Robert Ussery

Robert "Marshall" Ussery, 98, formerly of Ellerbe, NC, peacefully passed away at his home in Elizabethtown, Monday, April 6, 2020.
A native of Richmond County, Marshall was born July 2, 1921, a son of the late John Ernest and Annie McRae Ussery. He was a founding and very active member of Ellerbe Fellowship Baptist Church, served a term as Mayor of Ellerbe, NC, and retired as an office manager after 40 years of service with Carolina Power and Light(now Duke Energy). He was also a proud veteran having served his country well during WWII in the US Coast Guard with the K9 Core, training dogs at the Front Royal War Dog Reception and Training Center in Virginia, and spending the majority of the war in Pensacola, FL with King, a dog he trained, on guard duty. Marshall was a skilled carpenter of furniture and cabinetry, as well as an avid gardener, and he used those skills to bless and serve everyone he possibly could. As a young father, he loved taking his boys fishing with a cane pole and a can of worms, and he extended that fatherly love throughout his life to other young people, helping provide educational and living expenses for so many through the years. He was a loving, generous, thoughtful man of God and spent many years of his retirement on the mission field, planting and building churches and sharing the Gospel. He faithfully served the Lord at home and abroad and his home church in Ellerbe lovingly honored that faithfulness and his contributions to the Kingdom of God last October at their annual Homecoming Sunday, calling it "Marshall Ussery Day". It was a glorious, loving celebration of his life in Christ and Marshall could not have been more delighted, humbled and honored that day. He lived with an expressive heart of gratitude and was active and engaged in home life, community, Tar Heel Baptist Church with his great grandson, and Dublin First Baptist Church with his grandson and family til the very end.
In addition to his parents and six siblings, he is preceded in death by his first wife of 71 years, Lottie Mae Croom Ussery, an infant daughter, Vivian Carlee Ussery, and his second wife of 4 years, Sarah Nichols Rush Ussery.
Surviving are his grandson, Scott Ussery, wife, Vanessa, and great grandchildren, Jackson, Elise, Lydia, Simon, and Gabriel of the home; sons, Robert M. Ussery, Jr and wife, Sylvia of High Point, NC, Harvey Ussery and wife, Ellen, of Hume, VA, Steve Ussery of Wilmington, NC and a daughter, Jean Ussery of Raleigh, NC; three other grandchildren and four other great-grandchildren; and a brother, Thomas("Tommy") H. Ussery of Cordova, NC.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, a private graveside committal will be conducted at Richmond County Memorial Park with Rev. Cameron McGill officiating. Carter Funeral Home of Rockingham is serving the family. Condolences may be posted online at carterfuneral.net and bladenfuneralhome.com

Memorials may be made to:
-Ellerbe Fellowship Baptist Church, Building Fund, 138 Wallace Road, Ellerbe, NC 28338.
-The Lake Church/ White Lake Christian Camp, Building Fund, 1930 White Lake Dr., White Lake, NC 28337
-Lower Cape Fear LifeCare