NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2019 VOL. 37, NO. 30 Only 25¢

They were perfectly content with a

hearty ‘Thank You,’ as payment ...

See Welborn, page 4A

Happy New Year

WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — THE HOMEPLACE OF AMERICANA MUSIC Contact us at 336-667-0134, e-mail jerrylankford@yahoo.com

The Life of Lucy Combs Part XV By LARRY J. GRIFFIN

Special Reporter for The Record

No one knows how it feels inside your heart when you lose your baby… --From

the Diary of Lucy Combs

October 23, 2008-that was the last time that Lucy Combs saw her younger son,

Jeff.

For over 10-years now, this indefatigable Mother has been searching for him. Of

one thing she is unquestionably certain-Jeff is dead but his remains have yet to be

discovered. Her firstborn, Jerry, Jr. [George] shares that perspective. "…We know

he's past; [sic] he needs to be found so he can get a decent funeral and burial-no bur-

ial in the woods or a watery grave. He needs to rest in peace so we all can get clo-

sure."

And Lucy's search began almost immediately on the heels of her boy's nearly

traceless disappearance. Within hours of receiving his hastily scribbled note on

Saturday morning, October 25th, the 61-year-old assiduously scoured a few of Jeff's

neighborhood haunts before returning to work later that day.

"I searched town; I rode for hours looking under the bridge, behind the [North

Wilkesboro] ABC store, and where his friend lived under a tractor bed behind the

Smoke House."

On Sunday, October 26th, she traveled to the county courthouse to register a

"missing person" report. "…I had to take a picture of him and his motor scooter back

to the courthouse [the following day] on October 27th…and took out an second

'missing person' report on Jeff….I, myself, took off up through the woods…behind

my home. I looked everywhere; it was 20- degree-weather; I didn't care; I had to

find him."

See Combs, page 6C A collage of photos of Jeff Combs’ life

2018: The year in review

Wilkes’ Carl White named

N.C. Historian of the Year Three Wilkes journalists were honored on Saturday, Nov. 3, by the

North Carolina Society of Historians.

Remembering those we lost in 2018

Among those was Carl White, executive producer of the syndicated TV show Life in the Carolinas. White was named Historian of the Year, which is the Society's high-

est honor. White also won awards for his TV segments and for his syndicated columns, which appear in several newspapers includ- ing The Record.

Other local winners

included Larry J. Griffin for a series of articles which

appeared in The Record, and

Ken Welborn, publisher of

Bob Hege

Bob Hege Businessman and civic leader Robert

"Bob"

Hunter Brown

Wilkes County Extension Advisory Board since

2007. Hege has been President of Meadows Mills,

Carl White

The Record. For the seventy-seventh

year, the North Carolina

Society of Historians

(NCSH) held its Annual Awards Brunch to honor a

cadre of Carolinians who

Hege III, 75, died peacefully on the evening of

Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem due to complications from influen-

za. He was born on Dec. 14, 1942 in Davidson

County and grew up on his family's dairy farm. Hege was in the U. S. Army from 1965 to 1967

Inc. since 2007.

Luther Parks, engineer at Duke Energy, said, "He has been a great friend to me. I've known him

since I started with Duke more than 38 year ago. In

fact, he was the one who recommended that they hire me. I appreciate him and his family. With all

the community activities he's been involved with, achieved excellence in their various endeavors to preserve and perpetuate the state's history.

Attendees traveled from the Coastal Plain, Central Piedmont, and the Mountain Region to Grace Ridge Retirement Center located in the

Foothills town of Morganton, the county seat of Burke County. The event

was staged in the 200-person capacity Ervin Community Room adjoined to

the site. Once registered, congregants renewed acquaintances and served them-

selves at the brunch buffet prepared by Grace Ridge's professional culinary staff.

As the program commenced, Larry Griffin, executive director of the

NCSH, took to the stage to perform a short play list of songs, culminating in a World War I-era trilogy of tunes to mark the hundredth anniversary of

the Armistice that brought an end to the "war to end all wars"-on the

eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918. Those songs included "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Over There (The Yanks

Are Coming)" written by the inimitable American songwriter, George M.

Cohan. The concluding tune-the 1916 love song, "If You Were the Only

Girl in the World"-was composed by two Englishmen, Nat Ayer and Clifford Grey.

Afterwards, Board President Elizabeth Sherrill called the meeting to order and proceeded to recognize award recipients. Out of the 520 entries

submitted from across the state for consideration by an impartial panel

judges, 63 were honored for excellence. And these entries were submitted by 40 different individuals or agencies.

As in years past, Wilkes County historians were among the honorees.

Ken Welborn, publisher of The Record of Wilkes was presented the presti- gious Publisher's Award. The Letter of Support, for this nomination, averred that, "There are few newspapers in the country that have both the

See Historian, page 6C

and the Reserve from 1965 to 1973. He served in Dominican Republic and received Expeditionary Force Medal and Association of American States

Commendation Medal. Hege's career with Duke Power began when he

joined Duke as a trainee in Winston-Salem in 1965.

Upon his return from the Army in 1967, he moved

to Burlington as an Agricultural Engineer. In 1971 Hege was promoted to Branch Manager in Graham

and in 1973 was promoted to manager in North

Wilkesboro. Hege was a Member of Duke Power

Management Council and retired as District Manager in March 1991.

In Wilkes, Hege has been involved with the Wilkes Chamber of Commerce, having served as a Director and President in 1978. He has also held the

positions of Vice-President of Community

Development and Vice-President of Economic

Development. He is a member of the North Wilkesboro Kiwanis Club and served as President

in 1979. Other involvements include Northwest N. C. Forum Director, Wachovia/Wells Fargo Wilkes County Director, Wilkes ADAP Director from 1976 to 1988, and ADAP President in 1985. Hege was a Wilkes United Way Director from 1978 to 1992. He has served as Chairman and President of the Wilkes

Education Foundation and President of the N.C. State Alumni Association in 1988 and 1989. He has been a member of the Wilkes Community College Advisory Council, Vice President of the Society of Preservation of Old Mills, and has served on the

heBob cherished visiting with friends, and particu- larly enjoyed spending summers in the North Carolina mountains.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 29 years,

June Hege, of North Wilkesboro; his son Brian and

spouse Alison, of Wilkesboro, and their children

Luke Evan Hege and Lila Rose Hege; step-son Mark Adams and spouse Carolyn of Chapel Hill,

and their children Wyatt and Silas. He is also sur-

vived by his brothers and their families: Dan Hege

and spouse Libby; Thom Hege and spouse Harriet; Ben Hege and spouse Johnsie; Len Hege and

spouse Lynne, all of Arcadia, North Carolina. He

was preceded in death by his parents, Robert A. Hege Jr and Diana DeLapp Hege, and his grand-

daughter Makayla Sue Hege. A Celebration of Bob's life was held at 2 p.m.,

on Thursday, Jan. 18, at First United Methodist

Church North Wilkesboro, with Reverend Dr. Terry L. Matthews officiating.

The family received friends starting at 1 p.m.

The family requests that donations be made to the

Culinary Arts Program through the Wilkes

Community College Foundation. Online condolences may be shared at reinsstur-

divant.com. Hunter Brown

The Wilkes Middle School student who, while

visiting Washington, D.C., was struck and trapped beneath a commercial bus on Friday, March 9, has

See Lost, page 5C

Classifieds. .......... 3B Comics. ................ 4B Community ........... 4B Deaths. ............... 3A Editorial Page. ..... 4A Horoscopes. ........ 3B

High 50o

Wednesday

P/Cloudy

Low 42oF

High 53o F

Thursday

Rain

Low 44o

High 51o F

Friday

Rain

Low 38o

High 55o F

Saturday

P/Cloudy

Low 36oF

WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — HOME of WILKES HERITAGE MUSEUM, BLUE RIDGE MUSIC HALL OF FAME, THE RECORD PARK, CHICKENFEST and AMERICANA DAY

In Sports

The Cubs’ Connor Cox

throws to first

YEAR IN REVIEW

The Record - North Wilkesboro, N.C. - January 2, 2019 - Page 2A

The Saturday night dance at VFW Post 1142

A special guest was on hand Saturday evening at the VFW Hall as Ward Eller (shown above with his wife, Kate, far left, and

their friend Opal Smithey) had been invited to come and sing a couple of songs with the band. Eller, a much beloved and honored veteran, educator, and musician, led the house band at the VFW for nearly 60 years and was surprised last

November by a tribute show In his honor. After singing a couple of tunes, including his signature original song, Rose of My

Heart, Eller also called a rousing square dance number. Record photos by Ken Welborn

A trip to VFW Post 1142's headquarters on Saturday night will always take you to Bluegrass and Country music and danc-

ing. Music was provided by the High Country Boys (and a girl, it would appear) this past Saturday evening. Band mem-

bers are, left to right, Ramona Church, Jeff Michael, George Cutchin, Brad Wood, and Tom Isenhour. Pictured above

right is Millers Creek's own Butch Jarvis dancing with Wanda Gwaltney. Shown right are a few of the 30 or so square

dancers enjoying the evening.

Rain brings flooding to Wilkesboro, other

areas in Wilkes

These photographs were taken around midday on Friday, Dec. 28, from the

bridge near the Wilkesboro Sewer Treatment Plant on Old U S Hwy 421 Road

in Wilkesboro. After two days of intense rain, the Cub Creek was well out of its

banks and still rising at that time. The Yadkin River near the intersection with

Reddies River was almost at flood stage as well. As the day went on, much more

flooding downstream was reported. Record photos by Ken Welborn

As we celebrate the new

year with great hope for a respectable 2019, it is a

practical tradition to reflect on the past and make a few

plans for a better tomorrow. Last year at this same time,

I joined with many of the more than 7 billion peo- ple

on earth and paused for a moment of reflection. We now find ourselves doing

the same thing again. Last year I wrote about

our beloved dogs and the fact that on the Chinese cal- endar, 2018 was the year of the Dog and as time passes, we now enter 2019 the year of the Earth Pig.

I like pigs just fine and remember a friendly little pig named Pumbaa that my

niece had for a while and it seemed happy and some- what doglike.

While working on a story in the summer of 2018, I interviewed Lindsay Gutierrez, Ms. Veteran America 2017. She has an amazing story of military service and post service work that will likely be a considerable part of her life. She cares and proves it with her actions. Lindsay and her husband also share their home with a pig named Pearl.

Lindsay's interview was one of many that I will not forget. In the development of a broadcast special that Honored Women in Service I was amazed at all we learned and the richness of the stories.

Over the years, we have had the honor of producing a variety of stories about our veterans. The Carolinas have a history of service and patriotism which is evident in our public displays of respect.

The Carolinas benefit greatly from the work of the American Legion, our nation's largest Veterans organization. Thanks to the efforts of the American Legion World Series that now has its home in Shelby,

we have had regular access to the games and what it

takes to bring it all together. This accessibility has

provided opportunity to get to know the people and rea-

sons behind the American

Spot, Carl’s dog

Legion and The American Legion World Series. It has been this process that has allowed me to see and more importantly feel why this organization and its work is so important.

In 2018 we spent time with Black Beard and the people in Bath as we explored some of history's mysteries. We will share our findings in a 2019 broad- cast.

We were among the more than 25,000 Big Foot enthusiast and curiosity seekers in the town of Marion, for the First annual Big Foot Festival. The event's extreme success was a bit of a surprise for the organizer and the towns people who were expecting 2,000-4,000 attendees.

When it comes to New Year's resolutions, we have history. Some 4,000 years ago Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year. Later, the Romans picked up on the idea and now-a-days every- one seems to be part of offering up a well-meaning commitment to be better in the new year.

As for me, I commit to sharing more stories that hopefully inspire, encour- age and in general produce a feeling of hopeful happi- ness.

I will continue to love my dog even though his is getting old and grouchy. I will endeavor to be kinder to people who have pet pigs, because not everyone understands.

I will honor our veterans without prejudice, because a veteran is a veteran is a vet- eran.

Happy New Year.

CARL WHITE

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0 bituaries Free Listings The Record - North Wilkesboro, N.C. - January 2, 2019 • Page 3A

CarolWmgerson, 79

Mrs. Carol Ann Pickett

Wingerson, age 79 of

Wilkesboro, wife of Teny

R. Wingerson, died Friday,

Sylvia Deal, 72

Ms. Sylvia Irene Combs

Deal, age 72 of Millers

Creek, passed away

Wednesday, December 26,

2019 at Wake Forest

Kevin Love of Nmth

Wilkesboro; grandchil­

dren, Johnathan Richard

Love, Caimen Marie Love

Bell, Katherine Rose

Love; step-grandchildren,

Audrey Nonnan, Allison

Claborn, Steven Biidges;

sisters, Levina Milam of

Boomer, Eunice Call of

Noith Wilkesboro.

Funeral service

was December 29, at

Hilltop Baptist Church

with Rev. Ronnie Gregmy

and Rev. Rick Faw offici­

ating.

Burial followed

Maitha is preced­

ed in death by her parents;

husband, Howard Maitin

Griffin; daughter, Katie

Griffin; sisters, Bonnie

Church, Catherine Cuny,

Virginia Lackey Rosa

Holloway; brothers, Fred

Jones, Barney Jones, Alvin

Jones, Willard Jones;

grandchildren, Jo Ann

Anderson, Brenda Sue

Anderson, Claude Dean

Anderson and Coty

Wingler.

Those left to

cheiish Maitha's memmy

a1·e her sons, Jackie

Church of Wilkesboro,

nineteen grandchildren,

twenty four great grand­

children, five great great

grandchildren, three sis­

ters; Christine Eller of

Wilkesboro, Haline Eller

of Wilkesboro and Nancy

Barns (Hany) of Tega Cay

SC and two brothers;

Raynai·d Eller of Purlear

and Kent Eller of Purlear.

Flowers will be

accepted or memorials

may be made to Gt-eater

Visi on Baptist Church

Cemeteiy PO Box 309

Millers Creek, NC 28651

Chillemi , Elijah Anthony

Eneriz and Zoe Lola

Eneriz and a brother;

Johnny Fairchild of Buena

Vista VA.

Flowe rs will be

accepted or memorials

may be made to Gap

Creek Community

Cemeteiy in c/o Sheny

Sloop 1630 Skyland Diive

Wilkesboro , NC 28697,

Mt. Pleasant Baptist

Church Building Fnnd 239

Chainpion Mt. Pleasant

Road, Wilkesboro, NC

28697 or Gideons

International South Camp

December 28, 2018 at

Forsyth Medical Center.

Baptist-Wilkes

Center.

Medical in Mt. Sinai Baptist

ChurchCemetery.

Griffin( Michelle) of

Millers Creek John Gtiffin

or Wake Forest Cai·e at

Home Hospice 126

PO Box 323 Wilkesboro,

NC 28697.

Graveside servic­ Fm1eral services Flo wers will be ( Glenda) of Millers Executive Drive Suite 110

es will be held 1:00 PM

Wednesday, Januaiy 2,

2019 at Mountlawn

Memorial Park with the

Rev. Dr. Susan Pillsbmy­

Taylor officiating.

Mrs. Wingerson

was born September 30,

1939 in Starke, Florida to

Claude Wilson and Rose

Catherine Fisher Pickett.

She was preceded

in death by her parents.

She is smvived

by her husband, Teny R.

Wingerson, of the home;

one son, Craig

D.Wingerson of Orlando,

Florida; and one grand­

daughter, Katelyn D.

Wingerson of Greensboro.

In lieu of flowers

memorials may be made to

was December 30, at accepted. Memmials can

Reins Sturdivant Funeral be made to Hilltop Baptist

Home Chapel. Church, 161 Fairplains

Ms. Deal was Road, Nmth Wilkesboro,

born August 26, 1946 in NC 28659.

Wilkes County to James L. Miller Fnneral

Combs and Ada Minton Service is in charge of the

Combs. She was a an angements.

Homemaker.

In addition to her Juanita Johnson, 92 parents, she was preceded

in death by one brother;

James Combs and two sis­

ters; Emma Jean Brown

and Rebecca Lynn Lail.

She is survived

by two daughters; Melissa

Billings of Traphill and

Brenda Billings of

Wilkesboro, four sons;

Lany Billings and wife

Kathy of Roaring River,

Bany Billings of Millers

Creek, Bill Griffin of

Millers Creek, Lewis

Griffin of McGt-ady, Mark

Enos of Chaifotte; daugh­

ters, Georgia Gt·iffin

(Johnny) of Millers Creek,

Bonnie Perez also of

Millers Creek; 12 grand­

children , and 9 great

grandchildren.

A graveside seiv­

ice was December 29, in

the Griffin Family

Cemeteiy on Shoe Road in

Millers Creek.

Brother Farrell

Shepherd officiated.

In addition to

flowers memorial dona­

tions may be given to St.

Jude's Children Reseai·ch

Hospital : 262 Dam1y

Thomas Place , Memphis ,

Mary Hartzog, 86

Mrs. Maiy A1111e Fairchild

Hartzog, age 86 of

Wilkesboro, passed away

Saturday, December 22,

2018 at her home in the

Champion-Mt. Pleasant

Community.

Funeral seivices

Carl Boggs, 60

Mr. Cai-I Dean Boggs, age

60 of Wilkesboro, passed

away Saturday, December

22, 2018 at his home.

Memorial seiv ic­

es were December 27, at

Antioch Baptist Church

off Speedway Road.

Mr. Boggs was

St. Jude's Research

Hospital, 510 St. Jude

Place, Memphis TN

38105.

Virginia Elliott, 95

Mrs. Vuginia Dare Elliott,

95, of Wilkesboro, passed

away on Fiiday, December

28, 2018.

Vuginia was born

on April 29, 1923 in

Wilkes County to Reiley

Andrew Panons and

Bessie Pauline Steelman

Parsons.

Virginia is pre­

ceded in death by her par­

ents; husband, Woodrow

Wilson Elliott; brother,

R.C Parsons; sisters

Johnsie Gay Miller,

Gladys Osborne, Lee

miller and grandson,

Brooke Hamby.

Virginia is sur­

vived by her son, Roger

Elliott (Sandra) of Nmth

Wilkesboro; daughters,

Rebecca Rodgers of

Jamestown, Pamela Elliott

of Nevada; grandchildren,

Tracy Walker (Lloyd) of

Nmt h Wilkesboro ,

Thomas S. Rodgers Jr.

(Melanie) of Greensboro,

Laura Tisdale (Justin) of

Greensboro, Andrew

Hamby of Las Vegas,

Rebekah Reyes of Las

Vegas, Molly Hamby of

Illinois, Scott Elliott

(Glenda) of North

Wilkesboro, Mark Elliott (Michelle) of North

Creek, Chester Billings of

Millers Creek and Keith

Billings of Hays, nine

grandchildren; Ciystal

Taylor, Jonathan Billings,

Larissa Billings, Steven

Billings, Zach Billings,

Ieesha Hill, Tabitha

Billings, C.J. Billings and

Malakia (Binker) Minton,

eleven great grandchil­

dren; Connor, Corbin,

Robert, JoAnna, Tyler,

Jaden, Elijah, Kelsey,

Keirston, Ky'Anna,

Kiara,three sisters; Fran

Burchette and husband

Theb, Maiy Hawkins and

husband Roby and Brenda

Zeimer, two brothers;

Dwight Combs and wife

Kathy and Danny Combs

and "special great grand­

daughter" Kimberlynn

Myers.

Audrey Love, 80

Audrey Ann Anderson

Love, age 80, of North

Wilkesboro, passed away

Tuesday, December 25,

2018 at Wilkes Senior

Village. Audrey was born

March 15, 1938 in Wilkes

County to John and Nettie

Jarvis Anderson. She was

a member of Hilltop

Baptist Church. Mrs. Love

was preceded in death by

her parents; and her hus­

band, Charlie R. Love, Jr.;

brothers, John Herny

Anderson, Dewey

Anderson and Sylvester

Anderson; and sisters,

Juanita Johnson, age 92, of

Jonesville, passed away

Tuesday, December 25,

2018 at 3:05 a.m. on

Christmas morning at

Hugh Chatham Nursing

and Rehab Center in Elkin.

She was born November

17, 1926 in Miami, Florida

to Marlin and Rovina

Valdez Johnson . Mrs.

Johnson was preceded in

death by her parents; her

husband, Melvin M.

Jones; and sister, Rutha

Mae.

Surviving are her

daughters, Madeline

Laurent of Chaifottesville,

Virginia, Deloiis Cooper

and husband Ben of

Jonesville; grandson,

Daniel Johnson of

Jonesville, four other

grandchildren; two great

grandchildren; sisters,

Claretha Gibbons of Carol

City, Florida, Beatrice

Dixon of Miami, Florida.

Funeral service

was held December 29,

at Church of Jesus Christ

Latter Day Saints with

Bishop Lany Sloop offici­

ating. Burial will follow in

the church cemeteiy.

Flowers will be

accepted.

Miller Funeral

Service is in chai·ge of the

airnngements.

Martha Griffin, 89

Mrs. Maitha Wihna Jones

Griffin, 89, of Millers

TN 38105 .

Adams Funeral

Home of Wilkes has the

honor of seiv ing the

Gtiffin Family.

Edward Eller, 91

Mr. Edward Gwyn "Daddy

Ed" Eller, age 91 of

Wilkesboro, passed away

Saturday, December 22,

2018 at his home.

Fnneral services

were December 26, at

Greater Vision Baptist

Church with Rev. Shane

Pardue, Rev. David Dyer

and Rev. Derek Kilby offi­

ciating. Burial was in the

church cemeteiy.

Mr. Eller was

born May 13, 1927 in

Wilkes Connty to Percy

and Ora Eller. He was

retired from Tyson Foods

formally Holly Fa1ms

Poultty. He was a member

of Greater Vision Baptist

Church.

In addition to his

parents, He was preceded

in death by his wife; Ruth

Mozelle Bumgarner Eller,

four sons; Mon is, Vauglm,

Jesse and Nonis Church

and four brothers; James,

Raymond, Max and Rex

Eller.

He is smv ived by

three daughters; Maiy

Kilby (Alan) of Millers

Creek, Gail Kilby (Tom)

of Millers Creek and Jan

Dyer (Les) of Wilkesboro,

four sons; Hohn Church

were December 31, at Mt.

Pleasant Baptist Church

Reach Center with Pastor

Kevin Brown officiating.

Burial was in

Gap Creek Community

Cemeteiy.

Mrs. Hartzog was

born November 1, 1932 in

Watauga County to

Thomas and Edna Church

Fairchild. She was a

homemaker and a

Substitute Teacher at Mt.

Pleasant Elementary

School. Mrs. Haitzog was

a member of Mt. Pleasant

Baptist Church.

In addition to her

parents, she was preceded

in death by her husband;

Robert Max Hartzog, a

son; Max Edward Haitzog,

a sister; Elda Fairchild

McNeill and two brothers;

Ralph Fairchild and

Howard Fairchild.

She is survived

by two sons; Kent Haitzog

and wife Karla of Millers

Creek and Joe Haitzog and

wife Deborah of Phoenix

AZ, three grandchildren;

Adria1111e Huffman

Chillemi, Jessica Haitzog

Eneriz and Vanessa

Hait zog, four great grand­

children; Peter James

Chillemi, Vivien Mai·ie

born May 15, 1958 in

Waterloo Ohio to Chai·lie

Royce and Dora

Whitherspoon Boggs. He

was self-employed in the

Lawn Cai·e busine ss.

In addit ion to his

paren ts, he was preceded

in dea th by two sisters;

Tottie Jones and Myitle

Miller and two brothers;

Fratlk Whitherspoon

(Bnn) Boggs and Phillip

Lee Boggs.

He is smvived by

two sisters; Ma1y Joyce

Tedder of North

Wilkesboro and Edna

Jones of Jefferson and two

brothers; Larkin Boggs of

Wilkesboro and Ernest

Boggs of West Jefferson

and Caregivers; The

Miller-Briggs Family.

In lieu of flowers,

memorials may be made to

Pmitt Health Hospice 924

Main Street Suite 100

North Wilkesboro, NC

28659.

336-262-5080

Wilkesboro; 12 great­

grandchildren and one

great-great grandchild,

Bella Grace Walker.

A graveside serv­

ice was December 30, at

Union United Methodist

Church Cemeteiy.

Rev. Dr. Suze

Pillsbmy Taylor officiat­

ed.

In lieu of flowers,

memmial donations may

be given to: Alzheimer's

disease Research, 22512

Gateway Center Drive,

P.O. Box 1950,

Clarksburg, MD 20871

Adams Fnneral

Home of Wilkes has the

honor of serving the Elliott

Family.

Rosa Anderson, Florence

Benge, Dorothy Conner,

Rhoda Hayes, Geitie Leo

Hedric and Cora Shaw.

Audrey was a cafeteria

worker at Fairplains

Elementaiy School for 30

yeai·s (1972-2002). She

will be remembered as a

loving wife, mother ai1d

great grandmother. Audrey

was kind, considerate and

gentle with eveiyone. She

loved to sew, gai·den and

read.

Surviving are her

sons, James Danny Love

and wife Debbie of

Winterville, Georgia,

Joseph Allen Love and

wife Lu Ann of

Wilkesboro, Charles

Creek, passed away on

Tuesday, December 25,

2018.

Maith a was born

on September 11, 1929 in

Wilkes Connty to Albeit

McKinley Jones and

Matilda Eller Jones.

Sr. (Helen) of Wilkesboro,

Horace Church (Brenda)

of Wilkesboro, Wayne

Church (Peggy) of

Jonesville and Dwight

W ISHING YOU A PEACEFUL

AND PROSEPEROUS

NEW YEAR

Open Tues-Sat 8-5

Sun-Mon

By Appointment Only

THE CLOCK SHOP

10478 N Hwy16 • Millers

Creek, NC 2.8651

Looking for an Antique

Clock or just need one

repaired?

Give us a call at

336.838.4809

Sales & Service

Antique Clocks

The Record - North Wilkesboro, N.C. - January 2, 2019 - Page 4A

WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — WILKES HERITAGE MUSEUM, BLUE RIDGE MUSIC HALL OF FAME, CAROLINA IN THE FALL, THE RECORD PARK, CHICKENFEST and AMERICANA DAY

OPINION They were perfectly content with a hearty ‘Thank You,’ as payment ...

In last week's column I wrote

about a young couple and a

young man who, within 12

hours of each other, stopped and

offered to help me, a total

stranger, when it appeared I

might be in distress.

On page 6A of this week's

Year in Review edition of The

Record, there are pictures of

ChickenFest 2018 at the Record

Park, including one of VFW

Post 1142's Honor Guard raising

the flag. That flag pole is 30

feet tall and was given in honor

of volunteer firefighters by Bert

Hall with Wilkes Steel and

Recycling of North Wilkesboro.

Well, to have a 30 foot flag

pole, you need five feet in the

ground because the physics of

flying a large flag are more

daunting than you might imag-

ine. In those days of yore, 13

years ago, to be exact, we still

had the services of our able and

competent handyman, John

Scorof. John, a Ford Motor

Company retired electrician, got

hooked up with The Record

through his wife's association

with the local quilters group and

became a fixture around here for

years until his death in 2018.

And competent is a good

way to remember him. He

seemed to know how to do

everything or someone that did

and we came to depend on him a

great deal. So naturally, when it

came to the flag pole, we

weren't worried, as he had

spec'd it out for the welders and

on the day it was ready, took our

old blue long bed Chevy pickup

and had it tied just so and

brought it up to The Record

Park.

There, on that fateful day,

with the hole dug to exactly to

the depth John decided was nec-

essary, he backed the truck up

just so to the exact spot needed,

and we prepared to put the pole

into the aforementioned hole.

The "we" referenced in the pre-

vious sentence was me and The

Record's erstwhile editor, Jerry

Alfred Lankford.

On John Scorof's cue after he

untied the pole, we, with all

confidence in the plan, slid the

flagpole to the edge of the hole

and proceeded to stand it up.

All went well until it became

obvious that we had more flag

pole than we had help, and were

literally stuck in the middle. We

couldn't get the flagpole stood

up, and couldn't safely let it

down, we were just stuck, badly

stuck. Honestly, it is the only

time in my memory that Scorof

himself was unsure of exactly

what to do. We were all three

sweating bullets and trying not

to panic--at least Jerry and John

didn't seem to be--but I was

scared to death that I was going

to die with a 1,000 pound flag

pole on my chest. At the time it

was anything but funny.

After what seemed like an

eternity of holding that thing in

limbo, I heard a man's voice hol-

lering at us. I looked to my left

and there was a pickup truck on

the Fourth Street side of the park

and the driver was asking if we

needed some help. I assured

him that was indeed the case

and the two guys jumped out of

the pickup and came to the res-

cue.

Now, these two boys were

full grown, as the saying goes--

one got in front of Scorof, and

the other got behind me and

Jerry, and, in less time that it

takes to type it up, the flag pole

was safely in the hole ready to

be cemented in for all time.

No sooner was the job

accomplished than the two

Good Samaritans wished us

well and were on their way, per-

fectly content with a hearty

"Thank You" as payment.

So here it is, 2019.

I had a list of resolutions to

go over today--the usual stuff.

Eat better, sleep better, get

organized, read more, exercise

more, let go of grudges, renew a

hobby, reduce stress, stop pro-

crastinating, learn to cook, stay

sober, maybe even adopt a new

pet--all of which (and many

more) apply to me and are wor-

thy goals.

However, the main resolu-

tion I want to make today is to

make a special effort to be more

like the young couple and the

young man from last week's col-

umn, and the two guys in the

pickup I just shared about with

you.

They are the kind of people I

would like to be remembered

with.

Happy New Year.

Ken Welborn is the

Publisher of The Record

and Thursday Printing.

To contact him, please call

336-667-0134 or

336-957-7947 or email

kenwelborn@yahoo.com

We Now Return To Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Another holiday season has

come and gone with enough

hustle and bustle, awkward fam-

ily engagement, and general

peopling to make Mother

Theresa yank off her coif and

pull out her hair out.

So there we were, just getting

back into routine after the record

breaking snowpocalypse of

2018, when Christmas and New

Years decided, as they do every

seven years, to fall on a

Tuesday.

That may mean nothing to

most except a very long holiday

weekend, but here in the offices

of The Record, it caused quite a

kerfuffle. You see, Tuesdays are

deadline days when we put the

finishing touches to the manic

Mondays of organizing and con-

verting the paper in general.

This year for two weeks in a

row, our Sunday was really

Monday, and our Monday was

Tuesday, with our deadline cut

short by THREE hours. It was a

veritable madhouse.

Speaking of, does anyone

else get discombobulated during

the holidays (AKA the black

hole where time does not exist)?

My general routine is usually

scheduled by which of my four

jobs I will be at, which school

day it is, or whether its carline

pickup day or bus day. I was just

getting back into routine after

being snowed in-I even missed

an issue of the paper because I

couldn't get out - and then

BAM, holiday work scheduling

on top of holiday family/work

engagements before Christmas

day.

I don't know about you, but I

woke up everyday last week not

knowing what day it was, where

I was supposed to be, or of my

alarm was really supposed to be

going off because, maybe this

was the day I got to sleep in?

This exacerbated by the fact that

my daughter is home from col-

lege and I'm waking up in the

other bedroom. Existence is

confusion. All I have known for

certain in this time warp, was

that it was time to make coffee,

and look to the kitchen calendar

for guidance. (Which by the

way is Star Wars, and I don't

think it coincidence that Master

Yoda is Mr. December…)

Depending on the day, it could

turn into Irish coffee.

I raise my steaming mug of

spiked java to you fellow holi-

day sojourners, and hope the

New Year finds you at peace and

with a fine cup. Caffeine is life,

and pretty much our only hope

of making it out of this time

warp together.

Here's to 2019.

Heather Dean is a theatre major

working in jouralism. She keeps

pinky promises, and never turns

down shenanigans. You can reach her

at therecordofwilkes@gmail.com

The Bowl Burning of 2019

Reflection about life is nec-

essary to live in the balance

between acceptance (perhaps

grief) and hope.

Nothing calls us to this task

of reflection like the end of a

year with its history of good and

bad, and nothing calls us to hope

like a blank calendar yet to be

lived. There is a long standing

practice of burning things that

have brought us pain, but I

found this practice that helps

look into a new year and inten-

tionally bring in hopes and

dreams.

Finding meaning and insight

is looking deeply at what this

year brought-gathering the les-

sons that pain brought and the

hope that progress gave us.

Examining our whole life with

acceptance, not denial, allows

us to gather the lesson and

release it as the year closes out.

This year I plan on ending

the year with a Burning Bowl

ceremony. It helps me invento-

ry the opportunity to learn from

what life brought, examine it all

to make sure I have left no stone

unturned and release what I

choose not to carry with me into

the new year. I start by setting

set up a crystal ashtray

Looking at 2018 I will put

out three pieces of paper and

throughout the day as things

come to mind about what was

hard, and write down the lessons

I learned. This is the examining

phase which allows me to gath-

er insight from what I should be

learning.

Leave it Behind Then make

a separate list of what I don't

want to carry into the new year-

like anger, hurt, and negative

thoughts. A list could include

debt, loss of friendships, grief,

etc.

Blessing the Future Make a

list of what you are inviting into

the new year-peace, financial

serenity, opportunities, love,

friendships, spirituality, etc. It

might be a new living situation,

new friends, new opportunities

for work.

At midnight, light a candle

and read your Examining List

and the lessons that 2018

brought. Then read the Leaving

Behind list and be willing to let

go and leave behind all the

behaviors that are keeping you

stuck. Next light this list on

fire- burn up and leave behind

regret, unproductive anger, guilt

and regret. Clear the slate from

having taken what was useful--

the lesson, and leave behind that

which was not.

Take your Blessing in the

Future List and believe, that

these will be seen in the new

year. On New Year's Day, take

your Blessings List, old maga-

zines and a poster board and

make a vision board for the new

year. Then I keep it out where

you can see it and remind your-

self daily of the bigger picture

and not just aspirations but

hopes for what emotions and

things you want in my life. The

key here is the aspirations for

happiness, peace and content-

ment in different areas of life

versus wanting things to happen

a certain way.

Quest to Destroy Israel

This has been a tough year for

the people of Israel but since 1948

there has never been an easy year

- some are just less tumultuous

than others. In southern Israel ter-

rorists have figured out how to

turn kites, birds and balloons into

weapons of destruction using

them to ignite over 1000 fires

inside of Israel. In addition to the

Gaza kite war, terrorists have sent

barrages of rockets into Israel. In

one day alone over 400 rockets

rained down on innocent Israeli

populations injuring 100 people.

On the surface, the problem in

Gaza appears political but the

heart of the problem is anti-

Semitism. Followers of Allah

relentlessly demonize the Israeli

people as part of their quest to

destroy Israel. Ridding the world

of the Jewish people is the longest

hatred the world has ever known.

For a time, anti-Semitism seemed

to disappear, but it only went into

hiding. Anti-Semitism always

resurfaces and often in a new dis-

guise. But no matter what form it

assumes, the goal never changes.

Jews and Israel are demonized by

stirring up conspiracy theories

and leveling false accusations

against Israel and her people.

American college campuses have

become hotbeds for the spread of

anti-Semitism as Palestinian

groups infiltrate and feed the stu-

dents anti-Israel propaganda.

Last year incidences of anti-

Semitism increased 57 percent

mainly in high schools and on col-

lege campuses.

The internet is another plat-

form being used to spread anti-

Semitic points of view. Here

hate-filled people are free to dis-

seminate lies leading to acts of

violence not only against the peo-

ple of Israel but against all Jews

around the world.

While southern Israel has been

the focus of much of this year's

terrorist activities, there are prob-

lems brewing on Israel's northern

border as well. Hezbollah has

dug tunnels into Israel designed to

cut off entire towns and when the

signal is given, the innocent civil-

ians in these towns were to be

murdered. Thank God Israel has

an excellent intelligence commu-

nity which is able to stop the plans

of the enemy before any action

can be taken. Even so, the north-

ern border remains a concern.

Right now, there are over 10,000

Syrian soldiers positioned on

Israel's northern border. These

soldiers have been trained by Iran.

Hezbollah, which is also backed

by Iran, has fighters strategically

placed along Israel's border with

Lebanon. A Syrian general

recently announced that taking

the Golan Heights back from

Israel is a top priority now that the

civil war is coming to an end and

the United States is withdrawing

from the area.

What happens in Israel has an

impact on every Jew in the world.

We must rally in support of Israel

and the Jewish people and let

them know they are not alone.

We all have a part to play in con-

fronting anti-Semitism on the

local, state and national levels.

All who embrace the freedom,

democracy and Judeo-Christian

values upon which our great

country was founded must stand

in the gap against the evil that

relentlessly pursues the Jewish

people.

Earl Cox is an international

broadcaster and journalist who has

served in senior level positions with

four US presidents. Due to his out-

spoken support for Israel, he has

been recognized by Prime Minister

Netanyahu as a Goodwill

Ambassador from Israel to the

Jewish and Christian communities

around the world and named the

Voice of Israel to America by

Israel's former Prime Minister

Ehud Olmert. Mr. Cox resides in

Charleston SC and in Jerusalem.

Earl Cox Special to The Record

KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

USPS # 019743

THE RECORD is published every Wednesday by Thursday Publications,

Inc., 911 Main Street, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659. Periodicals postage

paid at North Wilkesboro, N.C. POSTMASTER: Send address changes

to THE RECORD, P.O. Box 1061, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659-1061.

Phone 336-667-0134

Publisher — Kenneth P. Welborn

Editor — Jerry A. Lankford

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Inside Wilkes County Outside Wilkes County

One Year - 52 Issues - $20.00 One Year - 52 Issues - $35.00 Two Years - 104 Issues - $32.00

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Single Copy Price 25¢ Copyright 2019 Thursday Publications, Inc.

LAURA WELBORN

Columnist

By Heather Dean Reporter/Photojournalist

The Record - North Wilkesboro, N.C. - January 2, 2018 - Page 5A

Year in Review — Scenes from ChickenFest 2018

Bandits Roost performing on Friday evening at ChickenFest 2018 Crowd favorite Summit Strings also performed on Friday of the festival

Photos by Andy Rhodes

Mike Palmer has assisted with the event since it began Rick Gaughan on bass Cathy Palmer showcased her vocal talents

WKBC Radio’s Ed Racey and Steve Handy emceeded the

Friday night segment of the event.

Herb Key and Jim Lloyd performed on Saturday of ChickenFest 2018

Steve Englebert Jeff Moore

Roger Cranford Alex Key

Fiddling great Ernest Johnson has never missed a ChickenFest Gary Miller on the banjo Lauren Stutts on the Spotlight Stage.

She also sang the National Anthem

The Record - North Wilkesboro, N.C. - January 2, 2018 - Page 6A

2018: A year in review Let there be Livermush Livermush Monday, a tradition that began 14

years ago at a small restaurant called The

Grocery Basket in Ferguson, was again celebrat-

ed on Labor Day Monday, 2018. The event began

when musicians, who had attended the Fiddlers

Convention in Happy Valley the previous week-

end, began to gather at Marjorie Roberts' cafe to

pick out a few tunes with each other and enjoy the

signature southern treat of livermush. As time

went on, the event grew, and now has a tradition

all it's on in the celebration of Marjorie's birth-

day and the reconnection with friends and family,

often coming from as far away as Texas. Shown

above is he official Livermush Monday Crew

from the Grocery Basket in Ferguson. Left to

right are Marjorie Roberts, the 86-year-old pro-

prietor of the restaurant, and her helpers for the

day, granddaughter Margo Foster, grandson,

Austin Burgess, and daughter, Susan Roberts.

Record photo by Ken Welborn

More scenes from ChickenFest 2018

VFW Post 1142 Honor Guard members prepare to raise the flag at The Record Park

Photos by Andy Rhodes

Rude Mood (Jamie Trollinger, Keith Hamlin, Don Brown and guest Mike Earp) on stage Satuday

at ChickenFest 2018.

Members of VFW Post 1142’s Honor Guard raised the flag at

noon Saturday. Photo by Mike Duncan Crabgrass (Sidney McGrady, Donnie Darnell, Gary Jolly, Shelia Sidden, Ronnie Richardson and

Tony Johnson) are always a crowd favorite.

Doug Davis Devaughn Ladd

Larry Griffin Lori Burke and Doreen Pinkerton

An enduring Symbol of Love, Faith, Health, and Hope

As the new year begins, we wanted to take another look at the beautiful Love Light

Tree which sits high atop the Wilkes Medical Center in North Wilkesboro. For 35

years, this annual fundraiser for the Wilkes Medical Center's Auxiliary has evolved

to become a much welcomed annual community event. The tree, which is visible

from great distances, honors a person or group each year for their contributions to

the health and well-being of the community. In November of 2018, the honoree was

announced by Auxiliary President Colleen Manolovich to be surgeon Dr. Jon

Thompson. Since its founding in 1951, the Auxiliary has raised uncounted thousands

of dollars to aid the hospital, the medical community, and the people of Wilkes. They

are to be commended--year round. Record photo by Ken Welborn