Mother Shirley Jean (Latta) Adams Rudd

Shirley Jean Latta Adams Rudd died on Friday, April 30, at AuthoraCare Collective in Burlington.

Rudd, born in Orange County on Nov. 20, 1940, was the oldest child of Elder Luther Virgil and Lena Holman Latta, who preceded her in death. She attended what was then Caswell County Training School (now Bartlett Yancey High School) and years later got her General Education Degree from Alamance Community College.

In November of 1957, she married Willie Ezell Adams, who preceded her in death, and to this union, five children were born, Robin, Gladys, Cora, Latta and Tyrone. She worked in numerous textile manufacturing jobs where she retired and spent her later years as a home health sitter. She married James Marvin “Jip” Rudd in 1985 and became mother and grandmother to the Rudd family, including Jerry, Ronald, Donald, James, Jr. and Joyce.

She joined the Holy Tabernacle of Jesus Christ in Mebane at an early age and continued her Christian journey at New Covenant United Holy Church, where she remained until her health and COVID-19 prohibited her attendance. 

She is survived by four of her five children, Robin (husband Malcolm) Cheeley of Greensboro, Gladys Adams of Burlington, Cora (husband Deacon James) Strickland of Whitsett, Latta Adams of Burlington, Deacon Ronald (wife Barbara) Rudd of Burlington, the Rev. Jerry (wife Sharon) Rudd of Burlington and Joyce (husband Leon) Springfield; sisters, Betty Turner of Greensboro, Hazelene (husband Robert) Mebane of Pleasant Grove and Christine Murdock of Greensboro; one brother, Luther Coy Latta of Haw River; 13 grandchildren, Natasha Adams, Ryan Adams, Arria Cheeley, Chloe Strickland, Torri Rudd, Tracie Rudd, Trina Rudd, Tasha Rudd Frances, Travis Rudd, Jeremy Rudd, Jonathan Rudd, Marissa Booth and Todd Rudd; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, extended family and friends. While not grandchildren, she loved a special niece, Senator Natalie Murdock of Durham, and nephew, Kelsey Mebane of Greensboro.

In addition to her parents, who preceded her in death, was her son Tyrone and two special brothers-in-law Ernest Turner and Harold Murdock.

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