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‘Big Man on Campus’ Ned Trivette, 81, Passes Away, Family To Receive Friends on Thursday, Aug. 21

By Jesse Wood

Aug. 18, 2014. Ned Trivette, a Watauga native and former vice chancellor of business affairs for Appalachian State University, passed away on Friday morning at Care Partners Hospice in Asheville. He was 81.

“He was a wonderful person. We ran around together for many, many years,” longtime friend Wade Wilmoth said on Monday.  “I am hurt by his passing, but as he said, ‘I’ve had 81 years of good life’ and he could understand that we all die sooner or later … We’ve had a great friendship for many, many years and his loss will be a big loss for me and many, many people in the community.”

Trivette - Photo by Lonnie Webster
Trivette – Photo by Lonnie Webster

Trivette was born in Watauga County on Jan. 29, 1933. He attended Appalachian State University in the ‘50s and was the vice chancellor of business affairs from 1965 to 1990. Trivette Hall at ASU was named for Ned and his wife, Maxine, in 1991.

After his retirement, he returned to his home place on Peoria Road near Bethel, where he attended Bethel Baptist Church. He happened, in 2007, to become the first person in the county to operate a wind turbine after the passage of the county’s wind energy ordinance.

Trivette was on the board of directors of Blowing Rock Art & History Museum and Mountain Home Music – to name just a couple instances of his community involvement.

Wilmoth said he met Trivette, who was a “big man on campus with leadership roles” at the time, as a freshman in college – and a life long friendship ensued. Both of their wives became friends, too. Whenever Wilmoth became mayor in the ‘70s, the two would grab a can of beans or Vienna sausages at the Mast General Store and sit on the back porch to work out town-and-gown problems.

Trivette was also a fellow Democrat.

“We liked to talk about politics as time went on. He was my campaign finance manager when I ran for [the N.C. House], and he met me up at the courthouse that morning, I didn’t expect him to be there, and paid my for my filing fee for the General Assembly,” Wilmoth said.

Trivette was the son of the late A.E. and Susie Hagaman Trivette.

He is survived by one daughter, Susan Black and husband Keith of Asheville; one son, Mark Trivette of Atlanta, Ga.; six granddaughters, Lauren Michelle Black, Kathryn Joyce Black, Sarah Elizabeth Black, Rachael Maxine Trivette, Holland Reeves Trivette and Leslie Reagan Trivette; one sister, Mary Faye Tester of Sugar Grove; and a number of nieces and nephews.

“Business Affairs, Ned Trivette, 1985,” Appalachian State University Digital Collections, accessed August 18, 2014, http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/10824.
“Business Affairs, Ned Trivette, 1985,” Appalachian State University Digital Collections, accessed August 18, 2014, http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/10824.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine Joyner Trivette and one brother Max Trivette.

Graveside services for Trivette will be private.

The family will receive friends Thursday evening, August 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home.

The family respectfully requests no food, and suggests memorials to Bethel Baptist Church Building Fund, 123 Mountain Dale Road, Vilas, NC 28692 or to Mountain Home Music, PO Box 572, Boone, NC 28607 or to BRAHM, PO Box 828, Blowing Rock, NC 28605.

Online condolences may be shared with the Trivette family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com. Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Trivette family.