Virran Crump

Virran Legrande Crump, 70, of Albemarle passed away Friday evening at his home, surrounded by his family. 

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, January 20, 2025 at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Rev. Larry Coley will officiate, with guest speakers, Maegen Byrd, Shannon Byrd, Blake Walter, Joe Manning and Dale Beachum. Internment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 Pm on Sunday, January 19, 2025 at Edwards Funeral Home in Norwood. 

Survived by his wife of 52 years Betty Smith Crump, daughter Shannon Byrd & husband Wesley. Grandchildren Maegen Byrd and Justin Byrd. Son, Derrick Crump & fiance Heather Misenheimer. Also, survived by 2 sisters, Lesa Brock, Nancy DuBose and Catherine Ponds and his sidekick kitty Jay-Jay.

Virran was an active member of the community, volunteering for the Aquadale Volunteer Fire Department with 50 years of service as a Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief and Administrator. He retired as the Administrative Director and Grant Writer for the Aquadale Volunteer Fire department. Over the years of service, he enjoyed the brotherhood of all the firefighters and serving the community. To honor him and his service to the fire department, his family draped his casket with a North Carolina Firefighters flag. 

He was also an active member of Bethlehem Baptist and served in multiple capacities as a deacon, Chairman of the Deacons, Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School Teacher, Choir Director, Member of the Choir, RA Leader, Planning & Building Committee for the new sanctuary built in 1979. 

He also served the community as the Dixie Youth Girls Softball President, District Director, Team Coach and All-Star Coach. He poured his heart into each and every player and treated them all as his own. He was so loved by all the girls and the community. 

Known as the local butcher and Meat Department Manager at Harris Teeter, he had 33 years of service. He was able to cut any and every piece of meat to any specification, and aimed to have superior customer service. 

Being an avid outdoorsman, he had a special love for deer hunting and saltwater fishing,  especially with his friends Larry Coley & Joe Manning. His love for deer hunting spilled over into serving the community once again in getting his Hunter Safety Instructor certification so that he could educate the younger generation, including his grandchildren. He loved teaching Maegen and Justin how to shoot and clean their firearms as well as how to properly process their harvest and preserve it.

Continuing to learn, he went to Stanly Community College and graduated with his Associates degree in Computer Science at 50 years old. Eager to learn more he went to Montgomery Community College and obtained his certification in Taxidermy, that furthered his love of the outdoors. 

Over his lifetime he was a beacon of light of the Lord to those around him. He had a servant's heart in everything he did. His faith and relationship with the Lord was evident in every area of his life as a husband and father leading his family as the spiritual leader of the household, positions in the church, volunteering in the community with the Fire Department, Softball league and his job. His love of the Lord was clearly seen in his life. The Anchor Holds was one of his favorite songs to sing because God was his anchor in everything. 

In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to the North Carolina Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation. Please put in the memo line: In Memory of Virran Crump

Donate – North Carolina Fallen Firefighters Foundation https://www.ncfff.org/donate/

Donations may also be made in his memory to Bethlehem Baptist Church 32283 Bethlehem Church Rd, Norwood, NC 28128

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Virran Crump, please visit our floral store.