Bobby Lee Messick

Bobby Lee Messick, a lifelong resident of Winston-Salem, died at home on July 22, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. He was born to Glenn and Ethel Messick on August 12, 1932. He was pre-deceased by his parents; his siblings: sister, Ruby Messick Lindley, and brothers, Grady, David, Bill, and Harold Messick; and his first wife, Peggy Martin Messick.

 He is survived by his beloved wife of 35 years, Hilda Messick; three children: Robin Manuel (Les), of Kernersville, NC, Kathy Guyer-Martin (Joe), of Madison, NC, and Jody Messick (Trina), of Belmont, NC; stepchildren, Karen Kolcusky (Wayne) of Harrisburg, NC and Jennifer Snead of Apex, NC; nine grandchildren: Amber, Megan, Jamey, Jessica, Rachel, Kathryn, Katie, Matthew, and Sophie; and six great-grandchildren: Makenzie, Noah, Easton, Mikey, Sofia, and Colin, plus a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and dear friends. Bobby (best known as “Paw Paw,”), was the heart of our family and made his love and pride in each of us clear every day. He made sure each of us knew how loved and important we were, and we will carry his legacy of kindness and compassion with us always.

Bobby served in the US Army and was stationed in Germany after WWII. He loved to tell stories about his time in the service. He retired after 38 years of service at Western Electric and enjoyed a long, happy retirement. He was a gentle man of quiet faith who shared his love of music and ministry by singing in a gospel quartet. He found joy and peace in listening to the old gospel greats in his later years. He loved the great outdoors, whether it was golfing, camping, traveling across the US, coaching little league (or later, watching his grandson and great-grandsons on the field), tinkering on a car, or playing in the backyard pushing grandbabies on the tire swing. He loved his dogs, and we have no doubt a pack of them ran to meet him Saturday morning when he arrived at Heaven’s gate.

Family visitation will be held on Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 12-1:00 pm at the Silas Creek Chapel of Hayworth-Miller in Winston-Salem, NC. A 2:00 pm graveside service will follow at Woodland Cemetery located at 3123 Indiana Avenue, Winston-Salem. We request that you come dressed comfortably in casual or golf attire, to honor his love of a casual lifestyle.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Trellis Supportive Care of Winston-Salem, NC, or the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, who played an instrumental role in his childhood. We would like to thank the amazing care team at Trellis for their care of our beloved husband, Daddy and “Paw Paw” in the final week of his life.