W. A. “Dub” Hord, Jr.

Willard Anderson "Dub" Hord, Jr of Morganton went to his Lord and Savior on January 21, 2024. He was the only child of Willard Anderson Hord and Bertha Lee Nichols Hord, once residents of Morganton. Always known as Dub, he was a beloved life-long member of First Baptist Church of Morganton, where he was well involved, especially in his Sunday school class, the Hord-Hogshead-Brown-Huffman Class. He also taught youth Sunday school classes and was a deacon for many years.

Dub was born in Marion NC March 24, 1929, and moved to Morganton around age 4, where his father opened Hord-Long Esso service station and Hord Furniture Store. He attended and played football at Morganton High School, graduating in 1948. He was named to the Greensboro Observer High School First Team All-State Football team. He earned a football scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where he was a teammate to the famous Charlie “Choo-Choo” Justice and played in the 1949 Sugar Bowl and 1950 Cotton Bowl. While at college, he met the love of his life, Martha “Marty” Campbell. They were married in June 1952.

Dub joined the ROTC while at Carolina, and enlisted in the US Navy during the Korean War after graduating in 1952 with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education. He served in the Navy as a Gunnery Officer on the minesweeper ship USS Merganser. He was once stationed in Japan for 1 year, where Marty joined him. His ships served all over the Korean coast, and the Mediterranean Sea, where he was fortunate to have several interesting ports-of-call. He was honorably discharged in 1954 with the rank of Lt. (J.G.)

After his service, he returned to Morganton, he was hired by the North Carolina School for the Deaf as a teacher, wrestling & track coach, and assistant football coach, soon promoted to Head Football Coach in 1957. He truly enjoyed teaching and coaching the team, and led them to National Deaf Championships in 1958, 1959 & 1960, Skyline Conference Champion & North Carolina 1A State Champion Runner-Up in 1960. He was named National Deaf Coach of the Year in 1960, and inducted into the NCSD Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. In the 5 years coaching at NCSD he accumulated a record of 41 wins, 7 losses and 2 ties. He was also inducted into the Burke County Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 along with his best player, Charlie Crowe.

He also managed Optimist Park & Steel Creek Park in the 50’s

Dub was offered a role/career change with Morganton Furniture company in the Personnel Department, and later became Plant Manager of Drexel Plant #33. He then was promoted to other Drexel plants- Table Rock Plant and Plants 3&5. He was later promoted to Manufacturing Director for several years, before retiring in 1994. He did love the work, where he met many life-long friends over his 30+ years in the furniture industry.

Dub & Marty raised 3 children during those years, and their good parenting made them all adults he was very proud of.

After Marty passed away in 1995, he met his 2nd love, Jane Mackorell. They were married in 1996, and enjoyed traveling together to places such as Ireland, France, Alaska, Hawaii, Cancun, the West Coast, Florida and Maine. They also enjoyed golf, socializing, and their grandchildren.

Dub enjoyed the outdoors, and he always had to keep busy. He loved deer hunting with his son Mark, son-in-law John and grandsons, bass fishing with his best friend Tate Ervin, restoring his 1958 Corvette with son-in-law Rik, intricate wood carving, mowing grass, Lake James, watching Carolina Football & Basketball, and could fix almost anything! He also had a hobby of making things such as water skis, a CB radio, hunting rifles, climbing deer stands and anything innovative.

He was a true to heart American, Tar Heel, Baptist, Father, Grandfather, and Husband. God, Family and Country always came first. He touched so many lives in his 94+ years. He was a former member and president of Morganton Kiwanis and named Kawanian of the year in 1982, and was responsible for putting out the flags around the Old Burke County Courthouse during patriotic holidays. In the past he coached numerous youth football (including pee wee league) and baseball teams, a Boy Scout leader, the founder of the Burke Bowman Archery Club, and volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and Joara Foundation for many years.

Dub is survived by his wife, Jane Mackorell Hord; son Mark (Sara) Hord; daughters, Laurie (Rik) Craig and Elizabeth (John) Latz; grandchildren Hollee Hord, Darren Hord and Taylor Jones; step-daughters Sissy (Brian) Mackorell and Susan Ferree; and step-grandchildren, Erin Latz Mitchell, Nicholas Latz, Austin Domke-Latz, Amanda Spencer Hines, Jocelyn Spencer Hollifield, Emma Ferree O’Neil and Hannah Ferree.

A celebration of life will be held at First Baptist Church of Morganton on Saturday Feb. 3. Receiving friends in the sanctuary will begin at 11am with the service to follow at 12pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations or memorials be sent to: First Baptist Church of Morganton, PO Box 459, Morganton NC 28680.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.