Mr. Keith “Coniston” Cuthrell Sr., 87, a resident of 9545 N.C. Hwy. 99 N., Pantego, died Sunday April 15, 2012, at Ridgewood Nursing Center of Washington.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Pike Road Church of Christ, officiated by Don Atkins and Harvey Allen. Burial will follow in the Davis Cemetery.

Mr. Cuthrell was born in Beaufort County on July 21, 1924, son of the late Alfred Barney Cuthrell and the late Lucy Mae Burbage Cuthrell. He was a 1943 graduate of John A. Wilkinson High School. Mr. Cuthrell married the former Effie Deloris Allen on Dec. 29, 1945, who preceded him in death on July 26, 2006. He was an engineer with the Merchant Marines and co-owner/operator of Cuthrell’s Frames & Things. Mr. Cuthrell was a devoted member of Pike Road Church of Christ. He was active with the Beaufort County Genealogical Society and a strong supporter of the Friends of John A. Wilkinson School and the Pantego Academy Historical Museum.

Mr. Cuthrell is survived by a daughter: Doraine C. Smith and her husband Chester of the Smithton Community of Belhaven; two sons, Keith C. Cuthrell Jr. and his wife Deborah of Virginia Beach, Va., and Robby D. Cuthrell and his wife Cynthia of Bath; a brother, Jerry Hal Cuthrell of Washington; nine grandchildren, Shanna Smith Galicia and her husband John, Darren Reeves Smith and his wife Angie, Dr. Rachel Cuthrell Lee and her husband Robert, Lydia Cuthrell Onofrei and her husband Christian, Jesse Lane Cuthrell and his wife Brittany, Robby Quinn Cuthrell, Christina Hazel Cuthrell, Catherine A. Allen and her husband Chris and Caitlyn Johannah Sutton and her husband David; and eight great-grandchildren: John Allen Galicia, Maria Allyn Galicia, Asher Lee, Micah Lee, Ruth Lee, Collin Cuthrell, Taylor Grace Smith and Amelia Reeves Smith. Mr. Cuthrell is predeceased by a brother: Barney Owen Cuthrell.

Mr. Cuthrell grew up in Belhaven and for many years worked in the family business, The Belhaven Bakery. He was an active gardener and along with “Charlie” (his pet name for his wife) raised a large crop of vegetables and flowers each year. He was very self-sufficient, having built his own home and maintained and repaired the equipment used around his homestead. He played the guitar and enjoyed singing hillbilly and country songs. He also led singing in church. He enjoyed nature and would often lead his family on long excursions in the woods to explore and appreciate God’s creation. He was frugal to a fault and rarely threw anything away — he would just build another building to store things in. He traveled all over the world as a marine engineer and enjoyed taking pictures and collecting momentos wherever he went to bring home and share with family and friends.

His family wishes to thank Joel Dunbar for caring for him for several years prior to his entering the nursing home.

The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Pungo Community Building located at the junction of Pike Road and U.S. Hwy. 99 N., Pantego.

Flowers are welcome and appreciated and the family kindly asks for any memorial contributions to be made to the Pantego Academy Historical Museum, c/o William R. Baynor, 975 Daw Road, Pantego, NC 27860.

Mr. Cuthrell’s video tribute may be viewed (available Wednesday a.m.) and condolences may be offered by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

Paul Funeral Home of Belhaven is honored to serve the Cuthrell family.