Cecil Burgess
NEWTON – Cecil Burgess, 75, of Buffalo Shoals Road, Newton, passed away May 30 [2001] at his residence.
Born July 21, 1926 in Catawba County, he was the son of the late Joseph and Lillian Lail Burgess.
Mr. Burgess was a retired truck driver, a member of Mt. Ruhama Baptist Church and the Maiden Masonic Lodge #592.
He was a WWII veteran of the U.S. Army.
Also preceding him in death were sisters Elizabeth Beaver and Eva Williams, and brother Fred Burgess.
Survivors include his wife, Christine W. Burgess; daughters and son-in-law Revonda and Gary Sigmon of Claremont, and Wanda Burgess of Surfside Beach, S.C.; brother Bandy Burgess of Newton; grandchildren Michelle Dickerson and husband Jim of Hickory, Melissa
Valentin and husband Javier of Hickory, and Stacy Sigmon of Claremont; three great-grandchildren; and special friends Ben Neil and Mary Campbell of Maiden.
Services were held June 1 at Mr. Burgess’s church by the Revs. Larry Burns and Earl Wilcox, and burial was in the church cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post 16.
Burke Mortuary in Maiden served the family.
Memorials may be made to Mt. Ruhama Baptist Church, Cemetery Fund, 3273 Mt. Ruhama Church Road, Maiden 28650.
Lillian W. Byers
MAIDEN – Lillian Maxine Williams Byers, 69, of Hwy. 321 South, Maiden, passed away May 30 [2001] at her residence.
Born Jan. 23, 1933 in Catawba County, she was the daughter of the late George Avery and Nancy Amanda Holsclaw Williams.
Mrs. Byers was retired from the furniture industry and was a member of East Maiden Baptist Church, where she served on the Lord’s Supper Committee and was a nursery worker for 20 years.
Her husband, William Byers, also preceded her in death.
She is survived by daughter and son-in-law Marsha B. and Tony Bennett of Greer, S.C.; granddaughters Bonnie Killian of Vale and Carrie Gibson and husband Larry of Maiden; great-grandsons Michael Williams of Maiden, and Jordan Killian of Vale; and brother and sister-in-law Foy and Barbara Williams of Maiden.
Services were held June 2 at Mrs. Byers’s church by the Rev. Nathaniel Austin, and burial followed in Maiden City Cemetery.
Burke Mortuary Chapel in Maiden served the family.
Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society, 500 East Morehead Street, Charlotte 28202; Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton 28658; or to Gideons International, P.O. Box 1409, Lincolnton 28093.
Jimmy R. Chaney
VALE – Jimmy Ray Chaney, 34, of Bridle Path Road, Vale, died suddenly on May 31 [2001] on Rhoney Farm Road in Vale.
Born June 17, 1967 in Burke County, he was the son of the late Charles Luther and Mary Inez Parsons Chaney.
Mr. Chaney was employed as a car detailer.
His wife, Vivian Marie Spicer Chaney, also died on May 31.
Surviving are daughter Nikki Rae Chaney of Rhodhiss; son Jimmy Dean Chaney of Rhodhiss; stepson Dakota Spicer of Vale; sisters and brothers-in-law Patricia and Mark Scarbrough of Hickory, Libby and David Workman of Vale, and Brenda Cranford of Virginia; brothers and sister-in-law Charles Lewis and Tanya Chaney of Rhodhiss, Dale Allen Parsons of Icard, and Darrell Chaney of Hickory; maternal grandmother Merit Parsons of Hickory; paternal grandmother Ruth Wentz Chaney of Valdese; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Services for Mr. and Mrs. Chaney were held June 3 at Royal Chapel Church of God by the Rev.
John Petty, and burial was in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers were David Workman, Mark Scarbrough, Allen Parsons, Darrell Chaney, Lewis Chaney, Keith Wright, Eddie Dean Pressley, II and Dylan Starnes.
Hickory Funeral Home served the family.
Vivian S. Chaney
VALE – Vivian Marie Spicer Chaney, 27, of Bridle Path Road, Vale, died suddenly on May 31 [2001] on Rhoney Farm Road in Vale.
Born Aug. 2, 1974 in Colorado Springs, Colo., she was the daughter of Donna Frederick Starnes and the stepdaughter of Clyde Starnes, Jr., both of Vale.
She was a homemaker.
Her husband, Jimmy Ray Chaney, also died on May 31.
Additional survivors include son Dakota Spicer of Vale; stepdaughter Nikki Rae Chaney of Rhodhiss; stepson Jimmy Dean Chaney of Rhodhiss; brother Dylan Starnes of Vale; stepbrother Bryan Savage of Tucson, Ariz.; half-sister Jennifer Spicer of Tucson, Ariz.; maternal grandparents Bill and Anita Pries Frederick of Tucson, Ariz.; paternal grandparents Ben and Hellen Spicer of Tucson, Ariz.; and step-grandparents Clyde and Colleen Berry Starnes, Sr. of Hickory.
Services for Mr. and Mrs. Chaney were held June 3 at Royal Chapel Church of God by the Rev. John Petty, and burial was in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers were Casey Morgan, Ian Atkin, Matthew Starnes, Paul Starnes, Daniel Parsons and Clyde Starnes, Sr.
Hickory Funeral Home served the family.
Johnny L. Clontz
HICKORY – Johnny Lewis Clontz, 62, of Sixth Street Drive, NW, Hickory, died June 1 [2001] at his residence following a period of declining health.
Born May 4, 1940 in Catawba County, he was the son of the late Henry and Annie Yoder Clontz.
Mr. Clontz was a mechanic at Regal Manufacturing.
A sister, Gladys Travis, also preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife, Lillian Brown Clontz; daughter April Strickland of Hickory; son Johnny Lewis Clontz, Jr. of Hickory; sisters and brother-in-law Phyllis and James Hines and Frances Brittain, all of Hickory; brothers Ronald and Wayne Clontz of Hickory, and Ray Clontz of Conover; and half-brothers Richard Wilson and Kenneth Yoder of Hickory.
Graveside services were held June 4 at Catawba Memorial Park by the Rev. Donald J. Martin, with military rites by American Legion Post 48.
Hickory Funeral Home served the family.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton 28658.
Harvey V. Field
HICKORY – Harvey Victor Field, 61, of Hickory, died May 30 [2001] at his residence.
Born July 7, 1940 in Cohocton, N.Y., he was the son of Eleanor Wilkinson Field of Howard, N.Y., and the late William Field.
Mr. Field was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and was an operations associate with Alcatel.
He had served as a state trooper for 21 years and was a member of Benevolent Association of Police in New York.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, June Hosmer Field; sons and daughters-in-law William Arthur and Elizabeth Field of Stafford, Va., Scott Lee and Linda Field of Columbia, S.C., and Gregory Lynn and Rebecca Field of Colorado Springs, Colo.; daughter and son-in-law Karen Field and Alan Deal of Hickory; brothers James Field of Andover, N.Y., and Larry Field of Hickory; sister Linda Berlin of Howard, N.Y.; and six grandchildren.
The Revs. Deborah Michaels and Robert Shoffner conducted June 1 services at Mr. Field’s church, and burial was in Oakwood Cemetery.
Bass-Smith Funeral Home served the family.
Memorials may be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 547 Sixth Street, NW, Hickory 28601
.
Ronald A. Geyer
HICKORY – Ronald August Geyer, 70, of Hickory, formerly of New York, died June 3 [2001] at his residence.
Born Sept. 19, 1931 in New York City, N.Y., he was the son of the late August William and Marion Lesser Geyer.
Mr. Geyer was a member of St. Jehosophat Catholic Church in New York City, and attended St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Hickory.
He was the owner and operator of G.S. Associates, in which he did carpet and floor covering installation.
For years, he was contractor for Madison Square Garden and parts of the World Trade Center.
He was a lifetime member of Elks Lodge #878 in Elmhurst, N.Y.
Two brothers, Garrett and Kenneth Geyer, also preceded him in death.
Surviving are sons Ronald August Geyer, Jr. and Garrett William Geyer of Bayside, N.Y.; and daughters Robin Geyer McKenzie and Glory Lou Geyer of Hickory, and Sharon Ann Geyer of Bayside, N.Y.
Graveside services will be held at 10 am today at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Flushing, N.Y.
Bass-Smith Funeral Home is serving the family locally, and Frances X. Hatton Funeral Home is serving the family in New York.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials may be made to Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton 28658; or to St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 921 Second Street, NE, Hickory 28601.
Fred W. Hawkins
HILDEBRAN – Fred Walter Hawkins, 84, of 10th Street, SE, Hildebran, died June 2 [2001] at Shytle House following six months of illness.
Born April 14, 1918 in Catawba County, he was the son of the late David Moore and Emma Weaver Hawkins.
Mr. Hawkins was a member of Mt. Hebron Lutheran Church and was retired from Hickory Construction Co.
He was an antique dealer in Hildebran, for 30 years and was a WWII veteran of the U.S. Army.
Also preceding him in death were sisters Louise Herman and Ida Mae White.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Minnie Lutz Hawkins; daughters and sons-in-law Debbie and Don Price and Vicki and Rodney Houser, all of Icard, Judy and Curtis Eckard of Hickory, and Juanita and Clement Hahn, Jr. of Asheville; son and daughter-in-law Fred Loy and Katherine Hawkins of Valdese; brother Robert Hawkins of Hickory; friends Ronnie and Jeanie Stamey of Hildebran; 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
The Rev. Gary Coble conducted June 5 services at Mr. Hawkins’s church, and burial was in Catawba Memorial Park, with military rites by American Legion Post 48.
Pallbearers were Kenneth Hahn, Rodney Isenhour, Barry Granda, Charles Heilig, III, Tim Stroupe, Kyle Houser, Shane Stamey and Kim Heck.
Hickory Funeral Home served the family.
Carrie B. Hayes
VIRGINIA – Carrie Butler Hayes, 82, formerly of Hickory, died June 2 [2001] at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va.
She was the daughter of the late Joseph Franklin and Mamie Bridger Butler.
Mrs. Hayes was a 1940 graduate of Coker College in Hartsville, S.C., and did post-graduate work in music in Chapel Hill.
She was active in the community as a music teacher and promoter of music education, as well as in the school Parent Teacher Association.
She was president of St. Cecilia Music Club for three terms and was instrumental in building and extending the club.
She played an important role in the organization of the Hickory Choral and Oratorio Society and the Piedmont Youth Orchestra.
She also served on the State Federation Board and was a leader in the District Junior Festivals.
As a fervent pursuer of the Lord Jesus Christ, she was always very active in the Christian community.
Her husband of 61 years, Hayden Burke Hayes, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her devoted daughters and sons-in-law Faith Hayes and Robert Holden Dilworth of Arlington, Va., and Karen Hayes and John H.G. Mitchell, Jr. of Roanoke, Va.; six grandchildren who were dear to her heart and 16 great-grandchildren; sister Jane B. Black of Atlanta, Ga.; and brother Joseph Franklin Butler of Seven Lakes, N.C.
Burial will take place June 8 in Atlanta, Ga., beside her late husband.
Bass-Smith Funeral Home is serving the family.
