Our staff's commitment to you
Our staff is committed to providing support, compassion, information, and direction as needed to all members of our community, their families, and friends who are dealing with loss and grief.
Dwayne Summerlin, the son of farming parents and raised on a Duplin County farm, attended the B. F. Grady School and graduated in 1982 from East Duplin High School at Beulaville. He then attended James Sprunt Community College and graduated with honors in 1984 with degrees in both business administration and accounting. He attended Mount Olive College. It was on October 14, 1985 that one of his dreams became a reality: he became a member of the staff of Tyndall Funeral Home, as being a "funeral home man" was something that he had wanted to do since he was a child. He was hired by Norwood Odom, manager of the firm at the time, who became his mentor and friend. With his general college credits in hand, he took the state board funeral director's exam in 1988 and became a licensed funeral director. In 1989 he was named vice-president of the firm and while still a full-time employee, he returned to the classroom in 1994, and in the next 14 months he completed the associate degree program in the School of Funeral Service at Fayetteville Technical Community College in Fayetteville.
As a funeral service licensee, Dwayne continues to serve his community as a funeral director and embalmer, lending a listening ear and supporting shoulder to others when they need him most. Having experienced quite a few losses of his own--the deaths of his father and mother, several aunts and uncles, and all his grandparents of which he was very fond--he uses those experiences as a means to reach out to others, remembering how others reached out to him and his family during their sad hours. He implements a unique gift he has into many of the funeral services handled by Tyndall. He enjoys creative writing and has the ability to write poetry about the deceased; therefore, most of the funeral bulletins contain some of his words which, in poetic form, describe the lives of the deceased. Although Dwayne knew alot of people before he joined the Tyndall staff, his association with the firm has afforded him the opportunity to meet and become acquainted with many more, and from this, many friendships have been formed. Upon the retirement of Johnny Davis, Dwayne was named manager of the firm at the start of 2016.
In 1997 he married Barbara Gail Price Summerlin and they make their home on the family farm on which he was raised. They are the parents of "the prettiest brown-eyed, brown-haired girl in the world," Betty Caroline, and also the "prettiest blue-eyed, blonde-haired girl in the world," Catherine Leanne. He has two brothers, Johnny and Todd. Most of his "off-time" is spent with his family, but he is never too far away...a moment's notice and there he'll be...to do what he can to serve another family.
John Thurman "Johnny" Davis, Jr. moved to Mount Olive with his family when he was four years old. He was raised in the upstairs living quarters of the old funeral home. His father, the late J. Thurman Davis, was a partner in the business and his mother served as the burial association secretary for several years and was employed by the local florist. Upon graduating from Mount Olive High School, Johnny attended Mount Olive College and later obtained his funeral director's license in 1989. Johnny is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Mount Olive where he has served in many capacities through the years. He is also a life member of the Mount Olive Jaycees. In his spare time, he can usually be found playing a round of golf, working in his yard, or spending time with his family at White Lake. Johnny is married to Brenda P. Davis and they have four children, Jeffrey Davis, Kristyn D. Reish, Beth D. Culbreth, and Kimberly D. Joyner. Johnny and Brenda are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren. Johnny is the nephew of Kirby Tyndall, the founder of the firm, and remains the only family link between the present and the funeral home's beginning.
Taylor Whitfield joined the staff in 2006 and received his Funeral Service License in 2010. He was a graduate of Wayne Community College with a degree in Turfgrass Management and later received his Associates in Mortuary Science from Fayetteville Technical Community College in 2010. Taylor is the son of the Rev. Michael L. "Mickey" and Donna Whitfield of Mount Olive and is married to Brandy Z. Whitfield. Brandy and Taylor have two daughters, Callie Elizabeth and Madelyn Rose Whitfield. They currently attend Faith Free Will Baptist Church in Goldsboro. Taylor has served in many positions in the Free Will Baptist Church and also volunteers with the Indian Springs Fire Department, where he serves as Chaplain. He knew from a very young age that he was interested in Funeral Service. Taylor takes great pride in providing the best possible care and services to families during their most difficult time.
