Author: Mary Beth Pope

Norman Smith Richards of Davidson died on June 4, 2022 after a brief illness.

He was born on October 6, 1932 in Lancaster, SC, the son of the late James Prioleau Richards and Katharine Wylie Richards. He graduated from Heath Springs High School in Heath Springs, SC and served two years in Europe with the US Army Airborne. He then entered Davidson College where he graduated in 1957.

He spent his entire career in sales and sales management in the packaging industry, first with Sonoco Products, and finally with JR Cole Industries of Charlotte.

Norman is survived by his wife, Zelime Dickson Richards (Lemie) and their four sons: Joe (Helen), Dick (Garnett), Norman (Lillian), and George (Michelle). Their nine grandchildren were one of the joys of his life. They are John, Genie (Pedro Oliviera), Joe, Henry, Clay, Leemie, Susan, Lilly Carl, and Davis. He also is survived by his sister Jane Richards Elliott, brother-in-law George Dickson (Ann), and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and brother, Rich (Dot).

Norman had a life-long interest in sports, especially Davidson Wildcats, and loved hiking in the mountains. He and Lemie also enjoyed travel. He was a YMCA member for more than fifty years and served several terms on the Lake Norman Board of Managers. He was a member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church, where he was an elder. In the community, Norman was active with Meals on Wheels, Second Harvest, and Loaves and Fishes. He was also an avid gardener and loyal to Davidson College.

Memorials may be sent to Davidson College Presbyterian Church (PO Box 337, Davidson, NC 28036); The Pines Residents Fund (400 Avinger Lane, Davidson, NC 28036) or Davison College (405 North Main St. 28036). A service of thanksgiving for Norman’s life will be held on Friday, June 10 at 3:00 p.m. at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. The family will greet friends following the service in the Congregation House. Online condolences at www.jamesfuneralhomelkn.com.

Judge William W. Bivins died June 2, 2022 in Gilbert, Arizona, of complications from Covid-19. He was ninety-one.

William Wilder Bivins was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 15, 1931. He went to Davidson College and Vanderbilt Law School. He served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, where he was a star player for the Army tennis team.

In 1958 Bivins moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to practice law. In 1982 he was elected to the New Mexico Court of Appeals in Santa Fe. He served part of his tenure as Chief Judge and was named Outstanding Judge of the Year in 1990.

After retirement, Judge Bivins returned to Nashville where he engaged in volunteer work: teaching remedial reading, English as a second language, and public speaking. In 2017 he moved to Gilbert, AZ, to be near his daughter and her family. He is author of the novella “I Am a Part of All that I Have Met.”

He was married twice: to Mary Stahmann, then to Linda Roether. Though he never remarried after his second marriage, he reconnected in Nashville with a childhood sweetheart, Mary Follin, with whom he enjoyed a loving relationship for many years. Mary Follin predeceased him.

Judge Bivins is survived by his children: William Bivins, Jr., Dean Bivins, Jonathan Bivins, and Alli Bongianni; and five grandchildren: Samuel Bivins, Zachary Bivins, Claire Bivins, Nicolas Bongianni, and Olivia Bongianni.

Thomas Moore Craig, 77, retired educator, former legislator, and community volunteer, of Cragmoor Farms, Roebuck, SC died Thursday, June 2, 2022 at Spartanburg Medical Center.

He was born in Charlotte, NC, the son of the late Lena Heath Jones Craig and Thomas Moore Craig, Sr. He was a lifelong resident of Spartanburg County.

He was educated in Spartanburg School District Seven schools, graduating from Spartanburg High School where he was President of the Student Body in 1962. He attended Davidson College, graduating in 1966 with a double major in French and history. He spent the 1964-1965 school year at the University of Montpellier, France. He was awarded the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award at graduation.

Craig earned a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Converse College and completed requirements for a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina.

He worked for Spartanburg District Seven schools for thirty years as a history teacher, administrator (Principal of Jesse Boyd Elementary School), and Director of Guidance at Spartanburg High School. He served on the SC Governor’s School Advisory Committee, the Stuart Scholars Selection Committee at Davidson College, and the Duke Power Scholars Selection Committee. He was a member of the selection committee for the National Merit Scholarship Program, Evanston, IL in 1995-1996.

Craig was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1972 at age 27, serving on the Education Committee and as Secretary of the Spartanburg County Legislative Delegation. He was most proud of being the sponsor, along with Reps. Mendel Rivers and Wheeler Tillman of a successful bill which for the first time, allowed motorists to turn right on a red light. He sponsored the state’s first Fair Employment and Dismissal law for teachers and was an early proponent of land trust and preserve legislation.

Gov. John C. West appointed him to the South Carolina Commission on Human Affairs in 1975 for a four year term and Gov. Richard Riley appointed him to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education in 1986 where he served until 1991.

He was a member of the Board of the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville and Executive Council of the South Carolinian Library, Columbia-2013.

Tom Moore Craig was an active participant in the Spartanburg community. Among boards he served was the Hatcher Garden (Chairman), Spartanburg County Historical Association, Hub Culture, Spartanburg County Forestry Board (Chairman). He was a Deacon at Spartanburg First Presbyterian Church.

For his entire adult life he served Walnut Grove Plantation, his family’s original home in Spartanburg County, as a Committee Member, volunteer, and fund raiser. Craig’s parents gave Walnut Grove for restoration to the Historical Association in the early 1960’s. Craig and his sister, Susan Craig Murphy, have since given an additional 50 adjacent acres to the Plantation to ensure its protection.

In 2009, the University of South Carolina Press published Craig’s Upcountry South Carolina Goes to War, a volume of family letters written during the Civil War period.

Craig is survived by his brother in law, John R. Murphy; two nephews, John R. Murphy, Jr. of Syracuse, NY and Thomas Craig Murphy of France.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Susan Heath Craig Murphy.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate Tom’s life on August 4th, 9:30AM at Nazareth Presbyterian Church, 680 Nazareth Church Rd, Moore, SC 29369. A reception will follow.

Memorials may be made to Hatcher Gardens, P O Box 2337, Spartanburg, SC 29304 or to Walnut Grove Plantation, P O Box 887, Spartanburg, SC 29304.

Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.JMDunbar.com.

Dunbar Funeral Home & Crematory

On May 30, 2022, Charles A. Engh, Sr., of Alexandria, VA and most recently of Stuart, FL. passed away peacefully. Born September 13, 1938, in Alexandria, VA and preceded in death by his parents Otto and Sara Engh.

“Dr. Charles”, as he was fondly called by his patients, was an internationally renowned total hip arthroplasty surgeon and a pioneer in the development of the porous-coated cementless implant for hips; an innovation that has changed the nature of joint replacement surgery worldwide. He received his bachelor’s degree from Davidson College in North Carolina and attended medical school at the University of Virginia. He completed his orthopaedic residency at Johns Hopkins and a fellowship at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, DC.

He practiced at National Hospital for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation in Arlington, Virginia from 1972 through 1993, which was started by his father, Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic founder, Otto Engh. From 1993 until his retirement in 2010 he practiced at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital in Alexandria Virginia.

Throughout his career he focused on patient care pathways to improve the quality and consistency of the hip replacement experience.

At the start of his practice, he was one of two surgeons in the Washington, DC area with an FDA license to use bone cement. Failures of cemented implants fueled his desire to find another method. In 1985 his work with cementless femoral fixation led to the first implant approved by the FDA for use without cement. He was an ardent advocate for biologic fixation even when most leading hip replacement centers in the United States were just using cement. He believed that cementless implants would provide long-term fixation and his autopsy studies proved that his theories were correct.

Charles established the Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute (AORI) in 1972. It continues to provide ground-breaking research relating to total joint arthroplasty. Reviewing data collected on his patients enabled him to understand what contributed to the success of hip replacement. He was the first in the country to have data on the outcomes from cementless hip implants. Throughout his career the goal of his research was to develop a hip replacement that would serve patients for their entire lives. Along with his clinical and research work, he was instrumental in the development of the Anderson Clinic Post-Graduate Medical Education Foundation which has trained over 100 hip and knee arthroplasty fellows since 1983. He took great pride in mentoring fellows to support the next generation of orthopedists.

He was the winner of several prestigious awards including, The Hip Society’s John Charnley and Otto Aufranc awards, the AAHKS Lawrence D. Dorr award twice, and in 2013 – The Hip Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He published over 190 articles in orthopedic journals and 19 book chapters, as well as a book on joint replacement.

All who knew Charles will remember him for his love of sailing and spending time at his home on St. Leonard’s Creek in Lusby, Maryland. Charles was an avid sailor, a passion he developed as a boy sailing on a small pond at Effingham, his family’s farm in Virginia. He enjoyed spending time on the water, whether it be sailboat racing on the Chesapeake Bay or sailing in the Caribbean during the winter.

When not racing his sailboat or on the water Charles could be found at his home in Maryland. He had an eye for beauty and making his surroundings a place for all to enjoy. He had a passion for antiques, architectural and landscape design. He spent much of his free time at antique auctions or designing and planting at his Maryland home.

Charles is survived by his brother, Gerard A. Engh and sister, Sally E. Reger; former wife, Eleanor B. Engh; children: Charles A. Engh Jr. (Anna), Eleanor “Rusty” Golden (Kevin), Elizabeth E. Ware (Dudley); six grandchildren: Catherine and Charlie Engh, Emily Golden, Liza, Guil and Cate Ware; and Cassandra Robbins.

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute at http://www.aori.org/

Charles David Blue, 79, of Lynchburg, Va., passed away on Saturday May 28, 2022. He was born on October 15, 1942, in Fayetteville, N.C., the son of the Reverend David Fairley Blue Jr. and Thelma Walker Blue.

David is survived by his loving wife, Betty Trevey Blue; two children and their families, Susan Blue and Jeff Starke and their two children, Emma Blue (12), and Walker (9), of Irvine, Calif., and David and Jenn (Adams) Blue and their three children, Brady (11), Harper (8), and Mason (6), of Arlington, Va.

David was a graduate of Davidson College and served in the U.S. Airforce from 1965 to 1970 attaining the rank of Captain. He later moved to Lynchburg, Va. in 1980 and was the owner of Management Recruiters of Lynchburg. David was an active member of the community and First Presbyterian Church.

David and Betty were married on Valentine’s Day During the great blizzard of 1970. David was late to the Wedding due to the bad weather and guests couldn’t make it to the ceremony. Despite the issues around the wedding, they were happily married and great partners in life for the last 52 years.

David enjoyed life in Lynchburg with his neighbors on Oriole Place. The antics of the Oriole Place Crew created legends and stories that will be told for years and served as a shining example of what true friendship is. He also enjoyed spending time on The Farm in Bedford County.

David was a great storyteller and lively debater. He loved nothing more than a good debate with friends and never lost an argument with the TV.

In lieu of flowers please consider giving to: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html, First Presbyterian Church of Lynchburg’s Malawi fund, https://www.fpcly.org/world-mission.html?layout=edit&id=308

A private memorial service will be held this Summer in David’s honor.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg is assisting the family. To send condolences, please visit www.tharpfuenralhome.com.