April 29, 2005

Patrick William Earles

Mr. Patrick William Earles, 86, of 125 Grassy Knoll Way, Blowing Rock, died Jan. 20, 2005, at home.

He was born March 17, 1918, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late John Wilburn and Mary Elizabeth Hush Earles.

Mr. Earles was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a retired tool and die machinist from Chrysler Corporation’s missile program. He worked for the U.S. Displaced Persons Commission in Germany from 1949 until 1952 and for the Redstone Missile Program in Italy and Turkey from 1959 until 1962. He was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boone.

Survivors include his wife, Annegret Michaelis Earles; one daughter, Pamela Williams and husband, Allan, of Lexington, Ky.; two grandsons, Adam Melton and Trevor Melton, both of Fort Collins, Colo.; and a sister, Mrs. Carrie Kashinsky, of Harrison Township, Mich.

A memorial service will be conducted Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Boone, with Dr. Ben Edwards officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, Memorials & Tributes Center, P.O. Box 5217, Glen Allen, Virginia 23058-5216.

Hampton Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

April 27, 2005

Emmett David Brown, Jr.

Mr. Emmett David Brown, Jr., 74, of 6380 Buffalo Cove Road, Lenoir, died Monday morning, April 25, 2005, at home.

He was born Nov. 18, 1930, in Trade, Tenn., to the late Emmett David and Lossie Mae Osborne Brown.

Mr. Brown was a retired construction worker and of the Baptist faith.

Survivors include three daughters, Brenda Coffey and husband, Howard, of Boone, Linda Hart and husband, Ronnie, of Greeneville, Tenn., and Nichole Brown of Nashville, Tenn.; two sons, Gerald Brown and Steve Brown and his friend, Charlene Dancy, all of Boone; one brother, Kenneth Brown and wife, Betty, of Willoughby, Ohio; three sisters, Edna Trivette and husband, Gerald, of Mountain City, Tenn., Lela Loudermelt and husband, Ronald, of Lenoir, and Mrs. Ruby Bumgarner of Valdese; seven grandsons, James Coffey and Joseph Coffey, both of Boone; Brandon Brown and Taylor Kanupp, both of Lenoir; David Hart, Adam Hart and Jordon Hart, all of Greeneville, Tenn.; one granddaughter, Brittney Brown of Morristown, Tenn.; three great-granddaughters, Victoria Coffey, Kortney Coffey and Hannah Coffey; two great-grandsons, Devon Brown and Malachi Coffey; his daughter-in-law and special caregiver, Kelley Kanupp of Lenoir; and a special niece, Sheila Trivette of Mountain City, Tenn.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Brown; a brother, Ernest Brown; and two sisters, Mrs. Hazel Reece and Mrs. Jeanette Proffitt.

Services were conducted this afternoon (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by the Rev. Wayne Blevins. Burial followed in the Reece Cemetery in Zionville.

Hampton Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.

Sylvia Sue Norris

Mrs. Sylvia Sue Norris, 58, of Meat Camp Road, Boone, wife of J.D. Norris, died Monday night, April 25, 2005, at home.

She was born in Watauga County May 25, 1946, a daughter of Gertrude Norris.

Mrs. Norris was a member of Proffit’s Grove Baptist Church and was retired from Shadowline.

Survivors in addition to her husband, are her mother, Gertrude Norris of Boone; one sister, Betty Norris of Boone; one brother, Gary Norris and wife, Carolyn, of Boone; three aunts, Geneva Hayes of Blowing Rock, Chloe Norris and Anne Norris, both of Boone; three uncles, Cecil Norris and George Greene of Boone and Elmer Norris of Wilkesboro; two nieces, Nancy Wallace and husband, Tim, of Lenoir and Marie Penley of Lenoir; four nephews, Kevin and Jeffrey Norris of Boone and David Hamlet of Charlotte and Richard Hamlet of Raleigh; and a number of cousins including Brandy Hayes, Susie Hampton, Jennifer Hampton and Julie Hampton, all of Blowing Rock.

Services will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock at Proffit’s Grove Baptist Church. Officiating will be the Rev. Delmar James and the Rev. Bruce Miller. Burial will follow in the Meat Camp Baptist Church Cemetery.

Flowers are accepted or memorials may be made to Hospice of Watauga County, 136 Furman Road, Boone, N.C. 28607.

The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Norris family.

Sandra Kay Smathers Rodgers

Sandra Kay Smathers Rodgers, 56, of Boone, died Sunday, Feb. 5, 2005.

A native of Haywood County, she is the daughter of Robert Baxter Smathers of Swannanoa and the late Betty Jane Mitchell Smathers.

Survivors, in addition to her father, are two sons, Jeff Rodgers of Greenville, S.C. and Jon Rodgers of Savannah, Ga.; a daughter, Andrea R. Priest of Raleigh, N.C.; two brothers, Jim Smathers of Canton and Mitch Smathers of Clyde; a sister, Sharon Williams of Arden; and two nieces and a nephew.

Services were conducted Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Swannanoa Chapel of Penland & Sons Funeral Home, with the Rev. Jeremy Hyde   officiating. Private burial followed in the Smathers Family Cemetery in Haywood County.

Penland & Sons Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

Edwin B. Taylor

A Celebration of Life for Mr. Edwin B. Taylor will be held Friday, May 6, at the Boone Golf Course Restaurant, from 5-7 p.m. Food will be served.

Cecil E. Viverette

Mr. Cecil E. Viverette, 90, of Lenoir, died Tuesday, April 26, 2005, at Caldwell Memorial Hospital.

He was born Feb. 15, 1915, in Rocky Mount, N.C., to the late Lena Davis Viverette and George Washington Viverette.

Mr. Viverette moved to Lenoir in 1948 to become General Manager of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation. He held this position until his retirement in 1980. He began his career in 1937 with Carolina Power and Light Company upon receiving a degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State. During his tenure with Blue Ridge, he helped found Cooperativa Rural de Electrificacion (CRE) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. CRE brought the first reliable electric service to the Santa Cruz area. He was also one of the founders of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation and served as Chairman of the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation. He spent much of his career serving electric cooperatives nationwide.

Mr. Viverette was a member of Lower Creek Baptist Church where he held numerous leadership positions. He was also a member of the Master Workmans Sunday School Class at the time of his death.

He was a community leader having served on the Lenoir City Council for two terms, President of the Lenoir-Caldwell Chamber of Commerce, member of the Caldwell County Planning Board, President of the Northwest Development Association, President of the Lenoir Kiwanis Club and was one of the founders and served as President of the Caldwell Fair Association. He was also Chairman of the Billy Graham Foothills Crusade For Christ in 1970.

Survivors include his wife, Kate Cherry Viverette; a son, Cecil E. Viverette, Jr. and his wife, Frances, of Hilton Head Island, S.C.; a daughter, Edith Viverette Hipp and her husband, Jim, of Concord, N.C.; grandchildren, Frances Amanda Willis of Richmond, Va., Cecil E. Viverette III of Charlotte, James Aaron Hipp of Lake Forest, Calif., and Kathleen Ann Hipp of Raleigh,N.C.; and three great-grandsons.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers, Emite, Hubert, Marvin and J.D. Viverette.

Services will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Lower Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Bert Blackman officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends Wednesday evening from 7-8:30 p.m. at Greer-McElveen Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lower Creek Baptist Church-Bus Fund, 633 Lower Creek Drive, Lenoir, N.C. 28645.

Greer-McElveen Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

April 25, 2005

Darrell Farthing

Mr. Joseph Darrell Farthing, 63, of 231 Smith Henson Road, Sugar Grove, died Friday morning, April 22, 2005, at home.

He was born Sept. 29, 1941, in Beaver Dam, Watauga County, to the late Edgar Joseph and Genive Combs Farthing.

Mr. Farthing retired from the maintenance department at Appalachian State University and was of the Baptist faith.

Survivors include his wife, Reba Millsaps Farthing; three daughters, Darlene Foley and hisband, Tracy, of Newton; Terry Miller and husband, Rick, and Sherry Stanton and husband, Vern, all of Sugar Grove; and one son, Tim Farthing of Sugar Grove; two brothers, Victor Farthing and wife, Marilyn, of Sugar Grove and Richard Farthing and wife, Sue, of Butler, Tenn.; two sisters, Marie Harmon and husband, Dennis, of Sugar Grove and Linda Bunton and husband, George, of Elk Park; a sister-in-law, Joan Farthing of Sugar Grove. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a number of aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a son, Keith Farthing; and a brother, Dwight Farthing.

Services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by the Rev. Derick Wilson and the Rev. Ray Greene. Burial followed in the Combs Cemetery in Sugar Grove.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Farthing family, in care of Reba M. Farthing, 231 Smith Henson Road, Sugar Grove, N.C. 28679 or to Hospice of Watauga County, 136 Furman Road, Boone, N.C. 28607.

Hampton Funeral Service was in charge of the arrangements.

Arlie Harrison

Mr. Arlie Armfield Harrison, 88, of 3193 Morganton Blvd., Lenoir, a native and former resident of Watauga County, died Thursday afternoon, April 21, 2005, at Caldwell Memorial Hospital in Lenoir.

He was born Oct. 13, 1916, in Boone, to the late Jerry Oliver and Lelia Mae Greene Harrison.

Mr. Harrison was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and retired from Broyhill Furniture Company. He was a member of Littlejohn United Methodist Church in Lenoir.

Survivors include one son, Stanley Harrison and wife, Laurie; one granddaughter, Ashley Harrison; and two grandsons, Travis Harrison and Cody Harrison, all of Chesterfield, Va.; one sister, Eva Mae “Jerri” Johnson and husband, Johnny, of Boone; and two brothers, J.W. Harrison and wife, Carolyn, of Lenoir and Romey Harrison and wife, Jo, of Boone. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by six brothers, James Harrison, Conley Harrison, Odell Harrison, Jerry Harrison, Bynum Harrison and Willie Harrison.

Services will be conducted Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. The body will lie in state from 10-11 a.m. Officiating will be the Rev. Jerry Harrison and the Rev. Michael Howard. Burial will follow in Mount Lawn Memorial Park & Gardens.

The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Hampton Funeral Service.

Flowers are appreciated or memorial contributions may be made to Littlejohn United Methodist Church, 4113 Littlejohn Church Road, Lenoir, N.C. 28645.

Hampton Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Margaret Davis Kimble

Mrs. Margaret Davis Kimble, 93, died Friday, April 22, 2005, at the Britthaven Nursing Home of Kernersville.

She was born Oct. 15, 1911 in Forsyth County to David Fielder and Laura Parnell Davis.

Survivors include a sister-in-law, Lib Davis of Winston-Salem; seven nieces, Jean Larrimore of Boone, June Blackmon of Winston-Salem, Carol McNeill and husband, Bill, Ruth Ann NcNeill and husband, Otis, all of Walkertown, Jeanette Tate and husband, Richard, of Kernersville, Sandy Wall and husband, Mike, of Clemmons and Patsy Johnson of Winston-Salem. Mrs. Kimble was blessed to have two families; her second family of Boone, Jerry and Mary Helen Vaughn, Vonda and Chris Pennick and their sons, Trevor and Kyle whom she called “her boys”, also Candis and Tim Walker; several great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James R. “Big Jim” Kimble; her parents; three sisters, Clara Martin, Avah Vaughn and Bessie Elliott; three brothers, Clarence, Hubert and Nathaniel Davis.

Services were conducted Monday morning at 11 a.m. at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel with the Rev. Joe McWethy and Bob Wofford officiating. Burial followed in Love’s United Methodist Church Cemetery in Walkertown.

Memorials may be made to The Samaritan Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, N.C. 28607 or to Bethelview United Methodist Church, 193 Ridge Road, Boone, N.C. 28607. The family would like to thank the staff at Britthaven Nursing Home for their loving care shown to Mrs. Kimble.

Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home in Winston-Salem, were in charge of the arrangements.

Sydney Ellyn Powell

Sydney Ellyn Powell, ten year old daughter of Ken and Jessica Barker Powell of Holiday Hills Road, Boone, died Saturday morning, April 23, 2005 at Watauga Medical Center.

She was born April 17, 1995 in Greenville, N.C.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her maternal grandparents, Ralph and Elaine Barker of Granite Falls; her paternal grandparents, Jerry and Carolyn Powell of Raleigh; three aunts, Barbara Barker of Granite Falls, Terrie Williams and husband, Dennis, of Pittsboro and Dorrie Powell of Fleetwood; three uncles, Don Barker and wife, Amy, of Geneseo, Illinois, Ralph Barker and wife, Wanda, of Claremont and Jery Barker of Greenville, N.C. A number of cousins also survive.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday afternoon at 12:15 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church officiated by Father John Schneider.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to the Family Support Network of the High Country, 150 Den-Mac Drive, Boone, or to the Watauga Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 2600, Boone, N.C. 28607.

The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6-7:30, followed by a wake service at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Powell family.

George W. Younce

Mr. George W. Younce, 75, died April 11, 2005, in Akron, Ohio.

He was born in Patterson, N.C., and was a resident of Stow, Ohio, since 1964.

Mr. Younce was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in the 82nd Airborne. He was a gospel singer for over 55 years, and founded the Cathedral Quartet along with his long-time friend and partner, Glen Payne.

He has been a tremendous source of joy to countless gospel music lovers during his long and faithful career. He has been an authentic steward of the Gospel as he has traveled countless miles to delight audiences with his smooth bass voice, energetic personality and brilliant sense of humor. George was a gracious, humble soul whose positive attitude helped him triumph through countless health challenges over the years. He could bring a smile to any face, and he is undoubtedly among the most loved gospel music personalities of our time.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Clara; his five children and their spouses, Gina and Rick Eroskey of Stow, Ohio, Dana and Robbie Willis of Powder Springs, Ga., Lisa and Ernie Haase of Stow, Ohio, George Lane and Terri Younce of Powder Springs, Ga., Tara and Tom Aidala of Stow, Ohio; grandchildren, Morgan, Christian and Laci Younce; brother and sister-in-law, Brudge and Mozelle Younce of Lenoir, N.C.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Ruby Hamby; and brothers, Ray and Tommy Younce.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday, April 19, at 11 a.m., at the Akron Baptist Temple. Burial followed at Silver Springs Cemetery in Stow, Ohio.

Memorial contributions may be made to Summit Renal Care, 73 Massillon Road, Akron, OH 44312.

Redmon Funeral Home in Stow, Ohio, were in charge of the arrangements.