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Watauga, Avery Obituaries – March 15, 2017

Melissa Norwood Miller (March 16, 1970 – March 14, 2017)

Melissa Norwood Miller, 46, of Shook Road, the Foscoe Community, passed away Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Mission Hospital in Asheville.

Melissa is survived by her husband, Bobby Miller of the home; three sons, Dustin Ray Miller and fiancee Liz, and Travis Shawn Miller, all of Banner Elk, and Chad Ryan Miller and wife Heather of Sugar Grove; one grandson, Harper William Miller of Sugar Grove; her mother, Betty Lou Norwood; one brother, William Dean Norwood of Banner Elk, and one sister, Linda Warren of Lenoir. She is also survived by a number of nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles.

She was preceded in death by her father, William L. Norwood; her paternal grandparents, Chester “Bear” Norwood and his wife Sudie, and her maternal grandparents, Jeff and Beulah Shook.

Funeral services for Melissa Norwood Miller will be conducted Monday afternoon, March 20, 2017, at 2:00 o’clock, at Watauga Baptist Church. The body will lie in state, at the church, from 1:00 until 2:00 o’clock. Officiating will be Reverend Charlie Martin. Burial will follow in Watauga Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Sunday afternoon, from 3:30 until 5:00 o’clock, at Watauga Baptist Church.

Online condolences may be sent to the Miller family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.


Ricky Southerland (Dec. 5, 1989 – March 13, 2017)

Ricky Southerland, 27, of Creston, passed away Monday morning, March 13, 2017, at Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care in Lenoir.

Ricky was born December 5, 1989 in Catawba County, son of Patricia Potter Hicks and the late Eddy Ray Southerland. He was head of the maintenance department at Holiday Inn of Boone, and a member of Faith Baptist Church.

Ricky is survived by his wife, Kendra Hurley of the home; one daughter, Kaydence Anne Southerland of the home; his mother, Patricia Hicks and husband Glenn of Boone; two half sisters, Betty Sue Hart and husband David of Newton, and Heather Rae Southerland of California; one step-sister, Kayla Hicks of Creston; his grandfather, James Potter of Todd; his father-in-law, Kenney Hurley of Creston; his grandmother-in-law, Mary Hurley of Creston, and one sister-in-law, Hava Ashely of Johnson City, Tennessee. 

Funeral services for Ricky Southerland will be conducted Wednesday afternoon, March 15, 2017, at 2:00 o’clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. The body will lie in state, at the chapel, from 1:00 until 2:00 o’clock. Officiating will be Dr. Sonny Younce. Burial will follow in the Potter-Main Cemetery in Todd.

The family will receive friends Tuesday evening, from 6:00 until 8:00 o’clock, at Hampton Funeral Service.

Online condolences may be sent to the Southerland family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.


William “Bill” Wakeman, Jr. (Aug. 26, 1929 – March 12, 2017)

William (Bill) Hugh Wakeman Jr. passed peacefully in his sleep beside his loving wife of 59 years Vera Faye Owen Wakeman. Their devotion made them inseparable and an inspiration for enduring love.

Bill was preceded in passing by his father William Hugh Wakeman Sr. and mother Gertrude Owls Wakeman and sister Florence Puls. 

An innovator and futurist, Bill sought tirelessly to bring together the realms of business, health, and spirituality for a better life for all. 

He is survived in his immediate household by Faye and daughter Brenda Wakeman and his grandson Nathan Wakeman – whose unwavering care and love sustained their heart and home. His brothers and sisters in law John and Grace, Warren and Colette remain a constant support and pillars of the family. His legacy continues in his sons William (Bill) Hugh Wakeman III and wife Sandy, David Wakeman and wife Mary Anne and children Heather, John David, and Amber of Florida, his daughter Lydia Dalton and husband Bob and their daughter Emily of Georgia. His grandson Richard and his wife Khris and their three children, Zoe and their twin girls Kaitlyn and Madilyn, generations of extended family, and a close network of cherished friends. 

His quest for the highest light and compassionate exploration of human behavior leaves us all forever touched by his inquisitive and loving soul. Rest in peace.

Memorial services for William “Bill” Wakeman will be conducted at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Medi Home Hospice, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 102, Boone, North Carolina, 28607.

Online condolences may be sent to the Wakeman family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com.

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.


Delores H. Hayes (Dec. 23, 1948 – March 12, 2017)

Delores H. Hayes, 68, of State Road, North Carolina went to be with Jesus on March 12, 2017. Delores was born December 23, 1948 in Watauga County and her life here ended at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center after a lingering illness. 

She is survived by her husband, Don Hayes of State Road; one daughter, Susan Lane and husband, Michael, of Boone and one son, Dustin Hayes and wife, Tara, of Forest City; two grandchildren that were very dear to her heart, Bennett Lane and Mollie Hayes; special family members, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, David and Gail Hayes and family of Elk Creek, VA; and cousins Jimmy and Donna Hayes and family of Boone; adopted sisters/best friends Libby Davis of Boonville and Barbara Culler of Millers Creek; and sister Lorraine and Earl Smith and family of Lake Waccamaw. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Violet and Bill Hayes, and step-mother Mary Hayes. Delores is affectionately remembered as the Balloon Lady for the thousands of free balloons she provided to kids while working at Winn Dixie. She was a giving, caring, and humble lady that always put others above herself. 

Memorial services will be conducted Saturday, March 18, at 2 PM at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Chapel, officiated by Rev. Rusty Guenther. The family will receive friends Saturday from 12:30 until 2 PM, prior to services, at Austin & Barnes. 

The family will be at the home of her daughter, Susan Lane, 146 Bradley Court, Boone. 

Flowers are accepted or donations may be made in her memory to the SECU Family House in the Family Assistance Fund, 1970 Baldwin Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 or in her memory to the Research Grants for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

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


Sarah Sanborn Jay (D. March 11, 2017)

Sarah Sanborn Jay, 34, of Boone, passed away Saturday morning, March 11, 2017, at her home.

Sarah is survived by her husband, Matthew Jay of the home; three children, Sadie, Eleanor, and Calvin Jay, all of the home; her father and mother, David and Kathy Cich Sanborn, and one brother, David Sanborn and wife Lauren of Atlanta.

Memorial services for Sarah Sanborn Jay will be conducted Saturday morning, March 25, 2017, at 11:00 o’clock, at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock. Officiating will be Reverend Kathryn Anne Beach.

A reception will follow the memorial service at American Legion Hall in Blowing Rock.

Online condolences may be sent to the Jay family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.


Stella Presnell Stines (April 1, 1929 – March 11, 2017)

Stella Presnell Stines, 87, of Pinola Lane, Banner Elk, passed away Saturday morning, March 11, 2017, at her home.

Stella was born April 1, 1929 in Watauga County, a daughter of the late Elijah and Lovie Ware Presnell. She was a homemaker and a member of Beech Valley Baptist Church.

Stella is survived by four daughters, Rebecca Davis and husband Roy, and Nellie Davis and husband Howard, all of the Foscoe Community, Sandy Humphrey and husband Zane of Banner Elk, and Julia Barnes and husband George of Sugar Grove, and two sons, Johnny Stines and wife Mary, and Wade Stines and wife Jennie, all of the Laurel Creek Community. She is also survived by twenty-four grandchildren and twenty-nine great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jessie Freeman Stines; one son, Captain Stines; two sisters, Virgie Hicks and Jett Presnell, and four brothers, Gilfort, Carson, Craft, and Lloyd Presnell.

Funeral services for Stella Presnell Stines will be conducted Monday morning, March 13, 2017, at 11:00 o’clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. The body will lie in state, at the chapel, from 10:00 until 11:00 o’clock. Officiating will be Reverend Justin Dancy. Burial will follow in the Stines Family Cemetery.

The family will receive friends Monday morning, from 10:00 until 11:00 o’clock, at the funeral home, prior to the service.

Online condolences may be sent to the Stines family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.


Dorothy Clark Rose (Oct. 30, 1916 – March 11, 2017)

Rose

Dorothy Clark Rose, 100, of Jonas Ridge passed away on March 11, 2017 at Glenbridge Health & Rehab Center.

A native of Jonas Ridge, NC, she was born Oct. 30, 1916 a daughter of the late Hoyt and Delphia Huffman Clark

Along with her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by her: husband Arthur Rose, 4 sons: Gary, Jack, Bill, and Boyd Rose, grandson Gary Rose Jr., granddaughter Emma Rose, sister Neil Davis, and brother Henry Clark.

Dorothy has left to cherish her memory her: three daughter-in-laws: Betty Grisdale of Carolina Beach, Sherrie Rose of Jonas Ridge, Brenda Rose of Jonas Ridge. Grandchildren; Shelley Rose of Jonas Ridge, NC, Jackie Cook and husband Fred of Marion, NC, Jason Rose and wife Rhonda of Jonas Ridge, NC, Lisa Tipton and husband Fred of Marion, NC and Billie Rose of Marion, NC., 17 Great-Grandchildren, and 14 Great-Great Grandchildren.

Funeral services for Dorothy Clark Rose will be conducted on Sunday March 11, 2017, at 2PM at the Jonas Ridge Baptist Church with Rev. David Ray officiating. Interment will follow in the Jonas Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 2:00 PM on Sunday at the church.

Words of comfort and memories may be shared with the family and viewed at www.rsfh.net.


William Lowell Batchelor, Jr. (Feb. 22, 1947 – March 10, 2017)

William Lowell Batchelor, Jr., 70, of Banner Elk, passed away Friday evening, March 10, 2017, at Watauga Medical Center.

There are no services scheduled for William Lowell Batchelor, Jr. at this time.

Online condolences may be sent to the Batchelor family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.


Cloe Hartley Stewart (Aug. 18, 1922 – March 8, 2017)

Cloe Hartley Stewart, 94, of Newland, NC, died on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, surrounded by dear family and friends at the Jonas Ridge Adult Care facility in Jonas Ridge, NC.

A native of Avery County, living in both Linville and later in Newland, Cloe was the daughter of the late Arthur Alonzo Hartley and Alice Hartley. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Linville Evangelical Methodist Church.

Along with her parents, Cloe was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters, her dear husband Woodrow H. Stewart, and her loving son, Stevie. 

Cloe was a kind, caring woman, who loved her family and friends. She found joy in supporting charities that helped to improve the lives of those less fortunate. To know Aunt Cloe was to love her.

Our Aunt Cloe is survived by many loving nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and great-great nieces and great-great nephews. Too numerous to list by name, they reside near the home in Avery County and throughout the world in as far reaching locations as New Jersey, Maryland, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Hawaii, Norway, and Germany. She is also survived by other family members and dear friends. 

Funeral Services for Cloe Stewart will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 11, 2017, at the Linville Evangelical Methodist Church in Linville, NC, with Dr. Ken Harper officiating. Interment will follow at the Tanglewood Cemetery in Linville. The family will receive friends prior to services at 1:00 pm at the Linville Evangelical Methodist Church. 

In lieu of flowers, friends and family are invited to send donations to Medi Home Health & Hospice, P.O. Box 1357, Newland, NC, in memory of Cloe Stewart.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.rsfh.net

The care of Cloe and her family has been entrusted to Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home of Newland.


Betty Lockley Powers (June 13, 1933 – March 7, 2017)

Betty Lockley Powers, 83, of U.S. Highway 421 South, Boone, passed away Tuesday evening, March 7, 2017, at the Foley Center in Blowing Rock.

Betty was born June 13, 1933 in Virden, Illinois, daughter of the late James and Beulah Robbins Lockley. She was a homemaker and a member of Three Forks Baptist Church.

Betty is survived by her husband, Reverend Lynn Powers of the home; one daughter, Debbie Triplett and husband Chris of Boone; three sons, Jeff Powers of Chula Vista, California, Stefan Powers of Houston, Texas, and Jonathan Powers of Fairfax, Virginia; three granddaughters, Sarah Farris and husband Michael of Kailea, Hawaii, Elizabeth Powers of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Chava Taske of Washington, D.C.; two grandsons, Brian Powers and wife Jeanette of Chula Vista, California, and Ari Taske of Washington, D.C.; one great-grandson, Maximus Powers, and one great-granddaughter, Keira Powers, both of Chula Vista.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Bob and Don Lockley.

Private graveside services and burial for Betty Lockley Powers will be conducted at Woodlawn Cemetery in Blowing Rock. Officiating will be Pastor Gordon Noble.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Three Forks Baptist Church, 1922 U.S. Highway 421 South, Boone, North Carolina, 28607.

The family respectfully requests no food or flowers.

Online condolences may be sent to the Powers family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.


Jacob N. Pierce (Sept. 9, 1918 – March 1, 2017)

With a spring in his step and a twinkle in his eye – Dad, 98 1/2 years young – embraced each day with gusto Life seemed barely able to contain Dad, who at every moment lived it as if it was a bountiful banquet of endless possibilities. Life for Dad was all about turning challenges into opportunities, believing in the promise of others, and inspiring them to believe in themselves. Dad’s favorite bit of advice was from Henry Ford:

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t,–you’re right.”

On the evening of the first day of March 2017, Dad departed this earth, holding on tightly to the hands of his daughter Katherine, his son Bob, and his son-in-law Mike, all who loved him dearly,and who have been with him all the way.

Jacob Norris Pierce, a member of our Greatest Generation, was born in a stagecoach inn on September 9, 1918, as World War I was coming to an end. He grew up on a farm in Grahamsville, just outside Jackson, in southern Ohio, and he learned early on, from his parents Mary Eliza Perkins and Warren Everett Pierce, that life was filled with opportunities and only good hard work would get the job done.

His vision of living his life to help other people led him to his passionate participation in the Boy Scouts of America, his achievement of the Eagle Scout Badge and finally to his dream of Executive Boy Scout Leadership. He traveled with the Boy Scouts throughout every state in the U.S. before the age of 21.

Dad left the farm for college, stoking furnaces and taking other jobs-¬ earning just enough to rent a place to hang his hat; and then, there was tuition yet to pay. The challenge was just another opportunity, and Dad had a vision in mind.

At Ohio University, in 1943, he received his degree in sociology and education, tools he believed he needed to understand and help people. On campus he founded a service organization still thriving today. It was at Ohio University that he met Jeanne Valentine Remsen, the woman he would marry and love for the next 74 years.

Together, against a backdrop of the Great Depression and World War II, Jeanne and Jacob created a lifetime of memories. As a chemist for E.I. DuPont, Jeanne participated in the production of ammunition to be used in WWII; Jacob entered the Naval Officer Training Program at Columbia University, before relocating to Little Creek and Fort Pierce to train the troops for the Normandy and Sicily Invasions. He served as 2nd lieutenant naval officer in charge of amphibious landing craft on the U.S.S. Charles Carroll (APA 28) and the U.S.S. Noble (APA 218) in the Asia-Pacific, participating in the Phillipine Liberation, the Okinawa Invasion and the Magic Carpet mission. 

He shared many stories of his adventures at sea, especially about the Typhoon of 1944 that struck the Pacific Fleet, with over 50 foot waves, and about his personal relationship with renowned war correspondent Ernie Pyle, who he had been with just before Pyle was killed by an enemy sniper off Okinawa.

After the war, Jacob and Jeanne made their home, and raised their children, Katherine and Robert, in upstate New York. Jacob remained true to his vision of helping others and became a well-respected financial advisor. He continued in this work, which he loved, well into his 80’s.

In later years, the mountains of North Carolina became their refuge. Hiking trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway; picking blueberries in the morning mist; searching for morels under the apple trees each spring; and listening for songs of the chickadees, finches and rufus-sided towhees on the deck of their beloved home in Blowing Rock, all brought them great joy.

From traveling by motorhome to all the national parks in the U.S.; to combing ocean coastlines in search of lighthouses and lobsters; to exploring glaciers in the Canadian Rockies; and to flying high in Alaska– almost touching the surface of the highest peak of Denali–life for Jacob and Jeanne was always best when surrounded by the endless beauty of nature and by the people they loved.

It simply will be impossible for our family to hike a mountain trail, watch a beautiful sunset or hear the songbirds sing without feeling the presence and love of our father Jacob and our mother Jeanne surrounding us.

Dad was our treasure. He was a kind and compassionate man who loved being alive and who believed that every day was a gift to be lived with gracious appreciation. His dream was always to inspire others and to make a difference in the lives of people he met along the way. Dad loved every single moment of his 98 1/2 years, and he found great joy in the beauty and wonder of the world around him.

If he had his wish, the sun would rise shining brightly even on the rainy days. The skies would be the brightest blue; the birds would sing their sweetest songs; and every night you’d never see so many stars! Every morning, when the sun came up, he was wearing his best big smile just for you.

And every evening when the sun went down, he would hold your hand in his, sing his sweet song of Love, just to you, and say, “Thank you for another Wonderful Day!”

We love you Dad. You will live in our hearts forever.

Jacob is survived by his daughter Katherine Jeanne Pierce, M.D., and her husband Michael S. Hawley of Charlotte; his son Robert Remsen Pierce, Ph.D., and his wife Linda R. Pierce; granddaughter Nicole Pierce White and husband Michael R. White and grandson Michael R. Pierce and wife Denise Pierce; great-grandchildren Caitlyn N. Pierce, Gavin Pierce White and Austin White of Atlanta; sisters Jane Pierce Fowler and Juanita Pierce Mackaluso and by many nieces, nephews and very dear friends. Jacob is preceded in death by the love of his life and wife of 70 years, Jeanne; by his parents, and his sister Mary Pierce Bloss.

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Jacob Norris Pierce will be held at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, Saturday March 18, 2017 at 11:00 o’clock in the morning. Officiating will be Reverend Kathryn Anne Beach. Military graveside rites, provided by the United States Navy, American Legion Post 130, and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 90, will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery. Masonic graveside rites, provided by Snow Lodge 363, will follow the military honors.

Memorial gifts may be made to Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 393, Blowing Rock, N.C. 
28605

Online condolences may be sent to the Pierce family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com