By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — On a regular basis, Renda Treece Barrier has a conversation with someone who knew her younger brother, Troy Treece. The comment she hears the most is usually “he was so nice.”

It’s one of the traits, Barrier said, she and her other brother, Curtis, all got from their mother.

Troy died suddenly in 2010 and since that time Curtis and Renda have given to the Christmas Happiness Fund in memory of their brother. Troy was the middle child, Renda the oldest and Curtis the youngest.

“We always loved him. He was a very caring, thoughtful person. He did lots of things to help people,” Renda said of Troy.

She said he had a giving heart and his thoughtfulness came from their mother.

“We were raised in a very caring home and thought of others instead of ourselves,” Renda said.

The Christmas Happiness Fund is a Post-sponsored program that allows anyone to give donations. Each donation is earmarked in memory or in honor of someone. The Salvation Army of Rowan County distributes the donations to eligible families.

Each child receives a voucher that can be used to purchase toys and clothing items.

The Treeces grew up in Gold Hill and the siblings grew closer when their parents separated.

“We bonded together to help mama have a good life after he left,” Renda said.

The siblings were there for their mother, Glenna, who went to live at the Lutheran Home. She lived their for five years.

“Troy went just about every morning to read the bible to her and feed her breakfast,” Renda said.

She also would visit their mother every day and if she couldn’t make it her husband would go in her place.

Troy owned Quality Cleaners in Granite Quarry until he sold the business. Before owning the cleaners, he worked as a carpenter and after he sold it, he returned to home renovation work.

Troy was a musician and performed country music with his two sons Brad and Jonathan. Troy played the guitar.

He enjoyed the beach where he had a small house, Renda said.

“He was just a good guy. People still say he was the nicest man,” she said.

He once repaired a porch for an elderly woman because someone asked if he could help. He spent Christmas Eve making repairs to the porch.

Bring contributions to the Salisbury Post, 131 W. Innes St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays or mail them to The Salisbury Post Christmas Happiness Fund, P.O. Box 4639, Salisbury, NC 28145-4639.

Make checks payable to the Christmas Happiness Fund and indicate how you wish your donations to be listed.

Today’s contributions are:

• In honor of our grandchildren: Hunter, Harrison, Laney, Rachel and Regan by MaMaw and Papaw Bell  $25
• In memory of Pauline and W. L. Morgan and Mildred and M.H. Bell by Ann and Gary $25
• In honor of all our homebound classmates by The Mildred Merrell Sunday School Class of Union Lutheran Church  $50
• In honor of Barbara Bumgarner by Eagle Heights Meet and Eat  $115
• In honor of the 4 D’s of Andrew Jackson Masonic Lodge #576  $100
• In memory of Debbie Shermer who left us on Christmas Eve 1980. We have been donating since then and in memory of Sara Fowler Anderson and in honor of Cindy Fink and Mikell Reynolds by Lind and Gordon Shermer $400
• In memory of Ronnie, Rose, Horace and Jim  $50
• In honor of our fellow Winged Footers by Charles and Norma Goldman  $25
• In loving memory of Jim, Sue and Mac Sample and Annette and H.B. Bryan by Sue and Sturges  $100
• In memory of Ray and Steve Weddington and in honor of Donald Weddington Family by Cora Weddington  $10
• In memory of Geraldine Miller and in honor of Leo Miller by Lana Miller $100
• In memory of my mother and father, Lloyd and Nellie Safrit by Calvin Safrit  $100
• In memory of Wilma Chalk and Gwendolyn Ellis by Michael G. Chalk  $25
• In honor of Pastor Aldana Allen by Providence United Methodist Women  $300
• In honor of our grandchildren: Nathan, Allison, Jenna and Carol by Lane and Claudette Brown  $100
• In memory of M.M. Seamon, Flora, Stella, Mary, Marie, Gladys and Ethel by Dorothy Seamon  $25
• In honor of Ott and Julie Pinkston by  Dorothy and Gene Atkinson  $50
• In memory of Arthur and Edna Pinkston by Dorothy and Gene Atkinson  $50
• In memory of Reverend Shirley Jones by Paul and Karen Biernacki  $50
• In loving memory of our brother, Troy Treece by Renda Barrier and Curtis Treece  $50