George Harlan Needham

george needham
Arden~ Rev. George Harlan Needham, 90, of Givens Estates, died Wednesday May 2nd, 2007 at Givens Health Center. Born in Timberlake, NC, he was a son of the late Rev. Samuel Millard Needham and Julia Stimpson Needham and was also preceded in death by two infant daughters, two brothers and four sisters. Rev. Needham graduated from High Point College and Duke Divinity School and was an ordained minister in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church for 42 years until his retirement in 1982. He served on District and Conference Committees during several of his active ministerial years. George served as an Army Chaplain during WWII and the Korean Conflict. He was also active in the Army Reserve and retired as the Division Chaplain of the 108th Training Division in Charlotte. After 32 years of service, Chaplain Col. Needham was presented the Legion of Merit Medal. Rev. Needham is survived by his wife of 64 years, Clara Howell Needham; a son, Harlan L. Needham of Hurdle Mills, NC; a daughter, Ellen D. Needham of Morganton, NC; two sisters, Beth N. Garfinkle of Montgomery Village, MD and Kathryn N. Meyer of Lakewood, CO; several nieces, nephews and their families. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, May 5, 2007 at Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville with a memorial service at Givens Estates in the Norma Pulliam Chapel also Saturday, May 5, at 3:00 pm. The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 3:00 pm at the chapel prior to the service. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to UMCOR, WNC Conference Treasurer, PO Box 18005, Charlotte, NC 28218 or to the American Red Cross, 100 Edgewood Rd., Asheville, NC 28804.

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  1. Dear Clara,
    Lou and I were so sorry to learn of George’s death. (Thank you Ellen for calling to tell us.) We are scheduled to be in Tenn. tomorrow and for the rest of the weekend. However, we extend our heartfelt sympathy and will be in touch with you later. Much love, Lou and Glenn

  2. Dear Mrs. Needham, Ellen & Harlan, Uncle Glenn just called to tell me about Mr. Needham’s death. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. Your family was such a wonderful presence in my early life. May God be with you all, Love, Penny (Buckner) Damron

  3. Sorry to learn of George’s death. Thanks to Ellen for letting us know. Unfortunately we will be in TN with Pam and grand-children but our thoughts will be with you. Lou and Glenn

  4. Dearest Ellen: We are so saddened to hear of your loss. Please convey our sincerest sympathy to your Mother and Brother. Jim will return home on Wednesday, and we will be in touch soon after that.
    You are all in our thoughts and prayers. Love, Jim and Mindy

  5. Aunt Clara and Cousins Harlan and Ellen,

    You are each in my heart, as is Uncle George, and you will be forever. One of my thoughts after hearing of Uncle George’s passing was of three long-legged brothers whooping it up, ‘up there’ with Jesus, in a much better place. Can’t you just see it: Sam, George, and Bill dancing, hopping, and racing around with renewed energy like young teens – no more ills, no more sadness, and I wonder if the Needham stubborn-ness is gone? Hmmmmm…..Our generation of cousins will have to carry that torch for the previous one!!! To be more sober in thought, I want you to know I love each of you, and I loved your daddy. I have appreciated each and every visit over the years from times when I was small, and Daddy and I took short roadtrips to wherever you folks were ‘stationed’ by the conference, to visits in the later years to Charlotte, a few up at Givens, and of course, the yearly reunions at Gran and Grandad’s last earthly home out here on Kilmurry Hill. Many phone calls have come striaght to you, but some have come to ‘the farm’ out here on the hill, as well. Your dad was loved and appreciated by so very many whom he served while in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Methodist part of the universal Body of Believers. I thank God for each of you.


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