Archived

Heinz Peter Harmon
Mr. Heinz Peter Harmon, 59, of Farnam, NE, and formerly of Boone, died Friday afternoon, July 24, 2009.
He was born March 15, 1950 in Hickory, a son of the late Floyd David and Elsie Hahnemann Harmon.
Mr. Harmon was a truck driver and a Vietnam Veteran who served two separate tours.
Surviving are one daughter, Angela Harmon Wilkerson of Rock Hill, S.C.; one son and daughter-in-law, Brad and Christy Harmon, of North Wilkesboro; four grandchildren, Tyler, Josh, and Lora Harmon, and Hailey Wilkerson; one sister, Lillian Dianna Harmon Ketron of Kingsport, Tenn.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Bobby Ray Harmon.
Memorial services will be conducted Saturday, August 8, at 4 o’clock at Baptist Home Baptist Church, 2367 Sparta Road, North Wilkesboro, N.C., with the Rev. Jeff Blackburn officiating. The family will receive friends Saturday afternoon prior to the service from 3 until 4 o’clock.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or Foundation of Hope, 9401 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27617.

Roy Adams Houston
Mr. Roy Adams Houston, 67, of Kenansville, N.C., died Saturday, July 25, 2009, at his home.
Survivors include his wife, Anne Barbee Houston of Kenansville, N.C.; sons, Jeff Adams Houston of New Bern, N.C. and Trace A. Houston of Boone, N.C.; brothers, Foy Lee Houston and Dwight Houston, both of Richlands, N.C.; and four grandchildren.
Services were conducted Thursday, July 30, 2009, at 11 a.m., at Kenansville Baptist Church. Burial followed in Golden Grove in Kenansville, N.C. The family received friends Wednesday evening from 7-9 p.m. at Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, N.C.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kenansville Baptist Church, 114 Routledge Street, Kenansville, N.C., in memory of Roy Adams Houston.
Community Funeral Home of Beulaville, are in charge of the arrangements.

Betty Oakley Nance
Betty Rae Oakley Nance, 83, a native of Alamance County, died peacefully at home on July 28, 2009 with her family by her side. She had been on home dialysis for 10 years, but suffered from declining health since a motor vehicle accident in 2006.
Born to Annon Louise Hanford Oakley and Charlie Henry Oakley, she lived all her life in Burlington and was treasurer and co-valedictorian of the Burlington High School Class of 1942. She cherished her classmates, and each year was an integral part of the functions they planned. She later attended Burlington Business College and worked as a secretary at the Burlington Chamber of Commerce for many years.
She and her husband, Horace Nance, owned and operated Shamrock Picture Frames for over 25 years. She always enjoyed the business and her customers, many of whom became dear friends.
Betty attended Burlington Assembly of God church for more than 32 years. She was a devout Christian and always exhibited the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. She was truly a “Proverbs 31” kind of woman.
She loved to laugh and enjoyed being silly. Rarely inhibited, she was always ready to dress up in a costume, get in on a joke, climb on a horse, take part in a family skit, or just jitterbug in the kitchen with her daughter. She seemed to know the lyrics to every song from the 1940’s and pretended to swoon at the words “Perry Como.” MASH episodes were a family ritual, and late in life she became an avid Atlanta Braves fan, reciting statistics ad lib. Her most requested performances were her recitations of “Casey at the Bat” and “Paul Revere’s Ride.” With all her fun-loving character, though, she could still command a room from a microphone with articulate professionalism and decorum.
Of all her accomplishments, though, the greatest was being a full time wife and mother. No value can be placed on the love, presence, devotion, time, support, care, provision, nurturing, interest, example, and consistency she showed her four children. She literally dedicated her life to them. Sometimes a person’s greatest impact comes in the form of small, seemingly unimportant details, but that is often what motherhood is made of. She gave her children millions of details to store in technicolor memory.
Betty had one brother, Charles Grant Oakley, who lives in Whitsett. Her husband of 61 years, Horace Lee Nance, died this past March. Her children are Carmen Nance Sanders of Solomons, Md., Debbie Nance Wilson (Gerry) of Burlington, Scott Nance of Burlington, and Amy Nance Nelson (Kirby) of Boone. She had two grandchildren, Samantha Wilson and Asa Nelson, and four step-grandchildren, all of whom were a joy to her.
The funeral service will be conducted at the Rich & Thompson Chapel in Burlington on Saturday, August 1, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. by the Rev. Howard Thompson.
The family will receive friends at the Rich & Thompson Funeral and Cremation Service in Burlington on Saturday from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m.
The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the staff of Hospice of Alamance-Caswell for their support, care, and friendship. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to this worthy organization.
Condolences may be offered at www.richandthompson.com.

Elizabeth Mercer Randall
Mrs. Elizabeth Mercer Randall, of 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, N.C., died peacefully in her sleep July 21, 2009, at age 93.
Mrs. Randall was a teacher of 40 years, serving school systems in Columbus, Mecklenburg, Robeson, and Watauga counties. She was a supervising teacher for Appalachian State University student teachers for over 15 years while teaching in Boone, N.C.
A native of Robeson County, she was the daughter of Nash Adams Mercer and Mary Lillian Young. She was an active member of St. Johns United Methodist Church in Charlotte and of Boone United Methodist Church. She earned degrees from Pineland Junior College, East Carolina University, and Appalachian State University.
Mrs. Randall is survived by two loving children: a son, Dr. Bill Randall, and wife, Judy, of Mooresville, N.C.; and a daughter, Dr. Betsy Randall-Schadel, and husband, Bill Schadel, of Raleigh, N.C. She has four grandchildren: Virginia Randall of Philadelphia, Pa.; Katherine Schadel of Buffalo, N.Y; David Schadel of Raleigh, N.C.; and Lisa Alford and husband, John, of Clover, S.C. Her great-grandchildren are: Amber Watson of Media, Pa.; Tom Watson of West Chester, Pa.; and Elise Griffin, Justice Alford, and Jake Alford of Clover, S.C.
Surviving brothers and sisters are Dr. Charles Mercer and wife, Florrie, of Durham, N.C.; Mary Lois Baxter of Fayetteville, N.C.; Ruth Musselwhite, Edwin Mercer, Eugene Mercer and wife, Alease, of Lumberton, N.C.; and Robert Mercer and wife, Ruth, of Saint Augustine, Fla. She is also survived by brother-in-law, Dr. Frank Randall and wife, Lera, of Boone, N.C.; sister-in-law, Mildred Mercer of Albemarle, N.C.; daughter-in-law, Imogene Randall of Jonesborough, Tenn.; and 31 nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Robert L. Randall, former professor at Appalachian State University; and by her son, Robert L. Randall, Jr., formerly of Jonesborough, Tenn.
A memorial service will be held August 3 (the 69th anniversary of her marriage to Robert Randall) at 10:30 a.m. at the Aldersgate Chapel, 3800 Shamrock Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28215.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Memorial Scholarship Fund, Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C. 28608, or to the charity of your choice.
Wilson Funeral Service of Charlotte is serving the family of Mrs. Randall.

July 29, 2009
Rev. Charles Alvan Blackwell
Rev. Charles Alvan Blackwell, 66, of Hwy 321 North, Sugar Grove, died Friday, July 24, 2009.
He was born June 19, 1943 in Richmond County, Ga. to the late William Vernon and Evelyn Wilson Blackwell.
Mr. Blackwell was a minister at Freedom Farms in Sugar Grove. He was a member of Mountain Grove Baptist Church and retired Eagle Scout Troop 94, Augusta, Georgia. In 1993, he was asked to join the staff at Bethel Colony of Mercy, where he preached, taught and counseled for 11 years. In 2003 he served as a missionary in Sao-Paulo, Brazil.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Pearl S. Blackwell of the home; one son, Charles Dustin Blackwell and wife, Dara, of Lillington, N.C.; one daughter, Mrs. Kristin Leigh Blue and husband, Brian, of Carthage; one stepson, Eddie Moore of Hickory; three step-daughters, Mrs. Cathy Brock and husband, Alwyn, of Hickory, Mrs. Carolyn Walker and husband, Jeff, of Hudson and Ms. Pamela Bowen of Granite Falls; two brothers, Bill Blackwell and wife, Marlene, of Augusta, Ga. and Vernon Blackwell and wife, Joann, of Asheville; nine grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at Bethel Colony of Mercy conducted by Rev. Paul Pruitt and Dr. Clifton Black.
The family will receive friends at the home of Amanda Wallace, 3333 Ryans Way, Lenoir at any time.
Memorial contributions may be made to; Bethel Colony of Mercy, 1675 Bethel Colony Rd., Lenoir, N.C. 28645.
Online condolences may be left at www.greer-mcelveenfuneralhome.com.
Greer-McElveen Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Dorothy E. Gregory
Mrs. Dorothy E. Gregory, 80, of 194 Summer Drive, Boone, died Monday, July 27, 2009, at her home.
She was born May 25, 1929 in Brooklyn, N.Y., a daughter of the late Edward and Margaret Taylor Steiger.
Mrs. Gregory was a homemaker and attended St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Boone.
Survivors include three daughters, Dorothy Atkinson of Boone, Marie Rivera and husband, Jimmy, of Greensboro, and Theresa Wunsch of Todd; one son, Thomas Gregory of Brooklyn, N.Y.; three sisters, Peggy Steiger, Teresa Amato, and Florence Steiger, all of Brooklyn; one brother, Robert Steiger of Brooklyn; six granddaughters, Tammy Porter, Krista Rafulowitz, Lisa Miller, Melissa Rivera, Nicole Michel, and Jessica Wunsch; and two grandsons, David Wunsch and Michael Wunsch. She is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Charles William Gregory, Sr.; and one son, Charles Gregory, Jr.
Services will be conducted Thursday evening, July 30, 2009, at 7:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. The body will lie in state, at the chapel, from 2:00 until 7:00 o'clock.
The family will receive friends Thursday afternoon, from 2:00 until 7:00 o'clock, at the funeral home, prior to the service.
Flowers are appreciated, or memorial contributions may be made to High Country Health Care System/Hospice, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 100-B, Boone, N.C. 28607.
Online condolences may be sent to the Gregory family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

July 27, 2009

Mary Byrd Johnson ‘Tink’ Altvater
Mrs. Mary Byrd Johnson “Tink” Altvater passed away peacefully at Sharon Towers in the early morning hours of July 22, 2009.
She was born in Harnett County, N.C., on November 1, 1926, the youngest child of the late Mary Avery and Alton Glenn Johnson, and was the beloved wife of her late husband of 57 years, Hugh Altvater.
She spent a happy childhood on the family farm near Buies Creek, N.C. and graduated from the Women’s College of the University of North Carolina, now UNC-G. It was there that she met her husband, Hugh, the love of her life.
Tink was a beautiful, intelligent woman who possessed a strong spirit and an incredible work ethic. It was her hard work and perseverance that supported her husband’s years through medical school and residency. After Hugh began practicing medicine, Tink was able to devote herself to the two most important things in her life, home and family.
She is survived by a daughter, Mary Glenn Granger and husband, Will, of Charlotte; her son, Bill and wife, Gina, of Nashville, Tenn.; grandchildren, Caroline Granger of Charlotte; Juliett Granger Maher and husband, Sean, of Sewall’s Point, Fla.; Bryson Altvater and Siena Altvater of Nashville, Tenn.; a brother, W.A. Johnson of Lillington, N.C.; and a sister, Anne Byrd of Greensboro, N.C.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and a sister, Betty Green Johnson Cheek.
A memorial service to celebrate Tink’s life were held at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2009 at Harry & Bryant Company, 500 Providence Rd., Charlotte, with the Rev. Tim Smith officiating. The family received friends following the service at the funeral home.
The family would like to express their gratitude to Hospice and Palliative Care, Charlotte Region; Christine Olangi; and to the staff in the Health Care unit at Sharon Towers, particularly Julie and Marva.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care, Charlotte Region; or to the Residents’ Assistance Fund at Sharon Towers.
Harry & Bryant Company is serving the family.

Byron Franklin ‘Big Joe’ Clontz
Mr. Byron Franklin “Big Joe” Clontz, 66, of 275 Ridgewood Drive, Boone, died Friday morning, July 24, 2009, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
He was born July 8, 1943 in Rutherford County, a son of Matilda Leonhardt Clontz and the late Oscar Russell Clontz.
Mr. Clontz was a truck driver for Anderson Truck Lines in Lenoir, and attended Boone Advent Christian Church.
In addition to his mother, Mr. Clontz is survived by his wife, Jean Payne Clontz; one son, James Clontz of Boone; one daughter, Carla Estep and husband, Brad, of Boone; one granddaughter, Katie Scarlett Bradley of Boone; three sisters, Carol Hamby of Granite Falls, Aleta Blevins and husband, Gary, of Richmond, Ky., and Toni Vance and husband, Carol, of Hildebran; three brothers, Bobby Clontz and wife, Sharon, of Hickory, Daniel Clontz and wife, Angel, and Phillip Clontz, all of Rhodhiss; two sisters-in-law, Judy Tolbert and husband, Owen, of Blowing Rock, and Joyce Payne of Elkin; and a brother-in-law, H.T. Rogers of Boone. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews, and three precious great-nephews and one precious niece.
In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by one brother-in-law, Wayne Hamby.
Services were conducted Sunday afternoon, July 26, 2009, at 2:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating was the Rev. Gordon Noble. Burial followed in Woodlawn Cemetery in Blowing Rock.
Memorial contributions may be made to WFUHS Leukemia Research Fund, Attn: Development and Alumni Affairs Office, Wake Forest University Health and Science, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27157.
Online condolences may be sent to the Clontz family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Ernest Lewis Jones
Mr. Ernest Lewis Jones, 82, of Appalachian Drive, Boone, died Thursday morning, July 23, 2009 at his home.
He was born June 18, 1927 in Winona, West Virginia to Lewis and Neva Goode Jones.
Mr. Jones received his Masters from Marshall University. He served as Director of the Appalachian State University Computer Center from 1979-1993. Under his leadership, the campus grew with newer technologies by implementing enterprise administrative systems to run campus operations, primarily for finance, payroll and student records. He started the first email and word processing systems and began offering services to support academic computing. In the mid-eighties, personal computers, on-line processing, computer networks and the web started a new revolution in computing.
In l981, Ernie was honored with the national Frank Martin award as an outstanding individual for exemplary service to the college and university information technology community.
Prior to his employment at ASU, he served in other technology positions at Marshall University, as the Director of Data Systems and Services at Indiana University from 1968-l979 and as Director of Computer Center at West Virginia University from l966-l968.
Ernie was a member of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church. During retirement, he served on the Board of Directors, and was an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanities, volunteered at the Watauga Medical Centers Pharmacy Department for the past 10 years, and participated with the Baptist Men’s Relief Organization, responding to disasters by serving food to those in need.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Lee Jones; three daughters, Barbara C. Jones of Oxford, Ohio, Deborah A. Jones of Hustonville, Ky., and Sandra L. Thompson and husband, Brad, of Crystal Lake, Ill. Also surviving are Mary Lee’s children, Karen and Winston Petrey, Kris and Marshall Croom, and Bill Hartley, Jr.; three grandchildren, John, Allison and Margaret; ten step-grandchildren; and five step- great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Patricia Jones; and three sisters, Helen Booher, Imo Carson and Virginia Martinson.
Services were conducted Saturday afternoon, July 25, 2009, at 2 o’clock at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, officiated by Father Joe Mulligan. Burial followed at Mount Lawn Memorial Park and Gardens.
The family suggests memorials to the Rev. Francis Connolly Endowment for St. Elizabeth, 1123 South Church Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28203, to High Country Health Care Systems Hospice, 400 Shadowline Drive, Suite 100-B, Boone, or to Habitat for Humanity, Post Office Box 33, Down Town Station, Boone, N.C. 28607.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Jones family.

Shirley Ann Miller
Mrs. Shirley Ann Miller, 68, of Fleetwood, a native and former resident of Boone, the Meat Camp community, died Saturday, July 25, 2009, at Margate Nursing Care in Jefferson.
She was born Dec. 21, 1940 in Watauga County, a daughter of the late James Virgil and Thelma Woodring Miller.
Mrs. Miller was a homemaker and a member of Proffitt's Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors include four sisters, Faye Ford and husband, Pete, of Boone; Hazel M. Wilson and husband, Jack, of Conover; Helen Parlier and husband, Floyd, of Moravian Falls and Carolyn Miller of Conover; one brother, Grady Miller of Conover; her best friends and caregiver, Barbara and Robert Miller of Fleetwood. She is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, R.C. and Glendon Miller.
Services will be conducted Monday afternoon, at 3:00 o'clock, at Hampton Funeral Home Chapel. The body will lie in state, at the chapel, from 2:00 until 3:00 o'clock. Officiating will be the Rev. J.D. Walton and the Rev. Delmar James. Burial will follow in Mount Lawn Memorial Park and Gardens. The family will receive friends Monday afternoon, from 2:00 till 3:00 p.m., at Hampton Funeral Service.
Online condolences may be sent to the Miller family at www.hamptonfuneralservice.com.
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.