We lost two more people from the Guilford County Sports World last week:Funeral arrangements now available for Kent Gilliland

We lost two from our Guilford County Sports World/Universe last week…

Our first look back is at Fred Styles, who was a former head football coach at Northeast Guilford High School..He coached the NEG Rams back in the days of Jimmy Walden and other outstanding Rams like Jesse Cocklereece, Ricky Apple, Rusty Lee, Bobby Coltrane, Jimmy Womack and others…..Coach Styles also spent maybe a year or so, at Western Guilford HS as an assistant coach on the Western Guilford HS football team of 1977, that won the 3-A State Championship…Coach Styles was very well thought of, in the Northeast Guilford community, back in those days of the 1970’s….

Here is the word of Coach Styles’ death from the News and Record online…….

from www.greensboro.com in the online obituary section:

DECEMBER 4, 1938 – FEBRUARY 28, 2020 GibsonvilleFred L. Styles, 81, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, February 28, 2020.

He was a native of Guilford County and the husband of 57 years to Sybil Carol Phillips Styles, who survives.

Fred was a graduate of Campbell University. He was a teacher, head football coach and athletic director, retiring from Piedmont High School, Monroe, NC.

He was a veteran of the US Air Force, playing on the 33rd Air Division All-Star Team baseball team from 1956-57. Fred was a member of Altamahaw Baptist Church, having served as a deacon and was an adult Sunday School teacher for over 54 years during his adult life.

He is survived by his wife, Sybil Carol Phillips Styles of the home, and cherished adopted “feline” friends; sister Betty Ransom of Thomasville and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Luther and Maude Collins Styles, and ten brothers and sisters.

The funeral service was held on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 2 p.m. at Altamahaw Baptist Church by Dr. Steve Tucker. The family received friends following the service at the church. A graveside service will be held on today Monday, March 2, 2020 at 1 p.m. at Pinelawn Memorial Cemetery in Kinston, NC.

A request to all people: Please take care of the animals–the Lord’s wonderful creation–We are responsible for them. Memorials may be made to Altamahaw Baptist Church, 3445 Altamahaw Church Street, Elon, NC 27244 or the Humane Society of Alamance County, P.O. Box 5117, Burlington, NC 27216. Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. 2205 S. Church Street, Burlington, NC 27215

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Our next look back is at Kent Gilliland, a former baseball player at Southeast Guilford High School, and at Greensboro College….Kent was a third baseman for the Southeast Guilford Falcons back in the late 1990’s and he followed up his high school baseball career, by attending and playing baseball at Greensboro College..

Kent died this past Friday in the Guilford County jail…His death has been ruled a suicide, and came as a result of, death-by-hanging….Something like this is always terrible news and thoughts and prayers are being lifted up for the family of Kent Gilliland this week….

from www.greensboro.com:
JULIAN Kent Fulton Gilliland, 36, died Friday, February 28, 2020. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, March 6 at First Baptist Church, 1000 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro. Forbis and Dick Pleasant Garden Chapel is serving the family.

Southeast Guilford Falcon players you may remember, from back in the time Kent Gilliland was playing baseball at Southeast Guilford High School…We can start with the head coach Kevin Callahan, known as ‘Cal’ to those who shared time on the diamond with him….Then you had Mike McClain Jr., Toby Middleton, Brett Garrett, Matt Craven, and many others and I’m sure Cliff Craven knew Kent Gilliland and his family well, from Cliff’s time at Southeast Guilford and from Cliff’s days working at Greensboro College…..Kent’s dad David Gilliland was an assistant coach for Kevin Callahan, back in those days of the late 90’s and early 2000’s, at Southeast Guilford…

The 2001 Southeast Guilford baseball team played for the 4-A State Championship at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C. David Gilliland, Kent’s dad, is a former Auburn Tiger baseball player and he became a big contributor and booster of the SEG Falcons baseball program, back in his days as a SEG Falcon coach and leader….

Sad to report the news that Kent Gilliland is gone and a very sad way to leave us…Last we heard he had become an over-the-road truck driver after his baseball playing days were over, and he really enjoyed the outdoors and being out there, in the elements….

Here is the news story on Kent Gilliland’s death, as we were able to find it, from Scott Yost, at the Rhino Times online…..

from www.rhinotimes.com:
On Friday evening, Feb. 28, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department reported that, as a result of a suicide attempt in the Guilford County jail in Greensboro, inmate Kent Fulton Gilliland of Julian, age 36, died at Moses Cone Hospital at or around 4:18 p.m.

A preliminary press release stated that the department would not release the inmate’s name until next of kin could be notified, however, another release sent an hour later identified Gilliland by name.

According to the department, “This incident is under investigation and no additional information will be provided to the media until the investigation is complete.” It refers all questions to the Sheriff’s Department’s attorneys.

Alarmingly, this is the third person held in the Guilford County jails to die by suicide(death-by-hanging) in a 10-month period.

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