Grace Hefner,

1927 - 2018

Grace Pearl Sigmon Hefner, age 90, died peacefully on Friday, November 16, 2018, at Abernethy Laurels in Newton. Born November 23, 1927 in Catawba County, she was a daughter of the late Lonnie Manson and Grace Pearl Settlemyre Sigmon. Grace was a member of First United Methodist Church in Conover.

She graduated from Startown High School during World War II and met her future husband, Claude, who preceded her in death, shortly after the war ended. They were married in 1948 and lived their whole lives in Catawba County.

Grace worked for First National Bank of Catawba County until it became First Union Bank, and continued working with the bank at its Conover branch until her retirement, as an assistant vice-president, in 1982.

She was a devout woman who sang in the church choir, played church organ in her younger years, and participated in many church activities. In addition to her work and church interests, she was a long-time member of the Conover chapter of Eastern Star.

Grace had a charming and witty personality and was widely loved and admired for her sweet nature and her selfish devotion to others. She enjoyed knitting and crochet, and for many years preserved vegetables and fruit that she and Claude grew in their large garden on the County Home Road north of Conover.

She was a gifted pianist and singer who conveyed her love of music to her son Robert and daughter Kaye, both of whom have pursued their interest in music throughout their lives.

Grace had an innate curiosity about people and places and she and Claude loved to travel. She was proud of the fact that they were able to visit Robert in Australia seven times, and she took to the long air journey like a natural, never showing the slightest hint of jet lag and ready to go as soon as she got off the plane in Australia.

In addition to her parents and her husband, Grace was preceded in death by three sisters and six brothers.

She is survived by her son Robert and wife Peggy, of Canberra, Australia; her daughter Kaye and husband Wally, of New Bern; Kaye's son Neil and wife Sunny, of Columbia, S.C. and Johnson City, Tenn.; Kaye's daughter Allison and husband Marc and their two sons, Jayden and Mason, of Richmond, Va.; and Wally's son Matthew Rich and wife Julie, and their two children, Aaron and Leah, of Woodbridge, Va.

Robert and Kaye would like to thank their cousin, Brenda Putnam of Conover, for her years of love and devotion to their mother. Brenda visited Grace almost daily and she and her husband Dave performed countless kindnesses for Grace and for Robert and Kaye. They would also like to thank their cousin Vera Withers for her years of help and support for their mother.

Robert and Kaye would also like to thank the staff at Abernethy Laurels who devoted many years to the care of Grace and, before her, to Claude; to the many faithful friends at First United Methodist Church in Conover who visited Grace regularly; and to the staff of Catawba Regional Hospice who provided comfort to their mother in her final days.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 4:00pm at First United Methodist Church in Conover, with Dr Gary Royals officiating. Inurnment will follow in the church columbarium.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 3:00 to 3:45pm at the church prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: First United Methodist Church, 410 1st Ave. N., Conover, N.C. 28613.
Visit www.burkemortuary.com to register your condolences online. Burke Mortuary & Crematory in Newton is serving the Hefner family.