Mr. Pearley Quince Queen, age 97, of Morganton, passed away Monday, April 27, 2015. Mr. Queen was born February 7, 1918 in Morganton, GA the 5th of twelve children to the late Samuel Hardy Queen and the late Margaret Caroline Collins Queen. He was a member of Wilscott Baptist Church. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening. He also enjoyed watching the Atlanta Braves.

At the age of 23, Quince was drafted on September 11, 1941, and would be fighting and surviving one of the largest and most significant battles in history - D-Day and the invasion of Normandy. On June 6, 1944, he and his fellow GIs were taken by seaport from their base in Ireland to Landing Ship Tanks that landed near the beach and opened into waist-high water to be met by fire from German soldiers hidden in bunkers. During his march through St. Lo on his way to Paris, artillery shell hit and tree and bounced off to strike him in the back and shoulders while in his dugout. After two months in the hospital, he returned to fighting with his unit in the Ruhr Valley. Mr. Queen was in the Ruhr Valley when the Japanese surrendered and the war officially ended. He spent a lot of time helping prisoners get back to their own countries, many of whom were Russian, and saw many from concentration camps.

Mr. Queen was also among those who took part in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. He was discharged on August 27, 1945 and returned to Fannin County and became a brick mason by trade. He worked for 30 years laying brick with the Tennessee Copper Co. in Copperhill. In 1946, he and his wife Louise were married. He returned to Normandy several years ago and visited Omaha Beach were the invasion took place and recalled what it was like so many years ago. He tried to attend each of the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies and visit with other WWII veterans.

Mr. Queen is survived by: wife, Louise Queen, daughter, Elaine (Howell) Bruce, son, Lynn Lee (Angie) Queen, son, David Queen, daughter, Susan (William DuPriest) Bozeman, brother, Herbert Queen, grandchildren, Howell Bruce, Jr., Kevin Bruce, Samuel Queen, Stewart Queen and Chasity Tibbetts, great grandchildren, Rachel and Collin Bruce, A.J. and Quin Bruce, Josie Queen and Elias Tibbetts.

Funeral services: Friday, May 1, 2015 at 2:00 pm at the Henry-Cochran Funeral Home with the Rev. Eric Davenport officiating. Interment will follow in Concord Baptist Church Cemetery, with Military Honors by the North GA Honor Guard.. Pallbearers: Howie Bruce, Kevin Bruce, Sammy Queen, Stewart Queen, Jack Queen, Rick Daves. Honorary pallbearers: Dale Dyer, Darrel Mann, Bill Perdue, Frank Tipton, Wilson Daves, Eston Collins, O. B. Hooper, Jr., Vernon Hooper.

The family will receive friends at the Henry-Cochran Funeral Home of Blue Ridge, Thursday, April 30, 2015, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm.