WILLIAM HARVEY COLEY WAS BORN ON OCTOBER 14, 1934 WAYNE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA TO THE LATE HARVEY AND GEORGIANA COLEY.

HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS BELOVED WIFE, NELLIE B. COLEY , (1) DAUGHTER, JANICE SPRIULL (5) BROTHERS JAMES COLEY, LEROY HOLT, JOHN LEE COLEY, ALFONSO COLEY, CHARLEY COLEY, (3) SISTERS LOUVENIA COLEY, ETHELINE COLEY AND EMMA COLEY WOOTEN,ONE STEP-DAUGHTER THELMA HAMILTON AND ONE STEP-SON JASPER BARRETT, SR.

William attended Best Grove Elementary School and Central High School.  He left school to work on the farm to help support his family, as children did during the time of Jim Crow.

On September 20, 1961 he married, Nellie Barrett and the two were inseparable and was known for their beautiful yard and exceptional Christmas decorations.   He retired from Kemp Furniture and later worked at Lancaster Farm part-time.  He had a quiet and peaceful soul.  He loved to eat breakfast at McDonald’s on Wayne Memorial, this was one of his daily past times.  He was a faithful member of White Oak Grove, Freewill Baptist Church in Pikeville, NC.

William leaves to cherish his memories, one son, James Hardy Lee, Raleigh, NC, one step-son, James Barrett of Goldsboro, NC, 3 brothers, Marvin (Annie) Coley,  L. D. Coley of Goldsboro, NC, Nathaniel (Dorothy) Coley, Dudley, NC and 1 sister, Minnie Hamilton of Grantham, NC and a special nephew of the home, Willie (Angelia) Sykes,  4 sister in laws, Stella Mae Coley, Goldsboro, NC, Ella Mae Mosley, Dot Barrett, Snow Hill, NC, Rachel Barrett of Goldsboro, 1 brother in law, Joe Ben Barrett, Goldsboro, NC; 14 grandchildren Shantel (Michael) Vaugh, Clarence (Delia) Hamilton , Cotillion (Monty) Hood, Pamela Darden, Rodgers Pridgen, Gregory Darden, Jasper (Tonya) Barrett, Clifton Barrett, Stacey Barrett, Karen Barrett, Brandi Barrett, James Barrett, Jr., and Jamal Barrett and 22 great-grand children and a host of other relatives and Mr. William H. Coley, 85, of Goldsboro, NC passed away Sunday, September 20, 2020 at Tower Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of Raleigh, NC. Arrangements are listed under Obituary & Service Details.