Category: 1963

 A. Zachary (Zach) Smith III passed away peacefully on September 28, 2025.  Zach was born on November 23, 1941, to Alfred Zachary Smith Jr. and Carrie Hendren Smith in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

He graduated from Woodberry Forest School in 1959, attended Davidson College, playing soccer and earning an A.B. in History in 1963. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1966.

Zach and his wife Emily Smith grew up six blocks away from each other in Winston-Salem where they were married in 1965. Emily and Zach moved to Charlotte in 1966 where they raised two daughters and quickly became committed to their new city.  They were very happily married for more than 60 years.

Zach is remembered for his unwavering integrity, innate curiosity and quiet humility.  He was the most supportive husband, father and grandfather.

Also known for a keen attention to detail and willingness to mentor young attorneys, Zach practiced law with Kennedy Covington Lobdell and Hickman, later K&L Gates, for more than 40 years before he became Chief General Counsel of Snyders Lance from which he retired in 2015.

Throughout his life, Zach felt it was important to make a contribution to his community.  He served on a wide array of boards and supported various organizations in addition to being a regular Red Cross blood donor.

Zach was a member of Christ Church for more than 50 years where he served on many committees, including as Senior Warden of the Vestry.  He was also an active member of the Council of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina.

A passion for contemporary art inspired many of Zach’s pursuits. He most recently worked to ensure the completion of the art installation “The Brain is Wider than the Sky” by the artist Spencer Finch at the newly reopened Carolina Theatre.  Zach worked on numerous committees at The Mint Museum where he served on the Board of Trustees for three 8-year terms over a 30-year period. He led the Board responsible for the museum expansion at Randolph Road in the 1980s and was later Chair of the Uptown Building Committee in the 2000s.

Zach was also curious about the making of art, attending Letterpress Studios at the Penland School of Craft in Penland, NC where he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.  He was also on the Board of the McColl Center for Visual Art and the Planning and Art Committees for the Levine Children’s Hospital.

Other board commitments included Foundation for the Carolinas, the Arts and Science Council, the Speech and Hearing Center, the Counsel for Children, Charlotte Country Day School, and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.

Zach is survived by his wife, Emily, his daughters, Shelton Smith of New York City, Lindsay Smith, also of New York City, and her husband Jason Herrick, as well as two beloved grandchildren.

When Zach was not working or building his contemporary craft and art collections, he was often playing golf with good friends. He enjoyed planning family trips, where his first visit was always to local museums and galleries.  He was most happy with a long swim in the ocean.

A service will be held on Tuesday, October 14th at 2:00 pm at Christ Episcopal Church, 1412 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC. Visitation to follow.

Anyone wishing to make a memorial gift may do so to The Mint Museum or Christ Church.

Lawrence Maury Kimbrough, 83, a lifelong resident of Davidson, graduate of Davidson College, and skilled promoter of the region’s development as a farsighted banker and philanthropist, died Jan. 10, 2025 of advanced dementia. 

Lawrence had an energetic spirit, a keen mind, and an empathetic heart. In his time, he worked hard, achieved success, and gave generously. Overall, Lawrence made an impact and touched the lives of many in Mecklenburg County and beyond.

Born in Charlotte on Jan. 17, 1941 to John Thomas Kimbrough and Mary Ardrey Stough Kimbrough, Lawrence graduated from North Mecklenburg High School in 1959 and from Davidson College with honors in 1963. After serving for two years as a lieutenant in the United States Army Airborne School at what was then Fort Benning in Georgia, he married his high school sweetheart, Letitia Dabney Johnston, on Sept. 4, 1965, at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. 

After he earned his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law in 1968, Lawrence primarily made his mark in banking, a field in which he worked for four decades. 

Beginning in the Trust departments of both First Union and Piedmont Bank, he made the move to First Charter National Bank in Concord, where he served as President and CEO from 1986 to 2005. Under his leadership, the 100-year-old local Cabarrus County institution expanded into a regional banking powerhouse in the greater Charlotte area and Western North Carolina. By the time First Charter was acquired after he retired, the small local bank had grown into a billion-dollar enterprise. Always held in high regard by his peers in business, Lawrence was appointed to President of the North Carolina Bankers Association for the 1996 term. 

Lawrence served the Davidson community in many ways. He was instrumental in the founding of The Pines retirement community and worked continuously as a director from its inception until 2015. He was a devoted member of Davidson College Presbyterian Church, where he served as an Elder and helped lead fundraising campaigns and search committees. He also served on the Davidson College Board of Trustees and numerous other organizations in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties.

Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, William Ardrey Kimbrough. His beloved wife of 59 years, Tish, recently passed away on Oct. 28, 2024.

Survivors include his children, Patrick Johnston Kimbrough of High Point and William Frontis Kimbrough and his wife, Colleen, of Powhatan, Virginia; his sister, Patty Kimbrough King and her husband, Richie King, of Davidson; and his brother, John Thomas Kimbrough Jr. and his wife, Carol Kimbrough, of Rockville, Maryland.

Also surviving are his three grandchildren, Mary, Thomas, and Annie Kimbrough; his nephews, Dr. John Kimbrough of Rockville, Maryland and Dr. Lunsford King of Wilmington; and his nieces, Mary Kim Folds of Davidson, Lucy McDonald of Ithaca, New York, and Katherine M. Falconi of Davidson.

The family is profoundly grateful to the loving and compassionate caregivers who faithfully assisted Lawrence and Tish in the last years of their lives, especially Donna Smith, Tancy Henderson, Coleman Henderson, and Joyce Davis.

The family will host a visitation in Lawrence’s honor on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, 16901 Old Statesville Road in Huntersville.

Robert Oliver Moss, III (Bob), 83, died November 27, 2024, at Chandler Place in Rock Hill, S.C. He was born on May 1, 1941, in Dublin, Ga., to Elizabeth Abbott Moss and Robert O. Moss Jr., both of whom preceded him in death.  He was raised in West Point, Ga., graduated from Davidson College and Columbia Theological Seminary, and spent over 40 years as a minister of the word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA).  Bob served as pastor of four churches in several southern states; minister of education at Village Church in the Kansas City area; and on staff of two presbyteries.

Bob is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Holliday Moss; sister Elizabeth Moss Rouquie (Jim); sons John (Lisa) of Sierra Madre Calif., Robert F. (Jennifer) of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., and Jim (Margaret) of Covington, Va.; grandsons Bobby, Benjamin, Charlie, Samuel and David; three sisters-in-law, six nieces and three nephews.

Bob was an avid runner, gardener and supporter of his sons’ academic achievements and their participation in high school sports and band. Retired from Providence Presbytery in Rock Hill, he enjoyed visits from his five grandsons, walking his dog, and chatting with neighbors.

A memorial service will be held at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, 421 Oakland Ave., Rock Hill, S.C., on Sunday, December 8, at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the church. We thank the staff at Chandler Place and Providence Care hospice nurses for their care of Bob in his final weeks.

Joseph Pridgen Martin, age 83, died at Duke University Hospital on August 28, 2024. He was born on December 20, 1940 to the late Mary Pridgen Martin and Chester Barton Martin, Sr.

Joe graduated from Durham High School in 1959 and Davidson College in 1963. After college, he served in the US Army, and then he returned to Durham, where he held a number of positions in the computer industry. Joe was a long-term member of Hope Valley Country Club, and he was a generous donor to causes of the underserved, from animal rescue to the local food bank.

Joe is survived by his sisters, Mary Martin Green and Margaret Martin Conley, as well as 14 nieces and nephews, and many great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Chester B. Martin, Jr. and John C. Martin, a sister, Eleanor Martin Fisher, and a niece, Katherine Fisher.

A celebration of Joe’s life will be held on Saturday, September 21st, at 11am, in the Hall-Wynne Chapel in Durham, 1113 W. Main Street, Durham, NC, 27701.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Animal Protection Society of Durham.

The Martin family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service.

Online condolences: www.hallwynne.com – select obituaries.

Edward Herman Willer, 82, of Raleigh died Sunday, January 21, 2024. Ed was born on June 12, 1941, in Concord, North Carolina to the late Emil Francis Willer and Mary McKinley Willer. He grew up in Kannapolis, NC, where he earned his Eagle Scout. He attended high school at Fishburne Military School and graduated from Davidson College, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and ROTC.

After college, Ed served as an officer in the US Army, as an observation pilot during the Vietnam War. In 1966, he was awarded the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, by the Republic of Vietnam.

Ed was a longtime Realtor in Raleigh; he served as President of the Raleigh Board of Realtors and was on the NC Real Estate Education Foundation. He also wrote a book on the NC Real Estate Exam. He served on various boards of charitable organizations and chaired the Wake County United Way Campaign.

In addition to his parents, Ed was preceded in death by his brother, Phillip McKinley Willer and his sister, Emily Willer Turner.

Ed is survived by his wife, Cornelia Campbell Willer; two children, daughter, Laura Campbell Willer and her husband, David Lauhon Huffstetler and their two sons, David Lauhon Huffstetler, Jr., and Edward Groves Huffstetler; and son, Edward Groves Willer, his wife, Windy Niebler Willer and their son, Otto Simon Willer. He also had many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Witness to the Resurrection service will be held on Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 at 2:30 PM at White Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1701 Oberlin Rd., Raleigh, NC. The family will receive friends following the service at White Memorial.