Glen A. Ramsey

Rev. Glen A. Ramsey, Jr. 77, of Rondel Childres Ave., Hildebran, NC died Wednesday, December 27, 2006 following a period of declining health. He was born in Burke County, NC on March 17, 1929 and was the son of the late Glen A. Ramsey, Sr. and Fannie Benfield Ramsey. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by sisters, Margaret Black and Arlene Stewart, and by his step-mother, Lillian Grisette Ramsey. Rev. Ramsey had a long career as pastor of many Baptist churches throughout North Carolina. He began his career as minister at Rutherford College First Baptist Church at the age of 19 and then served as pastor at Marshall Baptist Church in Marshall, Calvary Baptist Church in Canton, Catawba Baptist Church in Catawba, Longview Baptist, Walker Road Baptist, Fairbrook Baptist, and Joy Baptist Churches in the tri-county area. He also founded Blackburn Baptist Church in Catawba County. Rev. Ramsey also served as director of missions for 42 churches in McDowell County and was a social worker for the Baptist Children’s Home in Thomasville. During his life, he also served as interim pastor at Bethel Baptist, Smyrna Baptist, Drexel Memorial Baptist, Chapel Hill Baptist, and Catawba Baptist Churches and for a time he taught school at the Western Youth Correctional Center in Morganton. Rev. Ramsey was a member at First Baptist Church in Hickory.

Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Faye Walsh Ramsey, of the home; his daughters and their husbands, June and Michael Cook of Hildebran and Gail and Danny Bordner of Vale; sisters, Gladys Thomas of Valdese and Paralee Tolbert and Doris Abee both of Morganton; grandchildren, Angelia Bedford, Tony Harris, Jr. and his wife, Christine, Lorissa Kale Vines and her husband, David, Wesley Paul Kale and his wife, Rebekah, and Terri Miller and her husband, Nathan; and great-grandchildren, Jeffrey Bedford, Lauren Harris, Christopher Miller, Daniel Miller, and Eden Miller.

The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 30, 2006 at First Baptist Church, Hickory, NC with Dr. William Leathers and Rev. Pat Pearce officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Michael Cook, Danny Bordner, Tony Harris, Jr., Wesley Kale, Jeffrey Bedford, Nathan Miller, and David Vines along with all ministers in attendance. Burial will be at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. Friday at Sossoman Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church 30 minutes before the funeral hour. Memorial contributions may be made to Palliative Care Center and Hospice of Catawba Valley, 3975 Robinson Rd., Newton, NC 28658 or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 3800 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte, NC 28215-3220.