Obituaries

Recent Obituaries

Lenny Arthur Stuart

Lenny Arthur Stuart

Oct 20, 2025

Lenny Arthur Stuart, 74, of Connelly Springs, passed away on October 20, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

In his younger years, Lenny had a passion for sports cars, swimming, and strategy games. He took pleasure in watching wrestling, football, and racing, and enjoyed staying up to date with the latest entertainment technology. In later years, he worked...

Bette Ann Racicot

Bette Ann Racicot

Oct 18, 2025

Bette Ann Peters Racicot, 87, of Valdese, passed away on Saturday October 18, 2025, at Carolina Caring Hospice, Newton, after a period of declining health.

Bette was born July 11, 1938, in Franklin County, Mass. A daughter of the late Edward C. Peters and Marion Louise Guyette Newton. She retired as Receptionist and Admission Clerk from Valdese General Hosp. She was...

Robert Burns

Robert Burns

Oct 18, 2025

Robert *Wayne* Burns, 58, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Saturday October 18, 2025, at his residence after a brief illness.

Robert was born April 15, 1967, in Burke County, a son of Patsy Bolin Burns and the late Ray Cox. He was employed for 37 years as a weaver at Valdese Weavers. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed many friendships...

Marvin Dale Whisenant

Marvin Dale Whisenant

Oct 17, 2025

Marvin Dale Whisenant, 86, of Lenoir, went home to be with his Lord on Friday October 17, 2025, at UNC Caldwell Memorial Hospital, after a period of declining health.

Mr. Whisenant was born November 12, 1938, in Caldwell County, a son of the late Phillip Marvin and Susan Estelle Braswell Whisenant. He was a member of the Calvary Advent Christian Church...

Betty Gail Deal Gruber

Betty Gail Deal Gruber

Oct 17, 2025

Betty Gail Deal Gruber, 72, of Drexel, passed away at Grand Strand Medical Center on Friday, October 17, 2025, while visiting Myrtle Beach.

Betty was born March 31, 1953 in Burke County, a daughter of the late Alex Lee Deal and Grace Coleman Deal. She enjoyed listening to music, particularly Christian music. She loved to read, and her home was often...

Fred Douglas Hawkins Sr.

Fred Douglas Hawkins Sr.

Oct 17, 2025

Fred Douglas “Freddy” Hawkins, Sr., 78, of Lenoir, NC, answered God’s call on October 17, 2025 at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

He was born on October 27, 1946 in Burke County and was one of 7 sons born to the late Elonzo E. Hawkins and Dorothy Kincaid Hawkins. He attended Olive Hill High School, and retired from Harper Furniture...

Champ Edward Ray

Champ Edward Ray

Oct 16, 2025

Champ Edward Ray, 87, of Valdese, passed away on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Amorem, Hudson, after a period of declining health. He was born July 25, 1938, in Madison County, NC to the late Odus and Dorothy Wallin Ray.

Champ enlisted in the United States Navy at age 17. He served 23 years on active duty as a Navy Corpsman...

Frances Louise Lowman Lingerfelt

Frances Louise Lowman Lingerfelt

Oct 16, 2025

Frances Louise Lowman Lingerfelt, 74, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at her residence following a brief illness.

Frances was born May 26, 1951 in Burke County. A daughter of Doc and Ruth Wiseman. She was a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church and deeply loved the Lord and reading her bible. She was a very giving...

Richard Welser

Richard Welser

Oct 15, 2025

Dr. Richard Welser, 76, of Morganton passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at Transylvania Medical Center following a period of declining health.

Richard is honored in memory by his son, Evan Welser, and by family and the many friends he made along the way. Richard had a storied and colorful life, with the analytical mind of Nikola Tesla and the...

Brenda Hudson Stroupe

Brenda Hudson Stroupe

Oct 15, 2025

Mrs. Brenda Karen Hudson Stroupe, 59, of Morganton, passed away on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at her residence, following a period of declining health.

Brenda was born on March 13, 1966, in Burke County to the late Cletus Hudson and Vernie Chapman Hudson. She was formerly employed as a CNA for many years.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in...

Charles "Chuck" Edward Hallyburton

Charles "Chuck" Edward Hallyburton

Oct 14, 2025

Charles “Chuck” Edward Hallyburton, Jr., 61, of Hickory, passed away on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at UNC Health Blue Ridge of Morganton following a period of declining health.

Chuck was born May 13, 1964 in Burke County, a son of the late Charles Hallyburton and Diane Reep Duckworth. He loved racing and football.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in...

Rosalba Pascal Shook

Rosalba Pascal Shook

Oct 13, 2025

Rosalba Pascal Shook, 96, departed this world for her Heavenly Home on October13, 2025. She was born on April 22, 1929, to James Henry Pascal and Maria Ferrier Pascal, immigrants from the Waldensian Valleys in northwest Italy.

Rosalba was a life-long member of the Waldensian Presbyterian Church in Valdese. She served as Elder, Sunday School teacher, Chairman of the Historical Committee,...

Shirley Aiken Winn

Shirley Aiken Winn

Oct 13, 2025

Shirley Aiken Winn, 88, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Monday October 13, 2025, at Amorem, Burke Hospice, after a period of declining health.

Shirley was born September 3, 1937, in Burke County and lived most of her life in the Valdese and Connelly Springs area. She was self-employed as a hairdresser and foster parent for many years and was a...

Margaret Fulbright Bleynat

Margaret Fulbright Bleynat

Oct 12, 2025

Mrs. Margaret Fulbright Bleynat, 100, of Valdese, went to her Heavenly Home, on Sunday October 12, 2025, at The Berkeley in Morganton, after a period of declining health.

Mrs. Bleynat was born June 23, 1925, in Icard NC, a daughter of the late McKinley and Ethel Brindle Fulbright. She attended First Baptist Church of Icard where she served as a GA...

Clifford Miles Duffus

Clifford Miles Duffus

Oct 12, 2025

Clifford Miles Duffus, 76, of Hickory, passed away on Sunday, October 12, 2025 at Amorem Hospice of Burke following a period of declining health.

Clifford was born September 21, 1949 in Washington DC to the late John Duffus and Ella Miles Duffus. He served honorably in the United States Air Force. Clifford was a hard worker and owned his own flooring...

Dennis Carl Roland

Dennis Carl Roland

Oct 11, 2025

Dennis Carl Roland, 78, of Valdese, passed away on Saturday, October 11, 2025 at College Pines Health and Rehabilitation Center following a period of declining health.

Dennis was born January 27, 1947, in McDowell County, a son of the late Rev. Carl and Lillian Wyatt Roland. He loved to fish and spend time outdoors. His yard was always immaculate. He was...

Delane Cozart McGee

Delane Cozart McGee

Oct 8, 2025

Ruby Delane “Lanie” McGee, 76, of Connelly Springs, passed peacefully from this life and into Heaven on October 8, 2025.

Born in Caldwell County on June 17, 1949, Lanie was the daughter of Luther Steele Cozart and Beulah King Cozart. Lanie was a kind, loving, and caring lady, and she was proudest of being the mother of her sons, Derrin and...

Keenan Montgomery York

Keenan Montgomery York

Oct 7, 2025

Keenan Montgomery York, 58, of Valdese, passed away peacefully on Tuesday October 7, 2025 at Conover Nursing and Rehabilitation Center following a period of declining health.

Keenan was born on December 25, 1966 in Burke County, NC, on Christmas Day and was a true gift to the world, bringing joy and light to those around him. Being born on Christmas Day,...

Mavis Sue Carpenter Rust

Mavis Sue Carpenter Rust

Oct 7, 2025

Mavis Sue Carpenter Rust, 92, of Valdese, went to her Heavenly Home on Tuesday October 7, 2025, at The Berkeley of Morganton, after a period of declining health.

Mavis was born August 7, 1933, in Burke County, a daughter of the late Gordon Burgin and Eva Bollinger Carpenter. She was a faithful member of the Lakeview Baptist Church for many years...

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