Linda Gail Pierce, 68, of Newton, passed away Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Catawba Valley Medical Center. Born September 6, 1957, she was the daughter of the late Harry Nelson Fairman and Reta Mae Shaw Fairman.
She is survived by her son, Cory Pierce (Laura) of Hickory; her grandchildren, Emma and Owen Pierce of Hickory; and her beloved dogs, Nugget and...
Grady James Shew Jr., 77, of Granite Falls, passed away Saturday, October 25, 2025, at his home. Born October 20, 1948, he was the son of the late Grady James Shew Sr. and Dorothy Pearl Shew.
Grady was a loving father, grandfather, and uncle. He enjoyed fishing, loved watching Westerns, and had a fondness for Crepe Myrtles.
He is survived by his...
Gordon Elliot Pugh, 69, of Conover, passed away Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at his home. Born November 18, 1955, he was the son of Roy Prentice Pugh and Eunice Avinell Gillentine Pugh.
He was a true renaissance man—talented, creative, and endlessly resourceful. Known for his gift of conversation, he could talk with anyone and make them feel right at home. He...
James Tony Brooks Sr., 62, of Lenoir, passed away Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at Lenoir Health & Rehabilitation Center. Born January 8th, 1963, he was the son of James Monty Brooks and Sylvia Brooks Neal.
He was an avid fisherman who found peace and joy on the water, especially when sharing those moments with his children. By trade, he was a...
Scott Curtis Royal, 65, of Denver, passed away Monday, October 20, 2025. Born December 30, 1959, he was the son of Raymond Henderson Royal Jr. and Kathleen Royal.
Please sign the online guestbook at www.caringcremations.net. The Royal family has entrusted arrangements to Caring Cremations Life Celebrations and Funerals at 828-855-3350.
Scott Jerome Locklear, 56, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. He was born on April 9, 1969, in Hickory, North Carolina.
Scott graduated from Hickory High School in 1987 and went on to build a dedicated career as a talented furniture trimmer. A true jack-of-all-trades, Scott had...
Jackie Simmons Burns was called home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on October 15, 2025, at the age of 65. Born on June 4, 1960, into a large and loving family, Jackie’s vibrant spirit lit up every room she entered. A true firecracker, she was known for her boundless energy, determination, and tenacity, qualities that carried...
Stanley Roy McRae, 65, of Conover, passed away Monday, October 13, 2025, at Catawba Valley Medical Center. Born August 12, 1960, in New York, to Stanley Roy McRae and Gladys McRae.
Stanley was raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he graduated from Commerce High School. He began his career in the U.S. Navy, taking pride in serving his country with honor and...
Ernest "Ernie" Richard Cluckey, 89, of Morganton, passed away Friday, October 10, 2025, at his home. Born July 8, 1936, in South Lyon, MI, he was the son of the late Earl Edward Cluckey and Alta Florence Cluckey.
Ernie enjoyed the outdoors and traveling, was an excellent bowler, and loved watching westerns and baseball. He also liked listening to country and...
Grace Leebody Luney (Gaye) was born Grace Leebody Morrison on October 9, 1935, at home, 18 Island Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, to George and Mary Morrison. She lived through WWII, where Belfast was a target of bombing due to its shipbuilding industry. She was moved to the countryside with other children and endured the rationing imposed during and after the...
Bonnie Lou Carroll Puffer, 87, of Hickory, passed away Thursday, October 9, 2025, at her home. Born August 19, 1938, she was the daughter of the late Hillery Carroll and Mary Lucille Gardner Carroll. She loved spending her time bowling, cooking, and shopping—always with an eye for fashion. She could name every brand of clothes and shoes, taking pride in...
Joshua Eugene Knight, born February 25, 1987, passed away peacefully on October 4, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones.
Joshua was a devoted husband, loving father, and loyal friend who touched the lives of everyone who knew him. He had a kind heart, a strong spirit, and a deep love for his family. Whether lending a helping hand, sharing laughter, or...
Dawn Marie King, 62, of Hickory, passed away Friday, October 3, 2025, at her daughter's home, where she had recently moved. Born May 31, 1963, she was the daughter of the late James Leroy King and Marvia Joyce King.
Dawn will be remembered as a strong, caring, compassionate, and resilient woman.
She is survived by her daughter, Jesusa Marie Street (Forrest Freddy...
Kenneth Walter Smith, 58, of Hickory, passed away Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at Frye Regional Medical Center. Born January 7th, 1967, he was the son of Larry Walter Smith and Gladys Victoria Snipes Smith. He taught at Samurai Institute LLC and dedicated over 40 years of his life to martial arts. He was also a proud Mason of Riverside Lodge,...
Jonathan "Chad" Ward, 57, of Hickory, passed away Sunday, September 28, 2025, at his home. Born February 5, 1968, he was the son of the late James Carroll Ward and Sara Burns Causey.
Chad was a loving father, dedicated husband, and loyal friend. A man of simple joys, he found great happiness in the things that brought him closer to nature...
Willie Mae Moore Burnes, 80, of Lenoir, passed away Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at Caldwell Memorial Hospital. Born June 11th, 1945, she was the daughter of the late Willie Ulysses Moore and Lois Crutch. Willie was a kind-hearted woman who faced many challenges in life, yet never hesitated to share what she had, even when it was little. She deeply...
Kimberly "Kimmy" Bobbi Welch-Nichols, 36, of Mooresville, passed away unexpectedly Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Born January 30th, 1989, she was the daughter of Robert Eugene Welch and Cathy Mae Osborne Welch. Kimmy was a beautiful soul who left this world too soon. She was the kind of person who’d drop everything to help a friend, even if it was just...
Ronald Garland “Buck” Meeks, 87, of Hickory, NC, passed away peacefully at home on September 20, 2025, surrounded by his loving wife and daughters.
Born in Leaksville, NC, on October 19, 1937, Buck was the son of the late Marshall and Annie Meeks. He graduated from Morehead High School in 1956 and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to...
Barbara Faye Fain Jarrett, 83, of Vale, passed away Thursday, September 18, 2025, at Stanley Total Living Center. Born January 25th, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Joseph Sherman Fain and Oaksie Erline Wojtyczka.
She is survived by her daughters, Sandy Lusk of Huntersville and Cathy Robinson (Joel) of Huntersville; her granddaughter, Lacy Robinson; her nieces, Debbie Thomas and...
In Loving Memory of Curtis Ray Shook
Curtis Ray Shook, 64, of Maiden, passed away peacefully on September 16, 2025. Born on May 28, 1961, he was the son of the late Jerry Shook and Betty Parker. Curtis was a beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend. Curtis had a true love for fishing and racing. When he was feeling...