Obituaries — April 23

Published 12:00 am Thursday, April 23, 2020

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Robert Gail Compton

Robert Gail Compton passed away on Saturday, April 11, 2020, after an extended illness. He was born Oct. 25, 1940, in Cabarrus County to James Robert and Carrie Lee Weaver Compton. He retired in 1990 from the N.C. State Highway Patrol where he served as a state trooper in Forsyth County for 25 years. After retirement, he opened his own business as a private investigator for 10 years. He served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years after high school at A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis. Compton was a member at Franklin Heights Baptist Church in Kannapolis and was presently attending Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. He was a legendary state trooper on the North Carolina Highway Patrol and was known for his wit, humor and colorful stories. During his illness he was visited by numerous state officials, judges and state troopers including the lieutenant colonel. Compton was preceded in death by his parents, a brother-in-law, Carlos Bull Sr., and sister-in-law, Nancy Bull, from Winston-Salem. He is survived by his wife, Gayle; two daughters, Marla Ward and Dana Ward (Joey); two grandchildren, Matthew Ward (Maggie) and Jennifer Ward; three great-grandchildren, Jace, Harper and Hazel Ward; two step-daughters, Sheila Hasenstab (Bob) of Summerville, S.C., and Tracy Tesh of  Wilmington; three step-grandchildren, Max Hasenstab, Gabrielle Hasenstab and Tori Pendleton. He has one surviving brother, Dennis Compton (Susan), and two sisters, Brenda Safrit and Deborah Terry (Ronnie) of his hometown, Kannapolis. Also surviving is a sister-in-Law, Beverly Sharon Bull, and a brother-in-Law, Alan Bull, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. The family would like to thank his close friends who helped him during his extended illness, Dean Crawford, Bill Vogler, Jeff Ward and many others along with a special thank you to his nephews, Carlos Devan Bull Jr. and John Eric Bull, for daily contact and for handling all Compton’s heavy chores at home and his medical equipment, car maintenance and errands. His hobbies were fishing, golf and deer hunting and he loved NASCAR racing and PGA golf. His stories are endless and will continue to be told. He also enjoyed extensive travel with his wife and loved entertaining and cooking for his friends. Flowers and potted plants are acceptable or donation to North Carolina Trooper, Inc. PO Box 840, Summerfield, NC 27358. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. The obituary will be published again with the funeral date after the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Online condolences may be made to www.hayworth-miller.com .

Arlene Stanley Heiser

Arlene Stanley Heiser, 91, of Mocksville, went to her eternal home on Wednesday, April 15, 2020. She was born Aug. 23, 1928, in Madison Heights, Virginia, the daughter of John and Grace Stanley. After graduation from EC Glass High School, she worked for Bell South until she married the love of her life, Stanley A. Heiser Sr. They moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she continued to work for the telephone company until the birth of their first child. Heiser enjoyed her family and being a joyful homemaker, as well as her flowers and lawn care. She likewise enjoyed her Oaklawn Baptist Church family, but most recently her membership with First Baptist Church in Mocksville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley A. Heiser Sr. Surviving are her three children, a son, Stanley Heiser Jr. (Donna) of Charlotte and two daughters, Sharon Steele of Boston, Virginia, and Patricia Heiser Horton of Clemmons; six grandchildren, Shannon Shepherd (Rob), Lindsey Heiser, Kenny Atkins (Victoria), Meghan Steele (William), Jennifer Horton (Mark Wingfield), Jacob Horton and two great-grandchildren, Vance and Cecelia Atkins. A special thanks goes to Heiser’s caregivers, hospice and especially Patty who devoted her attention to her mom for the last years. A private celebration of her life will be held at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens in Winston-Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trellis Supportive Care, 101 Hospice Ln., Winston-Salem, NC 27103.

Barbara ‘Jackie’ Morefield

Barbara “Jackie” Morefield, 88, of Clemmons passed away Monday, April 13, 2020, at Brookstone of Clemmons. Morefield was born in Forsyth County on Dec. 30, 1931, to Ralph and Alma Davis Hooker. She was a member of Clemmons First Baptist Church. Morefield worked in the shoe department of Davis Department Store for more than 20 years. She was a loving wife for 68 years to the late James “Pete” Morefield and a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her memory will be cherished. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Ralph Hooker, and a sister, Patty Cochran. Surviving is a daughter, Rhonda Wall (John) of Advance; a son, Gary Morefield (Tammy) of Eden; four grandchildren, Mandy Dixson (Philip), Mindy Goodrich, Brant Morefield (Heather) and Phillip Hedgepeth and ten great-grandchildren. A private graveside service will be held at Westlawn Gardens of Memory by Mark Jones. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Alzheimer’s Association-Western Carolina Chapter, Second Harvest Food Bank or the Forsyth Humane Society. Online condolences may be made to www.hayworth-miller.com .

Marlowe George Rohde

Marlowe George Rohde, 101, passed away Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at his daughter’s home. He was born in Minnesota on Feb. 22, 1919, to the late Hugo and Alma Drusch Rohde. Rohde was a plumber all of his working life. He enjoyed making quilts over the past several years with his wife. Surviving are his wife of 76 years, Zelma Rohde; daughter Carla Lynch of Lewisville; son, James Rohde of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A service to honor his life will be held at a later date in Minnesota. Hayworth-Miller Lewisville Chapel is serving the Rohde family.

William ‘Bill’ Oran Springer

William “Bill” Oran Springer, 80, of Bermuda Run, passed away peacefully on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020. Springer was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, on March 25, 1940, to Oran Springer and Cecilia McNulty Springer. He was a devoted husband for nearly 60 years. During those years, he and his family moved around the country a number of times as he received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, a master’s degree in business, and then moved steadily up different corporate ladders. He enjoyed his work. After living in several states in the Midwest, he moved to New Hampshire for 20 years, and then to North Carolina to be closer to his children and grandchildren (and get a weather upgrade). Springer was always ready to help wherever there was a need. He had a servant’s heart, and he carried that into retirement as he volunteered to tutor children in math and other subjects. He was an avid reader. He loved to listen to music, and his favorite music (by a wide stretch) was listening to his wife Carol play the piano. He was a member of Ardmore Baptist Church for many years and he especially enjoyed attending his Sunday school class there. Springer is survived by his wife Carol and three children: Randy (Terri), Bill (Andrea), and daughter Susan (Russ). Springer was also blessed to be a grandfather to nine grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation or Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller St, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. Online condolences may be made to www.hayworth-miller.com .

Terry ‘Mack’ Tilley

Terry “Mack” Tilley, 83, of Advance, passed away peacefully at his home in the Davis Community of Wilmington on April 13, 2020. Born Dec. 29, 1936, he was the son of Vance Carson and Bessie Louise Chilton Tilley. He leaves behind to cherish his memory and carry on his altruistic attitude, his son, David Tilley (Katherine); his daughter, Melanie Paff (Robert); five grandchildren, Zachary Vance Thomas Tilley, Carson David Terry Tilley, Samuel Robert Paff, David Carson Paff, and Alexandra Margaret Elizabeth Paff; two brothers, Gary Tilley (Connie) and Wayne Tilley (Lois). He was preceded in death by his parents, and his loving wife, Yvonne Pack Tilley.

Tilley proudly served his country in the U.S. Army and later had a full career at RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company. He relished spending time with his family and teeing off for a round of golf with friends. Tilley possessed a volunteer spirit and employed it throughout the community and in his church’s Men’s Relief Group, deploying to storm-stricken areas to aide in rebuilding.

In their sincerest desire to protect others and maintain recommended restrictions during the COVID-19 threat, the family held a private graveside service on Saturday, April 18, 2020. The Rev. Rickey Rogers officiated.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to FirstTee.org, a PGA organization focusing on teaching golf, strong values, and personal responsibility to our youth; qualities of which were important to Tilley.

Cox-Needham Funeral Home is respectfully serving the Tilley family.