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Our History
Nicholson Funeral Home is a landmark in downtown Statesville. Now housed in a stately 1901 colonial revival home on East Front Street, its history goes back to 1850. It was then that the William Thomas Nicholson family settled on Hunting Creek, north of Harmony. They had traveled from New Jersey to open a gristmill. Some 28 years later, the Nicholson's, along with the Jennings and White families, began to make and sell caskets at the general stores they operated throughout northern Iredell County.
As was common in the late 1800s, many undertakers were also furniture makers, and the Nicholson's continued to sell caskets and conduct funerals in their furniture store when they moved to Statesville. At the time, a casket’s price was based on the wood used and its size—probably between $25 and $35 for an adult casket. W.T. Nicholson moved the funeral home into its current location in 1920, and he remained its owner until his death in 1951. “Many of Mr. Nicholson’s descendants have remained in our community, even to this day.
Lonnie G. Turner, Sr. and his family bought the funeral home from Mr. Nicholson before he died. During that time, and until 1991, Marvin and Louise Raymer managed the business for Mr. Turner. When Lonnie Turner died, Nicholson Funeral Home went into his family estate, which was managed by his daughter, Mary Turner Gilliam. Mrs. Gilliam, like her father before her, and her husband, Mr. L.S. (Bill) Gilliam, Jr., were benevolent caretakers to Statesville, their church, friends and strangers alike. In 1983, in keeping with her father’s wishes that his business be sold to a local family who would carry on his philosophy of “family serving family., The Troutman/Strandburg family became Nicholson’s third family of owners in all of its 131 years. “Mary Gilliam was like a guardian angel. She gave us the opportunity to help others and to follow in her father’s footsteps. Mrs. Gilliam trusted the new owners to continue her father’s strong traditions.”
Our Valued Staff
William “Bill” D. Brater
Bill Brater is a graduate of the University Of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati College Of Mortuary Science. He is currently in his 45th year of funeral service. He and his wife Linda, live in Troutman and he has one son and three grandchildren. He has been awarded the Citizen Of the Year by the Greater Statesville Chamber Of Commerce, has served as that organization’s President, as well as serving formerly as President of the board of directors of Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County and the United Way of Statesville and the Statesville Jaycees. He is a former two term member of the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board Of Education and currently serves on the Iredell County Board Of Adjustments. He is a member of the Greater Statesville Rotary Club and serves on the board of Iredell Memorial Hospital. He is a past campaign chair for the United Way of Iredell County and formerly served on the S.C.A.N. board of directors as well as the American Red Cross and the former North Iredell Unit Of The American Cancer Society.
Alana P. Henderson
Alana is originally from Statesville but spent 28 years in the High Point/Thomasville area. She returned in 2005 following the death of her father to be with her mother. She is a graduate of High Point Central High School and Fayetteville Technical Community College where she earned her Funeral Directors License. Alana formerly was a member of the Exchange Club and Rotary, was an office manager and holds an insurance license. She is involved in her church, loves to read, cook, listen to music, and spend time on the lake and at the beach. Alana not only serves as a Funeral Director, but also helps many in preplanning their own funeral services. “Growing up in a parsonage, we went to funeral homes quite often. I always felt kinship there and finally decided that, perhaps, this was my calling in life. I love people; and helping them during some of the hardest days in their lives brings me a sense of fulfillment.” Alana has been in the funeral industry since 2007 and has been with Nicholson Funeral Home since 2015.
Stacy Boudreau
Reba L. Smith
Reba is from Campobello, SC. She attended Landrum High School. She moved to NC 6 years ago. She is a loving mother to her 3 children Elizabeth, Kimora & Noah. She is also a loving Grammy to her “favorite” grand dog Bella! She worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years. She then decided to make a change to have a better work life balance. She loves to bake, cook, listen to music & spend time with my family. She also loves to go to the beach or mountains. She has been with us since 2023. It has been my honor to work with the staff & family here at Nicholson Funeral Home.
Alexander J. Thurlow
Bobby D. Holmes Jr
Patti S Sloan
Patricia (Patti) Sherrill Sloan was born and raised in the Troutman community of Iredell County. She has been a lifetime resident. She retired from Binder Chiropractic. She is a member of Fallstown Baptist Church and the Troutman Exchange Club. She loves people and loves assisting families as needed. She also loves giraffes.
Connie Dellinger
Connie Dellinger is a native of Statesville. She graduated from South Iredell High School. She attended Mitchell Community College & Liberty University with a bachelor’s degree Summa Cum Laude in Religion. She is also a NC Notary Public. Connie joined our staff in 2023 as a funeral assistant. She has a passion to work with families to encourage hope during the tender moments of losing their loved ones. In her free time, she enjoys singing and playing the piano. She is a member of the Mitchell Community Choir.
Pastor James Lewis
James Lewis is a native of Statesville and is a graduate of North Iredell High School. In 1992 he married his best friend Melanie and together they have two daughters and one son. "Our home is truly blessed." "At age 30, God began to call me to begin a very special work in the Statesville, NC area. At age 32, I left my full-time job to fulfill God’s call. Since that day, God has blessed and increased our lives as well as this ministry." James has been with the Nicholson family since 2018.
Pastor Kenny Wallace
Kenny Wallace is a native of Statesville. He served our country in the United States Army. In June 1992 he married Debbie Johnson. Kenny’s passion is his Lord and Savior, family, and Veterans. Kenny has a servant’s heart. One of Kenny's favorite Bible passages is Psalm 100. Kenny has been with the Nicholson family since 2022.
Ronny Thompson
David Murray
David is a native of Catawba County and earned a bachelor’s degree in religion from Gardner-Webb University, an associate’s degree in Funeral Service from Fayetteville Technical Community College and Emergency Medical Science from Davidson County Community College. Beginning in 1990, David began serving his community as a volunteer firefighter and EMT, retiring as Captain of the Newton-Conover Rescue Squad in 2020. David has in depth experience with preplanning funeral and cremation services, working with estate planning attorneys specializing in guardianship, Medicaid qualification, and healthcare power of attorneycases.
