George Ramey Fain Jr.

1944 - 2019

George Ramey Fain, Jr.

WAYNESVILLE - George Ramey Fain, Jr., 74, of Waynesville, NC, died May 30, 2019, at the John F Keever Solace Center in Asheville, NC, after an extended illness.

George was born in Hendersonville, NC, July 20, 1944 to the late George Ramey Fain, Sr., and Mary Louise Ratchford Fain Seigler.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Fain of Statesboro, GA; a brother George Eugene "Rick" Seigler of Laurens, SC; his first wife, Marilyn Botts Fain of Greenville, SC; two sisters-in-law, Dilys Bass Stowell of Norfolk, VA and Gerry Bass Altman of Cross, SC; brother-in-law Joe G Bass of Evergreen, NC, cherished first cousins, Michael Fain of Raleigh, NC, and Ann Bowen McCown and her husband Vance of Tryon, NC. As well as by his long-time constant canine companion, Scratch Fain (2000-2017); the two of them were inseparable as they welcomed guests at Iris Meadows.

He and his wife of 30 years, Becky Bass Fain, have lived in Waynesville, NC, for over 15 years, where they were the innkeepers of the Inn at Iris Meadows Bed and Breakfast on Love Lane. George grew up in Hendersonville, NC, and Abbeville, SC. He graduated from Davidson College in 1966 and joined the US Army as a Lieutenant with the Adjutant General Corps.

He became publisher of the Times-News in Hendersonville, NC, at age 29, and spent his career in the newspaper business, working in marketing and publishing for papers in Hendersonville, NC, Greenville, SC, Lumberton, NC, Petersburg, VA, Conyers, GA, and Tarboro, NC. An avid community volunteer, George held key volunteer roles for United Way, Petersburg Education Foundation, Chambers of Commerce, YMCA, Salvation Army, State Press Associations and many other community causes. During his role as innkeeper at Iris Meadows, he also doubled as the general manager for the Union Daily Times in Union, S.C. in 2011. He loved his family, the newspaper business, the printed word, books, music and choral singing (church choirs, community chorus groups), community theater participation, golf, and his pets. With his wife Becky he shared a love of antiquing, gardening, stained glass, pottery, and pets when they became bed and breakfast innkeepers. He created the best-ever waffles, muffins and banana nut breads which were enjoyed by many. He was often heard singing joyously as he mowed the Iris Meadows.

In addition to wife Becky Bass Fain, George is survived by a son, Christopher Ramey Fain and wife Jennifer, of Simpsonville, SC; four terrific grandchildren, Emily, Kylie, Jacob, and Aaron Fain; a daughter Jill Britt Hunt of Norfolk, Virginia; a brother William Perrin Seigler of Abbeville, SC; sister-n-law, Grace Bass Britt of Lumberton, NC; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Jane Bass Holt and Townsend Holt of Florence, SC; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jim and Sara Bass of Sanford, NC; sister-in-law Annie Hood Bass Britt of Evergreen, NC, sister-in-law Ann Seigler of Laurens, SC; brother-in-law Thomas Stowell (Dilys) of Norfolk, VA; several first cousins, Barry Gilmer (Fred) of Greenville, SC, Jim Fain (Peggy) of Raleigh, Sandy Fain (Michael) of Raleigh, NC and Robert Fain (Debbie) of Augusta, GA.

George's family extends special thanks to the medical staff of Keever Solace Center, the CarePartners Hospice Team, and to Asheville Drs. James Weaver and Duff Rardin and Landon Poteat and Memory Care's Drs. Lisa Verges and Amy Cohen, and Carly Wood, SW, for their caring support during George's extended illness.

A Celebration of George's Life will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Hendersonville, NC with Revs. Robert Fain and Dwight Christenbury officiating. Burial will follow in the Fain family plot of Oakdale Cemetery in Hendersonville, NC. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Friday, June 7, 2019 at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in George Fain's honor to the AFTD, the Association for Fronto-Temporal Degeneration, at https://www.theaftd.org/support-aftds-mission/1-866-507-7222 .

An online register book is available for family and friends by visiting www.thosshepherd.com. Thos. Shepherd &Son Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.

As published in the Rocky Mount Telegram