$100,000 gift to help maintain

Blue Ridge Parkway in Watauga
By Scott Nicholson
 
A new foundation in the memory of a Blowing Rock couple will help care for a local portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

A gift of $100,000 has been provided to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to establish an endowment in the names of Bliss and Sue Williams of Blowing Rock, Charlotte and Brenham, Texas, to assist in the perpetual care of Bass Lake.

The lake is in the National Park Service boundaries of the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park.

The Williamses began spending their summers in Blowing Rock in 1982 after first visiting the area during a family vacation in 1965.

Sue became devoted to daily walks around Bass Lake, a tradition she continued after Bliss’ death in 1998 and until her own passing in late 2008.

Julian Price Park became the official locale of elaborate family picnics, where Sue and Bliss would orchestrate games and hikes for their grandchildren.

Other individuals and entities have created endowments over the years for Moses H. Cone Memorial Park — most recently Bill and Judy Watson; Alan and Sally Cone; James L. and Pat Shore Clark; and ZAP Fitness to fund the preservation of the historic carriage trails in the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park; Alan and Sally Cone for the estate; and James L. and Pat Shore Clark.

The endowment funds of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation provide for many park locations and programs.

For more information about establishing named endowments for the Blue Ridge Parkway’s perpetual care, contact Houck Medford, foundation executive director, at 336-721-0260.