Category: 1949

On Wednesday, December 23rd, at home and surrounded by his family, Robert Charles Etheridge passed away at the age of 93 after a 20 year battle with COPD.

Bob Etheridge was born on March 16, 1927 at Georgia Baptist Hospital in Atlanta, twelve minutes after his fraternal twin, the late Jack Paul Etheridge. He grew up on Peachtree Road just east of current Lenox Square, attended R L Hope Elementary School, graduated from high school at the Darlington School in Rome, GA, and enrolled at Davidson College in North Carolina.

In 1945 he persuaded his father, a Fulton County Superior Court judge, to pull strings to get him into the Army despite his 4F status. After serving at Fort Jackson through the end of WWII, he enrolled in the Business School at Emory University and graduated with a BBA in 1949.

In June of 1949 Bob and Mary Elizabeth Jackson were married. They had two sons, Charles and Zach, and a daughter, Virginia. Less than a year after their wedding, their surviving parents (Bob’s mother and Mary Elizabeth’s father), who had met at the same high school graduation party where their children’s romance began, were also married, creating a curious family situation in which the young newlyweds technically became step-brother and -sister, and their children could describe themselves as their own cousins, which delighted them no end.

After eight years as a schedule engineer with the Atlantic Steel Company and a short stint with the New England Life Insurance Company, Bob’s powerful faith led him to move his young family to Brazil, where he served as treasurer for the West Brazil Mission of the Presbyterian Church (US). There he faced the challenge of being a layman in a culture where all missionaries were assumed to be ordained preachers.

He adjusted successfully to a new language, a new banking system, and a currency subject to chronic hyperinflation. He also learned to adapt the Lord’s work to local reality; his was surely one of the few budgets ever submitted to the Presbyterian Church that included a line in the expense column labeled “money for bribes.”

After serving for 24 years in Brazil, Bob worked for two years as mission treasurer in Kinshasa, Zaire (where cash came in bricks and a careless word could get you arrested by dictator Mobuto’s thugs) then wound up his career with another five years’ service at Presbyterian Church headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.

A lifelong fascination with airplanes led to a pilot’s license and the purchase of a Piper J3 Cub in 1958; one of Bob’s great regrets was selling the plane when he moved to Brazil. Ten years later he bought an old Cessna 172, renewed his license, and eventually completed an epic 5000-mile flight from Campinas, Brazil to Atlanta with his wife and daughter aboard. He was so thoughtful and committed a family man, however, that when his closest friend died in a plane crash Bob sold the 172 and never flew again.

Bob Etheridge was defined by his faith, his marriage, and his abiding urge to be as good a person as he could be. With Mary Elizabeth’s constant support and encouragement they committed their lives to their Christian ideals, setting an unforgettable example for their children and all who knew them. Bob was beloved for his kindness, generosity, and forgiveness; he never lost faith in anyone (except perhaps a few politicians), and always looked for the good in everyone he encountered.

Bob Etheridge is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mary Elizabeth; and by his son Zach and daughter Virginia, granddaughters Elizabeth and Mary Claire, and great-grandchildren Robert and Gina.

Arrangements for a memorial service will be announced by North Decatur Presbyterian Church at a later date. The family suggests that gifts to honor Bob’s life be made to North Decatur Presbyterian Church in Decatur.

Copyright (c) 2021 The Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution

The Rev. Dr. William Fife Long died on Thursday, November 5 at Salemtowne Babcock Health Care in Winston-Salem. He was born February 9, 1926, in High Point, the son of the late David Allison Long Jr. and Jennie Mae Fife Long of Thomasville. He grew up in Thomasville where he was a member of First Presbyterian Church and served as its organist while still in high school.

A WWII veteran, he served in the 78th Infantry Division 1st Battalion of the 310th Regiment, and participated in the battles of Remagen Bridgehead and Ruhr Pocket. Following VE-Day he was a chaplain’s assistant in Berlin before being discharged in 1946. He was awarded the Bronze Star.

He graduated from Davidson College in 1949 and UNC Law School in 1952, and later earned a D.Min. degree from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. He met his wife, Ann Phifer Hammond, in Charlotte while practicing law, and they married in 1955.

Ordained on January 26, 1958 as a Presbyterian minister, he served as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Mocksville, Armstrong Memorial Presbyterian Church in Gastonia, and First Presbyterian Church of Hamlet.

Dr. Long and his wife moved back to Mocksville in 1980 where they restored and lived in the historic Jesse Clement House before moving to Salemtowne Retirement Community in 2006. He was honorably retired by Salem Presbytery in 1984 but continued working as Interim Supply or Temporary Supply in Salem Presbytery. He also was a part-time chaplain at the VA Hospital in Salisbury.

Dr. Long was active in YMCA work in Davie County and in the American Cancer Society in Gastonia, and also in the ministerial associations of communities he served. He was a commissioner to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1975, and was a trustee of Davidson College from 1972 to 1980.

Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Ann; his daughter Nancy Metzler and her husband, Charles, of Charlotte; his son, William F. Long, Jr. and husband Dr. Raymond Hahn of San Francisco; three grandchildren, Elizabeth Metzler, Andrew Metzler and his wife Jessica, and John Metzler; a sister, Mary Jarrell of High Point; a brother, the Rev. Dr. David Long of Jamestown and his wife Mellie; and an extended and well-loved family of cousins, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 11:00 am at the Long family plot at Calvary United Church of Christ cemetery, 1410 Lexington Ave., in Thomasville, NC 27360.

Memorials may be made to Salemtowne Resident Assistance Fund, or to Presbyterian World Missions @ presbyterianmission.org. Online condolences may be sent to www.jcgreenandsons.com.

Barrett Rives Richardson, Sr. was born on April 5, 1928 in Portsmouth and passed away on October 23, 2020. He was the son of the late Junius Richardson and Agnes Lash Richardson and grew up on Court Street in Old Towne Portsmouth. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1946, received a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College in 1949 and a master’s degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1950. Barry was an English instructor at Wake Forest College from 1950-1951 and then enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard.

He subsequently graduated from Officer Candidate School at the U. S. Coast Guard Academy in 1952, and was on active duty until 1954, when he transitioned to the Coast Guard Reserve and began working as an editorial writer and page editor, directly under the publisher of the Portsmouth Star. He had an illustrious newspaper career for the next thirty-nine years. When the Star merged with the Ledger-Dispatch, he continued writing editorials for three years.

In 1958, he was transferred to the news department of the Ledger-Star and covered a variety of beats, including business, education, medical, courts and city government. Barry became a copy editor in 1962, assistant Portsmouth-Chesapeake editor in 1966 and Portsmouth city editor in 1967, in charge of Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Suffolk news operations.

During this time, he named the Portsmouth Currents, Norfolk Compass, Virginia Beach Beacon and Chesapeake Clipper, publications highlighting local features of those cities. After the newsrooms of the Ledger-Star and Virginian-Pilot merged in 1982, he retired as Public Editor and Ombudsman on April 30, 1993.

After retirement, Barry was an adjunct faculty member at Tidewater Community College and Christopher Newport University, teaching English composition and journalism.

Barry also retired as a Commander in the Coast Guard Reserve, serving for 21 years in a wide variety of billets afloat and ashore, including two separate unit commands. During his duty in one of these commands, his unit was judged best in the Fifth Coast Guard district.

Barry had a great sense of humor and loved all animals, especially cats, prompting one of his granddaughters to describe him on Grandparent’s Day at her elementary school as “Pop is really good with cats!”

His backyard in Portsmouth was a sanctuary for all creatures, including birds, squirrels, and the occasional opossum. He was beloved by many dogs in his Green Acres neighborhood for carrying dog biscuits in his pockets and dispensing them freely on his daily walks.

The family would like to thank caregivers Gaye Cuffee, Tamika Hunter, Jasmine Jones, and Etienne Williams for their love, kindness, patience, and professionalism which has meant so much, and for other caregivers who were much appreciated over the last five years when he lived at Lake Prince Woods in Suffolk. The family would also like to thank Sentara Hospice and nurse Tammy Williams for comfort and care in Barry’s final days.

Barry is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Nell Bryant Richardson, his children Ellen Richardson Davenport, Barrett Richardson, Jr., and John Bryant Richardson, and two granddaughters, Alice Brooks Davenport and Julia Barrett Davenport.

Burial will be private, and a memorial service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be offered to the Endowment Fund of Monumental United Methodist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Condolences may be offered online at www.sturtevantfuneralhome.com

Copyright: Copyright (c) 2020 The Virginian-Pilot

Carl August Pahl, of Dunwoody, Georgia, passed away peacefully on October 18, 2020 at the age of 94. Carl was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Charlotte; his sister, Isle and niece, Charlotte.

Survivors include his loving wife of 63 years, Jean Pahl; daughter and son-in-law Karen and Rick Broth and son, David Pahl; Grandchildren: Blaine and Austin Broth, Taylor and Ryan Pahl and nephew, Terry of Charlotte, NC.

Carl was born on December 17,1925 in Arkansas. He graduated from Memphis Tech High School in 1943 where he played football and was student body president.

Carl was offered a scholarship to Yale University at 17 years old and was the youngest starter on the Varsity Football team. He served one year in the US Army Corp and completed his education and playing football at Davidson College. Carl had long careers with Eastman Kodak and Digital Equipment Corporation.

After retiring, he volunteered for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta where he managed the Hospitality Suite and met dignitaries from all over the world. Carl married the love of his life, Jean, an American Airlines flight attendant, and they lived most of their lives in Dunwoody, Georgia.

Upon retiring, Carl spent many happy hours with his family and could always be found cheering on his grandchildren from the sidelines of their sport of choice. Carl was a “people-lover” with an infectious smile and chuckle and positive attitude about life. He will be missed by all his family and dear friends.

A private family memorial service will be held October 31, 2020, at Fischer Funeral Chapel with David Melton of Dunwoody United Methodist officiating.

A special thanks to the doctors and nursing staff at the Lenbrook Healthcare Floor.

Please sign the online guest book at www.fischerperimeterchapel.com. Fischer Funeral Care, Atlanta (678)514-1000.

 Copyright (c) 2020, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Dr. Miller was born in Gastonia NC on September 25, 1928, the son of the late Dr. Oscar Lee Miller and Rose Evans Miller. He died on October 5, 2020, peacefully in his sleep at home in Summerville, SC.

We celebrate his long and meaningful life, his love for the Lord and for his family and for his faithful service to the Church.

Dr. Miller attended Charlotte city schools and graduated from Central High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Davidson College. He received his Bachelor of Divinity Degree cum laude from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond VA. Dr. Miller also did postgraduate work at New College, University of Edinburgh and Westminster College, Cambridge University. He received his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA.

Dr. Miller was an honorably retired minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and a member of Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery. Following graduation from seminary he was Interim Bible Professor at Peace College, Raleigh, NC. He served pastorates in Jason and Snow Hill, NC, Rocky Mount, NC and Old Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church, Laurinburg, NC.

He also served as Presbyterian Campus Minister at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC and Chaplain at The Presbyterian Home of South Carolina, Summerville, SC. Following retirement Dr. Miller served as Parish Associate of the Summerville Presbyterian Church where he was a very active affiliate member and a faithful participant in the Seekers Sunday School Class.

Dr. Miller grew up in the Myers Park Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC where he was actively involved in youth programs. His dedication to the church universal continued throughout his life. He was twice commissioner to the PCUS General Assembly and served as Moderator of Albemarle Presbytery. He was a longtime member of Bread for the World and supported the Lowcountry Food Bank in Charleston, SC. While at Davidson he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity.

Dr. Miller’s interests and activities were many and varied. His world travels took him to the Belgian Congo, along with several trips to Europe and a freewheeling motorcycle excursion from Cambridge, England to Jerusalem, Israel. He was a Life Scout and served as Scoutmaster of Troop 205 in Greenville, NC. He attended the 1974 National Jamboree and hiked along the Appalachian Trail.

He enjoyed various nature activities and possessed a true appreciation for God’s created world. He taught his two boys to hunt and fish with varying success. Dr. Miller was strongly dedicated to the spiritual life of children and young people. He established a scholarship in memory of his wife Dowdy Hardy Miller designated for educational ministry with children. He enjoyed the Summerville Symphony and also supported local theater presentations by Flowertown Players of Summerville.

Dr. Miller was a genuine Bible scholar who could quote chapter and verse and continued his lifelong devotional reading in the original New Testament Greek. His linguistic prowess was exhibited in his delightful ability to end family meal disputes with the Latin phrase de gustabus non disputandum (“to each his own”).

Anyone who knew Dr. Miller knows that a list of all his positive qualities would be too lengthy. There are some, however, that will always remain part of his legacy. Dr. Miller was a sweet, kind, generous and loving person. Others remember him as also quick-witted, flirtatious, (a little) stubborn and something of a rascal! He was thoughtful and supportive, patient and sincere, humble and steadfast, genuinely pastoral, a trusted friend and devoted husband, dad, and granddad.

Dr. Miller is predeceased by his wife of sixty years, Evelyn Dowdy Hardy Miller.

He is survived by two sons, The Rev. Dr. John N. Miller Jr. and Ben H. Miller (Dorothy), and three grandchildren, Martha E. Miller Reid (Will), Laura T. Miller and Benjamin H. Miller II.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to make contributions to the John Neel Miller Fund through the Presbyterian Foundation at the following address: The John Neel Miller Fund, Presbyterian Foundation, 200 E. 12th Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47130.

Copyright: Copyright (c) 2020 The Charlotte Observer