Julius Johnston Gwyn

REIDSVILLE - Julius Johnston Gwyn, 76 years of age, of Reidsville, N.C., died of cancer on Wednesday, September 10, 2003 at his home. He was the son of Allen Hatchett Gwyn and Martha Jane "Janie'' Johnston Gwyn. He was preceded in death by his brother, Allen H. Gwyn, Jr., with whom he practiced law as partners for 42 years.
There will be a private memorial service for the immediate family at a later date. There will be no viewing as such, but the family will receive friends at the home at 414 Maple Ave., Reidsville, from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 11 and 12. Citty Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Gwyn is survived by his wife, Patricia W. "Trish'' Gwyn, and children, Dr. Julie G. Packard and husband, William F. Packard, Dr. Dorothy G. Harper and husband, J. Stanway Harper, of Rockingham County and Wright Hamilton Gwyn of Oxford, OH; two grandchildren, Willard Russell Harper of Boone, N.C. and Christopher Colman Harper of Greensboro, N.C., and one great-grandchild, Gaia Lee Gwyn Harper. Also surviving are a sister, Anne Russell G. Robertson of Orange, Va.; nieces, Lucy B. Shepherd of Raleigh, N.C., Jane G. Ward of Reston, Va., and Leslie Gwyn of New York City, and great nephew and great nieces, Alex Shepherd, Anne Shepherd, and Nathan Shepherd of Raleigh.
Gwyn attended the Reidsville Public Schools, was elected President of the Reidsville High School Student Government his senior year, and was inducted into the U.S. Navy on August 1, 1945. He was discharged August 16, 1946, entered Duke University, and graduated with a BA degree before marriage to Trish on June 23, 1950.
During his undergraduate years at Duke, Gwyn held the following positions: President of the Sophomore YMCA, Membership in BOS, a sophomore leadership organization, Business manager of the Chronicle the student newspaper, Editor of the Duke Student Directory, President of ODK the Senior leadership organization, Membership as a Red Friar - an honorary leadership organization recognizing those of exemplary leadership ability.
He entered Duke Law School in 1950 and graduated with an LLB degree. While there, he was elected President of the Duke Law School Student Government. Upon his graduation from law school in 1953, Gwyn returned to Reidsville and opened his law office where he was joined in partnership with his brother, Allen, in 1954, and conducted a general practice of law until his retirement on January 1, 1996.
Upon his return to Reidsville and Rockingham County, Gwyn pursued his interest in public and professional affairs as evidenced by the following positions he held at various times: President of the Franklin Street School PTA, President of the Reidsville Chapter of the American Red Cross, Chairman of the Reidsville Friends of the Library, Chairman of the Reidsville Planning Board, Council member and Mayor of the City of Reidsville during a period of civil unrest while leading the city towards community integration (1960-66), Vice chairman of the Official Board of the Main Street United Methodist Church. Chairman, Church Commission on Education, President of the Reidsville Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Rockingham Community College, President of the Rockingham Community College Foundation Inc., President of the Rockingham County Partnership for Children Inc., Chairman of the first Heart Sunday fund drive for the American Heart Association in the City of Reidsville, President of the North Carolina Fund of Rockingham County, President of the Chinqua-Penn Foundation, Inc., President of the Rockingham County Bar Association.
Gwynn's service was recognized through the following awards and titles: Reidsville Ministerial Fellowship - Community Service Award - 1965, Reidsville Chamber of Commerce, Business Man of the Year, 1994, Reidsville Chamber of Commerce, President's Citation - 1995, Governor's award for Volunteer Service - 1999, Friend of Rockingham Community College - 2001, Director Emeritous of the RCC Foundation Inc. - 2002, Reidsville Branch of the NAACP, Reidsville Chamber of Commerce and Reidsville Human Relations Commission award for Outstanding Service in Promoting Racial Harmony in the City of Reidsville, 2002.
For those wishing to provide comfort with flowers, Jule asked to instead provide a memorial gift to the Rockingham County Partnership for Children, Inc., an organization in which he strongly believed and whose mission is "helping all children enter school healthy and ready to succeed.'' Their address is P.O. Box 325, Wentworth, NC 27375-0325.