Dick Ledbetter

1934 - 2021

Louis Richard (Dick) Ledbetter, 86, unexpectedly departed this life on May 18, 2021. He came into the world on Sept. 24, 1934 in Pomona (a suburb of Greensboro), the son of Lionel Dees and Odelia Osborne Ledbetter with the assistance of Duncan Carter, MD, OB/GYN. He grew up on the outskirts of Glenwood where he attended Peck School, moving to Central Junior High and graduating from Greensboro Senior High (Grimsley), where he lettered in football and wrestling and as a co-editor of the Sports Section of the High Life School Paper and a member of Quill & Scroll as well as being inducted into the Torchlight Academic Honor Society. He continued his education at NCSU, graduating in 1957 with a BEE and an Army Commission as Second Lieutenant. After Basic courses at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, he was assigned to the Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg as a PSYOPS/ Radio Officer until May 1959, when he left active duty to become employed as an Assistant Engineer at Western Electric Company. He returned to Fort Bragg in 1961, assigned to the activated Greensboro Detachment of the 730th Radio Relay as a result of the Berlin Crisis. Returning once again to civilian life in 1962, he moved to Western Electric Field Forces during which time he met and wed Judith Gail Bowman in 1964. In 1965 he was admitted to the Lehigh University Graduate Program, earning an MSIE Degree, while he and Judy welcomed two daughters. After graduating in 1967, Dick and Judy returned to North Carolina to raise their family. Dick returned to Western Electric and Judy, to Public Health as a registered nurse, finally settling in Winston-Salem. Upon retirement, the empty-nesters made Surry County their home. As an electrical engineer, computer programmer, and true Renaissance man, Dick was also a gentleman farmer and a talented craftsman who could design and fix just about anything. He was known for his generous spirit and sharp wit, never failing to regale all with a good tale, quoting both scripture and classic literature with ease. His love of music was demonstrated in singing with his smooth baritone voice, and picking a tune on the banjo, guitar, mandolin or bass. Through the years, he played throughout North Carolina with many local bands at various bluegrass and music festivals, mentoring musicians, and sharing his extensive knowledge of Bluegrass and American folk music. In the 1990s and 2000s you would often see him at the Mount Airy Cinema (the Earle) on Saturday mornings, jamming with local musicians at the Merry-Go-Round music venue, maybe later the same day on the WPAQ radio broadcast, and once appeared on You Tube channel, "Gone with the Wynn's' in 2011. Dick, a devoted husband and father, is survived by his wife, Judith Bowman Ledbetter, a faithful, hard-working, patient and loving life partner. He also leaves behind his two daughters, Christina Ledbetter Eliason (Richard) and Suzanna Ledbetter Coley (Raymond); five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, May 26, at 1p.m. at Cox-Needham Funeral Chapel. A private family graveside service with military honors will be held at Guilford Memorial Park following the funeral. The Rev. Wesley Hall will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina or to the organization of choice. Cox-Needham is serving the Ledbetter family. Online condolences may be made at www.coxneedham.com.