Archived
Ted Ward Potter
Mr. Ted Ward Potter, 60, of the Meat Camp community, died Wednesday morning, Feb. 11, 2009, at Watauga Medical Center.
He was born in the Meat Camp Community of Watauga County, June 4, 1948, a son of the late Ted R. and Anner Main Potter.
Mr. Potter attended Faith Baptist Church and was a carpenter.
Surviving are his wife, Bernice Miller Potter; one daughter, Jan Greer and husband, Tim, of Creston; three sons, Jeff and Jonathan Potter of the home, and Kevin Potter and wife, Margaret, of Boone; eight grandchildren, Nancy Greer of Creston, Felicia Potter of Boone, Timmy, Josh and Zachary Greer of Creston; Travis, Keith and Tyler Potter of Carter County, Tenn.; four sisters, Nell Proffit, Pearlee Potter, Emmer Potter and Bonnie Potter, all of Todd; and two brothers, Coolidge Potter of Gladespring, Va., and Ervin Potter and wife, Zelma, of Todd.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Chelsea Potter; his father-in-law, Charles Miller; two sisters, Alberta Arnold and Lidia Moretz; and two brothers, Hoover and Boyd Potter.
Services will be conducted Saturday afternoon at 1 o’clock at Faith Baptist Church. Officiating will be Dr. Sonny Younce. The body will lie in state at the church from noon until 1 o’clock. Burial will follow in the Charles Miller Family Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Charles Miller Family Cemetery in care of Jan Greer, 1615 Sutherland Road, Creston, N.C. 28615.
The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the residence, 4636 Meat Camp Road, Todd.
Online condolences may be sent to the Potter family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Potter family.

Dorothy Mae Kagle Stafford Vaughan
Dorothy Mae Kagle Stafford Vaughan went to be with the Lord on Feb. 6, 2009, in Fort Myers, Fla.
She was born August 31, 1923, in Baltimore, Md., the daughter of the late Howard Melvin and Dorothy Mae Kagle. She was the widow of Glenn William Stafford, Sr. to whom she was married for 50 years.
Dorothy, a loving and devoted wife and mother, was a woman of God who loved the Lord with all her heart. She was an active member of Grace United Methodist Church in Baltimore, Md.; Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone, N.C.; and MacGregor Baptist Church in Fort Myers, Fla. She was active in the Christian Women’s Society and the Ambassadors Sunday School Class.
Survivors include her husband of six years, Byrl James Vaughan; daughter, Candace Stafford-Rigsby and husband, Fred; daughter, Valerie Hardy-Sprenkle and husband, Chris; son, Glenn W. Stafford, Jr. and wife, Peggy; grandchildren, Kelly Kocher, Gregory Stafford, Holly Cohn, Robert Kocher, Robert Hardy, and Glenn W. Stafford, III; great-grandchildren, Katelyn Cohn, MacKenzie Kocher, Lily and Zoey Stafford; her sisters, Peggy Hartman and Carole Kagle; her step-children, the Rev. David and Susan Wiersbe, Frank and Laurel Newman, and Steve Vaughan and Lisa Gatske; as well as five step-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
The family received friends at the family owned Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc. in Baltimore, Md., on Wednesday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A funeral service was held in the Grace United Methodist Church, N. Charles St. at Northern Parkway, Baltimore, Md., on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009, at 10 a.m.
A memorial service will be held at Shell Point Retirement Community in The Village Church, 15100 Shell Point Road, Fort Myers, Fla. 33908 on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at 2:30 p.m.
Interment was in Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, Timonium, Md.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of her three churches; or Maryland School for the Blind, 3501 Taylor Avenue, Baltimore, Md. 21236; or the Perry and Lottie Stafford Scholarship Fund at Lenoir Rhyne College, 625 7th Ave. NE, Hickory, N.C. 28601.
Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, Inc. in Baltimore, Md., is in charge of the arrangements.

February 11, 2009
Janet D. Forehand
Janet D. Forehand departed this life from Richmond, Va., on Feb. 6, 2009, in the 88th year of her age.
Her career was mother to four children, H.C. “Mac” Forehand III of Boone, Penelope F. Diegelmann of Richmond, Va., Stephen D. Forehand of Alexandria, Va., and William S. Forehand of Rockville, Md. They and their spouses gave her 10 grandchildren, including Lisa M. and H.C. (Eric) Forehand IV of Cary, N.C. and Kathleen F. and Thomas Hall of Fairbanks, Alaska, all formerly of the High Country. She was in turn presented her four great-grandchildren.
She later enjoyed a successful career as the first woman officer of the Vermont National Bank and a trust officer at Bank of America. After her retirement from banking she was foster mother to 72 children.
The world is better for her having been here.
Private services will be held in Richmond.

James E. Greer
Mr. James Edgar Greer, 88, husband of the late Barbara Ann Irwin Greer of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009 at his home in Mt. Pleasant under the loving care of his daughter, Judith Greer Kessler.
He was born Oct. 28, 1920 in Brownwood, in Watauga County, N.C. James was the son of the late Edgar Orville Greer and Minnie Belle McGuire Greer.
Mr. Greer served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II as a Staff Sergeant, was retired from Exxon Oil Refinery as a Terminal Foreman after 35 years and he was a life member of Etiwan Lodge #95. He just received his 60 year life award from the lodge. He enjoyed football, gardening, creek shrimping and fishing, especially for winter trout. He has been a member of the First Baptist Church of Mount Pleasant since 1954. Mr. Greer was a regular supporter of the Fire and Rescue Squad, Hospice of Charleston, and East Cooper Meals on Wheels. He loved to spend time with his friends and family and tell them stories of his childhood adventures. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Survivors include a son, Russell Howard Greer and his wife, Monica, of Charleston, S.C.; daughters, Carla Jean Greer Kirkland and her husband, John, of Florence, S.C., Judith Lynn Greer Kessler and her husband, Harold, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Janet Lee Greer Jenkins and her husband, Gordan, of John's Island, S.C., and Cynthia Faye Greer Lamparter and her husband, David, of Marshall, MO.; two step-daughters, Virginia Trainer Keller and her husband, Doug, of Huger, S.C. and Linda Ann Trainer of Bloomington, Ill.; a sister, Helen McGuire Greer Lominac and her husband, Harold, of Winston-Salem, N.C.; 14 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Ann Irwin Greer; granddaughter, Kelly Huhs of St. Louis, MO.; brothers, Fred Turner Greer of Deep Gap, N.C. and Vincent Howard Greer, of Washington D.C.; a sister, Jessie Virginia Greer Barrineau of North Charleston, S.C.; and his loving companion, his dog, "Lucy".
The relatives and friends of James Greer are invited to attend his funeral service on Friday, Feb. 6, 2009 in J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel at 1:00 pm. Burial will follow in Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends on Thursday evening, Feb. 5, 2009 from 6:00 until 8:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Charleston Foundation, 676 Wando park Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29464 or East Cooper Meal on Wheels, P.O. Box 583, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29465 or The Charleston Animal Society, 2455 Remount Road, North Charleston, S.C. 29406.
A memorial message may be written to the family until March 31 by visiting www.jhenrystuhr.com.

Helen O’Connor Wells
Mrs. Helen O’Connor Wells, 84, died Jan. 29, 2009 in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., her retirement hometown for the last 20 years. From 1993 until 2000 Helen and her husband, George Wells, were summer residents at their Fleetwood Falls cabin in Ashe County, N.C.
Helen was educated in the Catholic Schools of Brooklyn, New York, and she had a career as a legal secretary in New York City prior to her marriage to George in 1949. Helen then spent the next several decades raising a family in the suburbs of New York, Chicago and eventually Washington, DC.
Survivors include her husband, George Wells, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; daughters, Nanci Wells Shannon and husband, James, of Fleetwood, N.C., Sheila Wells and husband, Dr. Gregory Meyerson, of Greensboro, N.C.; and son, Michael Wells and wife, Ellen Carlson Wells, of Chesterton, Ind.
Also surviving are three grandchildren, Tara and Liam Shannon and Joseph Meyerson; and three great-grandchildren, Sophia and Hollis Cross and Lyndon Shannon.
She was predeceased by her youngest daughter, Mimi Wells, an artist, in 1979.
Memorials may be made to Hospice.
Dudley Funeral Home in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., were in charge of the arrangements.

Richard S. Woodard
Mr. Richard S. Woodard of Hamlin, N.Y., died Feb. 7, 2009, at the age of 85.
He achieved Eagle Scout and was a World War II Army Air Corps Veteran. Richard retired from G.E. as a draftsman after 29 years of service in the Syracuse and Brockport G.E. plants.
Richard, his son Glenn, and grandson Christofer graduated from the New York State Forest Ranger School in Wanakena in years 1943, 1970 and 2007 respectively.
He is survived by his children, Karleen (Bruce) La Due, Glenn (Sally), Wilma (Larry) Matsko; grandchildren, Grant (Pam) La Due, Heather La Due, Alex (Pam) Woodard, Melinda Woodard, Christofer (Jill) Woodard, Eric Matsko, Chelsea (Bently) Wong, Catherine (Larry) Palumbos; five great-grandchildren; sister Barbara Smolin; brother, Sterling (Kathleen) Woodard; and nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth Farmer Woodard.
Interment will be at the convenience of the family.
Those wishing may contribute to the National Parkinson Foundation.

February 9, 2009
Danny Michael Bolick
Danny Michael Bolick, infant son of Bradley and Ashley Bolick of Deep Gap, died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by maternal grandparents, Mike and Smiley Greene of Deep Gap; paternal grandmother, Rodina Carver Bolick of Conover, N.C.; maternal great-grandparents, Tommy and Geneva Reeves of Millers Creek; paternal great-grandparents, Marvin B. and Doris S. Carver of Connelly Springs, N.C.; one aunt, Heather Lawson of Purlear, N.C.; three uncles, Chief Warrant Officer 2, Mark Bolick of Killeen, Tex., Shawn Bolick of Conover, N.C., Randy and wife, Marlise Greene, of Deep Gap; one niece, Alexa Bolick of Killeen, Tex.; two nephews, Isaiah Bolick of Conover, N.C. and Kees Greene of Deep Gap; and a number of great-aunts and uncles.
He was preceded in death by his maternal great-grandparents, Clyde and Georgia Greene; paternal grandfather, Danny Herbert Bolick; paternal great-grandparents, Adrian A. and Geneva D. Bolick.
Services will be conducted Monday afternoon, Feb. 9, 2009, at 12:00 noon at Stony Fork Baptist Church with the Rev. Vernon Eller officiating.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the church.
Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Condolences may be sent at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Opal Harmon Combs
Mrs. Opal Harmon Combs, 70, of 206 Clyde Townsend Road, Boone, died Thursday morning, Feb. 5, 2009, at her home.
She was born May 18, 1938 in Watauga County, a daughter of the late Roscoe Clifford Harmon and Cazzie Trivette Harmon.
Mrs. Combs was a retired seamstress for Shadowline, Inc. of Boone, and a member of Green Valley Baptist Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Anita Eldrith and husband, Benny, of Vilas; one granddaughter, Joni Church and husband, Josh, of King, N.C.; three sisters, Cathy Tester, and Irene Harmon and husband, Bobby, all of Sugar Grove, and Viola Harmon of Lawton, N.Y.; two brothers, Clifford Harmon, and Chester Harmon and wife, Gail, all of Banner Elk. She is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Dean Combs.
Services were conducted Saturday afternoon, Feb. 7, 2009, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating were the Rev. David Ward and Brother Raymond Tester. Burial followed in the Green Valley Baptist Church Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to High Country Health Care System/Hospice, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 100-B, Boone, N.C. 28607.
Online condolences may be sent to the Combs family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Janet D. Forehand
Janet D. Forehand departed this life from Richmond, Va., on Feb. 6, 2009, in the 88th year of her age.
Her career was mother to four children, H.C. “Mac” Forehand III of Boone, Penelope F. Diegelmann of Richmond, Va., Stephen D. Forehand of Alexandria, Va., and William S. Forehand of Rockville, Md. They and their spouses gave her 10 grandchildren who in turn presented her four great-grandchildren.
She later enjoyed a successful career as the first woman officer of the Vermont National Bank and a trust officer at Bank of America. After her retirement from banking she was foster mother to 72 children.
The world is better for her having been here.
Private services will be held in Richmond.

Margaret Owen Fowler-King
Mrs. Margaret Owen Fowler-King, 80, of Blowing Rock, died Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, at Blowing Rock Hospital.
She was born Oct. 26, 1928 in Cumberland County, a daughter of the late Roy Barton Owen and Mavis Allen Owen.
Mrs. Fowler-King was a retired registered nurse and a homemaker. She loved God and family. She inspired those around her through a life of service to others. She was a longtime member of the South Fork Church of Christ in Winston-Salem and a founder of the Forsyth County Stroke Survivors Club.
The family extends sincere thanks to Margaret’s wonderful caregivers during her time of decline.
Survivors include one son, E.G. "Ned" Fowler of Boone; and one daughter, Cynthia Leigh Raisig of Farmville. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Edward G. Fowler, Sr.; one daughter, Judith Fowler Adams; her second husband, Jack Bowers King; and a step-daughter, Brenda Lee King Forbis.
A memorial service will be conducted Monday afternoon, Feb. 9, 2009, at 2:00 o'clock, at Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home Chapel in Winston-Salem.
The family will receive friends Monday afternoon, from 1:00 until 2:00 o’clock, at Hayworth Miller Funeral Home, prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that Margaret be remembered in donations to one’s own favorite service charity.
Online condolences may be sent to the Fowler family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service and Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home in Winston-Salem, are in charge of the arrangements.

Clara Frances Miller Hodges
Mrs. Clara Frances Miller Hodges, 80, of Granite Falls, died Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, in Camelot Nursing Care in Granite Falls.
She was born June 12, 1928 in Watauga County, a daughter of the late Joseph Grant and Ida Matoka Watson Miller; and the wife of the late Jacob Luke Hodges.
Mrs. Hodges was a homemaker and had worked many years at IRC in Boone. She was a member of Rutherwood Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Jimmy Luke Hodges and wife, Becky, of Dallas, N.C.; and Gary Wayne Hodges and wife, Patricia, of Granite Falls; five sisters, Lois Young of Boone, Chloe Hodges of West Jefferson, Nelle Greene of Hudson, Peggy Colvin and husband, Bobby, of Clover, S.C., and Joyce Rhymer and husband, Stewart, of Deep Gap; three brothers, Boyd Miller and wife, Martha, of Gamewell, Herbert Miller of Lenoir, and Homer Miller and wife, Betty, of Gamewell; four grandchildren, Jeannie Whitaker of Rock Hill, S.C., Amy Abernethy of Granite Falls, Michael Hodges of Granite Falls, and Lisa Craig of Granite Falls; eight great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by one brother, Charles Miller; and two sisters, Tois Hampton and Fay Katherine Miller.
A celebration of Mrs. Hodges life was held Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009, at 3 p.m. in the Chapel of Evans Funeral Service with the Rev. Homer Greene and the Rev. Paul Helton officiating. Burial followed in Blue Ridge Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, 902 Kirkwood Street, Lenoir, N.C. 28645.
Online condolences may be sent to the Hodges family at www.evansfuneralservice.com.
Evans Funeral Service of Lenoir is in charge of the arrangements.

William Howard Love
Mr. William Howard Love of Megan Lane, Boone, died Friday morning, Feb. 6, 2009 at Watauga Medical Center.
He was born in Watauga County to the late Coy and Gladys Hodges Love.
After graduating from Cove Creek High School, Howard joined the U.S. Navy and served on the USS Des Moines during the Korean Conflict. He received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts Degree from Appalachian State Teachers College. Mr. Love was one of the first teachers of Driver Education in the state of North Carolina and was the first Driver Education teacher in Watauga County. He was a principal and teacher at Mabel Elementary School, and principal at Blowing Rock and Green Valley Elementary Schools.
Following his career in education, he worked locally in the banking industry. Mr. Love became Boone’s first landscape planner in 1985. He helped to develop the Greenway Trail and partnered with Lee and Vivian Reynolds in planning and caring for the many flower gardens seen and enjoyed by many around town. He was a master gardener and was instrumental in establishing the Daniel Boone Arboretum. He served on the Boone Community Appearance Commission, the Boone Tree Board and the Greenway Committee. Howard was a grower of Fraser Fir Christmas trees. Active in marketing the area Christmas Tree industry, he served as President of the Watauga County Nurserymen’s Association and also served as President of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Growers Association. He was the 1998 Arbor Day Award recipient.
Survivors include his wife, Gayle Reece Love; two daughters, Sandy Love of Holly Springs and Pam Rush and husband, Eddie, and granddaughter, Megan Rush, all of Boone; one brother, Jim Love and wife, Kathryn, of Blowing Rock; three sisters, Doris Hodges and husband, Stan, of Tacoma, Wash., Ruth Henson and Jim Burgess of Blowing Rock and Jean Perry and husband, Ned, of Millers Creek; brother-in-law, Albert Yates of Lenoir; and sister-in-law, Peggy Hagaman and husband, Hugh, of Sugar Grove. A host of nieces, nephews, aunt and cousins also survive.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Myrtle Schweibert, Una Fields and Virginia Yates.
Memorial services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock at Boone Advent Christian Church, officiated by Dr. Rodney Duke, Jim Love and the Rev. Darrell Bare. The family received friends Sunday afternoon, following services, at the church.
The family suggests memorial donations to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be made to the family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Love family.

Benjamin Kevin Mikeal
Mr. Benjamin Kevin Mikeal, 49, passed away Jan. 22, 2009, at the McGuire Veterans’ Administration Medical Center in Richmond, Va.
He was born in Biloxi, Miss. He was raised in a military family.
Mr. Mikeal graduated from Watauga High School in Boone, N.C., in 1977; joined the Army, and was stationed in Boeblingen, Germany, when he met his wife-to-be. He returned to the U.S.A. to attend Warrant Officers’ School in Ft. Benning, Ga., and worked as a Crew Chief on a helicopter in the 498th Air Medivac Unit.
After graduation from Appalachian State University with a BS/BA Degree in Finance, he worked on his Master’s and then his PhD in Biblical Counseling. Following a move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and while attending Trinity College, he devoted his time to his fellow man. He founded a Prison Ministry and worked as a Volunteer Prison Chaplain for the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility. Ben loved people, and became the Minister of Bosque Farms Church of Christ in New Mexico, where he served for three years.
Returning to the mountains, he and his wife moved to Asheville, N.C. A life full of servitude, gratitude, and a love for Christ surrounded him, and followed him wherever he went.
Survivors include his wife, Danute, of the home; his mother, Betty Jo Turner Mikeal Fengler, of Boone; sister, Susann Mikeal Powers of Blowing Rock, N.C.; brother, Marcus Mikeal, also of Boone; and sister, Rebecca Mikeal Plonk of Kings Mountain, N.C. Also surviving are nieces, Alexandra Plonk and Nicole Plonk of Kings Mountain and Marena Mikeal of Boone; and nephew, Holt Mikeal of Wilmington, N.C.
A memorial service is planned at the Chapel of the Black Mountain State Veterans’ Cemetery on Feb. 12, 2009, at 12:00 noon, with interment with full Military Honors to follow.