John H. Denton

John H. Denton, Sr., 64, went to be with the Lord Thursday, April 1, 2010, following a period of declining health. Mr. Denton was born in Burke County on August 21, 1945, and he was a son of the late John Festus and Ellen Epley Denton. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by brothers, Roy and Raymond Denton, and by sisters, Eula Horne and Jane Elliott. John was a loving and devoted Daddy and Paw-Paw and was an avid outdoorsman and coon hunter. He retired with 30 years of service from Western Carolina Center and attended South Mountain Baptist, New Beginnings Baptist, and Faith Chapel Baptist Churches.John is survived by a son, John H. "Bo" Denton, Jr. of Morganton; daughters, Christine Ray and her husband, Anthony, of Morganton and Charity Ellen Denton, of Hickory; grandchildren, Cody Ray and his wife, Amanda, Dustin Ray, and Jessica Ray, all of Morganton; sisters, Bessie Norman, Cordie Shell, Vergie Norman, and Joyce Bollinger and her husband, Jim; Bo and Christine mother, Brenda Denton; and Charity’s mother, Natalie Carroll.The funeral will be held at 4:00 p.m. Monday, April 5, 2010, in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home with Reverends Jim Bollinger and Bob Deviney officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends an hour before the service. At other times the family will be at John’s home. Memorial contributions may be to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690.