearer.
Jerry Scruggs was his son’s best man.
The bride’s parents hosted the wedding recep-
tion at the home of David and Lisa Clary. The
groom's parents, Debbie Dorsey, sister of the
groom, and Missy Scruggs, sister-in-law of the
MRS. MICHAEL ALLEN PHILBECK JR.
(Andrea Christine Shell)
Shell-Philbeck
Andrea Christine Shell and Michael Allen’
Philbeck Jr., both of Kings Mountain, exchanged
marriage vows April 17 at Heartland Wedding .
Chapel, Townsend, TN. ;
Rev. Terry Stinnett officiated. Robert Shell II,
. played Trumpet Voluntary. :
The bride was given in marriage by her father,
Robert Shell. Her gown was decorated with
pearls and she carried a bouquet of white roses
and periwinkle accents.
Matron of Honor was Shannon Standish of
Shelby. Bridesmaids were Renee Murphy of
Kings Mountain and Tina Shell of Gastonia. The
satin.
/
wore periwinkle empire waist gowns made of
Best man was Rodney Sailors of Lake Norman.
Ushers were Steve Murphy of Kings Mountain
and Robert Shell II of Gastonia. :
The bride is the daughter of Robert C. and
Jackie S. Shell of Kings Mountain. She is a 1994
graduate of Burns High School and a 1998 gradu-
chian State University. Sheis em~
ployed as a Credentialing Specialist at Horizon
Eye Care, PA in Charlotte. She is the granddaugh- .
ter of Buland Short of Casar and Elizabeth Shell
of Lexington, SC.
The groom is the son of Michael A. Philbeck of
Shelby and Patty Long of Salisbury. He is a 1994
graduate of Burns High School and has served in
the U.S. Armed Forces. He is employed with
Firestone Fibers and Textiles of Kings Mountain.
He is the grandson of Robert and Inez Philbeck of
Waco, Harold and Ethel Peacock of Salisbury, and
Richard and Ann Spry of Mooresville.
Mountain.
groom hosted the rehearsal dinner at Patterson
Springs Town Hall.
After a wedding trip to Myrtle Beach, SC, the
couple will reside in Ellenboro.
The wedding reception was given by the
bride’s parents at Laurel Valley Country Club in
Townsend, TN. After a wedding trip to
Gatlinburg, the newlyweds will live in Kings
MRS. LARRY CABEL JAMES II
(Kimberly Kaye Hagans)
Hagans-James
Kimberly Kaye Hagans and Larry Cabel James
II, both of Cherryville, were married April 17 at
Christian Freedom Baptist Church, Kings
Mountain. The Rev. Michael Chambers officiated
the 2 p.m. ceremony.
The bride is the daughter of Dorothy Elkins of
Bessemer City and Danyo Hagans of Gastonia.
She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Grover Bates and Carrie Hagans and the late
Clarence Hagans. She is a graduate of Kings
Mountain High School, North Carolina State -
University, and North Carolina University
College of Veterinary Medicine, where she re-
ceived a doctorate degree. She is employed by
- Cottonwood Veterinary Hospital in Shelby.
The bridegroom is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Larry James of Burlington. He is the grandson of
Juanita James of Burlington and the late Jesse
James, and Elizabeth Blanchard of Burlington and
the late Allen Blanchard. He is a graduate of
Eastern Alamance High School and North
. Carolina State University, where he received his
master’s degree in nuclear engineering. He also
was a member of Alpha Nu Sigma and the
Nuclear Engineer Honor Society. He is employed
by Duke Engineering and Services in Charlotte.
Danny Hagans of Gastonia gave his sister in
marriage. Bonnie Conrad, sister of the bride, was
matron of honor.
Bridesmaid was Shannon Fluck of Gastonia.
Flower girl was Brooke Conrad of Cherryville,
the bride’s niece.
Larry James was his son’s best man. Ushers
“were the bride’s brother, Danny Hagans, and Ari
Tuckman.
A reception was given by the bride’s family at
the church following the ceremony. A rehearsal
dinner was given by the bridegroom’s parents at
Satterfields of Shelby.
Following a trip to Cancun, Mexico, the couple
will live in Cherryville.
A TRUE SURVIVOR
81-year-old Bill Alexander, WW II POW, now excels in Senior Games
By Jim Heffner
“I was lying flat on my
stomach when I heard a
whining sound. I looked up and
actually saw a German shell
tumbling end over end. It
landed right beside me. If it had
turned another quarter of a
turn, it would have landed on
the tip and exploded. I told the
Lord if he would help me get
out of there alive I'd live the rest
of my life for him.”
The speaker was Bill
Alexander and that was the
defining moment in his life. The
locale was Sicily during World
War Two, an important
interruption in the life of a
Tarrboro, N.C. man who was
destined to become a
schoolteacher in Kings
Mountain.
“I graduated from Wake
Forest,” Alexander said, “but I
didn’t go to college right out of
high school. The war came
along, and I knew I was going
to be drafted, so I enlisted.”
Alexander, an animated
storyteller, served in the US
Army from February 22, 1941
until December of 1945.
Captured twice, he spent six
and a half months in German
prison camps, mostly in Poland.
He graduated from OCS and
served his time in the Army
Combat Engineers. Alexander
shipped overseas to a
replacement depot in North
Africa in 1943 and from there he
went to Tunisia. His next duty
station was Sicily with the Third
Infantry in Salerno.
“That was rough,” Alexander
said. “That's where I saw my
first dead person,”
After being captured
Alexander was forced to walk
350 miles from one prison camp
to another. He has been walking
and running ever since.
Alexander, after his
graduation from Wake Forest in
1951 spent 10 years in churches
as minister of education,
fulfilling his promise.
“One day I was in Greensboro
and happened to pick up a cop
of the Raleigh News and :
Observer,” he said. “I looked at
the advertising section and saw
that the Kings Mountain School
System was looking for a Bible
teacher. I applied and got the
job at Kings Mountain High. I
stayed for 19 years teaching
* Bible and Mathematics.”
He retired as a teacher in 1984,
the same year the Cleveland
County Senior Games began.
Alexander jumped right in and
has won more than a fair share
of gold medals, 15 consecutive
in a couple of events.
The senior games are a project
of the Council On Aging /Senior
Center, and is sponsored by the
Kings Mountain Senior Center,
Gardner-Webb University, the
Shelby Recreation Department
and Dicey Fabrics. The program
is sanctioned by North Carolina
Senior Games, Inc. The winners
in each event are invited to
participate in the statewide
games,
The purpose of the senior
games is to promote health and
wellness among older adults.
The program offers annual
competition as well as year-
round fitness activities
including wellness workshops
and training clinics. Some of the
events are golf, tennis, ping
pong, softball throw, shot put,
discus, horseshoes, basketball
one-on-one, and several more
events.
Alexander participated in 21
events. this year. He threw the
softball 87 feet four inches
underhanded, threw a discus 69
feet seven inches and his
shotput was good for 30 feet
eight inches.
Those are terrific figures for a
man who is 81 years of age. His
looks belie his age.
\
See Alexander, 4B
BILL ALEXANDER
is a $10 preparation charge for wedding and en-
MRS. TIMOTHY LEE POSTON 2
(Teresa Lynn Grigg)
Grigg-Poston
Teresa Lynn Grigg and Timothy Lee Poston,
both of Kings Mountain, were married on April
10, 1999 at Dixon Presbyterian Church.
Rev. Mike Dixon, pastor of the bridegroom at
Second Baptist Church, officiated the 3 p.m. can-
dlelight ceremony which included the lighting of
the Unity candle. Rev. Allen Sinclair, pastor of the
bride at Dixon Presbyterian Church, prayed the
benediction.
Jeff Grigg, brother of the bride, vocalist, and
Nancy Hughes, pianist, presented the nuptial
music.
David O’Shields, the bride's stepfather, escort-
ed her to the altar and gave her in marriage. The
bride wore a formal gown of white bridal satin
fashioned by the bridegroom’s mother and de-
signed with V-neckline and long sleeves en- :
hanced by lace and hand-sewn pearlsand se- .. .
quins. The full-length train was also enhanced by ~~ :
matching lace. The full-length veil of silk bridal il-
lusion was draped from a tiara of white flowers.
The bride carried a bridal bouquet of pink lilies
and white roses.
Barbie Barrett of Kings Mountain was matron
of honor and bridesmaids were Leigh Anne
Newton, cousin of the bride; and Terry Greene
and Heather Hughes, all of Kings Mountain.
Michaela Dixon was flower girl.
All the attendants wore light pink satin for-
mals, the matron of honor in an ankle-length de-
sign and the bridesmaids in tea-length designs,
all fashioned by the bridegroom’s mother. The
dresses were enhanced by quarter-length sleeves
and scoop necklines. They carried bouquets of
pink lilies and white roses. The flower girl wore a
. pink short-sleeved dress. The full skirt was ac-
cented by a bow in the back. She carried a basket
of rose petals.
Rick Greene of Kings Mountain was the bride-
groom’s best man. Groomsmen were Jimmy
Barrett and Dale Smart, both of Kings Mountain,
and Dave Poston of Grafton, West Virginia, broth-
er of the bridegroom.
Register attendant was Melissa Dixon and
program attendant was Ricky Greene, both of
Kings Mountain.
The wedding was directed by Mary Jo Stewart.
The bride's parents hosted the reception at the
church fellowship building after the ceremony.
Reception helpers included Lori Stewart, Christy
Hughes, Hilda Kiser and Edith Reynolds. A pink
and white wedding cake centered the bride's
table and was cut and served with punch and
party refreshments. The pink and white theme of
the wedding was featured in decorative details.
Family and friends of the bride and bride-
~ groom hosted the rehearsal dinner on April 9 at
the Dixon fellowship building. The wedding col-
ors featured decorations.
Mr. and Mrs. David O’Shields of Kings
Mountain and Dewey Grigg of Bessemer City are
parents of the bride who is the granddaughter of
Mrs. Letha Stewart of Kings Mountain and the
late George T. Stewart. She is a 1986 graduate of
Kings Mountain High School and a 1988 graduate
of Gaston College. She is employed by Dr. Roger
K. Miller in Kings Mountain.
The bridegroom is the son of Mrs. Delores
Mayle of Galloway, West Virginia and the late
Elzie Poston of Grafton, West Virginia. He is a
graduate of Grafton High School and is self-em-
ployed.
After a wedding trip to the North Carolina
mountains the newlyweds reside in the Dixon
Community. i
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