Floyd Edward "Eddie" Dees

Dateline: Hope Mills

Mr. Floyd Edward ‟Eddie” Dees, 62, who became mayor of the town he loved and winner of two state high school softball championships, died early Monday after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Mr. Dees, born to the late Floyd Herman Dees and Mildred Pate Dees was a native and lifelong resident of Hope Mills, the Cumberland County town he served as mayor from 2005 to 2011. Long before he entered politics, he made a name for himself as the highly successful coach of the South View softball team. He coached for 25 years, stepping down in 2007, with a career record of 538-144. His teams qualified for the state playoffs in 23 of his 25 seasons, winning 18 conference titles and four 4-A East Regional championships. His 1993 team took the 4-A state slow-pitch championship. For his athletic accomplishments, Mr. Dees was inducted into two halls of fame, the N.C. Softball Coaches Association and the Fayetteville Sports Club.

After South View, Mr. Dees joined the faculty at Gray’s Creek High School where he taught yearbook and English. Mr. Dees eventually took the fast-pitch softball coaching job at Freedom Christian Academy, founding the program at the school and coaching there for the last five years. This year, despite his illness, he continued to attend games and practices as much as he could, and with the help of co-coach Ronnie Thompson and the rest of his staff, guided Freedom to the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A state championship.

Eddie is survived by his loving wife Susan; daughters, Carey and Casey Dees; mother-in-law, Ann Stephens and her husband Jack; brother-in-law, Billy Faircloth; nephews, William Faircloth and Justin Faircloth, all of Hope Mills; a host of extended family members, friends and a legion of his softball team members throughout his coaching career.

Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday June 22, 2016 at South View High School Auditorium, 4184 Elk Rd, Hope Mills, NC 28348.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday June 23, 2016 at Southview Baptist Church, 4089 Elk Rd. Hope Mills, NC 28348 with Pastor Brian Kinlaw officiating.

Burial will follow in Gilmont Cemetery in Hope Mills.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Eddie Dees Foundation at First South Bank 3103 N. Main St. Hope Mills, NC 28348 or to Friends of the Cancer Center, 1638 Owen Dr. Fayetteville, NC 28304.