OAK RIDGE, N.C. — Arnold Wayne Covington went to join his Lord on Aug. 8, 2011. He fought the good fight. He has finished the race.

A visitation was at Forbis & Dick Guilford Chapel on Friday from 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be at 11 today at Central Baptist Church in Oak Ridge. Interment will follow at Westminster Gardens.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Dimmette Covington of 15 years. They were truly “two peas in a pod.” Also surviving are his sons, Matthew Covington and wife, Christy, of Long Beach, Miss., Mark Covington of the home; stepchildren Maggie Dimmette, Joel Dimmette and wife, Sayward, of Vicksburg, and Sarah Dimmette and George Bogg of Memphis; three grandchildren, Sidney, Joel W. Jr. and Catherine Dimmette of Vicksburg; six sisters and brothers; and many nieces and nephews.

Wayne served with the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War with communications. At age 59 he returned to college to finish his degree in Electrical and Computer Science. He graduated cum laude and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

He was a Juvenile Detective in Burlington (N.C.) Police, Fire and EMT on Bald Head Island, Southport, N.C., and Pfizer. He was with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Department and 911, and later with Warren County 911 in Vicksburg. He wrote a chapter on communication for the first edition of the training manual for Brunswick County and the state of North Carolina.

Wayne was an active member of Central Baptist Church in Oak Ridge. He started the handyman ministry in the church. He served on the Building and Grounds Committee and the Mission Committee. He and Betty were very active with mission work with the church and N.C. Baptist Disaster Relief. They were chaplains and Wayne was chaplain coordinator for Region 5.

They traveled all over the country helping with tornado, flood and fire victims. Wayne traveled to Cuba on a mission trip with the church and had just returned from American Samoa to help rebuild schools, houses and churches after a tsunami and cyclone hit the islands. He loved to cook, garden and fish. Later he became “Fisherman of Men.”

His sense of humor and famous potato salad will be missed. He planted me a beautiful rose garden. He was the glue that held the family together.

Special thank you to Dr. Blackstock and the radiation staff, Dr. Yacoab and the chemo staff, Hospice and our special church family, Pastors Roy and David.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Central Baptist Building or Mission Fund or North Carolina Baptist Men’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Online condolences can be made at www.forbisanddick.com.