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Watauga County Obituaries – Compiled July 9, 2013

Watauga County Obituaries – Compiled July 9, 2013

Wanda Bailey Jones, D. July 9, 2013

Mrs. Wanda Bailey Jones, age 60, of Bamboo Road, Boone, passed away Tuesday morning at Caldwell Memorial Hospital. 

Funeral arrangements for Mrs. Wanda Bailey Jones are incomplete. Online condolences may be shared with the Jones family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Jones family. 

Joseph Bowman, D. July 7, 2013

Joseph E. Bowman
Joseph E. Bowman

Joseph E. Bowman, Jr., age 78, of Shady Branch Lane, Linville, passed away Sunday morning, July 7, 2013, at his home.

Mr. Bowman was born May 30, 1935 in McDowell County, a son of the late Joseph E. Bowman, Sr. and Lillie Mae Gurley Bowman. He retired from the United States Navy after 20 years of service, and was a bookkeeper of Loven Concrete.

Mr. Bowman is survived by his wife, Evelyn English Bowman of the home; two sons, Gregory Dennis Bowman of Spruce Pine, and Randal Keith Bowman of Linville; one granddaughter, Kaitlin Bowman; one grandson, Daniel Bowman; three sisters, Alice Semone of Piedmont, North Carolina, Emmaline Tripp, and Dora Goldsmith, both of Wilbur, Oregon, and one brother, Richard Bowman of Thailand. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Charlie Wesley Bowman, and William Anthony Bowman, and three sisters, Beatrice Barrier, Francis Barrier, and Dorothy Mae Beckner.

Graveside services for Joseph E. Bowman, Jr. will be conducted Tuesday afternoon, July 9, 2013, at 2:00 o’clock, at Tanglewood Cemetery in Linville. Officiating will be Reverend Rufus Biddix. Full military honors and burial will follow the graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Medi Home Hospice, PO Box 1357, Newland, North Carolina, 28657.

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

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

Brenda Stines Oaks, D. July 6, 2013

Brenda Oaks
Brenda Oaks

Brenda Marie Stines Oaks, age 28, of Charlie Hicks Road, Banner Elk, passed away Sunday morning, July 6, 2013 at Cannon Memorial Hospital. Born May 31, 1985 in Watauga County she was the daughter of Captain and Doraine “Dee” Oliver Stines. Brenda was a loving wife, mother and a homemaker.

She is survived by her husband Ricky Lee Oaks, two children; Trinity Elizabeth Oaks, Dallas Lee Oaks, one step-son Christopher Zane Sebastian, her parents; Captain and Doraine “Dee” Stines, one sister; Julia Stines, two brothers; Captain and John Stines all of Banner Elk, her mother in law and father in law Brenda Sue and Charles Lee Oaks of Banner Elk, a sister in law; Wendy Faye Jaynes and husband Mike of New York, and her nieces and nephews; Paris, Nicholas, Alexis and Tas. 

Funeral services for Brenda Marie Stines Oaks will be conducted Tuesday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating will be Rev. Betty Henson. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 2 until 3 o’clock at the funeral home. The family respectfully requests no flowers and suggests memorials to the family in care of Austin & Barnes Funeral Home. Online condolences may be shared with the Oaks family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Oaks family. 

Grover Estel Culler, D. July 6, 2013

Estel Culler
Estel Culler

Grover Estel Culler, age 93, of Ragan Culler Road, Boone, passed away Saturday evening, July 6th, 2013. Born November 6, 1919 in Watauga County, he was a son of Frank and Josie Pennell Culler. Mr. Culler was a life long member of Rich Mountain Baptist Church. He retired as a school bus mechanic from the Watauga County School System.

Mr. Culler is survived by three sons, Allen Culler and wife Mary Ellen, of Banner Elk, Alfred Culler and wife Deborah, and Alvis Culler and wife, Frieda, all of Boone; six grandchildren, Cathy Jones and husband Jeff, of Hickory, Kevin Greene of Banner Elk, Christy Peronto and husband, Aaron, of Oviedo, Fla., Lydia West of Todd, Jason Culler and Melissa Weaver and husband, Travis, all of Boone; ten great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ruby Jones of Boone, and Carolyn Miller of Sophia, NC and his caregivers;Pansy and Wilson Blevins and Sara Guy.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jessie Miller Culler; his second wife, Reba Wilson Culler; three brothers, Baxter, Armon and Odell Culler; two sisters, Dora Lewis and Nan Justice; and daughter-in-law, Geraldine Brown Culler. 
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday morning, July 10th, 2013, at 10 o’clock at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by Rev. Ray Greene. Burial will follow in the Culler Family Cemetery. 

The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 7 until 8:30 at Austin & Barnes. 

At other times, the family will be at the home of Allen Culler, 2714 Clarks Creek Road in Banner Elk, or at the home of Alfred Culler, 5892 Howard’s Creek Road, Boone. 

The family respectfully requests no food and in lieu of flowers, suggests memorial donations to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Culler family. 

Rob Gilley, D. July 5, 2013

Rob Gilley
Rob Gilley

Robert Franklin Gilley, 78, of Blowing Rock, passed away at home on July 5, 2013, after a brief battle with cancer. Known as a determined southern gentleman at 6’ 4”, he achieved national recognition as a top producer in the insurance industry as a Certified Life Underwriter.

He is survived by wife, Sarah J. Gilley, and son Sean Gilley of Winston-Salem, sister Sheila and her husband Gerry Brown of Hickory, sister Donna Maye of Hickory, sister Vicki and her husband Eddie Williams of Hickory, brother Graham and his wife Ann Gilley of Lenoir, and grandson Joseph Schrader of Charlotte, along with step son Noah and his wife Kellie Burgess with granddaughters Kayla and Sophie of Greensboro, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Betty Jo Perkins Gilley, daughter Erin Schrader of Charlotte, his mother Alice Nichols Gilley and father Robert Gilley of Boone.

He earned a B.S. and Masters in Music at Appalachian State University. Bob entered the life insurance business in 1962 and was a member of the Million Dollar Round Table and a Chartered Life Underwriter since 1966. He was among top producers nationally. He was a former faculty member of the Purdue University Life Insurance Marketing Institute. He was also former president of Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte.

Philanthropic services included serving on the Advisory Board of the Hayes School of Music of Appalachian State University and lead donor of the Robert F. Gilley Recording Studio. He offered a generous land grant for founding of the ASU Gilley Field Station located near the New River. He also served as advisor on the National Committee for the New River.

Recently, he donated a Steinway Concert Grand Piano to Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte where he was a deacon and member of the congregation for more than 20 years.

Bob sang professionally beginning as a cast member of Horn in the West outdoor drama in Boone during college days. He also hosted a local radio program in Boone for WATA. Later in life, he sang as an oratorio soloist with the Charlotte Symphony and was a featured vocalist at Myers Park Baptist Church.

During the past year, he began duplicate bridge and earned his Junior Master status. He will be greatly missed by friends and family.

Memorial services for Robert F. “Bob” Gilley will be conducted Saturday morning, July 13, 2013, at 11:00 o’clock, at First Baptist Church of Boone. Officiating will be Dr. Phillip Reynolds.

The family will receive friends following the memorial service.

Memorials may be made to ASU Hayes School of Music or The Gilley Recording Studio at ASU, 813 Rivers Street, Boone, North Carolina, 28607.

On-line condolences may be sent to the Gilley Family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements.

Verna Ronningen, D. July 5, 2013

Verna Ronningen Sandbek, age 99, of Blowing Rock, passed away Friday evening, July 5, 2013, at Blowing Rock Hospital.

Verna Ronningen Sandbeck
Verna Ronningen Sandbeck

Mrs. Sandbek was born April 19, 1914 in Binford, North Dakota, a daughter of the late Oscar and Hilda Meyer Ronningen. She was a homemaker and a member of Perry Hall Baptist Church in Perry Hall, Maryland.

Mrs. Sandbek is survived by two daughters, Sally Heil and husband Ray of Eustis, Florida, and Connie Guy and husband Walter of Tavares, Florida; two sons, Dean Sandbek and wife Joanne, and Dale Sandbek and wife Barbara, all of Fallston, Maryland, and one brother, Nordeen Ronningen and wife Nora of Fargo, North Dakota. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, twenty-two great-grandchildren, and two great great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Sandbek; one brother, Ernie Ronningen, and one sister, Gladys Olsen.

Funeral services for Verna Ronningen Sandbek will be conducted Friday afternoon, July 12, 2013, at 2:00 o’clock, at Lassahn Funeral Home Chapel in Kingsville, Maryland. The body will lie in state, from 12:00 until 2:00 o’clock. Officiating will be Reverend Walter Guy. Burial will follow in Gardens of Faith Memorial Gardens.

The family will receive friends Friday afternoon, from 12:00 until 1:00 o’clock, at the funeral home, prior to the service.

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

Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service and Lassahn Funeral Home, in Kingsville, Maryland, are in charge of the arrangements.


Check out more obituaries in the High Country – Avery and Watauga – at https://www.hcpress.com/obituaries.


Listings of Funeral Homes in Watauga County:

Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory
194 Queen Street
Boone, NC 28607
828-264-8888
www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com

Hampton Funeral Service
683 Blowing Rock Road
Boone, NC 28607
828-264-7100
www.hamptonfuneralnc.com