Rev. Donald Lynn Bearfield

Donald Lynn Bearfield, 72, of Rockingham, passed away on Monday, July 12, 2010 at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst. Don was born August 18, 1937 in Marshall County, KY, the son of the late Lewis and Nellie Lee Burradell Bearfield. He graduated from Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY and received a Master of Church Music from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1961. He served as Minister of Music at Baptist Tabernacle in Louisville, KY, Second Avenue Baptist Church in Rome, GA, Severn’s Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown, KY, Mills Home Baptist Church in Thomasville, NC, First Baptist Church of Rockingham for 27 years and part time for the past 21 months at First United Methodist Church of Rockingham. Don served as a writer for Baptist music publications, was a member of The Singing Churchmen of the North Carolina Baptist Convention and served as clinician and Faculty member for Baptist music camps and workshops. He was a longtime member of the Rockingham Rotary Club and a member of First Baptist Church of Southern Pines. Surviving are his wife of 48 years, Melissa Yelton Bearfield of the home; his daughter Leigh Ellen Salmon, her husband Chuck, their children, Matthew, Mark and Micah, of Oak Ridge, NC; his son Nathan Bearfield, wife Ninette, their daughter, Taylor, of Kitty Hawk, NC; and a nephew Charlie Bruin of Georgetown, KY. He was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Lewis Bruin. A service to celebrate Don’s life will be held at 11:00 am Friday at First Baptist Church of Southern Pines with Rev. Dr. David Helms, Rev. Mike Sykes and Rev. Allison Coltrane Farrah officiating. The family will see friends from 5:00 – 8:00 pm Thursday at Carter Funeral Home in Rockingham and following the service Friday. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Southern Pines, 200 E. New York Ave, Southern Pines, NC 28387, First Baptist Church of Rockingham, 201 N. Randolph St. Rockingham, NC 28379, or to the Rockingham Rotary Club, P.O. Box 1262, Rockingham, NC 28380.