Hazel Whisnant Cline

Hazel Whisnant Cline, 87, of the Oak Hill Community in Morganton, NC departed this earth on a beautiful Easter Sunday morning, March 23, 2008 to spend eternity with her Lord and Savior. She joins her loving husband, James A. Cline, who awaits Hazel after 60 years of marriage. Born April 3, 1920 in Burke County, she was the daughter of the late Ambrose Tillman Whisnant and Callie Hood Whisnant. Hazel was a former employee of Skyland Textiles and a retired dietary department employee of Western Carolina Center. She enjoyed working with children at several day cares. Hazel was a wonderful Christian woman who loved the Lord and served him faithfully teaching Sunday school at North Morganton Baptist Church and El Bethel Baptist Church for over 35 years. She enjoyed singing in the choir and her WMU work. Hazel was a member of Morganton Freedom Church of God where she attended until her health failed. She loved working with her flowers, gardening, crocheting, and cooking, but Hazel’s greatest passion was trout fishing with her husband, children, and grandchildren.Left to cherish the memory of this loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great great-grandmother are a daughter, Peggy Goins and her husband, Bobby, with whom Mrs. Cline made her home; a son, James Cline and his wife, Janice, of Greer, SC; grandchildren, David Marshall and his wife, Virginia, of Morganton, Rev. Dennis Marshall and his wife, LaRue, of Advance, NC, Cheryl Rodriguez and special friend, Chris Miller of Lenoir, Lynn Cline and his wife, Maggie, of Lyman, SC, and Brian Cline of Simpsonville, SC; great grandchildren, David Marshall, Jr., Summer Wells, Graham Patterson, Audrey Patterson, Chelsey Cline, Christian Cline, Lukas Cline, and McKenzie Marshall; a great great granddaughter, Serenity Wells; step-grandchildren, Renee Bowman, April Hoover, and Tori Bolding; her youngest sister, Juanita Long and her husband, Norman, of Morganton; her brother-in-law, Howard Cline and his wife, Lillie, of Charlotte; a sister-in-law, Betty Mathis of Morganton; and numerous nieces and nephews.In addition to her parents and husband, Hazel was preceded in death by brothers, Clyde and Grayson Whisnant; sisters, Mary Chester, Vivian Freeman, and Helen English; and two infant sons.Hazel spent the last years of her life living with her daughter and also residing at Autumn Care of Drexel. The family would like to give special thanks and recognition to the administration and staff for the loving care given to Hazel while she lived at Autumn Care. "During the last hours of our loved one’s life, you were there for the family, providing food, support, and love. We greatly appreciate all of you." A special thanks to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care for their kindness and compassion given to our mother at Autumn Care and at her daughter’s home. "Your loving support means more than you will ever know." Our loved one and our family was also blessed with a special volunteer, Ms. Carolyn Cooper, who visited her faithfully.Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 25, 2008 in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home with Rev. Todd Phillips and Rev. Harold Joplin officiating and with Mrs. Cline’s grandsons serving as pallbearers. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 2:00 until 3:00 pm at the funeral home. At other times, the family will be at the residence of Peggy Goins, 1328 Amherst Rd., Morganton. Memorial gifts may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690, or to Morganton Freedom Church of God, 1314 N. Green St., Morganton, NC 28655 or to Amherst Baptist Church Building Fund, 1024 Amherst Rd., Morganton, NC 28655.