Arvil Lloyd Pardue

Pardue, Arvil Lloyd

September 26, 1926- June 1, 2022

Arvil Lloyd Pardue was born in Yadkinville, NC to Charlie Oscar Pardue and Geneva Norman Pardue. He was the middle child of a family of seven siblings. His early years were spent learning skills that revolved around the family businesses: working with farm animals, tobacco farming, working in the family's meat market grocery and helping run the family cafe,“Lloyd’s Grill”, named after him.

In 1945, he was drafted into the US Army. Because of that, he was unable to attend his high school graduation, having already been assigned to basic training, so his younger sister, Bobbie, received his high school diploma for him. In October 1946, he was honorably discharged from the army, obtaining the rank of sergeant. Immediately after the war, he built homes with his father and brother, but soon opted to take advantage of the G.I. Bill and enrolled in High Point College (now University) and graduated with a degree in Business and Social Studies. 

Following graduation, he returned to Yadkinville, North Carolina and taught 8th grade history and P.E. for 33 years at Yadkinville School. He jokingly said he could never graduate! His students said he would tell them at P.E. time, “You can play anything you want today, as long as it is volleyball.” He was a beloved teacher.

Lloyd supplemented his income by teaching driver's education, doing bookkeeping for a local business, painting houses and measuring tobacco in the summers. All of these opportunities kept him in contact with the people of the community. Most of his life was centered around his family, his church and serving the community. In his later years, it was hard for him to go anywhere in Yadkinville without running into his former students who had lots of stories to recount.

It was while he was teaching that he met his future wife, Joan (Jo) Linville Pardue. Their chance meeting was, as someone said, romantically straight from a novel. Joan was studying nursing at City Memorial Hospital when the hospital asked her to make a recruiting visit to a high school in the town of Yadkinville. When she came to recruit nursing students from Yadkinville High School, Lloyd was assistant principal.  He thought she was so cute in her crisp nurse’s cap and cape that he instructed the senior advisor to find out her name and phone number. He called her that very evening. They were happily married and deeply in love for 69+ years.

During his more than three decades of teaching, he received numerous awards and recognition. Among these included: Terry Sanford Award for District Four, Tar Heel Junior Historian Outstanding Advisor Award for North Carolina, Award of Merit Nomination by the Historic Preservation Society of North Carolina, and twice the Yadkin County Teacher of the Year. He also served as chairman of the Yadkin County American Revolutionary Bicentennial Committee, chairman of the Yadkinville Tri-centennial, chairman of the Board of Adjustments and member of the Yadkin County Board of Education. Joan and Lloyd’s generosity to others was honored several years ago when they received the Philanthropist of the Year award from the Yadkin Community Foundation.

During his teaching career, Lloyd engaged his students in many hands-on historical projects including to-scale models of Richmond Hill Law School, Grant Burris Hotel in Rockford North Carolina, tobacco basket making, The World's Longest Plank Road, Town Creek Indian Mound, Spencer Round House Railroad, The Civil War ironclad- USS monitor and restoration of the old Yadkin County Jail, and a shingle riveting project for the log schoolhouse near Starmount High School. For an eight year period during the mid-1970s and early 1980s, his Junior Historian Chapter won state wide honors: six, 1st place and two, 2nd place awards.

Lloyd was instrumental in preserving the cupula from the old Yadkinville School Bell tower. He listened to it ring too long to let it go as rubble. Lloyd also had a great interest in archaeology which led to his having an extensive collection of local Indian relics which he enjoyed searching for along the banks of the Yadkin River.

Lloyd was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Yadkinville serving as a chairman of the deacons, Sunday School teacher and chairman of the pastor search committee. His faith was lived out in his actions. He treated all people with respect and kindness regardless of how much money they had or their social status. He acknowledged the value of different religions and beliefs systems and believed in giving people the benefit of the doubt allowing for generous assumptions.

Lloyd was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He and Joan devoted themselves to lovingly caring for their two children, Sam and Ruth. He taught both of his children in 8th grade and driver’s education and was a tremendous encouragement as they grew into adulthood.

One of his favorite hobbies, that he did with Joan by his side, was going to auctions and estate sales. Many a Saturday they would set out in their old El Camino only to return with it packed high and tied down with antique treasures. These adventures gave him great pleasure throughout his life. He was also a skilled woodworker. A  beautiful cherry bed and quilt racks from the wood of the old Yadkin County Courthouse are a few of his many projects. He also loved his purple martins whose arrival he anticipated each years…ready for them with his white gourds hanging out back. He was a person very curious about many things. His love of local and state history permeated his life and his collections were museum-worthy. 

Two of his favorite sayings were “ I listen with respect to others and make up my mind myself“ and these great words of wisdom: “Moderation in everything…except love.”

Lloyd is survived by Joan Linville Pardue, his wife of 69 year, his sister, Bobbie Jean Pardue Booe. His two children; Samuel Lloyd Pardue (Stacy) and Ruth Joan Pardue (Steve); Three grandchildren; Caitlin Riely Pardue, Taylor Lloyd Pardue (Rachel), Adam Franklin Braun (Hae Won) . At the time of his death, he had one great grandchild; Desmond Won Jae Lee Braun. Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers: Edwin Norman Pardue,  Donald Wayne Pardue, John David (JD) Pardue, James Lawrence (Jim) Pardue; and one sister: Edith Mae Pardue Sutphin.  

Due to safety concerns surrounding Covid, a public memorial service will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to an endowed scholarship honoring Lloyd And Joan Pardue for local students attending NC State University [https://go.ncsu.edu/pardue_endowment] ; First Baptist Church of Yadkinville or Mountain Valley Hospice.