John Hoyt Baswell

Mr. John Hoyt Baswell, 88, Granite Falls, N.C., passed away at Frye Regional Medical Center shortly after midnight on Friday, Jan. 2, 2009.

Born June 4, 1920, in St. Clair County to the late John and Mattie Baswell, Hoyt graduated from Ash-ville High School, moved to the town of Gadsden and began his career in the food industry with Merita Bakery. He retired in 1982 from Beatrice Foods, Martha White Division. In 1941 he married his high school sweetheart, Hazel Dodd, and they spent 67 years together raising their children, supporting their church and community and enjoying their friends.

Hoyt was very active in the Masonic Lodge and the Lions Club in Alabama and North Carolina and a deacon in his church.

After relocating to Granite Falls in 1993, Hoyt embraced his new community, especially First Baptist Church and the Granite Falls Lions Club. He and Hazel were always grateful for the loving friendship and care they received from this community.

Hoyt loved his wife Hazel, their children and families. He will forever be remembered for his loving care of Hazel during her long illness, for his sense of humor, devotion to his family and church and boundless love of life.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel Dodd Baswell; and 11 brothers and sisters.

He is survived by his children, Linda Baswell DuBose and husband, Tom, Winston Salem, N.C., Rita Baswell Rhinehart, Kirkland, Wash., and Doug Baswell and wife, Lori, Granite Falls, N.C. Mr. Baswell is also survived by six grandchildren, Keri Rhinehart Whitehead and husband, Rob, Lynnwood, Wash., Nathan Scott DuBose and wife, Leigh, McKinney, Texas, Emily DuBose Lewis and husband, Andrew, London, Callie Bas-well Smith and husband, Andy, Granite Falls, N.C., Mindy Baswell, Laguna Niguel, Calif., and Macie Baswell Knight and husband, Ken, Granite Falls, N.C. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Mackie-High Funeral Home. The service for Mr. Baswell will be held at First Baptist Church, Granite Falls, at 1 p.m. Wednesday with the Rev. Dr. Robert B. Evans Jr. officiating. Mr. Baswell will lie-in-state 30 minutes prior to the service, and interment will follow at Sunset Hills Cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers will be the Granite Falls Lions Club.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Granite Falls, P.O. Box 507 Granite Falls, NC 28630 or Granite Falls Lions Club, P.O. Box 432 Granite Falls, NC 28630.

Mackie-High Funeral Home is serving the Baswell family. You may view the obituary on line at www.mem.com.