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KINSTON - Thomas Edward Briley, Sr. died Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, in Kinston, just 14 days before his 90th birthday. He was born Jan. 24, 1920, in Nash County, North Carolina to Fernanda Augustus and Mary Lillie (Molly) Flora Briley. He attended Rocky Mount City Schools and took a number of courses with the North Carolina School of Government in Chapel Hill. He served in the United States Navy from 1939 until 1945. He was on the USS Lexington on May 8, 1942 when it was torpedoed and sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea. He also served on the USS Intrepid, and he was aboard the USS Enterprise when it was engaged in the Battle of Midway. While in the Navy and stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, he met Dorothy Mozelle Hodges. They married on Nov. 5, 1944 in Macclenny, Florida. They had a son, Eddie, and the three of them moved to Rocky Mount, NC, where Tommy worked with the City of Rocky Mount. In 1951, they moved to Kinston where he became the Director of Public Works and then later the City Engineer with the City of Kinston. They had their second son, Brantley, shortly after moving to Kinston. Tommy retired from the City in 1977 after 26 years of service. Tommy was involved in numerous community events and civic organizations including St. John's Masonic Lodge, where he served as Master; the Ram Neuse Lions Club, where he served as Treasurer; and the American Legion Post (Roundtree), where he served as Commander. Tommy and Mozelle were charter members of Northwest Christian Church where they maintained their memberships until their deaths. In addition to his parents and his wife, Tommy was predeceased by two sisters and three brothers. Survivors include his son Thomas Edward (Eddie) Briley, Jr. and his wife Jane (Lancaster), their daughter Ashley Briley Fox, and her husband Chris. He is also survived by his son Alton Brantley Briley and his wife Eugenia (Casey), their son Jay Thomas Briley and his wife Meredith (Martin), and their daughter Caroline Briley Roberts and her husband John. The funeral service will be arranged by Edwards Funeral Home and held Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. from Northwest Christian Church in Kinston with visitation immediately afterwards. Interment will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Westview Cemetery in Kinston. Memorials may be made to Northwest Christian Church, 2009 Carey Road, Kinston, NC 28501 or to the Thomas Edward and Mozelle Hodges Briley Endowed Scholarship Fund, Lenoir Community College Foundation, PO Box 188, Kinston, NC 28502. Funeral arrangements by Edwards Funeral Home. Sign the guestbook at kinston.com. (Paid obituary). Published in Free Press from January 12 to January 15, 2010
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