E. B.Sorrells, Jr.

“E. B.” Emmitt Byron Sorrells, Jr.

“E. B.” Emmitt Byron Sorrells, Jr., 78,  of Greenville, died Friday, March 25, 2011, at his home.  Funeral services will be 2:00 PM, Sunday at Ridgecrest Baptist Church under the direction of Coker-Mathews Funeral Home, with Rev. Eddie Smith officiating, assisted by Mr. Jasper Howard and Tommy Manley.  Visitation will be 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Sunday at the church.

E. B. was born January 24, 1933 in Benton, Arkansas, to Emmitt B. Sorrells, Sr. and Isabella Harrison Sorrells.    He married Saundra “Cookie” Brazelton July 16, 1955, in Dallas, shortly after graduating from ETSU with a Bachelor of Arts degree.  He was a lifetime resident of Greenville and for over 30 years owned Sorrells and Sons Funeral Home along with his father and brother, James E. Sorrells until 1981 when the funeral home was sold.  After a year absence from work, he was employed as a Subcontract Administrator with E-Systems, a position he held for 11 years before retirement in 1993.  For 10 years, he served as an AARP Tax Aid advisor in Greenville. 

E. B. was ordained a deacon in the First Baptist Church in 1965 and was past president of the Greenville Lions Club, on the board of directors of the Salvation Army, YMCA, Chamber of Commerce and Greenville Airport Board.  He was a charter member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Saundra “Cookie” Sorrells of Greenville;  son, Gary Sorrells and wife, Kathy; daughter, Sherilynn Sorrells Crenshaw and husband, Larry of Carrollton; brother, James E. Sorrells and wife, Sandra of Greenville; grandchildren, Cayla and Cara Crenshaw and Lacy Sorrells.  He was preceded in death by his parents.

Pallbearers will be Lowell Lawson, Bill Baker, Tom McAllister, Jim Wardlaw, Jasper Howard, Danny Forson and Amos Lowry.