Category: 1960s

Clifton Hardy Duke III “Cliff” , age 77, went to be with Jesus on May 16, 2024.

He was born on April 11, 1947 in Kinston NC and was the son of the late Marvin and Margaret Taylor Duke. 

Cliff graduated from Grainger High School, where he was a marshal, played football and on the ’64-’65 state basketball championships teams; Davidson College where he received the Van Hecke Scholarship to play football and was in ROTC; and UNC School of Law.

Some of Cliff’s favorite pre career experiences were working for Senator Sam Ervin one Summer in Washington DC, working on Bob Clark’s campaign, and driving Governor Jim Hunt all over NC during his campaigns. 

He began his legal career as the Police Attorney for the City of Wilmington. He was an Assistant Attorney General in the early days of the Child Support Enforcement Program, serving as a founding board member and president of the NC Child Support Council. Cliff loved law and knew government ” like the back of his hand.” He began Duke Communications later in life and was able to use his love of sports and human interest stories on cable tv. Cliff was an avid reader, enjoyed all sports but especially UNC football and basketball and playing golf.

Cliff served in the NC Army Reserves as a captain.

Preceding him in death are his parents and his brother, David Rodney “Rod” Duke.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Kathryn (Kathy) Davis Duke of their home, nephews Adam (Kate)Duke and son Wells of Winston Salem, Matthew (Michelle) Kinney and children Elliott, Ivy, and Ada of Raleigh, nieces Meredith Duke of Lenoir, and Sara (Aaron)Watson and children Gavin, Simon, and Jillian of Washington,Bobbi ( Leo)Hageman and daughter Josephine of Apex, Angie Payne and children Mason and Miles of Key West, sisters in law Addie “AJ” Duke, Jane Wells Harrison, sister and brother in law Melissa and Phillip Kinney who became his family, and special “adopted” daughter and friend , Wanda Conley and sweet family.

Cliff was a member of Westminster UMC where he held fond memories of MYF as a youth and serving the Lord as an adult. He loved the Lord and was a man with a generous heart and lived a life full of God’s bounty! Kathy would like to extend a special blessing to Cliff’s caregivers, Tasha Aytch and Renarda Gant, who so lovingly took care of him during the last year. There will be a graveside service to celebrate his life at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Westview Cemetery in Kinston with visitation after the service and other times at their home on 1603 Eastwood Drive. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Samaritan’s Purse PO Box 3000 Boone, NC 28607.

Duncan Langston McRae, 78, emergency care physician and resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma passed away Monday, April 8, 2024. He was born Monday, November 5, 1945 in Atlanta, Georgia to Duncan Langston McRae and Helen (Klugh) McRae.

Celebration of Life 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Southwood Bible Church, 7655 South Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133.

https://www.facebook.com/duncan.mcrae.7503

Paul Douglas (Doug) Heidt, 82, died Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at Angels Touch Care Home in St. Albans, West Virginia.

Doug was born in Gadsden, Alabama, on February 1, 1942, to Dorothy Morrison Heidt and Edward Heidt, Jr. Growing up in Clearwater, Florida, Doug was active in his church, school, and community activities. He graduated from Clearwater High School, where he was Drum Major for the school band. During that time, he was also elected Governor of the Florida Key Club. He graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, where he was in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and the president and tenor soloist for the Davidson Male Chorus. He went on to graduate from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, where he received his Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Ministry. During that time, he also spent a year at the Ecole de Theologie in Montpellier, France.

In 1969, he married Sharon McGloshen, whom he met at seminary, when she was a student at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education. That year, he embarked on a long and enriching ministry, beginning at both the First Presbyterian Church and the Pee Dee Presbyterian Church in Mount Giliad, North Carolina. Next, he was the Associate Minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Roanoke Virginia. He then served the Grace Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. His final move was to the First Presbyterian Church in Charleston, West Virginia, as Associate Pastor in Care and Outreach. During his 23 years in that position, he mentored seminary interns from Union Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, was on the board that developed Edgewood Summit Retirement Community, designed and facilitated the church’s Rebuilding Group, a support program for people experiencing divorce, started the Stephen Ministry, a lay ministry for congregational care, created And Death Shall be no More, a comprehensive guide to end of life planning, and he published “The Love That Will Not Let You Go,” a book describing Christianity as simply Love — the all-encompassing, unending, universal, relentless Love of God — put into practice.

Doug loved fishing as much as he could, rocking on his front porch with a gin and tonic, reading, writing, teaching, and cooking (perfecting and handing down to his grandchildren the art of assessing pasta readiness by throwing it against the wall). After his retirement, to everyone’s delight, he often credited many of his best meals to his favorite cookbook, “The Busy Woman’s Cookbook.” He especially loved spending time with his family, swimming in the backyard pool he always wanted, which mostly was arguably too warm, but perfect for his taste.

Doug is survived by his wife, Sharon; his daughter, Kathryn Ellis (Reuben); son, Daniel (Diane); grandchildren, Felicia, Emma, Jayden, Cooper, and Dehlia; brother, Alan (Alice), and brother, Sid (Melinda), along with a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins whom he loved fiercely.

A Celebration of his Life will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 24, 2024, in the sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, West Virginia. Continuing in his selfless character, Doug has been taken to the WVU Donor program in Morgantown, West Virginia, to assist in the education of our future’s medical professionals.

Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the sanctuary at the church.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made, as per Doug’s instructions (unsurprisingly), in the form of taking a child fishing. Donations may also be made to The FPC Hope Center, a nonprofit whose mission is to assist young adults in successfully transitioning out of foster care.

William Tyree (“Ty”) Finch died peacefully on February 20th at the age of 84. He was the son of the late Lucy Bedinger Finch and William Carrington Finch.

Ty had the big heart and cowboy spirit of a Texan, but was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. When he was a toddler, his parents relocated to Georgetown, Texas, and he spent many happy years in this small town, often playing on the campus of Southwestern, the university where his father served as president. Ty attended Davidson College in North Carolina, where he played as a lineman on the football team, and he went on to receive his medical degree from Tulane University. He then enlisted in the Navy, and during that time, he served for a year as a young physician in Vietnam during the war. Following his naval service, he completed his residencies in both general surgery and cardiac surgery at Vanderbilt University, and married his first wife Lois McAndrews in 1973. Together they traveled to Paris, where Ty completed a fellowship training year with a top kidney transplant specialist and learned to speak French with a slight Texas drawl. Returning to the states, he and Lois moved to Springfield, Illinois and started a family. All four of Ty’s children were born in Springfield, where Ty worked as a transplant surgeon and taught in the school of medicine at Southern Illinois University.

In 1984, Ty and his family moved back to Nashville to be closer to family. He went into practice as a vascular-thoracic surgeon at Baptist Hospital, eventually opening a practice with Dr. Pat Meacham and serving as Chief of Surgery. In his years as a surgeon, Ty worked tirelessly to build genuine connections with his patients. He believed in making sure they knew his care for them extended well beyond the operating room. The homemade gifts from his patients that adorned his office were a testament to their deep appreciation for his dedicated care.

Ty retired from medicine in 1998, but that really was just the start of his second career. As a devout lover of all things football, Ty dreamed of becoming a football coach. To pursue this goal, he went back to school to obtain his teaching certificate from Tennessee State University, and he began teaching at Hillsboro High School. He taught high school biology and served on the coaching staff for Hillsboro’s football team. The team went on to win the Tennessee State Championship in 2003, and Ty wore that championship ring with great pride. More importantly, he formed friendships with the Hillsboro coaches and players that would last a lifetime.

Ty always appreciated the beauty and wonder of the natural world. His children and grandchildren were extraordinarily lucky to be included on his amazing adventures, which included hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, summiting Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, and Kings Peak, hiking through the Scottish Highlands, and white water rafting down the Salmon and Snake rivers. Ty even hiked to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro at age 65!

In his retirement, Ty discovered a passion for painting. He was a long-time student and friend of the artist Charles Brindley, and he met his second wife Anita Woodcock Schmid in an adult art class at USN. Anita shared Ty’s interest in art, his passion for travel, his deep love for nature, and a genuine warmth of spirit that makes others feel immediately at ease. Ty and Anita married in 2014 and spent a remarkable decade together traveling, including trips to Italy, France, The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier and Badlands National Parks. Their days were filled with painting, birdwatching, gardening, sporting events, walking at Radnor Lake, and spending time with family and friends.

Ty is survived by his wife Anita Schmid, his brother Richard Finch and wife Janie, and his children and stepchildren, Julia Finch McCaffrey (A.J.), Susan Elizabeth Finch (Nathan Keith), Carolyn Finch Loveless (James), Adam Tyree Finch (Sandie), Katie Schmid (Brian Crow), and Mary Schmid. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Gavin Keith, Callum McCaffrey, Dominic McCaffrey, Desmond Cox, Charlie Loveless, Lois Loveless, Julia Finch, Madeline Crow, Simone Crow, and Mina Keith. His grandchildren knew him as their beloved “Tex.”

Ty was a friend to every person he ever met. When you spoke with him, he had an amazing way of making you feel noticed and valued for your unique gifts. Ty invited others into his life with warm greetings, memorable nicknames, and powerful hugs. He was an exceptional father, a loving husband, and outstanding friend. He will be deeply missed by all that knew and loved him.

Services will be held on March 2nd at 2 pm at West End United Methodist Church (2200 West End Avenue) with visitation beginning at noon. Ty can be honored with donations to West End United Methodist Church for Creation Care or Friends of Radnor Lake.