BATTLEBORO - Bruce Lea Flye, Sr., age 89, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, March 25, 2022. Born in Edgecombe County, NC on September 11, 1932, he was the son of the late William Woodson Flye, Sr. and Florence Corbett Flye. He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Robert "Braxton" Flye and William Woodson Flye, Jr.; his sister, Eleanor Flye Stallings; and his daughter-in-law, Laura Ward Flye.
Bruce was a retired farmer and community leader. His influence on farm issues, particularly regarding tobacco, was significant throughout his long farming career. Bruce was a true advocate for tobacco and the tobacco farmer. He served in various leadership roles over a 30-year span, defending the federal tobacco marketing and quota system. Thereby, benefiting the American tobacco farmer.
Bruce was active in the legislative affairs sanctioned by the NC Farm Bureau regarding tobacco. He began his advocacy for tobacco at his local Farm Bureau Chapter in Edgecombe County in the early 1970s.
In time, Bruce was appointed to the board of "Tobacco Associates", a promotional group headquartered in Raleigh, NC and Washington, DC dedicated to the sale of U.S. tobacco around the world.
Later, Bruce was elected to the board of the U.S. Flue Cured Tobacco Stabilization Corporation. It's role was to monitor and regulate price supports paid for tobacco. The price support was implemental at every tobacco warehouse. Every tobacco farmer benefited from the consistency and dependability these price supports provided.
During his career of service to the tobacco industry, Bruce served as Chairman of the Tobacco Associates Group and later Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Flue Cured Stabilization Corporation. Collectively, his service to the tobacco industry and particularly to the American tobacco farmer, encompassed 30 plus years from the 1970's to the 2000's.
His contributions to the Nash-Edgecombe farming communities included the formation of the Whitakers Gin Company and the Battleboro Peanut Co-Op. In both instances, Bruce led a coalition of local farmers in creating and operating these agribusiness enterprises. His efforts helped assure his farmer neighbors that their cotton and peanuts could be received, process and marketed locally.
Bruce was truly a beloved and admired man of the land. He once said, "tobacco is my golf game."
Bruce is survived by his wife of 69 years, Jean Quincy Flye of Battleboro; his sons, Bruce Lea Flye, Jr. and wife, Phyllis, of Greenville and Marvin Randell "Randy" Flye of Battleboro; his daughter, Jean Elizabeth "Beth" Flye of Chapel Hill; his grandchildren, Brian Randell Flye, Michael Thomas Flye and wife, Erica, Andrea Flye Hudson and husband, Justin, and Marci Flye Vick and husband, Kurt; his great-grandchildren, Caden Glenn Flye, Amelia Jean Flye, arriving any day, Bodie Alexander Flye, Braxton Ward Hudson, and Maggie Maye Hudson; his sisters, Estelle Flye Rose and husband, Sonny, Anne Flye Baker, and Kay Flye Gurganus; and his beloved canine companion, Nina.
A Funeral Service to celebrate Bruce's life will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at 3:00 PM at Battleboro United Methodist Church, 229 E. Battleboro Ave., Battleboro, NC 27809 with Pastor Kim Lail and Parker Phillips officiating. A visitation will be from 2:00 PM to 2:45 PM prior to the service at Battleboro United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall.
A Private Family Burial will take place at Battleboro Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bruce's memory to Battleboro United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 178, Battleboro, NC 27809 or NC Wildlife Federation (NCWF), 124 Washington Street, Raleigh, NC 27605.
Arrangements entrusted to Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 1130 N. Winstead Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC 27804. You may share memories and condolences with the family by visiting www.wheelerwoodlief.com.
Visitation
Battleboro United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
229 E. Battleboro Ave,
Battleboro, NC 27809
Tuesday 3/29, 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
A visitation will be from 2:00 PM to 2:45 PM prior to the service at Battleboro United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall.
Service
Battleboro United Methodist Church
229 E. Battleboro Ave.
Battleboro, NC 27809
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Tuesday 3/29, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
A Funeral Service to celebrate Bruce's life will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at 3:00 PM at Battleboro United Methodist Church, 229 E. Battleboro Ave., Battleboro, NC 27809 with Pastor Kim Lail and Parker Phillips officiating.
Cemetery
Battleboro Cemetery
408 W. Battleboro Road
Battleboro, NC 27809
A Private Family Burial will take place at Battleboro Cemetery.
Please accept our deepest condolences for your family’s loss.
Hugs Jean and Randy So sadden to hear about Bruce as he will surely be missed by all that knew him. My sincere condolences as I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Love Emily Bass
So sorry to hear about Bruce’s passing. Prayers to your family especially to sweet Lady Jean., Love, Mary Lynn
Thinking of you all and sending prayers and positive thoughts. TLS
Was a very good man my uncle Tom sanders cured many barns of tobacco for him back in the day truly will be missed my condolences to the famly
Thinking of the Flye family. Met Bruce when Randy and him needed car repair. He was a very nice and friendly gentleman. Enjoyed getting to know him. He will be missed!
So very sorry for your loss.
Jean and Family…………Bruce was an incredibly valued friend of mine and my family. Mother could not say enough about how she admired him as did my Dad, who was closer to the generation of Mr. Fly (as us kids called him—Bruce’s Dad). I very much enjoyed visiting you and Bruce on several occasions years ago and getting his farming advice for Mother’s and now my little piece of heaven in Greene County NC. From all I know, Bruce had a full and wonderful life and added meaning and value to all he touched. We should all hope to be so fortunate. Enjoy his memory and legacy. I hope to be in the RMBattleboro area soon and will try to visit. Many blessings to all of you………..Parks
I wish you grace and peace in the coming days. It was a absolute pleasure to have worked with Mr Bruce in the tobacco glory days. Epitome of a true gentleman and business man. He will not be forgotten.
On behalf of my family, I want to extend our condolences to the Flye family. I lived away from North Carolina for much of my professional life, so I did not have an opportunity to meet Bruce Lea Flye, Sr. I did have the opportunity to meet Bruce Flye, Jr. in the 1990’s at which time he told me that his grandfather had named his father after my grandfather W. Bruce Lea, Sr. The two grandfathers knew each other well through their work in the tobacco industry as I recall. I had one aunt still living at that time, and when I told her about my meeting with Bruce, Jr., she told me she knew Bruce Sr. From what she told me and what I read in his obituary, he was clearly an extraordinary gentleman. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.