Landy Lee Whitener
Feb 12, 2026
Mr. Landy Lee Whitener, 64, of Morganton, passed away on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at his residence, following a period of declining health.
Landy was born on September 2, 1961 in Catawba County to the late Glen Hoover and Peggy Sigmon. He loved to be on a riverbank emersed in nature and was an artistic woodworker, who made magic with his...
Ruby Robinson Hoyle
Feb 11, 2026
Mrs. Ruby Lois Robinson Hoyle, 87, of Morganton, passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at Grace Ridge Retirement Center, following a period of declining health.
Ruby was born on November 27, 1938, in Burke County to the late Leonard Brooks Robinson Sr. and Hazel Bonning Robinson. She was a longtime member, and a former choir director, of North Laurel Baptist...
Gary Wayne Harwell
Feb 9, 2026
Mr. Gary Wayne Harwell, 77, of Hickory, passed away on Monday, February 9, 2026 at Catawba Valley Medical Center, following a brief illness.
Gary was born on July 29, 1948 in Catawba County, NC to the late Ray Herman Harwell and Wilma Collins Harwell. He was a retired truck manager for Hickory Springs and a longtime member of Mount Hebron Baptist...
William Lawrence Ford
Feb 9, 2026
William Lawrence "Bill" Ford, 91, of Morganton, passed away on Monday February 9, 2026, at Amorem, Burke Hospice, after a brief illness.
Mr. Ford was born October 11, 1934 in Burke County, a son of the late Frank C. and Claudia Franklin Ford. He retired as a foreman from Drexel Heritage Furniture Co. After retirement he stayed busy running a tractor,...
Linda Faye Hoilman Robinson
Feb 9, 2026
Linda Faye Hoilman Robinson, 61, of Valdese, North Carolina, passed away on February 9, 2026.
Linda was born February 24, 1964 in Yancey County to the late Millard Hoilman and Blondie Grindstaff Hoilman.
Linda was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. Her family was the center of her world, and everything she did came from a place of love and...
Kenneth Ragan Carter
Feb 8, 2026
Mr. Kenneth Ragan Carter, 79, of Morganton passed away Sunday, February 8, 2026 at UNC Health Blue Ridge in Morganton following a brief period of declining health.
Kenneth was born, October 20. 1946 in Burke County to the late Kenneth William Carter and Edith Clark Carter. He was a proud veteran of the United States Army, serving in Vietnam with the...
Linda Faye Childers Huffman
Feb 8, 2026
Linda Faye Childers Huffman, 81, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Sunday February 8, 2026, at her residence after a period of declining health.
Linda Huffman was born October 5, 1944, in Burke County, a daughter of the late Clarence and Faye Lail Childers. She retired as a CNA in the Healthcare industry and she loved helping with the Samaritan Purse...
Barbara Louise Thomas Ledford
Feb 7, 2026
Barbara Louise Thomas Ledford, 84, of Morganton, passed away on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at UNC Blue Ridge following a period of declining health.
Barbara was born October 15, 1941 in Rutherford County to the late James Thomas and Jessie Nix Thomas. She was devoted to her faith and an active member of Bible Missionary Baptist Church, cherishing time spent with...
Dianna Newton Hudson
Feb 7, 2026
Dianna Newton Hudson, 76, of Morganton, passed away on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at Carolina Rehab Center of Burke following a period of declining health.
Dianna was born on December 4, 1949, in Burke County to the late Martin Edison Newton and Sarah Cook Newton. Affectionately called the “Mother Hen” of her family, she cherished her grandchildren deeply and was a...
Dorothy Tallent
Feb 6, 2026
Mrs. Dorothy “Dot” Marie Brittain Tallent, 85, of Hickory, passed away on Friday, February 6, 2026, at her residence, following a period of declining health.
Dot was born on April 8, 1940, in Burke County, to the late Elmer Brittain and Nelie Smith Brittain. She was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and a member of Wilkie’s Grove Baptist Church....
John Harley Williams
Feb 5, 2026
Mr. John Harley Williams, 93, of Hickory, passed away on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at Frye Regional Medical Center, following a period of declining health.
John was born on July 21, 1932 in Gaston County to the late George Iverson Williams and Bertha Ann Mitchem Williams. He was a proud graduate of Lenoir Rhyne College, a longtime member of Pleasant Grove...
Clyde Eugene Arwood
Feb 5, 2026
Mr. Clyde Eugene Arwood, 58, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at his residence.
Clyde was born on August 22, 1967 in Knox County, TN to the late James Clyde Arwood and Lois Marie Balke Arwood. He was previously employed as a home repair handyman and enjoyed playing video games in in spare time.
Surviving are his three...
Imogene Buchanan Williams
Feb 5, 2026
Imogene Buchanan Williams, 80, of Valdese, went to her Heavenly Home on Thursday February 5, 2026, at Amorem, Burke Hospice, after a period of declining health.
Imogene was born on August 17, 1945, in Onslow County, NC. A daughter of the late David and Nannie Mae Thomas Buchanan. She was a faithful and active member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Valdese,...
Charles Benjamin Leonhardt III
Feb 4, 2026
Charles Benjamin Leonhardt, III, 63, of Valdese, NC, passed away on February 4, 2026.
A graduate of East Burke High School, Class of 1980, Charles proudly served in the United States Army. Known for his gift of gab, he never met a stranger and had a natural talent for connecting with people. A lifelong salesman, he owned the family business, Lake...
William Vernon Kelly
Feb 3, 2026
William Vernon Kelly, 76, of Morganton NC passed away on Tuesday February 3, 2026.
William was known for his faith, and love of family. He loved nature, and his beloved dogs. William retired after a long career with the State of North Carolina.
He is preceded in death, by his parents, Kyle and Clara and sister, Patricia. He is survived by 3...
Kenneth Wayne Franklin
Feb 1, 2026
Kenneth Wayne Franklin, 77, of Valdese, passed away on Sunday February 1, 2026, at Amorem, Burke Hospice, after a period of declining health.
Mr. Franklin was born January 7, 1949, in Burke County, a son of the late Winfred and Lonnie Smith Franklin. Kenneth retired from the NC State Department of Correction. He served his country as a member of the...
Lloyd Junior Jones
Feb 1, 2026
Lloyd Junior Jones, 87, of Morganton, passed away on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at home following a period of declining health.
Lloyd was born on October 8, 1938 in Burke County, a son of the late Bobby Taylor and Dorothy Beam Jones. He always enjoyed working with his hands, and he loved the peace of working out in his yard, especially...
Jeffery Michael Lawson
Jan 30, 2026
Jeffery Michael Lawson, 43, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Friday January 30, 2026, at UNC Healthcare, after a brief illness.
Jeffery was born October 26, 1982, in Orange County, FL, a son of Mark Lawson and Lisa Duquette Lawson Burns. He was employed as a chef in the restaurant industry.
Surviving are his father, Mark Lawson (Joyce), mother Lisa Burns, step-father,...
Michael Joseph Mullins
Jan 29, 2026
Michael Joseph Mullins, 47, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Thursday, January 29, 2026 at his residence following a period of declining health.
Michael was born July 3, 1978 in West Virginia to Michael Ray “Mike” Mullins and Rebecca “Becky” Albugh Wallace. Michael worked as a mechanic and enjoyed his job and helping others when they needed assistance with fixing their...
Gregory Michael Williams
Jan 29, 2026
Mr. Gregory Michael Williams, 60, of Connelly Springs, passed away on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at his residence, following a period of declining health.
Greg was born on November 22, 1965, in Burke County to Joyce Mayfield Wiliams and the late Lewis Williams. He was previously employed as a dye house operator in the hosiery industry. Greg enjoyed being outdoors, and...
