Archived

Will Dicus
On June 1, 2009, Will Dicus began his rookie season in the Big League.
He was born Sept. 26, 1990 in Watauga County to Bill and Pepi Bates.
Will attended Parkway Elementary and Watauga High School.
He played all sports throughout elementary school until being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in 2004.
After extensive surgery and treatment at Brenner's Children's Hospital, he overcame all odds to come back and pitch for the high school.
The last three years Will has been in clinical trials for his disease at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., while continuing high school and baseball.
Will is survived by his parents, his aunts Woody Dicus of Raleigh and Martha Dicus of Charleston, S.C., his cousins Jessica, AJ and Richard Sims of Columbia, S.C., best friend Chris Shelton and the Watauga High baseball team.
We will celebrate his life on Sunday, June 7, at 3 p.m. at Boone United Methodist Church, with a covered dish dinner following in the Family Life Center.
The family respectfully requests no food or flowers, and asks that you honor Will's memory with donations to the 503 ( c ) fund for baseball at Watauga High School through the Watauga High School Booster Club Inc., P.O. Box 1171, Boone, N.C. 28607.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Boone community and all of his baseball buddies in the state of North Carolina for their support throughout the last five years.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Dicus family.

Charlotte Emeline Sides Houser
Charlotte Emeline Sides Houser, 73, of Granite Falls, N.C., died Friday, May 29, 2009 at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.
Mrs. Houser was born Sept. 12, 1935 in Caldwell County, the daughter of the late Raymond Leroy Sides and Lillian Francum Sides. She retired from Highland House Furniture Co. after 25 years.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles L. Houser Sr.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Edward Greene of Boone; sons, Ken Boyce and wife, Marie, of Conover and Charles L. Houser II of Hickory; grandchildren, Brandy Boyce and Edward Greene; and two brothers, Alfred Sides and wife, Betty Ann, and Kenneth Sides and wife, Dot.
A celebration of her life will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday June 6, in the chapel of Drum Funeral Home in Hickory. The Rev. Mark Chaney will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 3:45 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home.
Memorials may be given to N.C. Lutheran Home East, 1265 21st St. NE, Hickory, N.C. 28601.
Condolences may be sent to the Houser family at www.drumfuneralhome.com.
The Houser family has entrusted the funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral Home in Hickory.

Ned Jestes
Mr. Ned Jestes, 91, of 505 Grandfather Road, Banner Elk, the Grandfather community, died Tuesday, June 2, 2009, at Johnson City (Tenn.) Medical Center.
Mr. Jestes was born on a farm located on the headwaters of the Watauga River Aug. 21, 1917, the son of the late Jessie and Rose Byrd Jestes. He was employed by the Soil Conservation Service, USDA in 1935, stationed in Rowan County.
While assigned to Cabarrus County, he volunteered for the U.S. Navy in October 1941. After World War II, Mr. Jestes was assigned to SCS in Forsyth County December 1946. He continued work in five Western North Carolina counties. Mr. Jestes retired from Yancey County in 1972.
Mr. Jestes served in the United States Navy aboard the battleship USS Washington for six months in the North Atlantic, and then in the South Pacific, as a meteorologist. The ship was engaged in 20 battles from New Clenodia to Okinawa, including the sinking of the Japanese battleship Kirishima at Guadalcanal. He was honorably discharge in 1945.
Since his retirement from SCS, Ned lived on his ancestral farm in the Grandfather community. He was an active member of the Valle Crucis United Methodist Church, serving as trustee, Sunday school superintendent and teacher.
Ned was a director of Watauga County Farm Bureau, a member of the DAV and American Legion.
He was elected supervisor of Watauga County Soil and Water Conservation District in 1974, and was re-elected for eight consecutive four-year terms.
Ned's involvement was instrumental in the establishment of conservation practices in eight Western North Carolina counties, active in the enactment of the "Ridge Law," and Rc&d and Sediment erosion control. Ned had maintained his 47-acre farm on the north side of Grandfather Mountain until his death.
Mr. Jestes is survived by three daughters, Linda Jestes Julian of Statesville and Brenda Jestes Ruppard and Pamela Jestes Watson, both of Banner Elk; four grandsons, Jason Julian and wife, Jennifer, of Statesville, Jack Ruppard of Boone, James Jestes and wife, Sheena, of Dobson, and Jeff Ruppard of Banner Elk; and three granddaughters, Wren Carlson and husband, David, of Atlanta, Ga., and Jessica Cook and Maggie Cook, both of Blowing Rock. He is also survived by seven great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
He was preceded by his wife, Edith Rector Jestes; his father and mother, Jesse and Rosa Byrd Jestes; and several brothers and sisters.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, June 5, at 11 a.m. at Valle Crucis United Methodist Church. The body will lie in state at the church from 10 until 11 a.m. Officiating will be the Rev. Robert "Bob" Roten and the Rev. Chuck Rowland. Military graveside rites and burial will follow in the Jestes Cemetery.
The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 6 until 8 at Hampton Funeral Service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Nature Conservancy, Attention Treasury, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Fairfax, Va., 22203, or to the Valle Crucis United Methodist Church Youth Group, 2945 Broadstone Road, Banner Elk, N.C. 28604.
Online condolences may be sent to the Jestes family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com. Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Charles ‘June’ Proffitt Jr.
Mr. Charles "June" Proffitt Jr., 88, of 2074 Old U.S. Highway 421, Vilas, died Tuesday evening, June 2, 2009, at the Watauga Medical Center.
Mr. Proffitt was born March 14, 1921 in Watauga County, a son of the late Charles Proffitt Sr. and Thelma Osborne Proffitt. He was a farmer and served in the United States Navy during World War II.
Mr. Proffitt is survived by two sons, Robert Garry Proffitt and wife, Dottie, and Dennis Baxter Proffitt, all of Vilas; one daughter, Sue Jackson and husband, Terry, of Vilas; three brothers, Johnny Proffitt of Vilas, Bill Proffitt and wife, Joyce, of Spruce Pine, and Jimmy Proffitt of South Carolina; one sister, Susie Wheeler and husband, Jack, of Mountain City, Tenn.; two grandsons, David Proffitt and wife, JoAnn, of Vilas, and Brian Andrew Jackson and wife, Brittany, of Lillington, N.C.; one granddaughter, Rebecca Stein and husband, Matt, of Reidsville; and one great-granddaughter, Valerie Bower of Vilas. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Rebecca Eude Hodges Proffitt; three brothers, Robert , Glenn and Benjamin Proffitt; and one sister, Betty Ray.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday afternoon, June 5, at 2 p.m. at Henson Chapel United Methodist Church. The body will lie in state at the church from 1 until 2 p.m. Officiating will be the Rev. Carl Wilson. Military graveside rites and burial will follow at the Henson Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Online condolences may be sent to the Proffitt family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Richard Lee Shook
Mr. Richard Lee Shook, 56, of South Church Street, Mountain City, Tenn., died Monday evening, June 1, 2009 at Johnson City Medical Center.
Born in Watauga County Jan. 6, 1953, he was a son of the late Mamie Ethel Aldridge Shook and Dempsey Shook. Mr. Shook was a painter.
Surviving are two daughters, Donya Norris of Crossnore and Laurie Lee Shook of Boone; one son, Nathan Shook and wife, Danielle, of Vilas; 10 grandchildren, Joshua and Dylan Norris, Ian and Coral Parker, Nicholas and Celeste Winebarger, Alanis Alyssa and Alonna Davila and Laney Shook; his father, Dempsey Shook; three brothers, Jack, Freddie and Rob Shook, and one sister, Diane Shook, all of Foscoe; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were conducted Thursday evening at 7 at the Foscoe Christian Church. Officiating were the Rev. Zane Tester and the Rev. Tim Coffey.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shook family in care of Austin & Barnes Funeral Home.
Graveside services and burial for Richard Lee Shook will be conducted Friday morning at 10 at Mount Lawn Memorial Park & Gardens.

Online condolences may be sent to the Shook family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Shook family.

Pansy G. Taylor
Mrs. Pansy Greene Taylor, 91, of Purlear died Monday, June 1, 2009, at the Villages of Wilkes Skilled Care where she had resided for the past year and a half.
She was born in Wilkes County on Aug. 22, 1917 to Boyd and Minnie Wagner Greene.
After graduation from Mount Pleasant High School and Mae’s Beauty School, she worked as a beautician until her marriage, when she and her husband moved to Jackson Hole, Wyo. She and her family returned to Purlear, N.C., in 1956, where she operated Pansy’s Beauty Shop until failing health forced her retirement at age 89. At that time, she was the oldest working beautician in North Carolina and still charged 1940 prices for her work.
It was not unusual for her to serve a complimentary lunch on a tray to customers while they sat under a hair dryer.
She was a devoted wife, loving mother and a friend to all.
Surviving are three children: two daughters, Marguerite Taylor Moore and husband, Kenneth, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., and Jefferson, N.C., and Betty Ann Taylor Millman and husband, David, of Greensboro; and one son, Richard Lee Taylor and wife, Elisia, of Purlear.
Mrs. Taylor is also survived by three sisters, Violet Greene Hagaman, Daisy Greene Hagaman and Fern Greene Handy; one brother, Bob Richard Greene; and five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Edgar Taylor; a son, Robert, who died in infancy; and by three brothers, Yatsa Greene, Newland Greene and Raytee Greene.
Services will be conducted Friday at 3 p.m. at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by the Rev. Vernon Eller. The family will receive friends from 2 until 3 p.m. prior to the service, and burial will follow at Mount Lawn Memorial Park and Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 222 South Church St., Suite 336 M, Charlotte, N.C. 28202, or to charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Taylor family.

Shirley Tolf
Mrs. Shirley Potts Tolf, 80, of 165 Robin Lane, Boone, died Monday afternoon, June 1, 2009, at the Watauga Medical Center.
Mrs. Tolf was born May 24, 1929 in Johnstown, Pa., a daughter of the late Kenneth and Mary McCoy Potts. She was a homemaker and a member of Grace Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Tolf is survived by two daughters, Deborah Ray and husband, Ricky, of Boone and Barbara Williams and husband, Robert, of Cleveland, Tenn.; and three sons, Robert Tolf and wife, Sabrina, of Rock Hill, S.C., Thomas Tolf and wife, LeAnne, of Knoxville, Tenn., and Barry Tolf and wife, Candice, of Chattanooga, Tenn. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick Albert Tolf.
A memorial service will be conducted Friday , June 5, at 2 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church. Officiating will be Pastor Tim Smith.
The family will receive friends, at a reception, following the memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Grace Lutheran Church Building Fund, 115 East King St., Boone, N.C. 28607, or to the American Cancer Society, in care of Glenda Hodges, 810 Parkcrest Drive, Boone, N.C. 28607.
Online condolences may be sent to the Tolf family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

June 3, 2009
Hobert Blaine Gragg
Hobert Blaine Gragg, 86 of Lenoir, passed away Sunday, May 30, 2009 at his residence.
Mr. Gragg was born in Avery County to the late Slyvester Gragg and Queen Coffey Gragg. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and retired from the furniture industry.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Brenda Jean Gragg; four brothers; and a sister.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Jean Isbell Gragg of the home; a son, Hobert Gragg Jr. of Lenoir; a brother, Cecil Gragg and wife, Jewel, of Lenoir; sisters, Mabel Hartley of South Carolina and Goldie Danner of Linville.
A funeral service for Mr. Gragg will be held in Pendry’s Chapel Thursday, June 4, at 2 p.m. with the Rev. John Jernigan and the Rev. Randy Bowlin officiating. Burial will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Park. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at Pendry’s Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be placed at www.dignitymemorial.com\2320
Pendry’s Funeral Home in Wilkesboro is serving the Gragg family.

Col. Martin Ray ‘Marty’ Ridge
Col. Martin Ray “Marty” Ridge, 59, of Rural Hall, N.C., passed away Sunday, May 24, 2009 at Forsyth Medical Center.
Marty was born in Forsyth County on Nov. 11, 1949, the son of the late Harriet Crouch Ridge and Cone Sherman Ridge Jr.
Marty joined the Army Reserves in 1970 and has continued to serve in the military for 39 years.
Col. Ridge has served in numerous capacities throughout his distinguished military career and was currently serving as commander of the 4215th U. S. Army Hospital in Richmond, Va.
Col. Ridge was currently employed with the department of the U. S. Army as a facility manager specialist.
He was a member of Rural Hall Moravian Church, a member of the King American Legion Post 290 and a member of the Kernersville VFW Post 5352.
Surviving is his wife of 36 years, Jane Kiger Ridge of the home; three children, Austin Ray Ridge of Rural Hall, Adam Holloway Ridge and wife, Ashley, of Raleigh and Audrey Ridge Fant and husband, Frank, of King; a granddaughter, Ava Jane Ridge; two sisters, Sharon Paschal of Siler City and Bain Winkler of Boone; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were conducted Thursday, May 28, at 4 p.m. at Rural Hall Moravian Church with the Rev. Dr. Steve Craver and the Rev. Jim Newsome officiating.
Burial with military honors followed in Rural Hall Memorial Park. Memorial donations may be made to Rural Hall Moravian Church, P. O. Box 487, Rural Hall, N.C. 27045, or the Lung Cancer Alliance, c/o www. Lungcanceralliance.org.

Iona Marie Church Hammons Spears
Mrs. Iona Marie Church Hammons Spears, 79, of Fleetwood, died Saturday, May 30, 2009, at her son’s home in Lenoir.
Born Feb. 25, 1930 in Watauga County, Mrs. Spears was a daughter of the late Arthur Brown and Ella Mae Church.
She is survived by three sons, Bobby Hammons and wife, Denisa, of Lenoir, Dwayne Hammons of Lenoir and Richard Hammons of Caldwell, Texas; two daughters, Shirley Aldridge and husband, Graham, of Lenoir and Lori Gerrior of Lenoir; one brother, Ed Church and wife, JoAnn, of Fostoria, Ohio; one sister, Della Clonch of Lenoir; and six grandsons, four granddaughters and 10 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, at the Watson Family Cemetery in Deep Gap with the Rev. Paul Coffey officiating.
Pallbearers will be: Brian Hammons, Jamie Aldridge, Richie Decker, Jeffrey Thompson, Dean Friesland, Dennis Friesland, Scott Taylor and Andy Dolgas.
The family has respectfully requested memorials be made to Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, 902 Kirkwood St., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.
Online condolences may be sent to the family of Mrs. Spears at www.evansfuneralservice.com
Evans Funeral Service of Lenoir is in charge of the arrangements.

Pansy Greene Taylor
Mrs. Pansy Greene Taylor, 91, of Wilkesboro, died Monday afternoon, June 1, 2009, at the Villages of Wilkes in North Wilkesboro.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory of Boone is serving the Taylor family.

Shirley Tolf
Mrs. Shirley Tolf, 80, of Boone, died Monday afternoon, June 1, 2009, at the Watauga Medical Center.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.
Online condolences may be sent to the Tolf family at the following: www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

June 1, 2009

Joanne Elizabeth Flaa
Ms. Joanne Elizabeth Flaa, died May 18, 2009, in Boone, N.C., near her children.
After thirty years of service as a special education teacher and administrator, she retired in Florida.
She is survived by her daughters, Mary Flaa and Susan Colby; son-in-law, Jeff Colby; grandchildren Erin and Christian Colby; sister-in-law; nieces, nephews and lifelong friends.
She was preceded in death by her sister, brother, and brother-in-law.
A celebration of life and burial will take place in Minnesota in July.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Joanne Flaa Memorial Scholarship in Special Education at Appalachian State University, Attn: Dolly Farrell, Director of Development, ASU Box 32038, Boone, N.C. 28608. Please make checks payable to ASU Foundation with the scholarship name in the memo line. Please call 828-262-2804 if you need assistance making a gift.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Flaa family.

Anna Trivett Green
Mrs. Anna Trivett Green, 88, of 90 Greenview Drive, Staunton, Va., a native and former resident of Ashe County, died Monday, May 25, 2009, at Augusta Medical Center in Staunton.
She was born April 21, 1921 in Ashe County, a daughter of the late Millard Baine Trivett and Mattie Mae Wilcox Trivett.
Mrs. Green was a homemaker and of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include two daughters, Ronda Gail Collier of King George, Va., and Elaine Minton and husband, Lloyd, of Miller Creek; three sons, Ronnie Lee Church and wife, Jo, of Staunton, Alton Gary Church, and Len Richard Church, both of King George; and one sister, Elree Parsons and husband, James, of Lenoir. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Worth Church; one daughter, Rejana Mae Portl; and one son, Worth Kerry Church.
Services were conducted Saturday afternoon, May 30, 2009, at 2:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating was the Rev. Rick Tomlinson. Burial followed in Big Flat Baptist Church Cemetery in Ashe County.
Online condolences may be sent to the Green family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Rejana Mae Church Portl
Mrs. Rejana Mae Church Portl, 62, of 90 Greenview Drive, Staunton, Va., died Tuesday, May 26, 2009, at her home.
Survivors include one son, Steven Douglas Elliott of Fredericksburg, Va.; two daughters, Tracy Lynn Reid of Lenoir, and Jana Portl of Silver City, New Mexico; one step-son, Lawrence F. Portl of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; one step-daughter, Shannon Portl of Silver City, New Mexico; three brothers, Ronnie L. Church of Staunton, Va., Alton G. Church and Len Richard Church, both of King George, Va.; and two sisters, Rhonda Gail Collier of King George, and Elaine Minton of Miller's Creek. She is also survived by six grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Frederick Portl, Sr.; one brother, Worth Kerry Church; and her father and mother, Worth Church and Anna Trivett Church Green.
In conjunction with Rejana's mother's funeral, Anna Trivett Green, services were conducted Saturday afternoon, May 30, 2009, at 2:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating was the Rev. Rick Tomlinson.
The family received friends Saturday afternoon, from 1:00 until 2:00 o'clock, at the funeral home, prior to the service.
Online condolences may be sent to the Portl family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Earlene Barnes Woodring
Mrs. Earlene Barnes Woodring, 73, of NC Highway 194 North, Boone, died Thursday morning, May 28, 2009, at Watauga Medical Center.
She was born Jan. 10, 1936 in Watauga County, to Letcher Reeves and Grace Elizabeth Hodges Barnes.
Mrs. Woodring was a cook at the Dan’l Boone Inn Restaurant for many years. She enjoyed working in her beautiful flower gardens, spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and reading the Bible.
Survivors include her daughter, Betty Huffman, and her son, Charles Woodring and wife, Dawn, all of Boone; two grandchildren, Benjamin Woodring and Toni Hamby and her boyfriend, Steve Ward, all of Boone; three great-grandchildren, Caleb, Trey and Chelsea Hamby, all of Boone; and one sister, Pauline Colvard and friend, Bill Copeland, of Summersville, S.C. A number of nieces, nephews, and special family friends, Lisa Miller Hartman and husband, Alex, and their son, Charlie, also survive.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Bob J. Woodring; five brothers, George, Jay, Grady, Earl and Gilbert Barnes; and two sisters, Mary Lee Moretz and Leoka Stevens Keever.
Services were conducted Sunday afternoon, May 31, 2009, at 2 o’clock at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by the Rev. Mike Townsend and the Rev. Ronnie Jones. Burial followed at the Hopewell United Methodist Church Cemetery.
The family received friends Saturday evening from 5 until 7 o’clock at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Woodring family..