Olander LaBori “Landis” or “LC” Cuthrell died on Oct. 27, 2015 at Silas Creek Rehabilitation Center in Winston-Salem after an extended illness.

Born on Aug. 27, 1946, he was born to the late Dallas Alexander and Mamie Lou Cuthrell. He was a 1964 graduate from Unity High School and kept his class ring. He attended Dudley Cosmetology School in Charlotte. He loved softball, playing and coaching a team sponsored by Mr. Quick. He started his own team whom he named The Landrelles – a force to be reckoned with. He coached several basketball and football teams for the Statesville Recreation Department. He was a Scottish Rite Mason and known on several jobs including Holland Transfer, Clark Equipment Co., City of Statesville, Kam KES Trucking, and William T. Burnette, his final employer.

Growing up the son of a musician, he started playing the piano at age 5 and at age 16 began ministering through music at his home church, Piney Grove AME Zion in Harmony. He played the keys (piano, organ, and keyboard), drums, trombone, bongos, the harmonica … and could hambone like no other.  He said he never tried to play like anyone else; he had his own music style and purpose which was, “to make the notes talk.” He played in a plethora of venues for churches, singers, weddings, funerals, birthday parties, anniversaries and more. He started the first choir at Piney Grove and called them The Mighty Pioneers. He played in almost every church in the county and was instrumental in several groups including The Tears of Joy, The Interfaith Choir, The Bethel Congregation Men’s Choir, The Holsey Memorial CME Choir, The Lilly’s Chapel Holiness Church Spiritual Voices, Bible Way Church #1 Gospel Jubilees, Caldwell Chapel AME Choir and more. At the time of his death, he was back where he started as the minister of music at Piney Grove. In pain and feeble, he made his way back to Piney Grove on Sunday, Oct. 11, for one last hoorah. He was the son-in-law of Ceola Wilson of Mocksville, who is also one of the original Mighty Pioneers.

He considered himself a good ole country boy from Harmony. He took pleasure in the simple things in life. His character was to make a fuss over you, but would not dare let you make a fuss over him  unless he was running low on his favorite candy. A man of faith, he held true to his belief that all you need is faith the size of a grain of a mustard seed to move mountains. After several rounds of radiation, it broke his bones, but not his faith. Rounds of chemo ravished his body, but not his swag nor sense of humor. Even on his worse days he was known to make somebody laugh.

On Oct. 8, he looked Sharice in her eyes and said, “If anyone should ever write my life story, for whatever reason there might be, you’d be there, between each line of pain and glory. So you tell them Jesus is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

He was preceded in death by: 3 brothers, Quincy Houpe, Lewis and Sylvester Cuthrell; a sister, Helen Pruitt; friends known as “The Posse,” including Nate Brown, Charles Gray, O.T. Chambers and James Houpe (who still survives).

Survivors: his wife, (whom he wed on Sept. 27, 2003) Venessa Cuthrell of the home; 2 sisters, Mamie (Robert) Jones of Cooleemee and Molly (Ray) Redmond of Harmony; a brother, Jesse Cuthrell of Lexington; 5 brothers-in-law, Leo Pruitt of Harmony, Barry Wilson, Wade Wilson, David (Bernadette) Wilson, and Keith Wilson, all of Mocksville; 2 sisters-in-law, Sheila (Alphonzo) Keaton and Deedra (James) Scott of Woodleaf; his children, Tyna (Larry) Redmond of Statesville, Sheldon (Tammy) Cuthrell of Greensboro, O. DeShea (Jacqueline) Cuthrell of Richmond, Va., Candris (Julian) Gillespie and Sharice Cuthrell of Greensboro, Taurus (Anary) Bellamy of Statesville, Tyrone Bellamy of Charlotte, Jamie (Zenetra) Turner and Traci Turner of Statesville, Trina (Eddie), Billy (Jane), Carlos (Pooh), Antwonne Redmond and Tyqwan Scott, all of Mocksville; his first grandson to whome he was honorary father, Cameron “CJ” Cuthrell of Statesville; and on Aug. 27, 1992 his first granddaughter Shakia Hayes was born on his 46th birthday; 33 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren including Landon Cuthrell of Killeen, Texas, who was named after him; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, friends; and his great-grand puppy, Milo, who visited faithfully.

A wake was held Sunday night, Nov. 1 at Piney Grove AME Zion Church in Harmony. The funeral was held Monday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m. at Christ Cathedral Church of Deliverance in Statesville. Burial followed in Piney Grove AME Zion Church Cemetery.

Condolences: www.GrahamFuneralHome.net.