G. Chad Efird, 87, of 23299 Endy Road, Albemarle, passed away at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2009, at his home.  His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Canton Baptist Church, Albemarle, where he served as deacon, trustee and on numerous committees.   The Reverends Mark Mabry and Farrell Shimpock will officiate and burial will be in the church cemetery.  The family will receive friends in the Canton Baptist Church Fellowship Building following the service.

Born May 17, 1922, in Stanly County, he was the son of the late Jason Lee and Beulah Burris Efird and was a retired employee of Alcoa.  He was a graduate of Endy High School and attended UNC-Chapel Hill.  He was an Eagle Scout.  While employed with Alcoa, he traveled to plants in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Norway and Sardinia as well as to all Alcoa smelters in the United States.  A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having served during WWII, Mr. Efird was an 8th Air Force B-17 Bomber Pilot who flew 35 missions in the European Theater and was awarded an Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, ETO medal and the Presidential citation.  He was a member of the Caterpillar Club made up of men who were forced to bail out during a mission.  He was one of the owners of the first Albemarle Airport, where he was a flight instructor.  Mr. Efird was the first fire chief of Endy Volunteer Fire Department.  He served on the West Stanly High School Advisory Committee in the 1960s and on the Bank of Stanly Board of Directors. 

Three sisters, Novella Dennis, Gertrude Kluttz and Lucille Furr, preceded him in death.  He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Katherine Faye Clark Efird of the home; a son, Jeffrey Chad Efird and wife, Cheryl, of Norwood; a daughter, Kathy Efird Page and husband, Don, of Norwood; three grandchildren, Leigh S. Page and Brinn E. Page, both of Charleston, S.C., and J. Chad Efird Jr. and wife, Ginger, of Albemarle; and one great-grandchild, Lily Marie Efird.

Memorials may be made to:

Canton Baptist Church Building Fund

24615 Endy Road

Albemarle, NC 28001

     ~or~

Hospice of Stanly County

960 N. First St.

Albemarle, NC 28001.

 

The family wishes to thank Hospice of Stanly County and Ronald Burris for caring for Mr. Efird.