Crowe's Mortuary

Ms. Norma Faye McCurry Thompson "Faye", age 84, of Rutherfordton, NC passed away Thursday, August 17, 2023 at Fair Haven Home of Bostic, NC. She was a lifelong member of Spencer Baptist Church and a graduate of Limestone College. Faye retired from the Rutherford County School System after 32 years of teaching kindergarten. Following her retirement, she devoted her time to her true passion, The Rutherford County Humane Society. She donated her time in saving the animals of Rutherford County, serving on the board of The Humane Society in various capacities which included president and treasurer. Faye's passion for the health and wellbeing of animals was well known. She saved numerous animals...

Rachel Jane Metcalfe Summey, age 94, died Monday, June 27, 2022, in Rutherfordton, NC. She was born on February 16, 1928, to Charles Harold Metcalfe, Sr., and Jennie Louise Hawkins in Cliffside, NC. Rachel graduated from Cool Springs High School in Forest City, NC, attended Mary Washington College, and graduated from Florida Southern University, where she was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She pursued post-graduate studies in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. Rachel married Mark Lee Summey in March, 1957. They devoted themselves to raising their three daughters in Spindale, NC. Rachel was very active in her community and church. She served as Girl Scout leader,...

Sarah Durham Doster, formally of Charlotte, passed away on December 22, 2021 at the age of 92 in Forest City, NC. Sarah was born in Carrboro NC to Margaret and Isaac Durham and attended Carrboro and Chapel Hill schools. She attended UNC-Chapel Hill where she met her future husband, Paul Doster, a World War II Navy vet. Sarah was predeceased by her husband, Paul, and her daughter, Cheryl Meyer and son-in-law, Greg Hils. She is survived by her son, Paul L. Doster, Jr (Laurel), and daughters Patricia Murphy (Denny), Kathryn Kirby (Gray) and Ruth Hils and son-in-law, Andrew Meyer and 7 grandchildren. Sarah retired from Kimbrell's Furniture Company after more than 40 years. Sarah was a...

Kimberly Roy James, age 63, of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, died in her beloved home September 2, 2021. She was the daughter of the late Dolphus Gerard Roy and Phyllis Keeping Smith Roy Bugden. Kim was born on an Air Force base in Delaware and lived in Europe during her early years as an Air Force brat, speaking French and English as a tot. She later spent her teen and early adult years in West Springfield, Massachusetts, marrying and having four children. When she had enough of the cold Northeast winters, she headed west to Arizona for warmth. After a year of that inferno, she moved back east where she settled for the rest of her life in North Carolina to raise her children and look...

Michael Spencer Tanner, born in Rutherfordton March 27, 1935, died at his home August 15, 2021. He attended RS Central High School and the Asheville School, and graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar. He later received a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of North Carolina Asheville. He served two years in the Marines. He retired as president of Doncaster Dress Company after more than three decades at the family business, where he found his greatest joy working alongside his brothers and coworkers. Some of his proudest achievements came while serving multiple terms on the Rutherford County School Board during a period of intense...

Michael Spencer Tanner, born in Rutherfordton March 27, 1935, died at his home August 15, 2021. He attended RS Central High School and the Asheville School, and graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar. He later received a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of North Carolina Asheville. He served two years in the Marines. He retired as president of Doncaster Dress Company after more than three decades at the family business, where he found his greatest joy working alongside his brothers and coworkers. Some of his proudest achievements came while serving multiple terms on the Rutherford County School Board during a period of intense...

Michael Spencer Tanner, born in Rutherfordton March 27, 1935, died at his home August 15, 2021. He attended RS Central High School and the Asheville School, and graduated from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar. He later received a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of North Carolina Asheville. He served two years in the Marines. He retired as president of Doncaster Dress Company after more than three decades at the family business, where he found his greatest joy working alongside his brothers and coworkers. Some of his proudest achievements came while serving multiple terms on the Rutherford County School Board during a period of intense...

Barbara Jane (BJ) Kiser McRorie, 76, of Rutherfordton, North Carolina passed away on April 14, 2021 after a very recent ALS onset. Barbara Jane was preceded in death by her parents, George Leon and Sarah Bland Kiser. She is survived by her husband, Robert Grant McRorie, Jr and her three children; Margaret McRorie Kirk (Hailey) of Franklin, TN, Robert Grant (Mac) McRorie III (Ursula) of Huntersville, NC and George Warren McRorie (Andrea) of Davidson, NC. Barbara Jane has seven grandchildren; Sarah Kirk Florian (Hunter) (24), William Hailey Kirk IV (Sarah Catherine) (22), Alexander Grant McRorie (17), Ava Ione McRorie (15), Luke Christopher McRorie (15), Catherine Louise McRorie (14) and...

Thomas Neil Ward, age 57, passed away Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at his home. Tommy suffered a stroke in November 2019 and was lovingly cared for over the last year by his wife and daughter with the help of Hospice of the Carolina Foothills. Tommy was a graduate of Eastern Guilford High School, Class of 1982. He enjoyed playing the guitar, fishing and raising his daughters. Tommy was an expert mechanical machinist, working all over the state of NC in the plastics molding business. He is survived by his wife Tonya Lopossay Ward; daughters Kansas, Ariel, and Katlyn Ward; father Linwood Ward; mother Marian Stuart and step-father Johnny Stuart; sisters Pamela and Elizabeth Ward and their...

Rudolph (Rudy) Lee Edwards age 82 passed away Wednesday February 3, 2021 at Hospice of the Carolina Foothills in Forest City. Rudolph was born in Rutherford County on July 14, 1938 to the late Dr. Henry Hicks and Vernie Hefner Edwards. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Rudolph was a 1955 graduate of RS Central High School. He obtained his law degree from UNC Chapel Hill and then he established his law practice in Durham, which spanned over fifty years. Survivors include his sister, Jayne E. Wilson and her husband Winfred, Nieces; Cindy Wright (Pete), Jill Smith (Willie) and Penny Newton (Russ). Rudy was preceded in death by siblings Walter B. Wilson and William D....

Willie Lee Hodge age 84 of Rutherfordton, NC passed away on November 15th at his home. Willie was the son of the late Marie Effie Flynn Hodge, and Sidney Breymon Hodge. Left to cherish his memory are his wife Ruthie Hodge; children Timothy Hodge, Randy Hodge, and Debra Hodge Hedgecock; sister, Barbara Hodge Haynes, grandchildren Jeni Hodge, Steven Hodge, Amy Hodge Whinsant, Alexander Hodge, Maegan Hedgecock Thomas, and Sarah Hedgecock; Great grandchildren Allison, Marley, Al, and Sincere; In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife Esther Hodge. Willie (Bill) Lee Hodge was a devoted father and husband always. Over his life he was a NCSU graduate, chemist, Boy Scout...

Barbara Earleen Douglas passed on November 4, 2020. She is preceded in death by her husband, Tom Douglas. A graveside memorial service will be held Sunday November 8, 2020 2PM at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church Cemetery, 2676 Hudlow Road Forest City, NC 28043. Online condolences may be made at www.crowesmortuary.com.

James Melvin White, age 43, of the Bill's Creek Community, went home to be with the Lord on April 30, 2020. James leaves behind a wife of 21 years, Ora Katherine "Katie" Street White and a precious 7 year old son, Leo Ronson White of the home. In addition to Leo, there are 3 wonderful children that brought so much love into his heart and life-Hayden, Maranda and Gage of Blacksburg, SC; parents Norris and Faye White of the Shingle Hollow Community, mother in law Pat Street of the home. James has a wonderful and loved brother Steve White (Tina), niece Nevaeh and nephew Jeremiah Earls and a loving brother in law Jacob Dean Street of Taylorsville. There are many loving aunts, uncles and cousins....

Spindale, NC Anne Beatty Oakman, age 84 died Friday evening, 28th February2020 after a period of failing health. She died peacefully surrounded by her family. She was a native of Spindale and lived most of her adult life there. She was the daughter of Emily Grayson and Carl Lucrick Beatty. She was a first-generation college graduate, Anne received her Bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University in Psychology and her Master's degree from Appalachian State University in Counseling. She held a few intermittent teaching jobs, before eventually working thirty-seven years with Rutherford County Public Schools. As a career educator, she taught Economics and French at RS Central High...

Charlotte Hope Meaders Whitaker was born on September 3rd 1928 in Atlanta, GA to the late Charlotte Hope Smith Meaders, and James Capers Meaders. Charlotte was under Hospice care, and passed away on February 6th, 2020 at The Berkeley in Morganton, NC. In addition to her parents, Charlotte was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, James Carlton Whitaker; brother James Fletcher Meaders; and sister Emily Anne Meaders Kimberly. Charlotte is survived by her daughter Charlotte Patricia Whitaker of Rutherfordton, NC; brother Paul McLarin "Larry" Meaders (Frances) of Peachtree City, GA; sister Alice Meaders Glass (Roger) of Cumming, GA; nine nieces and nephews, eleven great nieces and...

Millicent Kay McCurry Harrill, age 81, of Sherman Drive Forest City passed away Tuesday July 2, 2019 at Oak Grove Health Care Center. Millicent was the widow of the late Don Harrill and daughter of the late Leonard and Winona Goode McCurry. She was a member of First United Methodist Church Forest City, a retired social worker for the State of North Carolina and co- founder of Casket Sales Inc. Millicent graduated from Cool Springs High School in 1955 and Limestone College in 1959. She was president of Alpha Delta Sorority and the president of the senior class at Limestone College. Millicent was an Atlanta Braves and Carolina Panthers fan, co-founder of the Broughton reunion and a former...

Billie C. Metcalf, a resident of Salt Lake City Utah, passed peacefully from this life March 23rd with a smile and one last deep breath. Bill lived most of his life in Western North Carolina, as Bill always described his home, and swore he'd never leave, in fact saying we'd have to drag his dead body out with his boots on. However due to illness Bill needed care and moved to Florida and then Utah to be close to family. He is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, Margie Fay Nanney Metcalf, a brother Mike Metcalf, his son Rowan C. Metcalf (Barbara), Jennifer Metcalf Elder (John), five grandchildren, four great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, wonderful cousins, and many dear...

Billie C. Metcalf, a resident of Salt Lake City Utah, passed peacefully from this life March 23rd with a smile and one last deep breath. Bill lived most of his life in Western North Carolina, as Bill always described his home, and swore he'd never leave, in fact saying we'd have to drag his dead body out with his boots on. However due to illness Bill needed care and moved to Florida and then Utah to be close to family. He is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, Margie Fay Nanney Metcalf, a brother Mike Metcalf, his son Rowan C. Metcalf (Barbara), Jennifer Metcalf Elder (John), five grandchildren, four great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, wonderful cousins, and many dear...