Sterling Abernethy Weaver

Sterling Abernethy Weaver, 99, of Beaufort, SC, passed away peacefully at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, on Friday, June 2, 2023, after a brief illness. Sterling was born in Catawba County, North Carolina, to the late John Robert Weaver and Carrie Blanche Abernethy Weaver. Sterling grew up on a farm, and he greatly cherished his farming upbringing. He graduated from Mountain View High School in 1941, where he was valedictorian of his class. After high school graduation, Sterling farmed his parents' farm for several years, and then served in the U.S. Army for two years. In 1951, he graduated from N.C. State University (then N.C. State College) with a degree in textiles; and he began a long career as a textile engineer.

In 1952, he married Naomi Butler Smith of Connelly Springs, NC, and they moved to numerous places as Sterling worked for multiple textile manufacturers, including Shelby Cotton Mills, in Shelby, NC; Rockland Bleach and Dye Works, in Baltimore, MD; Fieldcrest Mills in Eden, NC; Mount Vernon Mills in Columbia, SC; and Dan River Mills in Danville, VA. In 1966, Sterling and Naomi returned to Eden, NC, where Sterling worked for what became Fieldcrest Cannon, Inc., where he later became Director of Facilities Engineering, Greige Manufacturing. Sterling deeply loved engineering and Fieldcrest. He travelled extensively during his career, making many trips overseas for reviews of textile machinery technology, machinery purchases, and textile trade shows, including to Japan, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, France, and South Korea; and he made countless trips to Fieldcrest's manufacturing plants, particularly those in Fieldale, VA, and Columbus, GA. Following his retirement from Fieldcrest in 1989, he was delighted to work as a consultant for N.C. State University's College of Textiles, in connection with the new school being built on the Centennial Campus in Raleigh. During this same time, Sterling also worked part-time as a project manager for the Swiss textile machinery company Rieter Corporation at its U.S. location in Spartanburg, SC.

After 1992, Sterling retired, and in 1997, after his and Naomi's divorce, he re-married Annette Fleming Whyte, formerly of Fuquay-Varina, NC; and they moved to Beaufort, SC. Sterling and Annette loved Beaufort where they spent many happy hours fishing--Sterling's favorite pastime--and boating. Late in life, Sterling exuberantly took up writing; and he self-published numerous books on his life and poetry, and after Annette's passing in 2014, about Annette.

While living in Eden, on the side, Sterling founded a mobile home rental business, The Village community, (formerly Stone Highway Park) in Stoneville, NC. Sterling happily spent many evenings and weekends working at the property and took great pride in maintaining it and getting to know many of the residents well. He continued to manage the property for many years before turning the management over to his close friends and business partners Jack and Lynn Denny.

Sterling was predeceased by his parents; his wife Annette Fleming Whyte Weaver; his sisters Blanche Eloise Weaver of Hickory, NC; Olivia Weaver Yow of Hickory, NC; Clarissa (Cris) Weaver Comp of Greenville, SC; Jane Weaver of Greensboro, NC; Gwendolyn Weaver Boseman of Greensboro, NC; and Bettie Weaver Peele of Williamstown, WV; and his brother John Robert Weaver, Jr. (J.R.) of Portland, OR. Sterling is survived by his daughters, Janie Leigh Weaver of Wilson, NC; and Margaret Lynne Weaver (Russell H. Smith) and grandson Nathaniel (Nate) Hunter Smith of Wake Forest, NC, as well as many nieces, nephews, and their children.

A private celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Historical Association of Catawba County--History Museum of Catawba County, at 30 N. College Ave., Newton, NC 28658. Services to the family are being provided by Copeland Funeral Service of Beaufort, SC.