Angie Hawkins Lane

Angie Hawkins Lane, 98, of Charles Avenue, Morganton, NC, died Saturday, May 10, 2008 at her residence following a period of declining health. Mrs. Lane was born in Burke County, NC on November 15, 1909 to Robert Barto Hawkins and Mary Alysabeth "Minnie" Carswell Hawkins. She was a direct descendant of Heinrich Weidner, George Wilfong of Catawba County, Aaron Stacy, Christofel Mull, and Samuel Hoffman of Burke County.She spent her early years in the home of her maternal grandfather, Jasper Carswell, from whom she learned her love and appreciation of nature and the environment. She attended schools at Enola and the old Mull School.In 1920 Angie’s father, a Spanish-American War veteran, was entitled to homestead free land in Florida. He was given 160 acres to live upon, cultivate, and improve.Angie was brought back to Burke County in 1922 to stay with her aging grandparents, Julius Pinkney Hawkins and Julia Evangeline Mull Hawkins. From her grandmother she developed a love of the land and a fondness for growing herbs and flowers.

In 1927 Mrs Lane entered nurse’s training at State (now Broughton) Hospital. She graduated in 1929.In 1929 she married Edward Benson Lane, son of Charlie Washington Lane and Belle Boyd Turner Lane.Edward Lane wanted his four young children to grow up in a rural setting. Thus began the years of country life, living first at the historic Quaker Meadows house, and later at the Connelly-Berry house in Chesterfield.The rationing of gasoline to three gallons per week at the onset of WWII forced the family to return to Morganton.After her youngest child entered school in 1943, Angie went back to work. First she worked at Ross Fabrics and later at Morganton Hosiery Mill.In 1966 she began working at the NC School for the Deaf and then transferring to the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center from which she retired.As a child Mrs. Lane was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, the home church of her mother and the Hawkins family. In March of 1932, she joined the North Morganton Methodist Church, her husband’s church. She was a faithful member for seventy-four years, living to become the oldest member in age.Mrs. Lane was an active member of the United Methodist Women since its inception as the Woman’s Society of Christian Service. She was honored for her years of service in 1973.She was the church historian and chaired the committee that compiled the history of North Morganton Church at its fiftieth anniversary in 1974.Mrs. Lane was honored to be a part of the ground-breaking ceremony for the new church on Sanford Drive.After retirement, Mrs. Lane was instrumental in forming the Alder Springs Herb Showers. In 1972 she began the annual Harrison Brittain Hawkins Reunion.She was a member of the Oak Hill Home Demonstration Club and made regular contributions to the Burke County Fair.

One by one, she saw her older friends pass away. New, younger friends were constantly drawn to her by her youthful energy and enthusiasm for life.Mrs. Lane was thoughtful of others. She visited the sick and elderly at home and at hospitals, and attended funerals, all of which she considered a part of her Christian duty.In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Gladys Maude Hawkins Brittain; brothers, Herman George Hawkins of Morganton and Laben Richard Hawkins of Lenoir, NC.Her beloved husband of 73 years, Edward Lane, died on January 14, 2003.She is survived by two sons, Edward Benson Lane, Jr. and wife, Betty Burgess Lane, of Rutherfordton, NC and Richard Neal Lane of Lexington, NC; daughters, Nina Belle Lane Hogan and Mary Frances Lane Bradley and husband, Bob, all of Morganton; granddaughters, Martha Gail Hogan Jump, Linda Frances Hogan Mabe, Debra Lane Bradley, Kimberly Ann Bradley, Mary Louise Bradley Ayers, Angela Lee Lane Wilkinson, and Edie Luvinia Lane Crook; ten great-grandchildren, a sister, Julia Viola Hawkins Price ; a sister-in-law, Minnie Mae Walker Hawkins; and a number of nieces and nephews.The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at North Morganton United Methodist Church with Rev. Tony Mathews and Chaplain Bill Hall officiating. Burial will follow in Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the church from 12:45 until 2:00 p.m. prior to the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Angie Lane Memorial Fund, c/o North Morganton United Methodist Church, 990 Sanford Drive, Morganton, NC 28655 or to Burke Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.