Rev. David Wheeler Allred

The Reverend David Wheeler Allred passed away at age 81 on Wednesday afternoon, December 21, 2022, at Village Care in King.  He was born in Hickory on September 5, 1941, and graduated from New London High School in 1959.  Frequently seen wearing his Wake Forest Demon Deacons ballcap, he was a proud 1963 graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem with a degree in sociology.

The son of a minister, the Rev. Allred was also called to serve God in ministry.  He was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister on January 15, 1963, at Rocky Hock Baptist Church in Edenton, where his father was a minister.  In 1966, he earned his Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

His service began as a youth pastor in 1962, at First Baptist Church in Greensboro.  He first served as pastor at Jonas Ridge Baptist Church in Jonas Ridge, from 1964 to 1966.  He then served at Villa Heights Baptist Church in Martinsville, VA, from 1966 to 1971.  He returned to Winston-Salem to train in pastoral care at Baptist Hospital, earning his Master in Pastoral Counseling from Wake Forest University in 1977.  He enjoyed a forty-plus-year career as a marriage and family counselor while serving many churches as an interim minister.  He also worked at Nazareth Children’s Home in Rockwell and Methodist Children’s Home, now Crossnore, in Winston-Salem.  After the 9/11 attacks, he volunteered at the Pentagon as a mental health counselor.  In his later life, he assisted the Reverend Donald Bryant at Fellowship Tabernacle in Lambsburg, VA.

The Reverend Allred always had a book within reach and loved reading histories, especially about World War II.  He also loved animals and gave his full affection and love to many dogs and cats.  Finally, he loved music and used it to share the Word.  A talented singer, he once came in second in a singing contest to Randy Traywick, whom the world would later know as Randy Travis.  In 1987, the founder of Food Lion, Ralph Ketner, was so struck by Allred’s singing abilities that he paid for studio time for the Reverend Allred to record a gospel album.  Ketner sent copies of the album to all his store managers.  The album featured “Joseph’s Song,” written by the Reverend Allred, which described the birth of Jesus from Joseph’s perspective.

He was preceded in death by his parents, the Reverend Thurman Wheeler and Mary Coble Allred; and his brother, Jim Allred.  He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Mary Lou Allred; his sons, Stephen Allred (Lisa), Mark Allred (Michele), and Peyton Williams; his sisters, Barbara King and Lynn Robinson (Dave); his grandchildren, Kayla Casady (Sean), Jake Allred, Madison Allred, and Logan Allred; and his great-granddaughter, Alyssa Casady.

The family thanks the staff of Village Care for caring for the Reverend Allred, especially nurses Donna and Brian.

The family will receive visitors on Sunday, January 8, 2023, from 12:30 to 2:00 PM at Moody Funeral Home, located at 206 West Pine Street in Mount Airy.  The memorial service will follow at 2:00 PM in the Moody Chapel, with the Reverend Donald Bryant and the Reverend Corey Simmons officiating.

In lieu of flowers, you can celebrate the Reverend Allred’s life by donating to his church, Fellowship Tabernacle, at 18 Chapel Lane, Lambsburg, VA  24351-3139; or Mayberry 4 Paws, a nonprofit dog rescue organization, at 210 Country Club Road, Mount Airy, NC  27030 (or at www.mayberry4paws.com).