John Clifford Abernethy

COLFAX – John Clifford Abernethy, 89, died unexpectedly Thursday, January 30, 2025, at High Point Medical Center.
He was born July 26, 1935, in Raleigh and was the son of the late Dr. Clifford Earl Abernethy and Nora Estelle "Sunny" Frye Abernethy. John received his bachelor's degree from High Point University where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and had served in the U.S. Army Reserves. He was a numbers guy and worked as a sales representative for many years retiring from Bales and Truitt Company. He was an active member of Jamestown Unted Methodist Church. John was supportive of his children and always involved with their activities whether it was serving as a little league soccer coach or organizing the girl scout cookie sale. He loved to travel and enjoyed annual trips with good friends to places such as Europe, Asia, Scandinavia, and Alaska which was a favorite destination. He enjoyed spending time on the water, especially water skiing and boating during family trips to Belews Lake, and mentored his love for the water with sailing lessons in his younger years. John also enjoyed the challenge and satisfaction of completing jigsaw puzzles.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a nephew, James Hunter Truitt.
John is survived by his wife, Marcia Felt Abernethy, whom he married on July 2, 1960; daughter, Robin Elizabeth Abernethy (Karl Macklin) of Buford, Georgia; son, John Eric Abernethy of Asheboro; sister, Elizabeth "Peggy" Abernethy Truitt (Jimmy) of Greensboro; and niece, Liz Truitt Bishop (Ed) of Marietta, Georgia.
A private family service celebrating John's life will be held at a later date at the Jamestown United Methodist Church Columbarium.
Friends are encouraged to share memories and condolences with the family online on John's tribute page at www.cumbyfuneral.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested to be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or to the Resident Assistance Fund at River Landing (payable to Brightspire Foundation), 2109 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax, NC 27235.
Cumby Family Funeral Service in High Point is serving the Abernethy family.
"Your wings were ready, but our hearts were not."