Doris Jean Chaffin Kurfees

Published 4:48 pm Monday, February 26, 2018

Doris Jean Chaffin Kurfees, of Harmony, died on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Gordon Hospice House in Statesville.

She was born on Feb. 16, 1931, in Davie County to Stacy Hanes Chaffin and Angie Inez Ijames Chaffin. She was a graduate of Mocksville High School and attended Salisbury Business College and earned an associates degree in business. During this time, she did clerical work for Burr C. Brock, a lawyer in Mocksville, and she later worked in the office of C.C.,Sanford and Son, a department store in Mocksville. She began working in the office of Garrison Machinery in Statesville in 1950, and in 1961, she began working in the office of J.P. Stevens in Turnersburg as a secretary and was office manager until she retired in 1991 after 30 years. She enjoyed working at JPS and made many lifelong friends there. After settling in Harmony in 1952 with husband Ralph and daughter Jean, she was an active member of the community. She attended Harmony Baptist Church for many years and served various roles. She later became a member of Clarksbury United Methodist Church and was president of the senior group for a number of years. She helped plan and organize numerous trips and meals for this group, and enjoyed helping with crafts during VBS. She was a member of the Harmony Garden Club, Clarksbury ECA, and was a charter member of the Harmony Friends of the Library. She served in offices in these organizations. She was also a member of Harmony Woodman Life Lodge 999. For many years she volunteered as a Girl Scout leader in North Iredell and in 1981 she served as the division chair for the United Way. Upon her retirement, she delivered “Meals on Wheels” and volunteered at Harmony Elementary School­­ and North Iredell Middle School. She loved to sew, quilt, and garden, make baskets, pound cakes, pecan tarts, and peanut brittle to share. She liked to watch the birds and play cards and board games with family and friends. Though she never tired of sharing her gifts and talents, her greatest love was family. She was a strong woman with a quick wit, and a natural caregiver. She nurtured her family with encouragement, support, and unconditional love.

She was preceded in death by: her husband of 43 years, Ralph Chalmus Kurfees, whom she married on Oct. 14, 1950; her daughter, Jean Carrie Kurfees Weeks and her husband, Tommy Weeks; 5 brothers, Norman, Dale, Thurmond, Morgan, and Gary Chaffin; and a sister, Eloise Chaffin Stephens.

Survivors: her daughter, Teresa Kurfees Johnson and husband Sherrill of Harmony; her 2 granddaughters, Carrie Johnson Furr and husband Noah of Chapel Hill, and Stacey Johnson Craven and husband Chri, of Harmony; 2 great-grandsons, Miles Jordan Furr and Paxton Lee Craven; her baby sister, Bonnie Chaffin Gunter; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family received friends on Monday, Feb. 26 at Clarksbury United Methodist Church, followed by a service to celebrateher life at 3 p.m. with the Rev. Cliff Wall officiating. Burial followed in the Harmony Cemetery.

Memorials: Clarksbury UMC, 924 E. Memorial Hwy., Harmony, 28634; Hospice/Palliative Care of Iredell, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, 28625; or Matthew 25 Ministries, PO Box 206 Harmony, 28634.