John Broadus Morrow

John Broadus Morrow, 101, went home to his Heavenly Father on January 24, 2012. Born July 29, 1910, he was a lifelong resident of Fairview, NC, and a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. He was a faithful husband and a loving, protective dad. He was an ordained minister who enjoyed reading the Bible and researching the scriptures. He served in church as a superintendent, deacon and teacher. He was a member of the Fairview Quartet, singing both tenor and bass. He was a self-taught contractor and licensed general contractor who built many homes in the area. Broadus loved the mountains and the changing seasons. Spring and summer were his favorite as he enjoyed planting a garden, watching it grow and harvesting the produce. His favorite pastime included playing checkers and challenging his friends and family to a game of Frisbee. He witnessed many changes in western North Carolina and the world, including those from an agricultural society to industrial and the rise of technology. He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Gertrude Guffey Morrow; infant daughter, Karen Rose; parents, John Baxter Morrow and Sallie Dotson Morrow; sisters, Minnie Gregory, Annie Hill; and brothers, Thurl, Burgin, and Howard Morrow. He leaves behind his children, June Napier and husband Jerry, of Raleigh, Elaine Lisenbee of Hickory, James (Jim) Morrow and wife Mary, and Ann Bellflower and husband Richard, all of Fairview; 7 grandchildren, Jeffrey Napier and wife Rocio, of Raleigh, Kimberly Kendall, of Candler, Stephen Morrow and wife Angela, of Delaware, Cindy Randolph and husband Mark, of Hickory, Ben Bellflower and wife Emily, of Raleigh, Heather Morrow-Almedia and husband Christopher, of Oregon, and Holli McCarley and husband William, of South Carolina; and 10 great-grandchildren. Surviving siblings are sisters, Vinnie Ledbetter, Paralee Goforth, Martha Lee, Betty Sales, Catherine Sales, and brothers, Troy and Charles Morrow. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue in Asheville, with the Revs. Jim Whitted and Wade Huntley officiating. Burial will be at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. His family will receive friends from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1454, Fairview, NC 28730.