Saturday, November 8, 2008 12:30 am

ROLESVILLE - Eugene “Gene” Wesley Woodlief, 61, died Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 at his home.

A service celebrating his life was conducted Thursday, Nov. 6, at Glen Royal Baptist Church, Wake Forest.

He was the youngest child of the late Marvin Roosevelt and Nolie Catlett Woodlief. He served 12 years in the U.S. Army, serving three tours of duty in Vietnam where he received two purple hearts. He retired from the Wake County Sheriff’s Office in 2002.

Surviving: his wife, Sharon Harding Woodlief; sisters, Margaret Caton (Larry) of Wake Forest, Frankie White (Shelton) of Youngsville, Ruby Fuller (John) of Franklinton; brothers, Frank Woodlief (Sharon) of Maripasa, Calif., Thurman Woodlief (Alice) of Tulura, Calif., Pete Woodlief (Faith) of Los Gatos, Calif., Herman Woodlief of Louisburg and Donald Woodlief of Youngsville; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his children, Erika Suzanne Woodlief and Bradley Harding Woodlief; sister, Pauline W. Dupree; brother, Ronald “Joe” Woodlief.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorial gifts be made to The Erika Suzanne Woodlief Memorial Scolarship Fund, Office of Institutional Advancement, Meredith College, 3800 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27607-5298.

Arrangements by Bright Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Wake Forest; www.brightfunerals.com.