Obituaries

George Ennis Baxter, Sr., age 80, of 1192 Mirror Lake Road, Lincolnton died Wednesday, July 25, 2012.

His funeral will be Monday, July 30, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. at St. Dorothy’s Catholic Church, Highway 27, Lincolnton, NC. Burial will follow in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Lincolnton.  The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Sunday, July 29, 2012 at Warlick Funeral Home in Lincolnton.

George was born February 10, 1932 in Bethesda MD to the late Clifton E. Baxter, Sr. and Dorothy Pulman Baxter. He graduated from diesel mechanic and truck college in Davenport, Iowa.  He was employed with Associated Transport, Burlington, NC as a supervisor.  He moved to Lincoln County in 1974 to work as a supervisor at Carolina Freight Carriers in Cherryville, NC and retired in 1992.

George served in the United States Army from September 1949 to 1955 during the Korean War.  Stationed in Bamburg, Germany, he trained soldiers to fight in Korea. He also served as a guard during the Nurnberg Trials of Nazi prisoners of war. George was also stationed at Fort Campbell, KY where he met his wife of 57 years, Joyce McDowell Baxter who was in the USO at Fort Campbell and a native of Nashville TN.

George was a lifetime member of the 26^th Infantry Division the “Big Red One”.  An active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, he also was active in the American Legion, having served as Senior Commander and the Disabled Veterans having served as Commander. In 2004, he was named Veteran of the Year in Lincoln County.

George is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joyce M. Baxter of the home; four children, George E. Baxter, Jr. of Charlotte, Ilda Baxter Rowland and husband, Russell of Ruffin, NC, James E. Baxter of Lincolnton, NC and Barbara Baxter Williams and husband, David of Green Castle, PA; six grandchildren, Wesley and his wife, Kimberly Rowland, John and his wife, Christina Rowland, George E. Baxter III (Trey), Nicole Williams, John Williams and  Chloe Williams; four great-grandchildren, John Rowland, Jr., Cole Rowland, Allison Rowland and Dillion Rowland.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Lincoln County, 107 N. Cedar Street, Lincolnton, NC 28092 or to American Legion Lincolnton Post 30, PO Box 1416, Lincolnton, NC 28093-1416.

Warlick Funeral Home in Lincolnton is serving the Baxter family.