April 15, 2005

Ann Gilstrap Pait

Ms. Ann Gilstrap Pait, 54, of Charleston, S.C., died at her home on Sunday, April 10, 2005.

She was born July 13, 1950, in Charleston, S.C., to the late Clarence Hazel Gilstrap and Clara Ann Miller Gilstrap.

Ms. Pait attended St. Andrew’s Parish schools until the family moved to Boone, N.C., where she attended Watauga High School and Appalachian State University. She was a longtime member of Ashley River Baptist Church and a volunteer for the American Cancer Society. She loved tennis and was an avid competitor in the Farmfield League. She was employed and greatly supported by First Federal of Charleston.

Family and friendship were uppermost in Ann’s heart. The constant support of countless friends and family members during her battle against cancer stands as a testament to her caring life. Her courage, humor, and unfailing spirit were an inspiration to all who knew her well and to those who met her only briefly. “Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired; they will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31

Beloved mother, grandmother and sister, she is survived by three sons, Dustin Douglas Pait and his wife, Melissa Dubis Pait, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Robert Judson Pait and Andrew Gilstrap Pait, both of Charleston, S.C.; her grandchildren, Hannah Mari Pait, Julia Summer Pait, and Sawyer Pait, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; her brothers and sisters, M.E. (Rick) Gilstrap, and wife, Joan, of Roanoke Rapids, N.C.; Suzanne Gilstrip Wilks and husband, Jack, of Charleston, S.C.; Jane Gilstrap Pierce and husband, Jonathan B. Pierce, of Columbia, S.C.; and John Calvin (Jack) Gilstrap, and wife, Lenoir, of Beaufort, N.C.; her stepmother, Linda Watson Gilstrap of Boone, N.C., and her daughters, Sandra Stiles Watson of Alexandria, Va. and Jessie Watson Killeen of Orinda, Calif. Ann is also survived by a host of extended family members, nieces, nephews, cousins, and devoted friends.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, April 16, at 2 p.m. at Ashley River Baptist Church. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall of the church following the service.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 5900 Core Road, Suite 504, North Charleston, S.C. 29406; Hospice of Charleston, 3870 Leeds Avenue, Suite 101, North Charleston, S.C. 29405; or to Ashley River Baptist Church, 1101 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, S.C. 29407.

J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., West Ashley Chapel, are in charge of the arrangements.

Barbara Joan Hester Woodard

Mrs. Barbara Joan Hester Woodard, 74, of Lake Placid, Fla. and a seasonal resident of Blowing Rock, died Thursday morning, April 14, 2005, at the home of her daughter in LaBelle, Fla.

She was born May 8, 1930 in Ft. Payne, Ala., a daughter of Leo and Willie Greenwood Hester.

Mrs. Woodard was a retired elementary school teacher and principal. While in Blowing Rock, she attended Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone.

Survivors include one daughter, Kelli Woodard Allen of LaBelle, Fla.; one son, Steve Woodard and his wife, Celista, of Kurie Beach, N.C.; and two granddaughters, Charlianne and Stefanie Erin Woodard, both of Kurie Beach.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Phil Woodard.

Services will be conducted Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Buffalo Camp Recreation Complex in Blowing Rock, officiated by the Rev. K. Allan Blume. Burial will be in the Boone Fork Community Cemetery.

The family suggests memorials to the Watauga County Unit of the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1903, Boone, or to Hospice of Watauga County, 136 Furman Road, Boone, N.C. 28607.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Woodard family.

April 15, 2005

Samuel Alan Burton

Mr. Samuel Alan Burton, 60, of Banner Elk, died Tuesday morning, April 12, 2005, at Watauga Medical Center.

He was born May 1, 1944, in Asheville, Buncombe County, to Ruth Mendenhall Burton and the late William Cowan Burton.

Mr. Burton graduated from Lee Edwards High School in Asheville and received a B.S. degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Business Education from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran of the Vietnam War.

He began teaching business administration at Lees-McRae College in 1985 and later served as a college administrator. While living in Banner Elk, he served the community through Arbordale Presbyterian Church as a member and Elder, Habitat for Humanity board, Avery Arts Council, Banner Elk Planning Board, Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk and Reaching Avery Ministries Board.

Survivors include his wife, Kathryn Keeble Burton, and one daughter, Cynthia Burton, both of the home; his mother, Mrs. Ruth Burton, and a sister, Suzanne Burton Addicks, both of Atlanta, Ga.

A memorial service will be conducted Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. in Evans Auditorium at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, with the Rev. Ken Chivers, the Rev. Kathy Campbell and Dr. John Wilson officiating. Burial will be private.

The family will receive friends Friday from 2-4 p.m., in Evans Auditorium, prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Arbordale Presbyterian Church College Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 235, Banner Elk, N.C. 28604 or Hospice of Avery County, P.O. Box 1357, Newland, N.C. 28657.

Hampton Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Ben G. Church

Mr. Ben G. Church, 64, of Indian Court, Lenoir, a native and former resident of Watauga County, died Sunday, April 10, 2005, at home.

He was born June 15, 1940, in Zionville, to the late Don and Ella Mae Eggers Church.

Mr. Church was a retired supervisor from Singer Furniture Company after 30 years of service and a member of Sunrise Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Curley Church; one son, Mike Dale Church of Boone; three stepsons, Darian Keith Dotson and Stephen Wayne Dotson, both of Lenoir and Kenneth Allen Dotson of Granite Falls;  one stepdaughter, Deborah Dotson of the home; six brothers, Robert Church of Zionville, Bern Church of Kingsport, Tenn., Tam Church and Luther Church, both of Trade, Tenn., Bert Church of Sugar Grove and Wayne Church of Vilas; three sisters, Mrs. Carolyn Sale and Mrs. Susie Ball, both of Blountville, Tenn. and Mrs. Janet Stiltner of Piney Flats, Tenn. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

Services were conducted this afternoon (Wednesday) at 4 p.m. at Sunrise Baptist Church in Lenoir, officiated by the Rev. David Woods and the Rev. Edd Warren. Entombment followed in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens Mausoleum in Lenoir.

Memorial contributions may be made to Caldwell County Hospice, 902 Kirkwood Street, Lenoir, N.C. 28645.

Greer-McElveen Funeral Home in Leboir was in charge of the arrangements.

Ruby Hardy Greene

Mrs. Ruby Hardy Greene, 93, of 211 Milton Brown Heirs Road, Boone, and formerly of the Howard’s Creek community, died Sunday night, April 10, 2005, at Watauga Medical Center.

She was born in Watauga County, July 23, 1911, a daughter of the late Hubert and Daisy Brown Hardy.

Mrs. Greene was a homemaker and a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Survivors include one daughter, Ellen McConnell of Boone; one son, Charles Odell Greene and wife, Nancy, of Mountain City, Tenn.; three granddaughters, Kim Scott and husband, Terry, of Vilas, Jamie Harmon and husband, David, of Boone, Marlene Cederlund and husband, Ray, of Euclid, Ohio; two grandsons, Chuck McConnell and wife, Cheryl, of Euclid, Ohio and Jim McConnell and wife, Kim, of Zionville; ten great-grandchildren, Michael Baker, Ray Cederlund, Tara McConnell, Adam McConnell, Ryan Cederlund, Courtney Greene, Colby and Ethan Scott, River and Raven McConnell; one great-granddaughter, Chloe Baker; and a number of nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Greene; one grandson, Randy Greene; two sisters; and three brothers.

Services will be conducted Wednesday evening at 7:30 at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating will be the Rev. Lonnie Denny. The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 6:30-7:30 at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home, one hour prior to services.

Graveside services and burial will be conducted Thursday morning at 11 o’clock at the Jont Brown Cemetery.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Greene family.

Waitstle Hoye Greene

Mr. Waitstle Hoye Greene, 88, of Winter Beach, Fla., died April 10, 2005, at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Palm Beach, Fla., following a prolonged illness.

He was born March 10, 1917, in Boone, N.C. and had been a winter resident for 25 years living in both Boone and Winter Beach.

Mr. Greene was a veteran of the U.S. Army serving in both World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Wabasso. He retired as manager with Coca Cola Bottling Company after 40 years.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Ruby Greene; a son, James P. Greene of Woodstock, Ga.; two sisters, Mary Kendall Cook of Boone, N.C. and Georgia Ray of Deep Gap, N.C.; and a brother, Conley Greene of California.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Wabasso with the Rev. F. Allen Yarbrough officiating.

Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home and Crematory in Vero Beach, Fla., are in charge of the arrangements.

Harriet S. Lee

Mrs. Harriet S. Lee, 80, of Medina, Ohio, died April 11, 2005, at St. Thomas Hospital.

She was born August 9, 1924 in Lebanon, Ohio.

Mrs. Lee received her B.A. degree at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music. She was music and choir director in several N.E. Ohio Schools including Solon for many years. She was involved, along with her husband, in area horse shows. She was a judge of Ohio music contests, and also taught flute and piano. She was an avid musician.

Survivors include a son, Dr. Michael T. Lee and wife, Sally, of Medina, Ohio; two daughters, Marcia Shearer and husband, William, of Canton, Ohio, and Melinda Franks of Boone, N.C.; grandchildren, Jennifer Lurtz and husband, John; Joshua, Jedidiah and Jordan Lee, Cara Zehnder and husband, Steve; Kristin Boylan and husband, Greg; Channing, Isaiah, and Skylar Franks; four great-grandchildren, Matthew, Brian, Anna and Gabriella.

A memorial service will be conducted Thursday morning at 11 a.m. at Weymouth Community Church, 3398 S. Weymouth Road, Medina, Ohio, with Pastor Robert Petruccio officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music, c/o Development Office, 275 Eastland Road, Berea, Ohio 44017.

Waite & Son Funeral Home, Medina Chapel in Medina, Ohio are in charge of the arrangements.

Clay Thomas

Mr. William Clay Thomas, 95, of 997 North Fork Road, Zionville, died Sunday evening, April 10, 2005, at his home.

He was born Jan. 22, 1910, in the Mabel community of Watauga County, to the late Roby Alfred and Eliza Greer Thomas.

Mr. Thomas was a retired farmer and a member of Union Baptist Church.

Survivors include two sons, Lawrence Thomas and wife, Lois, of Boone and Albert Thomas and wife, Jewel, of Zionville; two daughters, Frances Phillips and husband, Joe, and Hilda Wilson and husband, Sonny, all of Zionville; six grandsons, Chuck Phillips and wife, Kristin, of Boone, Joey Phillips and wife, Debra, of Trade, Tenn., Anthony Phillips, Kevin Thomas and wife, Theresa, and the Rev. Derick Wilson, all of Zionville, and Daren Thomas of Washington, D.C.; two granddaughters, Paula Hicks and husband, Bobby, of Vilas, and Denise Smith and husband, Michael, of Sugar Grove; one brother, Dewey Thomas of Wasco, Oregon. He is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Wilmetta Eggers Thomas; three sisters, Mrs. Cora Moretz, Mrs. Nora Warren and Mrs. Lillian Younce; one brother, Arthur Thomas; a grandson, Duane Wilson; and a granddaughter-in-law, Angela Wilson.

Services were conducted this afternoon (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. at Union Baptist Church, officiated by the Rev. Derick Wilson, the Rev. Charles “Chuck” Morefield, the Rev. Bill Warren and the Rev. Eric Cornett. Burial followed in the Union Church Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Union Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, in care of Frank Thomas, 4913 Old Highway 421, Zionville, N.C. 28698.

Hampton Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.

April 11, 2005

Col. Albert Fordham Guimares

Col. Albert Fordham Guimares, (U.S. Air Force, Retired), 84, of 131 Woodcliff Loop, Newland, died Friday night, April 8, 2005, at Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville.

He was born Dec. 16, 1920, in Atlanta, Fulton County, Ga., to the late Henry and Elizabeth Fordham Guimares.

Col. Guimares attended school in Young Harris, Ga. and studied engineering at Georgia Tech. He worked at Bell Aircraft in Buffalo, New York, building the B-29, before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1943, graduating from Cadets at Lubbock (Texas) Army Airfield. Following World War II, he remained in the service and attended meterology school. Col. Guimares retired from the Air Force after 27 years of service as a meterologist and command pilot. He was stationed on Adak, Aleutian Islands; Tripoli, North Africa and Weisbaden, Germany and set up the weather station at Tan San Nhut Air Base in Saigon in 1964. Stateside assignments were Albany, Ga.; Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio; Wendover, Utah, Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, S.C. and Wichita, Kansas.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Louise Macy Guimares; one daughter, Barbara Lackey and husband, C.E. “Joe” Lackey, of Shelby; one granddaughter, Janine Vollmer and husband, Doug, of Dunedin, Fla.; and one brother, Hal Guimares and wife, Grace, of Delray Beach, Fla. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.

Services will be conducted Tuesday morning at 11 o’clock at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Bill Rogers officiating. Military graveside honors and burial will be in the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain, N.C.

The family will receive friends Tuesday morning from 10-11 a.m. at the funeral home, prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 31 College Place Ste D230, Asheville, N.C. 28801-2644.

Online condolences may be sent to www.hamptonfumeralservice.com.

Hampton Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Ralph G. Ragan

Mr. Ralph Garland Ragan, 67, of 607 Daniel Boone Drive Ext., Boone, died Saturday afternoon, April 9, 2005, at Bristol/Welmont Regional Medical Center in Bristol, Tenn.

He was born June 10, 1937, in Boone, Watauga County, to the late Daniel Boone “Bud” and Carrie Proffitt Ragan.

Mr. Ragan was a carpenter, home builder and farmer. He was of the Baptist faith and attended Howard’s Creek Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Frances Marie Phillips Ragan; five daughters, Susan Carlton, Janet Ragan and Cynthia Ragan, all of Boone; Patty Hines and husband, Mike, of Topeka, Kansas and Tina Bodie of Wilkesboro; one son, Ricky Ragan and wife, Alice, of Boone; one sister, Mrs. Opal Gragg, and one brother, Raymond Ragan, both of Boone; six grandchildren, Bradley and Brandon Carlton; Jennifer and Kimberly Ragan; Eric Mullett and Thomas Johnson. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Ted Ragan, Billy Ragan and Fred Ragan; and three sisters, Mrs. Mary Ann Gragg, Ola Ragan and Mildred Ragan.

Services were conducted this afternoon (Monday) at 2 p.m. at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by the Rev. Mark Chaney and the Rev. Joe London. Burial followed in Meat Camp Baptist Church Cemetery.

Hampton Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.

Robert E. Senter

Mr. Robert E. Senter, 80, of Morganton, N.C., died Sunday, April 10, 2005.

He was born Nov. 17, 1924 in Buncombe County, to the late Wray Maxton Senter and Lucy Ray Senter.

Mr. Senter was retired from Drexel Heritage Furniture with over 53 years of service. He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church Deaf Mission Church, and was a member of the National Fraternity Society for the Deaf and the Table Rock AARP. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Helen Jean Robinson Senter; three sons, Jerry Shockley and wife, Cathy, of Lake Lure, Russell Senter and wife, Beverly, and Ricky Senter and wife, Candi, both of Morganton; five grandchildren, Marc Shockley, David Shockley, Melissa Shockley, Stephanie Senter, and Cassandra Senter; and three brothers, George Senter and wife, Mabel, of Morganton, Donald Senter and wife, Janet, of Schaumburg, Ill.; and Bruce Senter of Morganton. Also surviving are numberous other relatives and friends.

Services will be conducted Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. at Kirksey Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Burke Memorial Park with the Rev. Tom Lineberger officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the funeral home Monday evening.

Condolences may be made at www.kirkseyfuneralhome.com or www.mem.com

Kirksey Funeral Home in Morganton, N.C. are in charge of the arrangements.

Joseph Aloysius Ward

Mr. Joseph Aloysius Ward, 83, of Sherry Lane, Boone, died Sunday morning, April 10, 2005 at his home.

He was born Sept. 1, 1921 in Brooklyn, New York, a son of John and Helen Ward.

Mr. Ward was a member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving in World War II, and was a retired sanitation worker for the city of New York.

Survivors include four daughters, Lisa Ward of the home; Susanna Brancati and husband, Michael, and Marilyn Giordano and husband, Robert, all of Wantagh, New York and Janet Lynch and husband, Rodney, of Clayton, N.C.; one son, Joseph T. Ward and wife, Lillis, of Sparta; one brother, Robert Ward of Brooklyn, N.Y.; one sister, Jean Lillis of New York, N.Y.; and ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Shanley; and one brother, Frank Ward.

A memorial mass will be conducted Wednesday afternoon at 12:15 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, officiated by Father John Schneider. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 11:00-12:00, one hour prior to services, at the church. Entombment will follow in the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Watauga County Project on Aging, 304 West King Street, Boone, N.C. 28607.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Ward family.