Cecil J. Love
February 11, 1928 – March 12, 2025
Cecil Junior Love, Age 97, of Rocky Mount, Va., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. He was preceded in death by his wife, Geraldine Julia Love Young; father and mother, Emmett Love and Ellen McGhee Love; brothers, Walter Love, Earl Love, who was killed in action in World War II, Lee Love and James Love; sisters, Garnett Love, Pansy Love Houston, Ruth Love Joyce, Reva Love Harrison Young, Gladys Love Wray, and Mildred Love Young Gillispie; nieces, Lee Ellen Love, Lisa Love, Brenda Joyce Ramsey and Donna Lynn Wray; nephews, D. L. Young, Larry Wray and Steve Minton; and sisters-in-law, Loretta Young McGhee, and Juanita Young Minton.
He is survived by his daughter, Wanda Love Martin; son, Wendel (Josh) Love (Pam); granddaughter, Holli Martin; brother, Clarence Love; sister-in-law, Delores Young Oakes (Steve); nieces, Linda Love Wray (Alvin), Denise Young Bryant (Ronnie), Debra McGhee Wells, Teresa Minton Strichik (Larry), Mara Oakes McAlexander (Kevin), Leanne Oakes; his nephew, Dean McGhee (Terri); great-nieces, Kristen Williams Ray (Ben), Julia Wray Allaman (Chris), Hannah Wray, Kristie Nichols Fisher (Shane), and Cindy McGhee Parmelee Rivera (Vic); great-nephews: Brodey Oakes, Brandon McGhee (Toby), Thomas Wray and Thomas Parmelee; great-great nieces and nephews: Avery Allaman; Brianna Parmelee Emery (Joey), Kylie Parmelee, Aden Fisher, and Caleb Fisher; and great-great-great nephew, Colsen Emery.
He was born February 11, 1928, in the Briar Mountain area of Franklin County, Virginia, to Emmett and Ellen McGhee Love, and home to 12 siblings. He was wounded in combat on January 13, 1953, in Korea and received the Purple Heart, and his story is told in a recently published book written by Ryan Walkowski, called “In Combat in Korea”. He ran a sawmill,
Love Brothers Lumber, and knew just about everything in the timber business. He was a legendary “moonshiner” and appeared in several articles, books and on episodes of the “Moonshiners” show.
Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, March 17, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at Flora Funeral Chapel with Chaplain Rick Poland officiating. Interment will be private in the Love Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends two hours prior to the service beginning at 4:00 p.m. Arrangements by Flora Funeral Service and Cremation Center, Rocky Mount.