Rev. James Eugene "Gene" Cloer, 82, of Lexington NC was called home to be with the Lord on November 20, 2018 while visiting his daughter and her family in Lyles, TN. He was born February 9, 1936 in Statesville, Iredell County, NC. He was the son of the late Noah Garland and Addie Bruce Cloer. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Virginia Lee Haire Cloer.
Gene attended Scotts High School in Statesville and the Divinity School at Duke University. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 - 56 attaining the rank of corporal. He served on the Statesville Police Department from 1956 until the early 1960's. After leaving the police department he took on the role of credit manager for several credit firms in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee before becoming credit manager at Morehead Hospital in Eden, NC. In 1973, the Lord called him into the ministry in the Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church. He entered the ministry serving as pastor of Matthews Chapel and Price United Methodist Churches in Rockingham County while supplementing the family income as a manager at Alfred Z. Smith and Co. of Winston-Salem. His first full time ministry position was at the Denton Charge (First, Canaan, Clear Springs and Siloam United Methodist Churches). He also served at the Farmington Charge (Farmington and Mt. Olive United Methodist Churches). In 1979, he accepted a sales position with Gift Box Corporation and Gaylord Specialties of
New York City and moved to Pennsylvania. The Lord called him back into the ministry in the early 1990's and he served the Newton-Hamilton and Renova United Methodist Churches in the
Central Pennsylvania Conference. Gene retired from the ministry in 1998 and he and his wife returned to Statesville where he worked as a security guard. Wanting to be with family, he lived with his son's family in Welcome, NC the last year and a half of his life.
Gene had a warm, outgoing personality and a bold, contagious laugh. He enjoyed people and easily struck up conversations and friendships. He left a lasting impression wherever he went.
He is survived by his son, James Fielding Cloer and wife, Alta of Lexington; daughter,
Jean Lee Handy and husband, James of Lyles, TN; four grandchildren, Danielle Nicole Cloer, Andrew Fielding Cloer and wife, Billie, Kayleigh Gem Handy and Alex Lee Handy; one sibling, Margaret Sharpe and two sister in laws, Hazel Haire and Betty Webber. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at Mt. Zion Wesleyan Church 222 Mt. Zion Church Road Thomasville, NC 27360. The graveside service will follow the visitation at 2:00 p.m. in
the church cemetery.
