Category: 1954

Charles Morton “Charley” Murray passed away on July 4, 2021. No other information is available at this time.

Dr. Theodore Richard Oldenburg of Chapel Hill died suddenly on March 25, 2021, in Chapel Hill.

Born in Muskegon, Michigan to the late Theodore Oldenburg and Frederika VanderWeiden Oldenburg. He grew up in Signal Mountain, TN, and entered Davidson College in 1950, entering the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Dentistry in 1953.

Following graduation, he entered the Dental Corps United States Air Force at Hickam Field, Hawaii. After discharge from the Air Force in 1960, he completed a Master’s Degree and Residency in Pediatric Dentistry in 1962 and joined the faculty for a full-time career in teaching and clinical practice that spanned 52 years.

At UNC he served 16 years as the Chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, overseeing a department that achieved national recognition under his leadership. After a Kenan Scholarly Leave at the University of Zurich 1985-86, he returned to Chapel Hill and continued to teach as a dental school-wide leader.

He served as Assistant Dean for Academic Affaires and as Acting Dean. His final Institution-wide assignment was Assistant Dean for Administration for over a decade, overseeing a major building initiative by the school – Tarrson Hall.

Ted was a prodigious leader for the specialty of pediatric dentistry. Ted’s legacy includes scores of pediatric dentist who trained under his mentorship , hundreds of general dentists who trained under his leadership, and countless children who benefited from his care.

Ted is survived by his wife of sixty-one years, Sara Louise DeWitt Oldenburg, his son Lawson Oldenburg (Jan W. Oldenburg), his daughter Caroline Louise Oldenburg Beasley (Byron Holmes Beasley), his grandsons Thys W. Oldenburg, Joseph Hodgin Beasley, III, Connor DeWitt Beasley. He was a member of the Church of the Holy Family for 58 years.

Ted had many interests outside his profession. He was an avid golfer and always managed to to find a famous course to play when he traveled. His love of skiing became a family favorite for many years. However his best love was Carolina Basketball. He was proud of his role as Timekeeper for Carolina home games for thirty some years.

In light of Covid-19 restrictions, there will a limited family service, with perhaps a Celebration of Life at a later time. Any memorial gifts should be sent to the Theodore Oldenburg Pediatric Fellowship Fund in care of the Dental Foundation of North Carolina.

The Oldenburg family is under the care of Walker’s Funeral Home of Chapel Hill. www.walkersfuneralservice.com.

• Copyright: Copyright (c) 2021 The News and Observer

Dr. James Michael “Mickey” Efird, 88, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, at Duke Hospital.

He was born in Kannapolis, the son of the late James Rufus Efird and I.Z. Christy Efird. In addition to his parents, Dr. Efird was preceded in death by his son, Anthony Kevin “Tony” Crumpler.

Dr. Efird was a professor emeritus at Duke Divinity School. Dr. Efird began teaching in the Divinity School as a graduate student in 1958, and joined the faculty full time in 1962, as professor of Biblical Interpretation. He taught Greek and biblical studies to generations of students. He earned an A.B. degree at Davidson College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa; M.Div. at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary; and his Ph.D. at Duke University.

Dr. Efird was an ordained Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) minister and served for nearly 50 years as an interim supply pastor for various churches. Committed to making the Bible understandable and properly understood for pastors and laity alike, he was extremely active in the Divinity School Lay Academy program and taught in churches of many denominations in North Carolina and throughout the country.

He first taught in the United Methodist Church’s Course of Study program in 1966 and continued to do so for many years, even in retirement. He wrote 13 books and more than 60 articles, many of which can be found in the Harper-Collins One Volume Bible Dictionary. Encouraged by his father, Dr. Efird was a loyal Blue Devils fan for more than 60 years.

Dr. Efird is survived by his wife, Vivian Efird; daughter, Michelle Rosen and husband, Rocky; daughter-in-law, Teresa Crumpler; grandchildren, Heather Holloway and husband, Bryan, Tegan Crumpler-Hall and husband, Stephen, Hillary Rosen and husband, Peter Larson, Stephanie Rosen, Taylor Wuliger and husband, Daniel; and great-grandchildren, Riley Holloway, Ryan Holloway, Rowan Holloway.

Service details are currently pending at this time. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, face coverings and social distancing are required for all services. We ask that anyone experiencing cold/flu-like symptoms please stay home.

Clements Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc.

Published by Concord & Kannapolis Independent Tribune on Feb. 21, 2021.

A Southern gentleman who believed in family, faith, and country, Sam Rufus Clare, 88, of Midlothian, Va., peacefully passed away on November 11, 2020.

He was predeceased in November 2015 by his wife of 59 years, Dorothy Anne Cox Clare; his parents, Fulton Warren Clare and Ruth Elizabeth O’Sullivan Clare; and his brother, Fulton Warren Clare.

He is survived by his devoted daughter, Hilary R. Clare of Midlothian, Va.; son, Mark S. Clare; niece, Elizabeth Clare Weatherman of Kings Mountain, N.C.; nephew, Sam Z. Swygert (Elaine) of Woodbury, Ga.; and many dear cousins.

Sam was born in Atlanta, Ga. He graduated from Sewanee Military Academy in Sewanee, Tenn., in 1950 where he played football, basketball, and baseball pitcher known as “Slinging Sammy.” He was a Distinguished Senior and “B” Company Commander. Sam attended Davidson College in Davidson, N.C., for a year-and-a-half, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Fraternity like his father. He then served in the U.S. Army for three years during the Korean War.

Upon his discharge to the Reserve in January 1955 he returned home to Atlanta and enrolled in Georgia Institute of Technology. He met the love of his life, Dorothy Cox, and they were married in September 1956. While attending college on the GI Bill he worked a number of part-time jobs including a holiday season postman.

He graduated from Georgia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management and began working in September 1957 with DuPont in Waynesboro, Va., and later in Chattanooga, Tenn. Sam moved into Human Resources as his career. He spent several years with Hercules in Covington, Ga., before joining Merck & Co. Inc. in 1971 as the Personnel Manager in Elkton, Va.

Several years later he moved to corporate in Rahway, N.J., and eventually White House Station, N.J. He enjoyed traveling to Merck plants in the U.S. and abroad with Ireland being his favorite.

During his 22 years at Merck, Sam was a member of the Corporate Senior Labor Relations Committee, the Corporate Benefits Committee and the Salaried and Hourly Pension Committee. At his retirement party one of the union leaders commented, “If Sam Clare gives you his word you can take it to the bank.”

Sam retired as Director of Human Resources for Merck Manufacturing Division. He was a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and its predecessor American Society for Personnel Administration “ASPA” serving as Charter President of the Central Georgia Chapter, District Director in Virginia, Regional Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors. Sam also served as a member of the Certification Committee in the area of Employment and Labor Relations. In 1978 he received certification as Senior Professional in Human Resources from the Personnel Accreditation Institute.

Sam was active in the United Methodist churches his family belonged to in different states where he taught adult Sunday school, was a member of the men’s group and was a youth group leader. He and Dot moved to Williamsburg, Va., in 1993 upon his early retirement from Merck. He had a chance to play more golf which had been a hobby for many years. While he never shot his age, he did get that elusive hole-in-one in June 1996 at Two Rivers Country Club in Williamsburg. He was active in his new community serving various positions and committees including President during the transition from the developer to the homeowners.

Like his father he prided himself as an honest man and one with integrity. His warm smile made many friends in his lifetime. He loved his family, faith, his country, golf, Georgia Tech, practical jokes, the poem “The Man in the Glass” and the comic strip “Dennis the Menace.” Sam was truly the kindest Southern Gentleman you could ever meet and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Special thanks to everyone at Hospice of Virginia.

Due to Covid-19 services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or American Heart Association.

 Copyright 2020 The Star-Ledger. All Rights Reserved.

Reverend Dr. James H. Monroe, Sr., passed on November 3rd of this year in Tallahassee, Florida. He was 93 years old. He was born on December 26, 1926, in Biscoe, North Carolina. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he obtained an undergraduate education from Moody Bible Institute, studied at University of Chicago and graduated from Davidson College. He received his theological training at Union Theological Seminary and later a Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary.

He was ordained as a Presbyterian Minister in 1957. During his career he served as Pastor of Parkside Chapel, Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church and established St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

He later served as the Executive of three Presbyteries: Winston-Salem (Synod of North Carolina); St. Johns (Synod of Florida); and South Louisiana (Synod of the Sun). As a pastor and as a Presbytery Executive he was responsible for the development and establishment of twenty-two churches.

Even after retirement he remained active and continued to serve as interim pastor of several churches and presbyteries. He was an excellent speaker and was well known for his intellectual but moving sermons.

He was an active member of the Rotary Club, as he served as President of the Winter Park, Florida chapter. During his life he served on the Board of Trustees of Union Theological Seminary, Governing Board of the National Council of Churches of Christ, Board of Austin Presbyterian Theology Seminary, Board of Eckerd College and President, Florida Council of Churches.

He was proud of his ancestry and family, who arrived in this country from Scotland in 1732, and was active in associations involving his Scottish clan. He had been president of the St. Andrews Society and president of Clan Munro Association USA.

He also served on other boards of civic organizations too numerous to list. He and his wife served many summers as chaplin, staff, and camp counselors at Dogwood Acres Camp where one of the lodges is named for him.

His family is proud of his stand during the Civil Rights Movement in the sixties and he participated in several marches. His favorite quote was by Martin Luther King, Jr., “The arc of moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice!” He remained active in the pursuit of social justice and spent his final weeks writing hundreds of postcards to registered voters in nearby precincts encouraging them to vote in this important election.

He is survived by: his wife of 70 years, Oneida; his son James, Jr. (daughter-in law Barbara Monroe); his daughter Marty Monroe (son-in-law John Rimes); and his grandson Brian.

His family takes comfort in the Bible verse he would speak of that helped him discover the grace of God. John 5:24 ” He who hears my word and believes in him who sent me, has eternal life: he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” His family is grateful for the Grace of God who allowed his faithful servant to pass without pain or suffering, and dying in his loving wife’s arms.

A memorial service will be planned for a future date. He will be interred at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Rev. Monroe to Dogwood Acres (the outdoor ministry of the Presbytery of Florida) marked for the “Dogwood Annual Fund,” and mailed to Ben Powell, Director, 302 W. Washington St., Quincy, Florida 32351.

Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com)

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