Inez Harris Elkins, 82, of Statesville, North Carolina, passed away on March 14, 2026. Born February 28, 1944, in Iredell County, North Carolina, Inez was the devoted and faithful daughter of Charles Grady Harris and Velma Agnes Summers Harris, who preceded her in death. Inez is remembered as a cherished, selfless presence—steady in love, generous in spirit, and quietly strong in the ways that mattered most.
Inez graduated from Harmony High School with the Class of 1962, carrying forward the values of home, hard work, and community that shaped her early years. She later retired after many years of devoted service as an Office Manager, a role that reflected her reliability, care for others, and gift for keeping life’s details in order.
Family was the center of Inez’s world. She loved to tell people that she was married to “the old man” for over 60 years, and that enduring partnership remained one of the great joys of her life. She loved her entire family, but she adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who all brought life and light into her world.
It was plainly obvious where her allegiance fell, but for those who don’t know, she was an avid Tar Heel fan (only because of her children and grandchildren's love for the Tarheels), but she was truly a closet Duke fan. Inez was also a woman of deep faith and a devoted member of Monticello Baptist Church in Statesville, North Carolina, where her faithful heart found both comfort and purpose.
Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Larry Edward Elkins, Sr., of Statesville, North Carolina; her sons, Stephen Charles Elkins (Marie), of Olin, North Carolina, and Larry Edward “Eddie” Elkins, Jr. (Mary), of East Bend, North Carolina; her brother, Charles “Chuck” Harris, Jr. (Anne); her grandchildren, Brooke Gatton, Hope Johnson, Courtney Bruce, Logan Elkins, Elizabeth Elkins, Stephanie Elkins, and Spencer Brown; her great-grandchildren, Jaxson Gatton, Maddilyn Gatton, Hendrix Bruce, Charlie Johnson, Luke Elkins, Brentley Brown, and Ashten Brown; and her fur baby, Benelli.
In addition to her parents, Inez was preceded in death by her daughter, Cynthia Dawn “Cindy” Elkins Galliher; her brother, Larry Neil Harris; and her great granddaughter, Paisley Price.
A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 19, 2026, in the Chapel of Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home in Statesville, North Carolina. A Service of Committal will follow at Hebron Baptist Church Cemetery in Statesville, North Carolina, where she will be laid to rest.
Pallbearers will be Logan Elkins, Spencer Brown, Robert Gatton, Ken Fox, Josh Hamm, Clyde Fox, Quentin Carter, and Todd Galliher.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, North Carolina, or online at www.hoic.org.
Words of condolences and messages of sympathy may be shared with the family, online at www.bunchjohnsonfuneralhome.com
For it is written in John 11: 25-26: "Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Inez believed in this for her entire life--and now she LIVES this--do you believe?
Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home of Statesville is honored to be entrusted with the care of Inez and her family.
