Johnny Gerome Drye

Johnny Gerome Drye, 87, of Mt. Pleasant, passed away Saturday, February 13, 2021, at his residence after a period of declining health. His life will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, February 20, at the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Lighthouse with the Rev. Earl Bradshaw officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The Drye family will receive friends at the Lighthouse beginning at 1 p.m. Masks are required for all attending. Johnny was born in Mecklenburg County May 4, 1933, to the late Floy Drye and Alice Lipe Drye. He taught auto mechanics to legions of young men for 25 years at Central Cabarrus High School and two years at Mt. Pleasant High School. Johnny was a founding member of the Mt. Pleasant UMC Methodist Men and was a former choir member. Johnny was an avid NASCAR fan, liked wood-working, and reading westerns. Johnny and Peggy took many cross country trips in their RV. Johnny’s favorite destination on those trips was Alaska to fish for salmon. Left to cherish Johnny’s memory is his wife of 70 years, Peggy Smith Drye of the home; a son, John Timothy “Tim” Drye (Debbie); a daughter, Lecia Drye Simmons (Kenneth); five grandchildren, Jonathan Watts, Amanda Morton, Jesse Drye, Joshua Simmons and Sean Simmons; nine great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; a brother Jackie Drye (Evelyn); and a sister, Sarah D. Ridenhour. Memorial contributions may be directed to Hospice and Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5005 Hospice Ln., Kannapolis NC, 28081 or to the building fund of Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, mailing address is P.O. Box 237, Mount Pleasant, NC 28124.