Clyde Deal
ICARD - Clyde A. Deal, 76, died Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001 at Morganton Long Term Care, after a period of declining health.
Mr. Deal was born Sept. 23, 1925, to the late Janie Jacumin Deal.
He was member of the Icard First Baptist Church, a Navy veteran and was retired from Catawba Dunbrick.
In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn Eckard Deal.
Surviving are daughters, Deborah Johnson and her husband, Philip, and Lisa Smith and her husband, Keith, all of Icard; a brother, Julius Deal, of Morganton; sisters, Clara Demiter of Valdese and Frances Micol of Morganton; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 7 p.m. Tuesday, at the Icard First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Bobby Earls officiating.
The family will receive friends following the services in the Christian Family Life Center of the church.
Graveside Services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, at Catawba Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, 1500 San Pablo St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90033 or to the Morganton Long Term Care, Southview St. Morganton, N.C. 28655.
Heritage Funeral Service, Valdese, is assisting the Deal family.
James E. Johnson
VALDESE - James Edward Johnson, 62, of 4378 Berry School Ave., died suddenly and unexpectedly Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2001, at Valdese General Hospital.
Born Oct. 23, 1939, in Burke County, he was a son of the late Elvin Artinia Johnson and Vernell Geneva Horne Johnson.
He was a life long member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
He served as a member of the deacon board, assistant Sunday school superintendent, a member of the usher board and the men's choir and was very faithful and dedicated.
He was retired from the Burke County Public Schools after 20 years as a media specialist at Freedom High School.
He was a graduate of Olive Hill High School, acquired his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Johnson C. Smith University and his Master's degree from Appalachian State University. He also studied at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
He was also a member of the Clover Hill Lodge #10 of Lawndale, a board member of the Blue Ridge Community Action, a former member of the National Teachers Association, and a former member of the Valdese JC, former advisor for the State Credit Union, former 4-H leader and a member of the Burke County NAACP.
He delivered Meals on Wheels for 15 years and was formerly self-employed in sales.
Surviving are his faithful wife of 37 years, Mary F. Johnson of the home; a son, Timothy Edward Johnson of the home; a brother, Charles Hubert Johnson of Valdese; four sisters, Odessa L. Peterson and Sarah E. Johnson, both of Valdese, Clara J. Kinlow of Cherryville, and Belinda J. Williams of Winston-Salem; aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, and a circle of other relatives and friends.
The funeral was held 3 p.m. Saturday, at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, with the Revs. Kenneth B. Falls, W.F. McIntosh, Jr., Frances Tate, Herbert Carter and Bryant Corpening officiating.
Burial was in Mt. Zion Memorial Park.
The family received friends prior to the service at the church.
Ebony Funeral Services of Morganton, is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Julia R. Gray
MORGANTON - Julia R. Gray, 88, of Morganton Long Term Care, died Monday, Nov. 5, 2001 at the nursing home, following a period of declining health.
Born Dec. 8, 1913, in Marion, Va., she was a daughter of the late Sidney Baxter Rider and Edna B. Rider.
She was a former resident of Lenoir, and worked for many years as an assistant to the Caldwell Memorial Hospital Administrator.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William W. Gray; and a grandson, William Joseph Hennessee.
Mrs. Gray is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Juli and Carl Hennessee of Morganton; grandchildren; Linda Melton and her husband, the Rev. Larry Melton of Dunn, Dean Hennessee and his wife, Karen of Morganton, and Judy Cooper and her husband, Eben of Plano, Texas; and great-grandchildren, Melissa Melton, Adam Melton, Katelyn Melton, Kasey Hennessee, Jessica Hennessee, and Carl Dean Hennessee, III.
Graveside services will be held 3:30 p.m., Thursday, at Forest Hill Cemetery, with the Revs. Larry Melton and David Gay officiating.
Following the graveside service, the family will receive friends at the home of Juli and Carl Hennessee, 3064 Frank Whisnant Road, Morganton.
Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Ella Mae Winkler
NEWTON - Ella Mae Winkler, 65, of 311 W. 12th St., formerly of Morganton, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001, at her residence.
Born June 6, 1936, in Avery County, she was the daughter of John Henry and Mary Elizabeth Mulberry Winkler.
She was an employee of Ithaca Industries.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Leonard Winkler and Sherman Winkler and a sister, Evelyn Winkler.
Survivors include four daughters, Sharon Bumgarner of Newton, Mariesa Winkler and Emma Lathrop, both of Morganton, and Beverly Jimenez of Newton; four sons, Wayne Winkler of Charlotte, Robert Winkler of Newton, and Daniel Winkler and Clifton Winkler, both of Morganton; five sisters, Roberta Boone of Hickory, Margie Webb of Morganton, Velma Townsend and Lula Belle Ballard, both of Newland, and Pearl Ingram of Morganton; two grandchildren, who were her caretakers, Scott Bumgarner and Stephanie Winkler of the home; 19 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, at Pineola Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Byron Repass officiating.
Burial will be in the Winkler-Webb Cemetery in Pineola.
Her grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today, at Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home, and then, from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, at Pineola Presbyterian Church.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, N.C. 28658.
Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home in Newton, is assisting the Winker family with arrangements.
Hazel H. Beach
MORGANTON - Mrs. Hazel H. Beach, 73, of Shuffler Road, Morganton, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001 at Grace Hospital.
Born May 22, 1928 in McDowell County, she was the son of the late Ivey G. Holland and Ella Mae Holland.
Mrs. Beach was a past member of Rockypass Freewill Baptist Church in Marion, and had retired from Morganton Dye and Finishing.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Asbury Beach; brother, James Holland, granddaughter, Donna Caudle and a great-grandson, Tyler Caudle.
She is survived by sons, Larry D. Beach and his wife, Patricia Ann, and Gary W. Beach and his wife, Patsy, all of Morganton; daughter, Patricia Ann Bare and her husband, Cecil N. of Valdese; brothers, Robert Lee Holland and Bill Holland, both of Morganton; five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Friday, at Kirksey Memorial Chapel, with the Reverend David Orders officiating.
Burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery .
The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 tonight at Kirksey Funeral Home in Morganton.
At other times, the family will be at the home of Larry Beach on Kela Drive, Morganton.
Kirksey Funeral Home of Morganton, is assisting the family with arrangements
Velva Smith
MORGANTON - Velva Smith, 84, of Stacy Street, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001 at Grace Hospital, following a brief illness.
Born May 18, 1917, in Burke County, she was a daughter of the late John Lee and Ida Watts Robinson.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brothers, Lewis Lee Robinson and Boyd Robinson; and grandchildren, Christy Denton and Miranda Denton.
She was a member of Southside Baptist Church.
She is survived by her husband, Ernest Smith of the home; sons, Ernest Smith, Jr, and his wife, Billie of Morganton, and Hubert Smith and his wife, Suzanne of Valdese; daughters, Pat Denton of Morganton, and Hazel Williamson of Hickory; sisters, Mamie Buff, Bessie Robinson. Beatrice Pritchard, Lou Annie Robinson, Lillie Neal, and Bertha Smith, all of Morganton; grandchildren, Kim Sparks of Hickory, Pam Baldwin of Houston, Texas, and Jason Denton of Black Mountain, and great-grandchildren, Zachary Sparks and Justin Sparks, both of Hickory.
Funeral services will be held 1 p.m., Friday, at Southside Baptist Church, with the Rev. Virgil Morrow officiating.
Burial will follow in Burke Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends today from 7 until 8:30 p.m., at Sossoman Funeral Home, where the body will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes before the funeral hour.
Memorial contributions may be made to Southside Baptist Church, P.O. Box 2306, Morganton, N.C. 28680.
Sossoman Funeral Home of Morganton is assisting the Smith family.
John Ramsey, Jr.
LYNCHBURG, Va., - John Calvin Ramsey, Jr., 90, formerly of Drexel, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001, after several months of declining health.
Born in Drexel on March 14, 1911, he was a son of the late John Calvin Ramsey, Sr. and Maggie Lucy Jane Deal Ramsey.
Before moving to Lynchburg, he was a Drexel resident for 85 years.
Throughout his life, he was a knitting machine fixer, men's hosiery designer, radio repairman, electrician, mayor of the town of Drexel, Drexel town manager, community leader, World War II U. S. Army veteran serving with the signal corps in the China-India-Burma theater of war, and salesman of electrical pole-line materials for Bryant Electrical Supply Co., Hickory.
He was a member of the American Legion and of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
John was called "John the Baptist" by some of his family members and friends because of his love of Jesus and the Holy Bible.
He was proud to be called a Christian and often witnessed.
He was a former member of Drexel First Baptist Church and most recently, was an active member of Calvary Baptist Church in Lynchburg.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Effie Mae Toney Ramsey and his daughter and her husband, Amaryllis Flo Ramsey Keaton and Nellus Omel Keaton, who were all of Drexel.
Surviving are a son, Dr .Gwynn W. Ramsey and his wife, Betty Queen Ramsey of Lynchburg; grandchildren, Debora Lancaster and her husband, Winston of Little Mountain, S.C., Starla Shaeff and her husband, Clyne of Amherst, Va., Tana Hoffman and her husband, Richard of Brentwood, Tenn., Kevin Ramsey and his wife, Lisa of Evington, Va., and Robyn Ramsey of Forest, Va.; great-grandchildren, Craig Shaeff of Amherst, Va., Aaron Ramsey and Brian Ramsey of Evington, Va., and Benjamin and Caleb Hoffman of Brentwood, Tenn.; and a number of nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be held 11 a.m. Friday, at Calvary Baptist Church in Lynchburg, with the Rev. John R. Thompson officiating.
The family will receive friends from 7 until 8:30 p.m. today, at Wittens Funeral Home on Timberlake Road, in Lynchburg.
A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, at Drexel Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. until noon, at Sossoman Funeral Home, in Morganton.
Memorial gifts may be made to the music programs of either Calvary Baptist Church, 20957 Timberlake Rd., Lynchburg, Va. 24501 or to Drexel First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 308, Drexel, N.C. 28619.
Sossoman Funeral Home of Morganton is assisting the Ramsey family.
William Rudisill
WAVERLY, Tenn. - William Guy Rudisill, 79, died Monday, Nov. 5, 2001 at his home.
Mr. Rudisill was the band director at Waverly Central High School for almost 30 years and the choir director at the Waverly United Methodist Church for more than 25 years.
Survivors include his wife, Martha Ann Tate Rudisill, of Franklin, Tenn.; a son, Gregory Tate Rudisill and his wife, Linda of Loveland, Ohio; daughters, Cynthia Williams and her husband, David of Nashville, Tenn., and Holly Sharp and her husband, Gary of Franklin, Tenn.; a brother, Charles Rudisill of Drexel; a sister, Mary Causby of Glen Alpine; five grandchildren, Courtney Rudisill, Hannah Williams, Hunter, Austin and Garrett Sharp.
A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, at the Waverly United Methodist Church, with Dr. Lloyd Doyle officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to WillowBrook Hospice, Inc., 1335 West Main, Suite A, Franklin, TN, 37064-3703 or the Waverly United Methodist Church, 115 West Main St., Waverly, TN 37185.
Luff Bowen Funeral Home of Waverly, Tenn. is assisting the Rudisill family.
Rachel Ann Hart
MORGANTON - Rachel Ann Hart, 41, of Burkehurst Drive, died unexpectedly, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001, at her residence.
Born June 13, 1960, in Burke County, she was a daughter of Ophelia Allen Hart of Morganton, and the late Melvin J. Hart.
She was a member of St. Matthews United Methodist Church and worked at Western Carolina Center for several years in the food service department.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by brothers, M. Allen Hart and his wife, Christine of Douglasville, Ga., and David M. Hart and his wife, Robin of Morganton; her fiance, Randy LaFevers of Morganton; a special friend, Kathy Gurly of Morganton; her paternal grandmother, Thelma Sloan Hart of Morganton; a niece, Jennifer Lambert of Newton; nephews, Tim Hart of Carrollton, Ga., and Wesley Hart of Rutherford College; a great-niece, Samantha Reichard of Newton; a number of aunts, uncles and cousins; and many friends.
A memorial service will be held 7 p.m. Friday, at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Tom Stinson-Wesley officiating.
The family will receive friends at the church immediately following the service.
At other times, the family will be at the home of Ophelia Hart, 3989, Dysartsville Road in Morganton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any charity that assists in the care of troubled teens.
Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Trail Winters
