"BOILING SPRINGS Dr. E. Eugene Poston, 85 died Monday, July 28, 2003, at home.
Born July 14, 1918, in Chesnee, S.C., he was a son of the late Summie A. Poston and Minnie Conner Poston.
He was pastor and educator and President Emeritus of Gardner-Webb University. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church of Shelby.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Anthony Poston of the home; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert Stephen and Beverly Poston of Matthews and Richard E. Griffin of Golden Valley; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Gloria P. and Frank Helton and Beth P. Lindemann, all of Boiling Springs, and Angelia Griffin and Steve Goode of Mooresboro; grandsons, Stephen Helton of Raleigh, John Lindemann of Richmond, Va. and Andy Goode of Mooresboro; granddaughters, Jennifer Helton of Boiling Springs, Heather Helton of Fort Worth, Texas, Tiffany Lindemann of Wilmington and Amber Goode of Mooresboro; four brothers and their wives, C.B. Poston of Rutherfordton, the Rev. Carl and Juanita Poston and Bobby and Janice Poston, all of Shelby, and Ben and Pat Poston of Kings Mountain; and two sisters, Annie P. Sisk of Shelby and Dorothy P. Bridges and husband, Forrest, of Cherryville.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Dover Baptist Church, with Drs. Robert Lamb and Donald McSwain and the Rev. Buddy Freeman officiating.
The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes before the service. Entombment will be in Cleveland Memorial Park Mausoleum.
The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 8 at Clay-Barnette Funeral Home and at other times at the home.
Memorials may be made to Dover Baptist Church Building Fund, 1501 Polkville Road, Shelby, NC 28150; Gardner-Webb University General Scholarship Fund, 110 S. Main St., Boiling Springs, NC 28017; or Poston Baptist Church, Wallace, NC 28466."
Dr. Poston was an avid genealogist and long time member of Broad River Genealogical Society. His wit, humor and intelligence is sorely missed.
Casey Childers of the "Shelby Star" reported his death to all of Cleveland County on Tuesday, July 29 2003:
"Casey Childers
BOILING SPRINGS It takes hard work and dedication to go from being a mill worker making 5 cents an hour to Gardner-Webb University president.
Dr. Eugene Poston did that.
President of Gardner-Webb from 1961 until 1976, Poston died Monday at age 85.
Poston is known for implementing the Decade of Advance from 1961 to 1971, which transformed Gardner-Webb from a junior college to a senior college.
Dr. Poston played a significant role in the advancement of Gardner-Webb, said Lansford Jolley, a professor at GWU from 1957 until 1992.
Poston more than doubled enrollment and almost tripled faculty members at GWU. He is credited with heading construction projects and organizing the board of advisors and the ministerial board of associates. In 1971, the first senior college class graduated from GWU.
He worked hard for GWU, Jolley said. He raised money and was able to get support. He was a dedicated Christian he wanted GWU to continue to be a Christian school. He was outgoing and friendly and had strong beliefs.
Poston grew up on a farm in Cleveland County. As a boy, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America. Poston and his four brothers became the first set of brothers in the nation to earn the Eagle Scout rank.
Poston started working 12-hour days at Esther Mill and dropped out of school in the eighth grade. Miss Gertrude Taylor, Postons math teacher, encouraged him to go back to school because she saw potential in him. He went back to school when he was 19 years old.
He didnt stop until he earned degrees from Gardner-Webb, Wake Forest University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky., where he earned his bachelor and masters degrees in divinity and his doctorate in philosophy. While attending Wake Forest, he served as pastor at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Louisburg and Wise Baptist Church in Wise.
Robert Abrams said he studied with Poston at GWU, Wake Forest and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He was a dedicated person to whatever project or service he was committed to. I will remember his loyalty to his friends, to me in particular and to Gardner-Webb. I counted him as a great friend, Abrams said.
Poston served as pastor at Monterey Baptist Church in Monterey, Ky., Elk Lick Baptist Church in New, Ky., and Dallasburg Baptist Church in Wheatley, Ky. He returned to North Carolina to serve at First Baptist Church in Wallace for seven years. While in Wallace, he organized a mission near Wallace in Tin City, which was later named Poston Baptist Church. He was then called to serve at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ga., for two years. He returned to Gardner-Webb in 1959 and served as chairman of the Department of Religion, where he taught Greek and religion until he became president in 1961. In April 1994, Poston was named President Emeritus of GWU, the only one in the schools history.
His wife, Nancy Anthony Poston, remembered three achievements that were important to Poston. They were accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior at 15, becoming an ordained pastor in August 1943 and marrying her on May 23, 1982.
He was the most wonderful gentleman Ive ever known. He was a terrific fellow, Mrs. Poston said.
He was a 50-year Mason and Shriner and received the Paul Harris Medal from Rotary International and the Silver Beaver Award from Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church, where he was ordained 60 years before."
Born July 14, 1918, in Chesnee, S.C., he was a son of the late Summie A. Poston and Minnie Conner Poston.
He was pastor and educator and President Emeritus of Gardner-Webb University. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church of Shelby.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Anthony Poston of the home; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert Stephen and Beverly Poston of Matthews and Richard E. Griffin of Golden Valley; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Gloria P. and Frank Helton and Beth P. Lindemann, all of Boiling Springs, and Angelia Griffin and Steve Goode of Mooresboro; grandsons, Stephen Helton of Raleigh, John Lindemann of Richmond, Va. and Andy Goode of Mooresboro; granddaughters, Jennifer Helton of Boiling Springs, Heather Helton of Fort Worth, Texas, Tiffany Lindemann of Wilmington and Amber Goode of Mooresboro; four brothers and their wives, C.B. Poston of Rutherfordton, the Rev. Carl and Juanita Poston and Bobby and Janice Poston, all of Shelby, and Ben and Pat Poston of Kings Mountain; and two sisters, Annie P. Sisk of Shelby and Dorothy P. Bridges and husband, Forrest, of Cherryville.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Dover Baptist Church, with Drs. Robert Lamb and Donald McSwain and the Rev. Buddy Freeman officiating.
The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes before the service. Entombment will be in Cleveland Memorial Park Mausoleum.
The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 8 at Clay-Barnette Funeral Home and at other times at the home.
Memorials may be made to Dover Baptist Church Building Fund, 1501 Polkville Road, Shelby, NC 28150; Gardner-Webb University General Scholarship Fund, 110 S. Main St., Boiling Springs, NC 28017; or Poston Baptist Church, Wallace, NC 28466."
Dr. Poston was an avid genealogist and long time member of Broad River Genealogical Society. His wit, humor and intelligence is sorely missed.
Casey Childers of the "Shelby Star" reported his death to all of Cleveland County on Tuesday, July 29 2003:
"Casey Childers
BOILING SPRINGS It takes hard work and dedication to go from being a mill worker making 5 cents an hour to Gardner-Webb University president.
Dr. Eugene Poston did that.
President of Gardner-Webb from 1961 until 1976, Poston died Monday at age 85.
Poston is known for implementing the Decade of Advance from 1961 to 1971, which transformed Gardner-Webb from a junior college to a senior college.
Dr. Poston played a significant role in the advancement of Gardner-Webb, said Lansford Jolley, a professor at GWU from 1957 until 1992.
Poston more than doubled enrollment and almost tripled faculty members at GWU. He is credited with heading construction projects and organizing the board of advisors and the ministerial board of associates. In 1971, the first senior college class graduated from GWU.
He worked hard for GWU, Jolley said. He raised money and was able to get support. He was a dedicated Christian he wanted GWU to continue to be a Christian school. He was outgoing and friendly and had strong beliefs.
Poston grew up on a farm in Cleveland County. As a boy, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America. Poston and his four brothers became the first set of brothers in the nation to earn the Eagle Scout rank.
Poston started working 12-hour days at Esther Mill and dropped out of school in the eighth grade. Miss Gertrude Taylor, Postons math teacher, encouraged him to go back to school because she saw potential in him. He went back to school when he was 19 years old.
He didnt stop until he earned degrees from Gardner-Webb, Wake Forest University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky., where he earned his bachelor and masters degrees in divinity and his doctorate in philosophy. While attending Wake Forest, he served as pastor at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Louisburg and Wise Baptist Church in Wise.
Robert Abrams said he studied with Poston at GWU, Wake Forest and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He was a dedicated person to whatever project or service he was committed to. I will remember his loyalty to his friends, to me in particular and to Gardner-Webb. I counted him as a great friend, Abrams said.
Poston served as pastor at Monterey Baptist Church in Monterey, Ky., Elk Lick Baptist Church in New, Ky., and Dallasburg Baptist Church in Wheatley, Ky. He returned to North Carolina to serve at First Baptist Church in Wallace for seven years. While in Wallace, he organized a mission near Wallace in Tin City, which was later named Poston Baptist Church. He was then called to serve at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ga., for two years. He returned to Gardner-Webb in 1959 and served as chairman of the Department of Religion, where he taught Greek and religion until he became president in 1961. In April 1994, Poston was named President Emeritus of GWU, the only one in the schools history.
His wife, Nancy Anthony Poston, remembered three achievements that were important to Poston. They were accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior at 15, becoming an ordained pastor in August 1943 and marrying her on May 23, 1982.
He was the most wonderful gentleman Ive ever known. He was a terrific fellow, Mrs. Poston said.
He was a 50-year Mason and Shriner and received the Paul Harris Medal from Rotary International and the Silver Beaver Award from Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church, where he was ordained 60 years before."
"BOILING SPRINGS Dr. E. Eugene Poston, 85 died Monday, July 28, 2003, at home.
Born July 14, 1918, in Chesnee, S.C., he was a son of the late Summie A. Poston and Minnie Conner Poston.
He was pastor and educator and President Emeritus of Gardner-Webb University. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church of Shelby.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Anthony Poston of the home; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert Stephen and Beverly Poston of Matthews and Richard E. Griffin of Golden Valley; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Gloria P. and Frank Helton and Beth P. Lindemann, all of Boiling Springs, and Angelia Griffin and Steve Goode of Mooresboro; grandsons, Stephen Helton of Raleigh, John Lindemann of Richmond, Va. and Andy Goode of Mooresboro; granddaughters, Jennifer Helton of Boiling Springs, Heather Helton of Fort Worth, Texas, Tiffany Lindemann of Wilmington and Amber Goode of Mooresboro; four brothers and their wives, C.B. Poston of Rutherfordton, the Rev. Carl and Juanita Poston and Bobby and Janice Poston, all of Shelby, and Ben and Pat Poston of Kings Mountain; and two sisters, Annie P. Sisk of Shelby and Dorothy P. Bridges and husband, Forrest, of Cherryville.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Dover Baptist Church, with Drs. Robert Lamb and Donald McSwain and the Rev. Buddy Freeman officiating.
The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes before the service. Entombment will be in Cleveland Memorial Park Mausoleum.
The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 8 at Clay-Barnette Funeral Home and at other times at the home.
Memorials may be made to Dover Baptist Church Building Fund, 1501 Polkville Road, Shelby, NC 28150; Gardner-Webb University General Scholarship Fund, 110 S. Main St., Boiling Springs, NC 28017; or Poston Baptist Church, Wallace, NC 28466."
Dr. Poston was an avid genealogist and long time member of Broad River Genealogical Society. His wit, humor and intelligence is sorely missed.
Casey Childers of the "Shelby Star" reported his death to all of Cleveland County on Tuesday, July 29 2003:
"Casey Childers
BOILING SPRINGS It takes hard work and dedication to go from being a mill worker making 5 cents an hour to Gardner-Webb University president.
Dr. Eugene Poston did that.
President of Gardner-Webb from 1961 until 1976, Poston died Monday at age 85.
Poston is known for implementing the Decade of Advance from 1961 to 1971, which transformed Gardner-Webb from a junior college to a senior college.
Dr. Poston played a significant role in the advancement of Gardner-Webb, said Lansford Jolley, a professor at GWU from 1957 until 1992.
Poston more than doubled enrollment and almost tripled faculty members at GWU. He is credited with heading construction projects and organizing the board of advisors and the ministerial board of associates. In 1971, the first senior college class graduated from GWU.
He worked hard for GWU, Jolley said. He raised money and was able to get support. He was a dedicated Christian he wanted GWU to continue to be a Christian school. He was outgoing and friendly and had strong beliefs.
Poston grew up on a farm in Cleveland County. As a boy, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America. Poston and his four brothers became the first set of brothers in the nation to earn the Eagle Scout rank.
Poston started working 12-hour days at Esther Mill and dropped out of school in the eighth grade. Miss Gertrude Taylor, Postons math teacher, encouraged him to go back to school because she saw potential in him. He went back to school when he was 19 years old.
He didnt stop until he earned degrees from Gardner-Webb, Wake Forest University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky., where he earned his bachelor and masters degrees in divinity and his doctorate in philosophy. While attending Wake Forest, he served as pastor at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Louisburg and Wise Baptist Church in Wise.
Robert Abrams said he studied with Poston at GWU, Wake Forest and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He was a dedicated person to whatever project or service he was committed to. I will remember his loyalty to his friends, to me in particular and to Gardner-Webb. I counted him as a great friend, Abrams said.
Poston served as pastor at Monterey Baptist Church in Monterey, Ky., Elk Lick Baptist Church in New, Ky., and Dallasburg Baptist Church in Wheatley, Ky. He returned to North Carolina to serve at First Baptist Church in Wallace for seven years. While in Wallace, he organized a mission near Wallace in Tin City, which was later named Poston Baptist Church. He was then called to serve at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ga., for two years. He returned to Gardner-Webb in 1959 and served as chairman of the Department of Religion, where he taught Greek and religion until he became president in 1961. In April 1994, Poston was named President Emeritus of GWU, the only one in the schools history.
His wife, Nancy Anthony Poston, remembered three achievements that were important to Poston. They were accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior at 15, becoming an ordained pastor in August 1943 and marrying her on May 23, 1982.
He was the most wonderful gentleman Ive ever known. He was a terrific fellow, Mrs. Poston said.
He was a 50-year Mason and Shriner and received the Paul Harris Medal from Rotary International and the Silver Beaver Award from Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church, where he was ordained 60 years before."
Born July 14, 1918, in Chesnee, S.C., he was a son of the late Summie A. Poston and Minnie Conner Poston.
He was pastor and educator and President Emeritus of Gardner-Webb University. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church of Shelby.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy Anthony Poston of the home; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert Stephen and Beverly Poston of Matthews and Richard E. Griffin of Golden Valley; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Gloria P. and Frank Helton and Beth P. Lindemann, all of Boiling Springs, and Angelia Griffin and Steve Goode of Mooresboro; grandsons, Stephen Helton of Raleigh, John Lindemann of Richmond, Va. and Andy Goode of Mooresboro; granddaughters, Jennifer Helton of Boiling Springs, Heather Helton of Fort Worth, Texas, Tiffany Lindemann of Wilmington and Amber Goode of Mooresboro; four brothers and their wives, C.B. Poston of Rutherfordton, the Rev. Carl and Juanita Poston and Bobby and Janice Poston, all of Shelby, and Ben and Pat Poston of Kings Mountain; and two sisters, Annie P. Sisk of Shelby and Dorothy P. Bridges and husband, Forrest, of Cherryville.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Dover Baptist Church, with Drs. Robert Lamb and Donald McSwain and the Rev. Buddy Freeman officiating.
The body will be placed in the church 30 minutes before the service. Entombment will be in Cleveland Memorial Park Mausoleum.
The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 8 at Clay-Barnette Funeral Home and at other times at the home.
Memorials may be made to Dover Baptist Church Building Fund, 1501 Polkville Road, Shelby, NC 28150; Gardner-Webb University General Scholarship Fund, 110 S. Main St., Boiling Springs, NC 28017; or Poston Baptist Church, Wallace, NC 28466."
Dr. Poston was an avid genealogist and long time member of Broad River Genealogical Society. His wit, humor and intelligence is sorely missed.
Casey Childers of the "Shelby Star" reported his death to all of Cleveland County on Tuesday, July 29 2003:
"Casey Childers
BOILING SPRINGS It takes hard work and dedication to go from being a mill worker making 5 cents an hour to Gardner-Webb University president.
Dr. Eugene Poston did that.
President of Gardner-Webb from 1961 until 1976, Poston died Monday at age 85.
Poston is known for implementing the Decade of Advance from 1961 to 1971, which transformed Gardner-Webb from a junior college to a senior college.
Dr. Poston played a significant role in the advancement of Gardner-Webb, said Lansford Jolley, a professor at GWU from 1957 until 1992.
Poston more than doubled enrollment and almost tripled faculty members at GWU. He is credited with heading construction projects and organizing the board of advisors and the ministerial board of associates. In 1971, the first senior college class graduated from GWU.
He worked hard for GWU, Jolley said. He raised money and was able to get support. He was a dedicated Christian he wanted GWU to continue to be a Christian school. He was outgoing and friendly and had strong beliefs.
Poston grew up on a farm in Cleveland County. As a boy, he was active in the Boy Scouts of America. Poston and his four brothers became the first set of brothers in the nation to earn the Eagle Scout rank.
Poston started working 12-hour days at Esther Mill and dropped out of school in the eighth grade. Miss Gertrude Taylor, Postons math teacher, encouraged him to go back to school because she saw potential in him. He went back to school when he was 19 years old.
He didnt stop until he earned degrees from Gardner-Webb, Wake Forest University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville, Ky., where he earned his bachelor and masters degrees in divinity and his doctorate in philosophy. While attending Wake Forest, he served as pastor at Rock Springs Baptist Church in Louisburg and Wise Baptist Church in Wise.
Robert Abrams said he studied with Poston at GWU, Wake Forest and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
He was a dedicated person to whatever project or service he was committed to. I will remember his loyalty to his friends, to me in particular and to Gardner-Webb. I counted him as a great friend, Abrams said.
Poston served as pastor at Monterey Baptist Church in Monterey, Ky., Elk Lick Baptist Church in New, Ky., and Dallasburg Baptist Church in Wheatley, Ky. He returned to North Carolina to serve at First Baptist Church in Wallace for seven years. While in Wallace, he organized a mission near Wallace in Tin City, which was later named Poston Baptist Church. He was then called to serve at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Ga., for two years. He returned to Gardner-Webb in 1959 and served as chairman of the Department of Religion, where he taught Greek and religion until he became president in 1961. In April 1994, Poston was named President Emeritus of GWU, the only one in the schools history.
His wife, Nancy Anthony Poston, remembered three achievements that were important to Poston. They were accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior at 15, becoming an ordained pastor in August 1943 and marrying her on May 23, 1982.
He was the most wonderful gentleman Ive ever known. He was a terrific fellow, Mrs. Poston said.
He was a 50-year Mason and Shriner and received the Paul Harris Medal from Rotary International and the Silver Beaver Award from Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of Dover Baptist Church, where he was ordained 60 years before."
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