Claude English

Mr. English, 88, of Shelby, NC, passed away Thursday, July 7, 2011 at Hospice House of Kings Mountain, NC. Mr. English graduated from Lakemont High School, soon thereafter, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, working on the Blue Ridge Parkway. In 1942, he joined the U. S. Army and served in the Asia theatre in Burma in the 310th. Signal Service Battalion, USArmy Signal Corps. Upon his discharge from service, he returned to his beloved Rabun County mountains. He began employment with AT&T/Southern Bell, where he retired in 1982 after serving 33 years. He was a former member of Fairview Baptist Church in Gaffney, SC. Following retirement, he devoted his time to farming and grandfathering. Mr. English married his beloved wife, Martha, in 1946. Mrs. English was a devoted wife of 62 years and preceded her in death in 2008. In the course of his life's journey, Mr. English lived in Winston-Salem and Forest City, North Carolina; Gainsville and Clarksville, Georgia; and Pickens and Gaffney, South Carolina. A native of Rabun County, Georgia, Mr. English was preceded in death by his parents James and Carrie Holcomb English, his wife of 62 years Martha, two sons Claude Derrick English Jr., and Richard Bryan English, three brothers Oscar English, Carlton English, Mart English and one sister Eva English Crawford Brown. Mr. English is survived by his daughter, Marjorie English Auten and her husband John, of Shelby. Mr. English has four grandchildren; Kevin English and wife, Carla, of Lake Lure, NC, Josh English and wife, Heather, of Hendersonville, Robert N. Auten of Hickory, and Kathryn Auten Stokes and husband, Brian, of Greensboro, NC. He is also survived by three great-grandchildren; Kelley English, Matt English, and Rayne English. He is also survived by one brother, Bert English and wife Phyllis fo Locust Grove, Georgia. Mr. English had a love of nature, gardening, square dancing, gospel music and basketball. He participated as a member of the National Championship Basketball Team of the Senior Games held in Louisiana in 1993. In lieu of flowers, the family would request that memorials be made in Mr. English's memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Finding a Cure for Parkinsons or to the donor's charity of choice.