Vernon Eugene Lingle

    Vernon Eugene “Gene” Lingle, 99, of Hertford, NC, passed away Saturday, May 25, 2024, in The Landings of Albemarle, Hertford.

    Mr. Lingle was born in Rowan County on March 27, 1925, and was the son of the late Ervin Mozell Lingle, Sr. and Mamie Pearl Fink Lingle. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Sykes Lingle; a sister, Edna Mae Grissom, and by brothers, Wilbern, Elvis, James, Ervin Jr., and Marcus Lingle.

    A World War II veteran, he had served in the Navy for 13 years and transferred to the Air Force where he retired as a Technical Sergeant after seven years of service. One of five brothers in his family who had served in WWII, he participated in the amphibious assault as part of Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944, when Allied troops landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. Following his military career, he was employed in civil service for 18 years. He was a member of Hertford United Methodist Church. He had also enjoyed memberships in both the William Paul Stallings Post 126 of the American Legion and the William Clarence Jackson Post 6060 of Veterans of Foreign Wars, many of whom he considered family. Gene lived an active life and enjoyed participating in the North Carolina Senior Games where he, as a champion bowler, took home the Gold Medal in both 2014 and 2015.

    Surviving are his two sons, Vernon E. Lingle, Jr. of Wichita Fall, TX and Gary E. Lingle (wife, Betsy) of Hertford, NC; two sisters, Virginia Kluttz of Faith, NC and Gilla Wingo of Columbia, SC; two grandchildren, Kellie and Brian; and a great-granddaughter, Jane.

    A memorial service will be held Tuesday, June 11, at 11:30 a.m. in the chapel of Powles Staton Funeral Home, 913 W. Main Street, Rockwell, NC. Inurnment will follow at 1:00 p.m. in Salisbury National Cemetery, Salisbury, NC.

    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), online at www.alzfdn.org.

    Miller & Van Essendelft Funeral Home, 1125 Harvey Point Road, Hertford, is assisting the family with local arrangements and online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.