Category: 1958

Jerry Jay Eller, 89, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2026. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina. Jerry lived a life marked by faith, service, compassion, and dedication to his family and community.

Jerry was the son of the late Albert Henry Eller and Clyde Alieen Eller. He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife of 43 years, Eleanor Anne Eller.

Jerry earned his undergraduate degree from Davidson College before receiving his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He furthered his studies completing a fellowship in pediatric infectious disease at the University of Colorado Medical Center. He and Eleanor met during their pediatric residency in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Together they built a marriage centered on faith, family, and service.

Throughout his distinguished medical career, Jerry served as a major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and practiced medicine in Colorado, Texas, and Alabama where he also helped educate and mentor future healthcare professionals. He made important contributions in the field of infectious diseases and virology leading countless research studies and was a contributing author in multiple textbooks. He served as pediatrician and medical director of emergency services in Livingston for many years caring for patients and families throughout the community.

Outside of medicine, Jerry enjoyed golf, photography, playing the trumpet, and singing in the church choir. His greatest passion, however, was sharing his faith. He served as an elder and faithfully taught Sunday School at Livingston First Presbyterian Church for many years, leaving a lasting impact through his wisdom, kindness, and love for God’s Word.

Jerry is survived by his children:

Ruth Crane (Mac)

Wesley Neighbors (Kelsey), Ford, Hudson, Ollie, and Miller

Connor Neighbors (Meghan), James and Sutton

Anna Lakin Campbell (Scott), Emmett and Rowan

Dr. Timothy Eller (Janae), Chaney, Luke, and Grant

Karen Marks (Will), Stewart and Alex

Christina Paparella (Bryan) Preston, Meg, and Elle

Jerry will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, compassionate physician, faithful teacher, and humble servant of Christ. His gentle spirit, generosity, and unwavering commitment to caring for others will continue to inspire all who knew him.

Funeral services for Jerry will be held on Monday, July 13, 2026 at 11:00 A.M. at Livingston First Presbyterian Church with Pastor Luke Ponder officiating. Visitation services will be held at 10:15 A.M. prior to the funeral service. Graveside for family members will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to:

Campus Outreach Ministries/Preston Paparella

P.O. Box 43737

Birmingham, AL 35243

Online giving: https://www.cobirmingham.org/donate/preston-paparella

Gideons International Sumter County

P.O. Box 193

York, AL 36925-0193

Livingston First Presbyterian

Church 105 N Washington St

Livingston, AL 35470

Dr. John Hayden Hollingsworth, M.D. died on Monday, April 13, 2026 in Roanoke, Virginia.

Hayden was born on June 1, 1936 to Dr. Rev. Aaron Hayden Hollingsworth, Jr. and Merris Everett Hollingsworth. When he was only a few months old, his family relocated to Farmville, Virginia where Hayden’s father accepted the call to Farmville Presbyterian Church. In 1942, his family relocated again, this time settling in Roanoke where his father accepted the call to Second Presbyterian Church.

Hayden spent his school days at Crystal Spring Elementary, Lee Junior High, and Jefferson High School. He would be the first to tell you he was a lackluster student throughout these years, directing much of his energy towards pursuits outside of the classroom.

During his freshman year at Davidson College, Hayden found his footing academically, studying pre-med and graduating in 1958. He received his M.D. degree from Emory University, followed by an Internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia Hospital. In 1963, a draft notice from the U.S. Army interrupted his Internship. With his young family, Hayden spent two years stationed in Bad Kissingen, West Germany, as an Officer with the 30th Medical Brigade. On his return to the U.S. in 1965, Hayden finished a Residency in Internal Medicine and completed a Fellowship in Cardiology at the University of Virginia Hospital.

In 1969, Hayden moved with his family to Roanoke, where he joined a practice of internists. In 1975, Hayden partnered with his friend and colleague, Dr. Philip Shiner, M.D., to establish Consultants in Cardiology, the first practice in Southwest Virginia devoted exclusively to cardiac care. In the ensuing years, this practice grew to serve patients from surrounding states including West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.

Hayden truly loved his patients and cared deeply for their welfare. Every year at Christmas, his patients returned this love in kind with cards, letters, and an assortment of gifts that would overwhelm the office. Hayden simply said these relationships were the reason he became a physician.

Hayden became one of the driving forces behind heart surgery and advances in cardiology in the Roanoke Valley. He chaired the committee that researched the need for, and eventually brought, cardiac surgery to Roanoke. He served as a Hospital Medical Staff Delegate to the American Medical Association and served as Governor of the Virginia Chapter of the American College of Cardiology. In 1999, he received the “Heart of Gold” Award from the Roanoke Valley Division of the American Heart Association for his contributions to the health and well being of the community.

Shortly before his retirement in 1996, an article from the Roanoke Times reported “Almost as soon as the letter went out announcing Dr. J. Hayden Hollingsworth’s career change last month, the return calls and letters started pouring in . . . Hundreds of patients responded with cards, letters and phone calls – many of them tearful.” The article goes on to say that after his secretary stacked 50 medical charts on his desk, Hayden spent “all day Saturday and Sunday talking to fretful patients, reassuring them they’d be okay without him – and reassuring them that he’d be okay without the practice of medicine.”

As a lifelong member of Second Presbyterian Church, Hayden served as an Elder as well as a Sunday School teacher for many years. He was a member of the Founding Board of Roanoke Area Ministries and served on multiple other boards including the American Red Cross and the United Way.

Following his retirement from the practice of medicine, Hayden turned his boundless energy to his many other talents. He worked in Photography and as a Lecturer, Novelist, Poet, Bible Teacher, Theater Reader, and Story Teller. He also wrote a weekly column for the Roanoke Star Sentinel for a number of years.

Hayden will be remembered for the deep love he had for his family, the care and compassion he brought to the practice of medicine, the dear friendships he cultivated and held close to his heart, his sharp mind and quick wit, and the many ways his creative works were beautiful expressions of his warm and loving spirit.

Hayden was preceded in death by his parents, Aaron Hayden Hollingsworth and Merris Everett Hollingsworth; his daughter, Merris Anthony Hollingsworth; his sister, Marian Hollingsworth Cusac; and his niece, Sarah Elizabeth Cusac. He also was preceded in death by his former wife, Patricia Cox Hollingsworth, and her son, Tazewell Brown.

He is survived by daughter, Betsy Lee, and son-in-law, Lai Lee, their children, Cassandra Graham (Ryan), Christine Lee (Ben), Katherine Lee (Kevin), Margaret Salinas (Joshua), and their grandchildren, Ollie Gregory, Merris Gregory, Joseph Graham, and Edison Graham; daughter, Jennifer Hollingsworth-Austin and son-in-law, Holton Austin, and their children, Declan Austin and Connor Austin; daughter-in-law, Mary Post; cousin, Doris Tippens; and nephew, Michael Cusac. He also is survived by his close companion, Johanna Henretta; his first wife and mother of his children, Julianne Lunsford Hollingsworth; and his step-daughters, Macon Fox (Tania) and Suzanne Brown (Eddie).

The family would like to thank the exceptional staff at Brandon Oaks Assisted Living and Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehab for their skilled and loving care over the past two years.

There will be a Celebration of Life at Second Presbyterian Church in Roanoke on Friday, May 8 at 11 am, followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall. A livestream of the service will be available at spres.org/worship/livestream.

The family asks that memorials be made to Second Presbyterian Church or to your charity of choice.

Robert Flowers Baker was an inspiring, resilient man. Battle-tested and unwavering in spirit, he carried himself with humility, athletic drive, and a sense of humor that lifted those around him. He lived with a strong Christian faith and an unshakeable love for his family, his profession, his alma maters, and the comfort of country music.

He was a true Southern gentleman, a champion of civic responsibility, and a thoughtful listener to clients, colleagues, and anyone offering up a good joke. His laughter was contagious, his smile was sincere, and his hugs were heartfelt. These personal hallmarks defined a remarkable man whose life was filled with accomplishments that were admired by those who knew him well or were fortunate enough to cross his path along the way.

Born in Durham, North Carolina on December 15, 1935, Bob, aka Bobby, attended Hope Valley School, Calvert Methodist School, and Carr Junior High School. During those early childhood years, he served as batboy for the Duke University baseball team.

His joy of education and athletics continued at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he excelled in the classroom and was named a monitor his senior year. “Be-Bop” was a three-letter athlete in basketball and track and served as a captain of the cross-country team. His talent and passion for basketball carried him to Davidson College, where he played for the Wildcats from 1954 to 1958 and became a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

After graduating from Davidson College, he earned his law degree from Duke University School of Law before serving two years of active duty in the United States Army Intelligence Corps. His assignments included Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort McPherson, Maryland. Following his military service, from which he retired with the rank of Captain, he returned to Durham, the city he would proudly call home for the rest of his life.

Bobby’s principles were shaped not only by these formal institutions that influenced his early life, but also by a proud family legacy. He was the grandson of Robert Lee Flowers, Duke University’s second president, and the eldest of two sons of the legendary orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Lenox Dial Baker. Yet his greatest source of inspiration and strength came during his courtship of Billie Faye Edwards of Durham, North Carolina, the beautiful woman he would marry in June of 1958 at Duke Chapel. A cherished marriage defined by great joys and happiness, including the gift of three loving children.

He was a partner at Spears, Barnes, Baker & Wainio, where he practiced from 1963 to 2000, specializing in criminal and family law, product liability, and insurance defense. During that time, he served as President of the North Carolina Bar Association (1982–83), leading with the same respect, integrity, and humility that defined his distinguished career as an attorney, mediator, and arbitrator.

Additionally, he was elected President of the Durham County Bar Association and remained deeply engaged in civic and professional life throughout the years. He was a longtime member of the Tobaccoland Kiwanis Club and the Durham County Safety Patrol Board, and he served as President of Hope Valley Country Club. Among the honors he held most dear were serving as State Chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers and receiving the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine from the State of North Carolina. His commitment to service extended to the Board of Trustees of Episcopal High School and Lenox Baker Children’s Hospital, as well as to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, where he faithfully served as Senior Warden.

Bobby was preceded in death by his mother, Virginia Flowers Baker; his father, Lenox Dial Baker; his stepmother, Margaret Copeland Baker; his wife, Billie Faye Edwards Baker; his father-in-law, W.W. Edwards; his mother-in-law, Ophelia Johnson Edwards; and his second wife, Barbara Ferguson Baker.

He is survived by his brother, Lenox Dial Baker, Jr. (Fran); his three children: William Lenox Baker of Raleigh, North Carolina; Dial Baker Love and her husband, Leonard Norman Love, of Richmond, Virginia; and Robert Flowers Baker, Jr., and his wife, Elizabeth Scull Baker, of Dallas, Texas.

He leaves seven amazing grandchildren: Allison Baker Doak (John); Lenox Baker Meythaler (Bradford) and their mother, Leigh Hines Baker; Robert Norman Love; William Baker Love (Kate); Annie Ward Love; Robert Lenox Baker; and Virginia Elizabeth Baker.

Plus, seven great-grandchildren, Miller, GiGi, and Bobby Meythaler; Evy and Baker Doak; and Nellie and Margot Love.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, February 19th at 2:00pm at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 82 Kimberly Dr, Durham, NC 27707. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National MS Society. A donation to your local “19th hole” would also be a fitting tribute to Bobby’s legendary, back-bending fade off the tee box.

Jennings Elliott Haney, Jr. died peacefully in his home at Brightview Senior Living in Canton, Massachusetts on Monday January 5, 2026. Elliott had recently celebrated his 90th birthday with his family in November. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Dorothy Jean Dycus Haney, who passed in 2020.

Elliott was the son of the late Jennings Elliott Haney, Sr. and Miriam Dobbins Haney of Spindale, North Carolina. He grew up in the Rutherfordton-Spindale area, graduating from Rutherford Spindale High School in 1954. He attended Davidson College, served 4 years in the Air Force as a communications specialist (1957-1961), and graduated from Limestone College with a degree in Economics in 1965. Elliott’s career spanned accounting, managerial roles, and entrepreneurship across industrial and technology companies. He started two companies and served as CEO of a third. His career took him and his family to the Carolinas, Virginia, and Kentucky, where he and Jean raised their sons, Jennings Elliott (“JayE”) Haney III (deceased) and Timothy Daniel Haney.

Elliott and Jean spent the latter part of his career and their early retirement years in Lake Wylie, SC, where they lived for 18 years. They moved to Massachusetts in 2018 to be closer to family after Jean developed dementia and needed constant care. Elliott flourished at Brightview Senior Living, putting his usual energy and organizational skills to work. He served as President of the Resident Council for 3 years, served on the Dining and Hospitality committees, and also managed the Resident Holiday Fund, which gathers significant funds for employee and caregiver holiday gifts.

Elliott valued spending time with his family, whether it was with his son’s family in New England, his granddaughters in the Southeast, or his sister and his numerous nieces and nephews in the Carolinas. He was an avid reader, lover of classical music, and enjoyed the occasional whiskey.

Elliott is survived by his sister Miriam Kilpatrick (“Pat”) Moss, his son Tim and daughter-in-law Michelle Haney, their children Alexander and Alyssa Haney, and JayE’s daughters and Andrea (Bradley) Leonard and Carmen Haney.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday January 10, 2026 at Crowe’s Funeral Home, Rutherfordton, NC at noon with Dr. Don Scofield officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.crowemortuary.com. Crowe’s Mortuary is helping the family of Elliott Haney.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to:

Resident Holiday Fund

Brightview Senior Living

Attn: Richard Tavares

125 Turnpike Street

Canton, MA 20201