Mrs. & Mrs Eggers

Mrs. Bonnie Chloe Hodges Eggers, age 84, of Hodges Miller Road, Blowing Rock, died Wednesday morning, March 5, 2008 at Blowing Rock Hospital after a brief illness.
Mrs. Eggers was the wife of Rev. Carson Clay Eggers. She was born January 14, 1924 in Watauga County to General Grant and Mamie Moody Hodges. Mrs. Eggers was retired from TRW/IRC.
Rev. Carson Clay Eggers, age 85, of Hodges Miller Road, Blowing Rock, died Friday morning, March 7, 2008 at the V.A. Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tennessee after a brief illness. Rev. Eggers was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie Chloe Hodges Eggers. Carson and Bonnie were married for 66 years. They were members of the First Baptist Church in Elk Park.
He was born October 26, 1922 in Watauga County to Thomas and Della Penley Eggers. He was an U.S. Army veteran of WWII and owned and operated Eggers Construction Company. Rev. Eggers pastored seven local Baptist churches, Howard’s Creek, Mount Vernon, Laurel Fork, Middle Fork, Boone’s Ford, Stamey Town and Elk Park First Baptist Church.
They are survived by their children, Chloe Wyatt and husband Jim of Millers Creek, Shelia Eggers of Wilkesboro, Steve Eggers and wife Jolene of Millers Creek and David Eggers and wife Norma of Blowing Rock. Nine grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild also survive.
Mrs. Eggers is also survived by three sisters, Zaida Trivette and Marie Isenhour, both of Lake Placid, Florida and Doris Miller of Blowing Rock. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Hubert, Dow and Dallas Hodges.
Rev. Eggers is also survived by one sister, Jean Davis and husband Rev. Jeff Davis of Sanford. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Josephine Roberts and Leola Miller.
Funeral services for Bonnie Chloe Hodges Eggers and Rev. Carson Clay Eggers were conducted Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Austin & Barnes Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by the Rev. Bill Warren. Interment followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Blowing Rock.
Memorials for Bonnie Eggers may be made to the North Carolina Baptist Children’s Home, PO Box 338, Thomasville, North Carolina 37361 or to Brenner Children’s Hospital, Office of Development, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157.
Memorials for Rev. Carson Clay Eggers may be made to the First Baptist Church of Elk Park, PO Box 25, Elk Park, NC 28622.
Online condolences may be made to the Eggers family at austinandbarnesfunealhome.com.
Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory of Boone is serving the Eggers family.

Mr. Blackwell

Mr. E. J. Blackwell, Jr., age 78, of Blowing Rock and Pompano Beach, Florida, died at his Florida home on Saturday, April 8 following a lengthy illness.
Mr. Blackwell, and his wife, Shirley, operated the famous Farm House Inn and Restaurant in Blowing Rock for many years, taking over from E.J. Sr and Elsie Blackwell when they retired from the business. The Farm House was famous for his singing wait staff and parlor performances, under the direction of Shirley Blackwell.
The Blackwell family also owned and operated the oldest and most famous restaurant in their area of Florida, (the historic Pioneer House) in the historic Stranahan House, a well known landmark of South Florida.
Mr. Blackwell was born May 5, 1929 in Hollywood, Florida, the son of Etson James Blackwell, Sr. and Elsie Bellamy Blackwell.
He attended Stetson University, graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts. He was a veteran of the U St Air Force.
In the summer of 1954, E.J. hired Shirley L. Lowe as the first singing waitress at the family’s Farm House Inn and Restaurant. One year later the two were married on July 10, 1955 in Blowing Rock.
Mr. Blackwell is survived by his wife, Shirley L. Blackwell of Pompano Beach, Florida and Blowing Rock; one son, James E. Blackwell, and his wife Cynthia; one daughter Elcia D. Blackwell Gilbert, and husband James; seven grandchildren, James Blackwell, Ryan Blackwell, Eric Blackwell, Philip Blackwell, Andrew Blackwell, Ryan Gilbert and Amber Gilbert; one sister, Joyce Martin; and two nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Etson and Elsie Blackwell, founders of The Farm House.
Services for Mr. Blackwell were held in Florida, and a memorial service is planned in Blowing Rock this summer.