Mary Adair Edwards Phifer

Mary Adair Edwards Phifer died at home on Monday, November 23, 2009. Born November 25, 1912, in Orlando, Florida, she was the only daughter of Gaston Holcomb Edwards, MD and Adair Dunn Edwards. She was married for 42 years to the late Edward William Phifer, Jr., MD of Morganton, NC, where they made their home. She was preceded in death by daughter Martha Avery Phifer, grandson John M. Webb Crute III, and brother George Wilkerson Edwards II, MD.Beloved by her family, she is survived by her brother, Warren Hardin Edwards of Bonifay, FL; four daughters, Adair Phifer Armfield of Greensboro, NC, Susan Ann Phifer (George Dean Johnson, Jr.) of Spartanburg, SC, Mimi Phifer (Ernesto de la Torre, MD) of Lewisville, NC, Nancy Welcome Phifer, MD (Samuel Cykert, MD) of Greensboro, NC, and a son, Edward William Phifer III (Rebecca Roll) of Morganton, NC; five grandchildren, Mary Crute Crumpler (L. Burks, Jr.) of Raleigh, NC, Adair Phifer Crute (Clyde Hutchison, PhD) of LaJolla, CA, Nancy Holcomb Crute of Seattle, WA, George Dean Johnson III of Spartanburg, SC, Susanna Presnell Johnson of New York, NY; and three great-grandsons, Edward Phifer West Hutchison, Edward Burks Crumpler, and Webb Crute Crumpler.Mrs. Phifer was a graduate of the Cathedral School for Girls in Orlando, FL, St. Mary’s Junior College in Raleigh, NC, Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee, FL, where she was a member of Chi Omega Sorority, and Yale University School of Nursing in New Haven, CT. After her graduation, she was employed as a Graduate Nurse of Operating Room and as Assistant Instructor of Operating Room Technique at New Haven Hospital, Yale University School of Nursing.She was a faithful member of Grace Episcopal Church in Morganton as a Sunday School teacher and as a member of ECW, the Altar Guild and the Vestry.Her many civic involvements included service on the Board of NC Outward Bound, Davidson College Board of Visitors, Burke County Historical Society, and Historic Burke Foundation. In her strong commitment to education, she served on the Morganton City Schools Board for twelve years and later on the Western Piedmont Community College Board, chairing it from 1982-1984. At WPCC, the Phifer Learning Center’s name honors both her and her husband. Mrs. Phifer was a member of the Junior League of Orlando, FL, and a founding member of the Morganton Service League. She loved to walk and to hike.Pallbearers will be Samuel J. Avery, John W. Ervin Jr., John V. Jokinen, Jack B. Kirksey, Mark K. Miller, Jerome T. Norvell Jr., H. Dockery Teele Jr., William Barnet III, and J. Sidney Fulmer, MD.A service will be held on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, at 11 AM at Grace Episcopal Church with the Reverend Bruce Walker officiating. The service will be followed by burial in Forest Hill Cemetery. Afterwards, the family will receive friends at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Phifer III, 317 West Union Street, Morganton.Memorials may be sent to Grace Episcopal Church, 303 South King Street, Morganton, NC 28655 or to a charity of one’s choice.Sossoman Funeral Home of Morganton is assisting the family with the arrangements.