The Good People Who Passed On in 2012 | Eastern North Carolina Now

Doc Watson: Above.
    Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson was born in Deep Gap, North Carolina, the county of Watauga, on March 3, 1923. Before his first birthday an infection caused the baby boy to lose his sight. His father taught Doc the meaning of work and its importance to sustain him through life. He taught the young boy to make the money needed to buy his first guitar, a $10 Stellar guitar.

    Doc grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, except for a stay at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, NC, learning well to play that Stellar guitar, and would one day become a local legend in his proficiency in playing the Old Time Mountain Music. He went on to play with numerous Country and Blue Grass Bands until settling in to play with his younger brother Merle Watson.

    I saw Doc and Merle Watson play at the Fiddler's Convention in Union Grove, North Carolina in 1975, and from that day on, I developed a keen appreciation for the pure artistry and the traditional purpose of Old Time Music, and am now a huge fan of this genre of music that Doc Watson lived largely to provide for folks like me.

    Doc Watson passed on from his wonderful life, that never strayed too far from his Watauga County roots, on May 29, 2012.
Donna Summer: Above.
    Donna Summer was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts. Ms. Summer was a very successful Disco performer in the mid 1970's through the early 1980's, with her signature hit being "Love to Love You Baby."

    Donna Summer passed on May 17, 2012.

Earl Scruggs: Above.
    Earl Eugene Scruggs was born January 6, 1924, and was raised in the Flint Hill community, just east of the Town of Boiling Springs, North Carolina in Cleveland County to Georgia Lula Ruppe and George Elam Scruggs, who also played the banjo before he died, when Earl was just 4 years old.

    Earl joined Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys in 1945, and later left that band in 1948, with Lester Flatts, to form the Foggy Mountain Boys. Earl employed well his 3 fingered picking style along with partner, Lester Flatts to create Country / Bluegrass classics: "The Ballad of Jed Clampett" (written for the classic TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies" in 1962) and "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" (winning the Grammy in 1969).

    Earl Scruggs passed on March 28, 2012.
Ernest Borgnine: Above.
    Ernest Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnino on January 24, 1917 in Hamden, Connecticut. He was one generation removed from a life in Italy rather than America, and spent the rest of his life thankful for his birth. Borgnine spent 6 years in the United States Navy, and then re-enlisted in 1941 after Pearl Harbor, where he remained until the end of World War II.

    After the war, and on a whim, by the advice of his mother, Borgnine elected to try the acting route, found that he loved it, and made a good living doing what he loved.

    Borgnine acted on stage, and in 1951 got his break as a movie actor in the classic film "From Here to Eternity," and in 1955 won the Academy Award for Best Actor in the film "Marty" playing the titular role.

    Ernest Borgnine found success in television in the lead role as Quinton McHale in the popular "McHale's Navy," which ran for 4 years.

    Ernest Borgnine passed on July 8, 2012.
Gary Carter: Above.
   Gary Edmund Carter was born on April 8, 1954 in Culver City, California, and was well known as the "Kid," suggesting his patented exuberance for the game. Gary began his career as a baseball catcher, first for the Montreal Expos and later for the New York Mets. Known for his defense as a catcher and his offense as power hitter, Carter was an 11 time All Star.

    Gary Carter died of brain cancer on February 16, 2012.
George McGovern: Above.
    George Stanley McGovern was born July 19, 1922 in Mitchell, South Dakota. George McGovern was a patriot serving in World War II as a B-24 Liberator pilot, flying 35 missions, and was decorated, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross.

    After the war, McGovern continued his education gaining his PhD, and taught history before going into politics: first being elected as a U.S. Representative, and then elected U. S. Senator in 1962. Senator McGovern is best known as the anti-Vietnam War candidate that ran against incumbent Richard Nixon in 1972, whose Washington, DC campaign headquarters were located in The Watergate, where operatives,"the plumbers", working for the Richard Nixon campaign broke into, and were arrested, initiating a line of events that led to President Nixon's resignation in 1974.

    U.S. Senator George McGovern passed on October 21, 2012.
Joe Paterno: Above.
    Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno was born December 21, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. Joe Paterno played college football for Brown University, and eventually, in 1966, became the head coach at another Pennsylvania University - Penn State, where he became one of the winningest coaches in college history.

    Some people, who are not aware of this special history, will always remember Joe Paterno, who may have turned a blind eye to the Jerry Sandusky, assistant Penn State Coach, sex abuse scandal that wrecked the Penn State "family" in 2011, cost him his job, and possibly what was left of his life.

    I, on the other hand, will remember Joe Paterno as one of the greatest college football coaches, who my former sales associate, John Hoffman, back when I sold electronic components, held in the highest regard - the man was deified by Penn State alumni, of which John was one.

    The man, who was lovingly known to his fans as "JoePa"; won two national championships, had 5 undefeated teams and is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

    They say Joe Paterno died January 22, 2012 of Cancer. Many of his loyal fans believe that he died of a broken heart.