Joe Riley Aaron

Mr. Joe Riley Aaron, of Rome, Georgia, whose infectious spirit and resilient good humor warmed hearts wherever he went, passed away peacefully Monday morning, December 18, 2023. Age 93, Joe succumbed to complications related to congestive heart failure in Bradenton, Florida, where he'd recently moved to be closer to the home of daughter Linda Shaw, who had been his primary caregiver of late.

A man of faith who preferred small gestures over grand statements, Joe provided an abiding foundation for his family as a loving, supportive husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He participated in community, church, and recreational activities, but prioritized home and relationships, spending countless hours on his children's projects and regularly connecting with relatives, co-workers, neighbors, and classmates.

Born March 17, 1930, in rural Homer, Georgia, Joe was the son of Arvil Horace Aaron and Bessie Mae White Aaron, and the brother of Lamar, who died as a young child. As the Great Depression decimated farm work, the Aarons moved to North Carolina to take factory jobs - Arvil as a furniture finisher and Bessie Mae in a hosiery plant. After graduating from High Point High School in 1948, Joe served in the Army at Fort Lee, N.J., and then attended the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, becoming the first college graduate in his family. He married Catherine Lenora Bray of Thomasville, N.C., in 1957, and they were a devoted, inseparable couple for 63 years, settling in Asheboro, N.C., and raising two children - Charles and Linda.

In the early 1960s, Joe began his career as an industrial engineer at Klopman Mills, a division of booming, Greensboro (N.C.)-based textile company Burlington Industries. The family became active members of Asheboro's First Baptist Church, where Joe served as a deacon. He also pursued his lifelong passion for bowling, competing in multiple leagues. After suffering setbacks in the 1973 Recession, Burlington transferred Joe to a Northwest Georgia plant and the family resettled in nearby Rome.

Though the move was jarring, the Aarons grew into their new community, especially Rome's First Baptist Church, where in later years Joe was a beloved member of the O.M. Cates Sunday School class. He also worked with Habitat for Humanity and volunteered at a local soup kitchen. He took great pride in home-improvement projects ("Some of which were even successful!" quipped daughter Linda), excelled at bridge (with partner Catherine), and the couple traveled regularly. He once shot a hole-in-one at the Callier Springs golf course (there were witnesses!) and refined his bowling game (once shooting a 300!), competing into his eighties with his team "The Geezers."

Most all, Joe was known for his affable personality and ability to lighten people's burdens. He would chat up anybody, never meeting an antiquated joke that he couldn't resuscitate with a disarming chuckle. At the Villas of Holly Brook assisted living facility in Bradenton, his fellowship was legendary. "That man was a hoot! It won't be the same without him," said CeCe, his steadfast Holly Brook caregiver. "He had such a gentle demeanor and kind heart," added Shannon Taubken, the facility's director. "Between his Southern accent and amazing stories, I could just listen to Joe all day."

Joe Riley Aaron is survived by his children, son Charles Aaron and ex-wife Tristin Aaron, of Chapel Hill, N.C., and daughter Linda Shaw, of Bradenton. Joe has three surviving grandchildren: Devon Shaw, of Rome, and wife Jackie Calvert; Maegan Shaw, of Lancaster, Ohio; and Oscar Aaron, of Chapel Hill. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church, Rome, at a date yet to be determined.