Woodrow W. Lambeth, 95 | Serving Henderson, Transylvania and Polk Counties | North Carolina

BlueRidgeNow.com

May 7, 2008
Woodrow W. Lambeth, 95

Woodrow Wilson Lambeth, (Woody), 95, died Thursday, May 1, 2008, at Transylvania Community Hospital.He was born on Nov. 5, 1912, to William David and Lillie Bettie Watson Lambeth in the Browns Summit community of Guilford County, N.C. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his two sisters and six brothers, Tera Lambeth Walker, Ena Lambeth Finley, Clarence, Watson, William, Mark, Russell and Francis Lambeth.He attended North Carolina State on an athletic scholarship and lettered in both basketball and baseball. During his junior year, he was part of the N.C. State team that play an exhibition game against the Boston Braves. During that game, Babe Ruth failed to get on base, once because of a double play by Lambeth while Lambeth went three for four at the plate and was described in the local press as the batting star of the game.After graduating with a degree in textiles, he worked for 12 years for Marshall Fields (later Fieldcrest) in Fieldale, Va. where he met Jean, his wife. He then worked for Virginia Mills in Swepsonville, N.C., for 21 years. During his years in Swepsonville, he served a term on the Alamance County School Board. He worked for Bates Manufacturing in New York City and Lewiston, Maine for ten years and retired as president and CEO of Bates Manufacturing in 1977. During his tenure with Bates he served a term as Chairman of the Northern Textile Association and served on a textile advisory council for the U. S. Secretary of Commerce.Since retirement, he has lived in Burlington, Hendersonville and for the last 12 years in Brevard. Always the athlete, he continued to golf for many years and could always correctly list his five holes in ones.He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jean May Lambeth; his daughter, Jean Lambeth Hart and her husband, Ladson F. Hart of Brevard; grandson, Ladson Mills Hart and his wife, Sara of Charlotte; and granddaughter, Katherine Hart MacDowell and her husband, Stephen, of Hendersonville; and by his great-grandchildren, Rebecca and Anna MacDowell and Mills and Craton Hart. He is also survived by many loving and attentive nieces and nephews.He was a member of the Brevard Davidson River Presbyterian Church. A graveside service will be held at Friday, May 9 at 11 a.m. at Oakwood Cemetery in Martinsville, Va. The Rev. Phillis Lambeth Scott will officiate. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.Asheville Mortuary Service