Sidney Earl Vandiford

Sidney Earl Vandiford, 81, of Snow Hill passed peacefully into the waiting arms of his Saviour on Monday, November 1, 2021 surrounded and loved by his family.

Sidney gave many years of service before his health started failing to his church. During services, he could be found ushering guests into the sanctuary with a welcoming smile to put them at ease. During the Victor, you could find him parking cars, cooking for cast members, always with a smile, and ceaselessly ready to serve in any capacity needed. Sidney, or Pop as his family lovingly called him, truly had a servant’s heart.

Vandiford’s Yard Drainage was his business for many years, but Vandiford’s Country Kitchen (and Mother) was his passion. Sidney used his talents to cook meals for young and old alike. He enjoyed cooking a pig, deep frying shrimp, barbecuing chicken and cooking for reunions, family, friends, school groups, men’s breakfasts, or Smith’s Café. He had just begun to pass along the family secrets for pig cooking to grandson, Adam.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Margaret Elizabeth Vandiford; his father, William Elias Vandiford, and his oldest son, Kenneth Earl Vandiford.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Judy Faye Kilpatrick Vandiford; two sons, Keith (Lynn) Vandiford of Grifton and Curtis (Kyndal) Vandiford of Fort Worth, Texas; four grandsons, Kevin (Brooke) of Hookerton, Adam (Opal) of New Bern, Kenny of Snow Hill, and Cody of Snow Hill; three sisters, Jean Sutton of Grifton, Carolyn Grant of Greenville, and Tootsie Bailey of Winterville; eight great-grandchildren, Madelyn and Landon, Nathan, Brandon, and Makayla, Hannah, Jason, and Brooklynn, and many special nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 4, 2021 at Tanglewood Church with visitation to follow. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 5, 2021 at Pinelawn Memorial Park with Pastor Allen Stocks officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Tanglewood Church, 2103 Rouse Road, Kinston, North Carolina 28504.