Darrell Roger “Scooter” Ledford, Jr.

Darrell Roger "Scooter" Ledford, Jr., 63, passed away after a long illness under hospice care at The Greens at Spruce Pine in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, on November 13, 2024. The only child of Darrell R. Ledford, Sr. and Elwanda McCoury Ledford, Scooter was born on June 18, 1961 at the now-defunct Cannon Memorial Hospital in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

Scooter graduated from Mitchell High School in Bakersville, North Carolina, in 1978 as a member of the first graduating class of the newly formed high school. After graduating, Scooter tried his hand at higher education, briefly enrolling at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee, and then at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton, North Carolina. Finding that he preferred practical work experiences to academic pursuits, Scooter became an EMS Technician with the nascent Mitchell County EMS Services; a hotel manager of Comfort Inn and Quality Inn properties in Wytheville, VA and Elizabethton, TN; a long haul truck driver with his friend David Francis; and finally a self-taught woodworker and furniture designer. It is this final phase of Scooter's working life that continues to bring joy and fond memories to his family and friends, as many pieces of Scooter's functional, vernacular furniture enjoy pride of place in their homes. Scooter's sadness at his father's passing and his degenerative illness eventually robbed him of his ability to work and of his independence, but his infectious laughter and bright smile remained until almost the end of his life.

Scooter had an extensive group of friends and a strong support network in Elizabethton, TN, where he eventually settled down and lived for well over three decades. Scooter was an avid cook of "old timey" Southern fare and was well-known at extended family gatherings for bringing homemade dishes, which were almost indistinguishable from his beloved grandmother's, Donna "Doanie Mama" Buchanan Ledford, traditional Southern creations. In addition to cooking, Scooter had a passion for animals. Throughout his life, he raised cattle and was never without one (or more) dogs and cats as beloved companions and house pets. Scooter was also enthusiastic about travel and enjoyed many trips throughout the United States, both with his tight-knit friend group and his uncles and aunts. On one memorable trip in the early 1990s, Scooter traveled to Madrid, Spain, with his first cousin Victoria Ledford O'Connor. The pair spent ten days exploring the Spanish capital and its surrounding environs and reminisced for decades about the adventures they shared. Indisputably, Scooter had a zest for life that was the envy of many who knew him. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, throughout his life Scooter was a man of faith who attended several churches in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee.

A fun-loving, charismatic, creative, and caring son, nephew, cousin and friend, Scooter was preceded in death by his father, Darrell R. Ledford, Sr.; four uncles, Ted R. Ledford, Bruce R. Ledford, Donald Phillips, and Doug Dellinger; and one cousin, Jennifer Ledford. He was survived by his mother, Elwanda, until her death in May 2025. Left to remember him are his uncles, Lee Roy Ledford and Dickie McCoury; aunts, Eleanor Ledford (Ted), Mary Sue Ledford (Lee Roy), Pat Phillips (Donald) and Judy Dellinger (Doug); cousins, Katherine Ledford (Brian), Joe Ledford (Heather), Tracy Deyton (Sam), Victoria O'Connor (Corey) and Tom Ledford (Kim), Myra McCoury, Patrick Phillips (Libby), Penny Turbyfill (Steve), and Dale Dellinger (Stephanie); and long-time friends Sara Allen (of Bakersville) and David Francis (of Tennessee).

A private family service was held at McKinney Cove Baptist Church on November 14, 2024. Scooter was laid to rest beside his father at Wilson Cemetery in the White Oak community of Bakersville. Webb Funeral Home assisted the family. Scooter's surviving family wishes to thank the caregivers at Mitchell House and The Greens at Spruce Pine as well as Hospice of the Blue Ridge for providing round the clock care for Scooter as his illness progressed.