Homer Asbury Clontz

Homer Asbury Clontz, 85, of Asheville, died Friday, April 6, 2007. Born June 14, 1921, in Morganton, NC, he had lived in Buncombe County since 1922. He was a son of the late Henry Everett Clontz and Mary Mangum Clontz. Homer was a member of Grace Baptist Church, Blackmer Masonic Lodge 170 and Veterans of Foreign Wars. During his productive years he had served on the Board of Directors of the West Buncombe Fire Department and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Council and had volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. Homer was employed by Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company from 1946 until his retirement on December 31, 1983. During the last nineteen years of his employment he was assigned to American Enka Corporation. He had a great sense of responsibility to both companies and a deep feeling of loyalty to his many friends with whom he worked. Homer appreciated his heritage and loved his country. During World War II he served on the USS Intrepid from the time of the ship’s commissioning on August 16, 1943, until her return home on December 15, 1945, after having received orders on August 15 to “cease offensive operations”. He was honorably discharged from the United States Navy on February 8, 1946. Homer believed patriotism involves not only fighting the country’s wars but also protecting the environment and caring for people. In addition to his parents, Homer was predeceased by brothers, Howard, Everett and Glen Clontz and a sister, Ila Jervis. Survivors include his wife of fifty-nine years, Marie Watkins Clontz; a son, Stanford Clontz and wife Jan Hunter Clontz; a daughter, Elizabeth Sanders and husband Dr. Clayton Sanders; grandchildren, Ian, Reid, Joel and Layne Sanders; a sister, Kate Mathis and husband Wayne Mathis; sisters-in-law, Evelyn Clontz, Elizabeth Myers, Bernette Chambers and husband F.B. Chambers and a number of nieces and nephews. A service of celebration of Homer’s life will be held at 2:00 pm Monday at Grace Baptist Church with the Rev. Drs. Wayne Adkisson and Derrill Smith officiating. Private interment will be at Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain. His family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church and request that, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, 30 Meadow Road, Asheville, NC 28803 or to Grace Baptist Church, 718 Haywood Road, Asheville, NC 28806.