2013 Hall of Fame

Phyllis Wilson taught second grade for 30 years, from 1963-93, mostly at Bruce Drysdale starting in 1966. She first taught at Flat Rock Elementary for a year, then Hillandale for two more years. She was Bruce Drysdale’s teacher of the year twice. She has served as president of Henderson County Retired School Personnel for four years. She volunteers at Historic Johnson Farm, heading the cataloguing of historic artifacts.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

Louise Williams (1917-2011) taught elementary school for 32 years, including more than a decade in Mills River and 16 at Balfour until her retirement in 1979. She mostly taught fourth grade. She customized instruction to individual students and cared for their needs in the classroom and beyond. She was known for her decorum and inspiration. She first taught at age 18, at Hayesville Elementary School, before marrying and moving here. She was born during World War I and lived to age 94.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

John Whitmire coached Edneyville High basketball, as a highlight of a teaching and coaching career that thrived in 1965-84 and that he still carries on over a span of 48 years. Whitmire led the Edneyville boys to two conference titles and their best AA finish ever, the district championship in 1973. Earlier, he coached Henderson Junior High boys He was Henderson County schools bus supervisor and trainer for 20 more years, from 1984 to 2004. He got back into coaching as an assistant for North Henderson girls in 2005-12 and now coaches the East Henderson boys. John follows brothers Boyce “Blondie” and Bill Whitmire into the HCEF Hall of Fame. The trio and late brother Pat won four post-WWII state basketball titles for HHS.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

Sadie Patton (1886-1975) gave to local education, with words, money and deeds. She donated 109 farm acres for Blue Ridge Technical Institute (now Blue Ridge Community College), in memory of her late husband Preston F. Patton. The administration building is named for him, and Patton Auditorium hosts hundreds of college and community events. Also in 1968, she donated 20 acres for Patton Park. Sadie Patton is best know for her 1947 book, “The Story of Henderson County,” which is still regarded as one of the definitive accounts of county history. She served on the executive board of the N.C. Department of Archives and History from 1941 until 1957. She worked as secretary for the local Board of Trade, and as a senior court reader in most area counties.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

Kathryn Morgan was an educator for 32 years. She taught health and physical education for a quarter century at Hendersonville High School (HHS), from 1974-99. She was then assistant principal and lead teacher during her final seven years. She was the 1996 N.C. high school P.E. teacher of the year. At HHS Morgan she initiated the drug- and alcohol-free post-graduation party for seniors in 1989, a program that is now in all four local high schools. She coached Lady Bearcat basketball, volleyball and softball. She was a Division 1 volleyball referee. She has taught part-time at BRCC, works as a substitute teacher, is a longtime Rescue Squad member and serves on the National Ski Patrol.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

Mary Valentine Mims taught home economics in the all-black Ninth Avenue School from 1948 to 1965, then at integrated Hendersonville High School until her retirement in 1985. Her teaching career spanned 37 years. Ninth Avenue dedicated one of its yearbooks to her. The City of Hendersonville established Mary V. Mims and Hannah L. Edwards Day on June 20, 2012, when Ninth Avenue and earlier Sixth Avenue Schools (1916-65) were commemorated with a marker rededication at U.S. 64 West and Valley Street. Mims served 25 years on the BRCC board, from 1983-2007.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

John and Wanda Love each dedicated decades to education in different ways. She was principal of Fletcher Elementary, after a teaching career that began in 1962, first in Brevard and later in Henderson County. She moved into the local central office for 13 years. She was director of elementary education and media, elementary and middle grades, then language arts and media. John Love, also an Etowah School graduate, worked for DuPont. Love served 18 years on the Henderson County School Board, starting in 1970 when seats were first elected rather than appointed. Love is the last surviving School Board member from that 1970 election. He then served 15 years on the Blue Ridge Community College Board of Trustees, to 2005. Both Loves have long volunteered at Historic Johnson Farm, which is owned by the school system.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

“Chat” Jones (1949-2012) helped the community and youth in particular in many ways, as a Good Samaritan and devoted historian. A 1969 Edneyville High graduate, Jones chronicled local history including school history, collected photos and press clippings and gave multi-media presentations. He and his brother, Donnie, started the Special Needs Baseball League two years ago. Chat was a founding member of the committee that established the HCEF Hall of Fame. He ran Jones Auto Sales. He was very active with Kiwanis Club of Hendersonville, serving as its president in 1987. He also founded the faithfully kept up with the effort to provide diapers for babies of single moms who were attending Balfour School.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

Ruby Hernandez was a fixture as secretary at Mills River Elementary for 28 years, from 1964-92. She is described as very friendly to children and parents, often working out many families’ concerns and ever amplifying school attributes. Loyal to Mills River, she declined central office jobs to stay where she was. She started her educational career in 1949 as assistant secretary to Buncombe County Public Schools Supt. T.C. Roberson, after whom an area high school is named.

2013 Education Hall of Fame

Rosa Edwards (1877-1932) and Lois Edwards (1884-1931) each taught at Fourth Avenue Graded School/Academy, Hendersonville’s grammar school with grades 1-10. Rosa was principal there for 13 years, from 1919 until her death of a heart attack on Dec. 22, 1932. The school was soon renamed for her. She taught seventh grade for the school’s first seven years, starting when it opened in 1912. Lois taught first grade at Fourth Avenue for its first 17 years, stepping down in 1929 due to heart disease. She died in 1931, just 16 months ahead of her sister. Lois was the youngest of 10 children.

2013 Education Hall of Fame