Dr. Joseph Perry "Joe" Goldston

The world lost its kindest, sweetest, most thoughtful human on November 12th, 2025 when Joseph Perry Goldston died in Arden, NC after a lifelong struggle with restless legs syndrome and related complications. Through his last breath, Joe maintained his grace, compassion, generosity, appreciation for nature, and love of family, friends, and four-legged earthlings.
Born in High Point, NC in May of 1950, Joe knew early on that he wanted to be a doctor. Like everything he'd ever done, he invested his whole self into making this dream a reality. He earned his medical degree at West Virginia University and completed his pediatric residency at the University of Kentucky. He opened a private pediatric practice in Lumberton, NC where he worked alongside his younger brother, Tom, also a pediatrician.
At the age of 37, Joe decided to switch tracks and become an emergency room doctor. He returned to school, completing a second residency at the University of South Carolina. For many years he worked as an ER doctor at McLeod Regional Medicine Center in Florence, South Carolina where he was revered by all of his coworkers. Joe exuded calm and confidence, while excelling within the fast-paced and unpredictable environment of the ER.
Joe retired at age 50, then moved to Bristol, Virginia where he worked part-time as an ER doctor at Houston Valley Medicine Center in Kingsport, TN.
Throughout his life, Joe was an avid birder-and was never without binoculars, including during his hike of the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail when every ounce mattered. Known on the Trail as "Lead Dog," Joe completed his hike in three sections, never tiring of trying to identify that bird in the bushes everyone else just walked past. He enjoyed traveling around the world with family and friends in the pursuit of seeing birds and marveling at the wonders of nature. Time disappeared for Joe when he was birding and he loved the thrill of getting a "new" bird in his sights. Joe was quick to lend his binoculars to anyone nearby, often strangers who were astonished to realize that the "little brown bird" they had been looking at was really iridescent blue with red legs, or some other shocking colors. Undoubtedly he inspired many others to become birders.
Joe also loved cycling and completed numerous long-distance bike rides, including four end-to-end trips along the 469 mile Blue Ridge Parkway and two runs of the famous 102.7-mile "Assault on Mt. Mitchell." In his 1985 run he placed 11th out of 165 riders. He rode across the states of North Carolina and Iowa, along the Pacific Coast south of San Francisco to Santa Barbara, from New England to Williamsburg, Virginia, and belonged to the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club where he explored the windy and mountainous roads of Western North Carolina. He loved feeling the strength in his body to power up even the steepest road and was not intimidated by anything.
Other hobbies included woodturning, camping, kayaking, golfing, cooking, and reading. He particularly loved spending time with his two, and four-legged friends. Joe was never without a dog and imagined Heaven as a place where all of the dogs he'd ever loved come racing to greet him with tails wagging He'd be on his back, laughing and reveling in the joyous licks from long-lost furry friends that stayed forever in his heart.
Those left behind to grieve include Joe's wife Sharon Mammoser Goldston, sister Beth Barnwell and husband Jack Barnwell, and brother Tom Goldston. Also former wife Evelyn Melnik Goldston, and their daughter, Jennifer Melnik Stafford and spouse Tommy Stafford and Joe's granddaughter Logan Stafford, along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and close friends. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Josephine Ingram Goldston and Joseph Grady Goldston Jr.. Lastly, his beloved rescue dog, Schroeder, and loyal cat, Hobbes, are now missing their favorite person.
A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road in Arden, NC on Friday, December 5, 2025 at 3pm. Guests are encouraged to bring their favorite memories or stories about Joe and will be invited to share these during the Ceremony.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of Joe's valued charities: The Restless Legs Foundation (RLS Foundation https://www.rls.org/ ), Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC: https://www.selc.org/ ), Conserving Carolina ( https://conservingcarolina.org/ ), or Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville ( https://www.bwar.org/.)