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Watauga, Avery Obituaries – October 26, 2021

The following are recent obituary notices from Austin & Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland

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Emogene Brown

1942 – 2021

Emogene Church Brown, age 79, of Vilas, went home to be with her Lord on October 18, 2021.  She was born March 6, 1942 in Watauga County to Bob and Carrie Walls Church.  Emogene was a member of Vilas Valley Baptist Church.  She loved the Lord and was strong in her faith, and taught her family to put their trust in the Lord.  She loved all her family with an unconditional love.  

Emogene retired from ASU, and spent the rest of her time at the family business of Brown’s Used Cars and Mini Storage in Vilas.  She loved meeting new people and talking to customers.  She never met a stranger.  After talking for just a little while, she had made a new friend.  

Left to cherish her memories are her loving husband of 60 years, Gene Brown; daughters, Kathy Brown Wolfe and husband, Freddie, and Mary Brown, all of Vilas; grandchildren, Jessica Neaves and husband, Brent, of Vilas, Jennifer Jewel of Hudson and Cassandra Wolfe-Dancy of Vilas; eight great-grandchildren, Austin, Olivia, Owen, Avery, Emily, Hannah, Abby and Emma; sisters, Ruth Sheffield of Port Lavaca, TX and Grace Coffey of Lenoir.  A number of nieces and nephews also survive.  She was preceded in death by her sister, Bonnie Lou Church and brothers, Buck and Dan Church.  

Funeral services will be conducted Friday afternoon, October 22, at 2 o’clock at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Chapel. 

The family will receive friends from 1 until 2 o’clock, prior to services, at Austin & Barnes.  Burial will follow in the Old Adams Cemetery, Burl Lawrence Road in Vilas.  For the safety of all, the family respectfully requests those attending to wear a mask.

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Robert Denver Miller

1932 – 2021

Mr. Robert Denver Miller, age 89, of Fleetwood, passed away Wednesday, October 20, 2021. He was born in Watauga County to the late John Frank and Josephine Proffit Miller.

He was a sawmiller by trade, cutting timber in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Denver had a passion for fishing, and hunting branch lettuce, which he shared with his family and friends.

Denver never knew a stranger, and really enjoyed driving his truck down to Cheeks Store on 221 and visiting with everyone. He loved his fellow man.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Arlie Miller, and two sisters, Lundy Trivette and Ruby Evon Miller.

He is survived by six sisters, Mary Miller of the home; sister and caregiver Gertrude Flannery of Fleetwood; Joann Flannery and husband Carroll of Fleetwood; Luefay Trivette of Fleetwood; Minnie Carrier of Claremont; Gladys Bentley of Lenoir.

One brother, Burl Miller of Fleetwood, niece and caregiver Debbie Keller of Fleetwood, and several other nieces and nephews.

Graveside services for Robert Denver Miller will be conducted Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. in the Miller Family Cemetery. Pastor J.D. Walton will officiate.

Online condolences may be shared with the Miller family at the website www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.

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

Memorials may be made to Medi Home Hospice, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 100B, Boone, NC 28607, or to Jeff Belamy, ATTN; B Bucks Ministry, PO Box 3568, Cleveland, TN  37320.

Online condolences may be shared at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com

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

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Linda Lou Price

1941 – 2021

Linda McGuire Price, 80, of Tater Hill Road, Zionville, passed away Friday, October 22, 2021 at Glenbridge Health & Rehab.  Born March 17, 1941 in Watauga County, she was a daughter of Millard and Bell Ward McGuire.  Linda was a member at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.  Most important to Linda was serving her family as their loving wife and mother.  She enjoyed hiking on the Parkway with family and had the ability to identify most wild flowers they observed by name.  At home, she was particularly proud of her flower and vegetable gardens.  She also enjoyed playing musical instruments and singing old time gospel and blue grass music.  

Linda is survived by her son, Elmer Johnson of Zionville and daughters, Denise Johnson and her significant other, Rick McDaniel, of Blowing Rock and Julie Auton of Lenoir; and grandchildren, Eden, Candance and Jessie Auton.  Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Price; son, John ‘Junie’ Price; brothers, Don, Richard, Gilbert, Otis, and Chasie McGuire; and sisters, Geriti McGuire and Edna McGuire.

Graveside services will be conducted Wednesday, October 27, at 2 PM at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, officiated by Rev. Elmer Johnson. 

The family respectfully requests no food or flowers, and suggests memorials to Austin & Barnes Funeral Home to assist with final expenses, or to Amorem Hospice, 902 Kirkwood St., NW, Lenoir, NC 28645.

Online condolences may be shared at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com

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

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Curtis Ray Baird

November 12, 1940 – October 21, 2021

Curtis Ray Baird, age 80, of Boone, passed away Thursday, October 21, 2021, at Glenbridge Health and Rehab.

He was born November 12, 1940, in Sullivan County, Tennessee. The son of the late Robert Thomas Baird and Grace Alma Luttrell Baird. He was a veteran having served in the US Marines and was retired from the construction business as a painter.

He is survived by two sons, Jeff Baird and wife Leona of Summerville, South Carolina and Bobby Baird of Hampton, Tennessee; one granddaughter, Savannah Grace Bradford and husband John of Hilton Head, South Carolina; one grandson, Jones Baird and wife Melissa of Wilmington and two great-grandchildren, Adrianna Bradford and Jasper Baird and one sister, Jean Craig of Warrener Robbins, Georgia. He also survived by nieces and nephews.

In addition to his father and mother he was preceded in death by a sister, Kate Greene.

There are no services planned at this time.

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

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

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Robert “R.D.” Dale Canter

September 20, 1949 – October 23, 2021

Mr. Robert “R.D.” Dale Canter, age 72, passed away Saturday, October 23, 2021 at his home.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced.

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

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

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Coleen Triplett Bush

June 04, 1937 – October 22, 2021

Mrs. Coleen Triplett Bush, age 84 of North Wilkesboro, passed away Friday, October 22, 2021 in Hickory.

Funeral services will be held 1:00 PM Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro with Rev. Jim Sanders, Rev. Steve Snipes, and Dr. Steve Laws officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 11:30 AM until 12:30 PM prior to the services.  Burial will follow at Friendship United Methodist Church Cemetery in Watauga County.

Mrs. Bush was born June 4, 1937 in Watauga County to Don Monroe and Erie Storie Triplett. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Appalachian State University in 1960. Her graduate degrees include a Master of Education and an Educational Specialist also from Appalachian.

Bush moved with her husband and infant daughter, Vanessa, to Bermuda in 1960 where she taught preschool at the U.S. Naval Base for two years. After her husband’s sudden death in 1962, she moved back to Watauga County. In 1963, she began teaching fifth grade at North Wilkesboro Elementary. The next year, she was moved to the seventh and eighth grades as a math teacher. She married A.M. “Buster” Bush in 1965. Buster helped coach at North Wilkesboro Elementary School and Coleen helped with the recreation league teams in North Wilkesboro where Buster served as Recreation Director for the town.

Bush dedicated 50 years in service to the students, parents and teachers of Wilkes County in four capacities. Bush taught for nine years at North Wilkesboro Elementary School and later served as a supervisor with the North Wilkesboro City School system. After the city and county schools merged in 1975, she became the first female principal in Wilkes County at Moravian Falls Elementary School. She later served at C.C. Wright Elementary School and then finished her career as a principal at Woodward Middle School in 2002. After retiring from the Wilkes County School system, she was elected to the Wilkes County Board of Education where she served for ten years. She touched the lives of hundreds of Wilkes County children with the philosophy “that you get exactly what you expect.” She always expected the best of all her students and staff. Bush was able to call every one of her students by name, and she knew where they lived.

During Bush’s principal tenure, she mentored and trained many women and men who went on to become successful school leaders both in and out of Wilkes County. Many assistant principals who worked with Mrs. Bush went on to be principals, assistant/associate superintendents, superintendents and other leaders in educational venues. She was also the first woman to attend the Principals’ Executive Program at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Bush’s professional honors include Teacher of the Year, President-District 3 Associations of Classroom teachers, President- North Wilkesboro and Wilkes County NCAE, President-Beta Eta Chapter-Delta Kappa Gamma. She was named Wilkes County Principal of the Year three different times. Other activities include Lifetime Member North Carolina Association of Educators, National Educators’ Association, Member of North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Member of North Carolina Association of School Administrators, and Secretary and Treasurer of North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Benefit Fund.

She was a member of the North Wilkesboro Rotary Club, has served on the Wilkes Community Foundation and volunteered at MerleFest.

 Bush was a member of the First United Methodist Church in North Wilkesboro.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, A.M. “Buster” Bush; a son in-law, Ted Hawkins; one sister, Kathleen Triplett Kitchen, four brothers, Allen Triplett, Kenneth Triplett, Harold Triplett, and Melvin Triplett.

Mrs. Bush is survived by one daughter, Vanessa Hawkins (Timothy R. Jones) of Hickory; two grandchildren, Madison Taylor Hawkins (Christopher T. Hourihan) of Charleston, SC, and McKenzie Leigh Hawkins (Kirkland R. Jones) of Winston Salem; two sisters, Arlene Triplett Kilby of Wilmington, and Marlene Triplett Bentley (Charles) of Wilmington; and two brothers, Steve Triplett (Jenny) of Dobson, and J.C. Triplett (Caren) of Clayton. Mrs. Bush is also survived by numerous friends, family, and loved ones.

The family requests that everyone attending the service to wear a face covering.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Samaritan’s Kitchen of Wilkes Back Pack Program PO Box 1072 Wilkesboro, NC  28697

Online condolences may be made at www.reinssturdivant.com

Obituary Information provided as a courtesy by Hampton Funeral Service of Boone.

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Sandra Harmon Burton

August 31, 1963 – October 25, 2021

Sandra Harmon Burton, age 58, of Blowing Rock, passed away October 25, 2021 at the Foley Center.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced.

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

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

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Edna Mae Turbyfill

February 25, 1925 – October 17, 2021

Edna Mae Turbyfill, age 96, of Newland, North Carolina passed away on Sunday, October 17, 2021 at the Watauga Medical Center.

Edna was born on February 25, 1925 in Mcdowell County, West Virginia, a daughter of the late Joseph Robert Lane and the late Ida Steele Lane. She was an 81year resident of Avery County, North Carolina.

In addition to being a loving mother and grandmother, Edna enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, canning, gospel and bluegrass music, games and puzzles, and spending time with her girlfriends. Throughout her life she held an unwavering faith in God, had a servant’s heart, and enjoyed attending church.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her Son, Richard Calvin Turbyfill; Grandson, Richard Keith Turbyfill; Brother, John R. Lane; Sister in Law, Mildred Cole Lane; and Sister in Law, Anna Sluder Lane.

Left to cherish her memory is Granddaughter, Melanie Turbyfill Burton of Freeport, FL; Great-Granddaughter, Audrey Wynn Kendrick and Husband Andrew of Rome, GA; Great-Grandson Patrick Kenleigh Burton of Chattanooga, TN; Brother, Curtis Lane of Newland, NC; Niece Kathy Combs and husband Billy of Boone, NC; Nephew Kevin Lane of Newland; and Nephew Michael Lane and wife Lucy of High Point, NC.

Graveside services for Edna Mae Turbyfill will be held on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. in the Fork Mountain Cemetery. All friends and family are welcome.

Words of Comfort and Memories may be shared with the Turbyfill family by visiting our website www.rsfh.net

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

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Exodus 23:20

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Brenda Lail

June 10, 1956 – October 24, 2021

Brenda Lail, age 65, of Hickory, North Carolina passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2021 at the Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, NC.

Brenda was born on June 10, 1956 in Avery County, a daughter of the late Claude Cleveland Arnett and the late Dorothy Owens Arnett.

She was a member of the Jeremiah Holiness Church in Hickory and enjoyed being with her family, especially going to flea markets.

She was preceded in death by her Husband, Charles Steven Lail; Father, Claude Cleveland Arnett; Mother, Dorothy Arnett; Four Brothers, James Arnett, Claude Arnett, Stevie Arnett, Mike Arnett; Five Sisters, Ruby Holtsclaw, Bonnie Arnett, Patricia Hefner, Tracy Huffman, Rose Mary McCracken; .

Brenda leaves behind to cherish her memory Two Sons, Maynard Calloway of Hickory, NC, William Calloway of Hickory, NC; Two Daughters, Keisha Arnett of Newton, NC, Crystal Calloway of Hickory, NC; Three Step-Daughters, Stephanie Thomas of Hickory, NC, Holly Coffey of Hickory, NC, Ashley Fagans of Talbott, TN; Sister, Loretta Black of Lincolnton, NC; Two Brothers, Tim Arnett of Cherryville, NC, Bobby Arnett of Bristol, TN; Seven grandchildren and Three great grandchildren..

Services for Brenda Lail will be held on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 beginning at 2:00 pm from the Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home with Pastor James Mullins officiating. The family will receive friends beginning at 1:00 pm on Wednesday at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

Interment will be in the Tanglewood Cemetery.

Those attending the visitation and services are asked to wear a mask or face covering.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Jeremiah Holiness Church.

Words of Comfort and Memories may be shared with the Lail family by visiting our website www.rsfh.net

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