Obituaries
Otis David Bartee
Feb 7, 2023
Otis David Bartee, 76, of Dallas, passed away February 7, 2023 at College Pines Health and Rehab. He was born on June 21, 1946 to the late Otis David Bartee Sr. and Mildred Morris Soles. He is also preceded in death by two brothers and three sisters. Otis was a very humble man. The greatest gift he gave his children...
Shirley Reeves Smith
Feb 6, 2023
Shirley Reeves Smith, 85, of Mt. Holly passed away February 6, 2023 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. She was born on December 27, 1937 to the late Ronald and Nita Edwards Reeves. She is also preceded in death by her sons, Ronald "Butch" Smith and Douglas Smith; and sisters, Betty Igo and Carol Newberry; and her pet cat, Angel.
Shirley...
Patty Ann Hawkins
Feb 3, 2023
Patty Ann Hawkins, 68, of Gastonia, passed away on February 3, 2023 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. She was born on November 15, 1954 in Lincoln County, North Carolina to the late James H. Hunt Sr and Pearl Hunt. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her sons, Danny Thornburg Jr and Roger Dale Thornburg; and...
Mable Auten Buchanan
Jan 29, 2023
Mable Auten Buchanan, 86, of Lowell, passed away on January 29, 2023 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. She was born on March 22, 1936 to the late Harry Auten and Gussie Martin Auten. She is also preceded in death by her brothers, Jim Auten, Charles Auten, Winfred “Cotton” Auten, and Harold Auten. Mable was a longtime member of Woodlawn Baptist...
Donald Edward Drake
Jan 27, 2023
Donald Edward Drake, 64, of Mt. Holly passed away January 27, 2023 at CaroMont Regional Hospital in Gastonia. Mr. Drake was born August 24,1958 in Gaston County to the late Donald W. Drake and Carol Miller Drake. Donald enjoyed fall bonfires, loved singing, going to the beaches and the mountains. He also had a love for planting flowers, trees and...
Betty Long Martin
Jan 25, 2023
Betty Sue Long Martin, 91, of Gastonia passed away January 25, 2023 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. She was born in Gaston County on November 5, 1931 to the late Clause and Gussie Long. She is also preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Martin Sr.; son, Ray Martin, Jr.; brother, Edgar Long; sisters, Brenda Martinez and Marylee Revels; niece,...
William "Patrick" Null
Jan 22, 2023
William "Patrick" Null, 40, of Lowell passed away on January 22, 2023 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. He was born in Gaston County on August 6, 1982 to Catherine Hall Null and the late Charles Michael Null. Patrick enjoyed working on the mechanics of cars, drag racing, and riding dirt bikes. He loved Halloween and worked for 10 years at...
Theodore Everett Urmanec
Jan 17, 2023
Theodore (Ted) Everett Urmanec, 72, of Mount Holly, NC, passed away on January 17, 2023, after suffering a fatal stroke.
Ted, the son of Peter and Lucille Urmanec, was born on September 19, 1950, in Peckville, PA. He grew up on the family farm near Hop Bottom, PA, where he learned to love growing vegetables and flowers and taking care...
Rachel Marlene Wallace Huggins
Jan 15, 2023
Rachel Marlene Wallace Huggins, 87, of Cramerton, NC, passed away Sunday, January 15, 2023, after an extraordinary life of love, grace, and service to others.
Marlene was born in Cramerton, NC, on April 28, 1935, to James Cornwell and Annie Mae Baker Wallace. She grew up in Gaston County and eloped to marry Richard Lee Huggins on March 13,...
Donna Renee James
Jan 14, 2023
Donna Renee James, 69, of Belmont, passed away on January 14, 2023 at Caromont Regional. She was preceded in death by her parents, Talmage and Lucille Hollar Tyner; sister, Linda Kay Tyner; brother, Gary Tyner; and daughter, Michelle Propst Peterson.
Renee is survived by her husband of 36 years, David James; son, David Propst (Lisa); stepdaughters, Joanie Gregory (Andy) and...
Rose "Marie" Cartee
Jan 13, 2023
Rose "Marie" Cartee, 53, of Gastonia passed away on January 13, 2023 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. She was born on September 17, 1969 to Queen Elizabeth Hubbard Sukkert and the late Donald Albert Pressley. She is also preceded in death by her son, Darron Pryor. In addition to her mother, survivors include her long time companion, Sam Hornsby; daughter,...
Audrey Doris May Page
Jan 12, 2023
Audrey Doris May Page of Mount Holly, North Carolina, passed away on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at the age of 97. Born on July 2, 1925 in Trenton, North Carolina, the eldest child of Clara Mae Lowery May and Robert Charles May. Audrey’s younger brother, Retired Col. Robert “Bob” Charles May, Jr., was her only sibling and closest friend.
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Cooper Lawson Burrell
Jan 12, 2023
Cooper Lawson Burrell, 17, of Clover, SC passed away at his home on January 12, 2023 after being diagnosed on October 28, 2020 with SMARCB1 deficient poorly differentiated chordoma. Cooper was born in Gaston County on May 11, 2005 to Robert Burrell and Tracey Brooks Burrell. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Erma Burrell; grandfather, Bobby Robinson;...
Kathy Green Bell
Jan 11, 2023
Kathy Lee Green Bell, 68, of Gastonia, NC passed away January 11, 2023 at Caromont Regional Medical Center. She was born on February 24, 1954 to the late Leonard and Juanita Green. In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her husband, Barry M. Bell; brother, Delton Green; sister, Frankie Davis; and stepson, Marty Bell. Kathy was...
Julie Denise Holbrooks
Jan 2, 2023
Julie Denise Holbrooks, 52, of Charlotte passed away January 2, 2023 at her residence. She was born on November 26, 1970 to Barbara Haley and the late Harry Haley. She was a member of Liberty Baptist Church. She loved going to church, doing crafts, and coloring. Her favorite place to be was at the beach looking for seashells and sharks...
Nancy Lee Lanfair
Jan 1, 2023
Nancy Lee Lanfair, 78, of Mt. Holly passed away January 1, 2023 at her residence. She was born in Mexico, NY on February 2, 1944 to the late Albert Akins and Ruth Huggins Akins. She is also preceded in death by her siblings, Marie Stacy, Charles Akins, Becky Akins, and Marionette Akins. Nancy lead a simple life. She was an...
Roger Clement Padgett
Dec 29, 2022
Roger Clement Padgett, 85, of Ellenboro, NC passed away on December 29, 2022 at Caromont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia. He was born in Rutherford County on February 16, 1937 to the late Leon Clement Padgett and Daisy Lee Carpenter Padgett. He is also preceded in death by his wife, Joann Newton Padgett. Roger had a strong work ethic and...
Dustin Thomas Mertz
Dec 27, 2022
Dustin Thomas Mertz, 30, of Texas, formerly of Charlotte and Mt. Holly, NC departed this life on December 27, 2022. Dustin was born in Charlotte, NC and lived mostly in Gaston County, NC until he moved to Texas 10 years ago. Dustin was preceded in death by his grandfather, James Mertz.
Dustin is survived by his children, Grayson Thomas Mertz...
Ronald "Pete" Slaughter
Dec 26, 2022
Ronald "Pete" Slaughter, 73, of Mt. Holly, passed away December 26, 2022 at his residence. He was born on October 18, 1949 to the late William Wallace Slaughter and Frances Young King. He is also preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Smith Slaughter. Pete was a member of Mt. Holly Church of God. He loved playing golf and softball. ...
Lorri Ann Layel
Dec 22, 2022
Lorri Ann Layel, 61, passed away December 22, 2022 at her residence after a courageous, 5 year battle with cancer. Lorri was born June 6, 1961 to Bobbie Joyce Hunter Lowe Brown and the late Bobby William Lowe. She loved the beach, traveling and was an avid gambler and often visited the Cherokee Casinos. In addition to her father she...


