Lori Jean Buff
Aug 15, 2025
Lori Jean Buff, 55, of Valdese, passed away on Friday, August 15, 2025, at her residence after a brief illness.
Lori was born January 13, 1970, in Houston County, GA, a daughter of Gwendolyn Garrou Thompson and the late Peter Marcus Buff, Jr. She was a member of the Rocky Gap, Va. United Methodist Church. After graduating from High School, Lori...
Larry Dale Cozort
Aug 14, 2025
Larry Dale Cozort, 77, of Topsail Beach and Morganton, N.C., passed away peacefully Thursday August 14, 2025 with his wife and daughter by his side.
Dale was born on April 22, 1948 in Burke County, to the late Stuart Lee Cozort and Mae Keever Cozort. He was retired from the State of North Carolina as a Drivers License Examiner. Dale had...
Rita Nannette Salvaggio Stephens
Aug 14, 2025
Rita Nannette Salvaggio Stephens, 76. daughter of Daniele and Betty Moore Salvaggio went home to be with her Lord Auguest 14, 2025. Rita is survived by her husband of 58 years, Donald Richard Stephens of Drexel and one daughter, Kimberly Danielle Stephens-Williams (husband Lyman), one sister Gwen Salvaggio Stephens (husband Dennis) of Rutherford College and two grandchildren, who were her...
Ella Mae Settlemyre Martin
Aug 13, 2025
Mrs. Ella Mae Settlemyre Martin, 95, of Valdese, went to her Heavenly Home on Wednesday August 13, 2025, at Hickory Village, after a period of declining health.
Mrs. Martin was born September 7, 1929, in Burke County, a daughter of the late Harvey and Rose Christine Carswell Settlemyre. She was a faithful member of the River of Life Church and retired...
Joann Cannon Gray
Aug 10, 2025
Mrs. Joann Cannon Gray, 89, of Granite Falls, passed away at her residence, with her family by her side, on Sunday August 10, 2025.
Mrs. Gray was born April 14, 1936, in Caldwell County, a daughter of the late Perry F. and Myrtle Smith Cannon. She is retired from the Caldwell County School System, faithfully serving as a school bus driver...
Jody Dion Greene
Aug 9, 2025
Jody Dion Greene, 55, of Morganton, passed away on Saturday, August 9, 2025 at his residence.
Jody was born August 21, 1969 in Burke County to Loyd Herbert Greene and Geraldine Wyatt Greene. He was employed at American Roller Bearing for more than 37 years and acquired many wonderful lifelong friends. Jody was a loving husband and father, always taking care...
Howard Wayne Dyson
Aug 8, 2025
Mr. Howard Wayne Dyson, 84, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Friday August 8, 2025, at the Greens of Hickory, Viewmont, after a period of declining health.
Mr. Dyson was born May 13, 1941, in Caldwell County, a son of the late William Waddell and Ada Cook Dyson. He was a faithful member of the St. Johns Baptist Church and retired...
Betsy Summerlin Greene
Aug 8, 2025
Betsy Jane “Beebop” Summerlin Greene, 70, of Morganton, passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, August 8, 2025.
Betsy was born February 16, 1955 in Burke County to the late Marvin Summerlin and Johnnie Fisher Summerlin. She loved to be on the lake, gardening, and spending time with her animals, Bella and Tinkerbell.
In addition to her parents, she is preceded...
Eric William Hastings
Aug 7, 2025
Eric William “Bill” Hastings, 63, of Morganton, passed away on Thursday, August 7, 2025 at Burke Long Term Care following a period of declining health.
Bill was born April 2, 1962 in Burke County to the late Jerry Hastings and Betty Pritchard Stewart.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by the man that raised him, Thurman Stewart; brothers,...
Patricia Baker
Aug 6, 2025
Mrs. Patricia Ellen Baker, 73, of Morganton, passed away on Wednesday at Amorem, Burke Hospice, after a period of declining health.
Mrs. Baker was born July 8, 1952 in Peshtigo, WI, a daughter of the late Oscar and Gloria Jandry Kniskern Andre. Patricia retired, after many years of service, as a career counselor with Western Piedmont Community College. She had a...
Stephen Henry Martinat
Aug 6, 2025
Stephen Henry “Steve” Martinat, 74, of Valdese, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday August 6, 2025, at his residence.
Steve was born on December 13, 1950, in Burke County, to the late Valdo Stephen Martinat and Mary Rostan Martinat in Valdese, NC. He graduated from Valdese High School and continued his education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He...
Lucille Heavner Burns
Aug 5, 2025
Mrs. Lucille Heavner Burns, 98, of Lenoir, passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at the Shaire Center of Lenoir, following a period of declining health.
Lucille was born on Mar 17, 1927, in Burke County to the late Beulah Heavner Barnes. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and homemaker, and was a longtime member of Rock Chapel Church...
Betty Ann Pritchard Stewart
Aug 5, 2025
Betty Ann Pritchard Stewart, 83, of Drexel passed on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 following a period of declining health.
Betty was born August 1, 1942 in Burke County to the late Paul C. Pritchard and Bessie Williams Pritchard. She loved to garden (having a green thumb and could grow anything), bake, and listening to windchimes.
In addition to her parents, she is...
Woodrow Elwyn Poor
Aug 3, 2025
Woodrow Elwyn “Woody” Poor, 81, of Valdese, NC, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC.
Woody was born in Juneau, Alaska and raised in Douglas, Alaska. He graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Washington State in 1965. He married his college sweetheart, Bobbi, and together they shared 60 wonderful years. Woody served...
Ronald Dean Smith
Aug 3, 2025
Ronald Dean Smith, 73, of Morganton, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, August 3, 2025 at UNC Blue Ridge Morganton following a brief illness
Dean was born April 3, 1952 in Cleveland County to the late David and Opal Smtih. He was a member of Friendly Freewill Baptist Church and had a wonderful sense of humor.
In...
Elgie Chapman Franklin
Aug 2, 2025
Elgie Mae Chapman Franklin, 80, of Connelly Springs, NC, went to be with her Lord and Savior on August 2, 2025, after a period of declining health.
Mrs. Franklin was born on January 11, 1945, to the late David "Jink" and Hester Chapman. She was a faithful member of her church and retired from the John Louis Alba Waldensian Hosiery plant...
Bernice Ribet Robinette
Aug 1, 2025
It is with deep sorrow we announce the passing of Bernice Ribet Robinette, 94, of Valdese, NC, on August 1, 2025.
Born November 27, 1930, in Valdese, NC, to the late Frederick and Bernice Smith Ribet, she dedicated her life to her family, nurturing her children and grandchildren with unwavering love and support. Bernice graduated from Valdese High School in 1948...
Edwin Steve Wilson Sr.
Jul 31, 2025
Mr. Edwin Steve Wilson Sr., 83, of Icard, passed away on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at his residence, following a period of declining health.
Edwin was born on December 14, 1941 in Cleveland County to the late Leroy Self Wilson and Essie Geneva Brittain Wilson. He was a retired supervisor in the textile industry.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded...
Judy Wright
Jul 31, 2025
Ms. Judy Carolyn Mull Wright, 77, of Morganton, passed away on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Amorem Hospice of Burke, following a period of declining health.
Judy was born on April 28, 1948, in Cleveland County to the late Edsel Lee Mull and Edna Parker Mull Brendle. She was a retired office manager and a member of Mount Home Baptist Church...
Robert Riley Winebarger
Jul 29, 2025
Robert “Bob” Riley Winebarger, 82, passed away at Magnolia Lane of Morganton on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, following a period of declining health.
Bob was born July 17, 1943 in Burke County, a son of the late Riley Roscoe Winebarger and Nannie Kathleen Rudisill Winebarger.
Those left to cherish his memory include his sister, Gail Nichols and her husband Denny Nichols; brother,...
