Earl Clifton Mounce

Mr. Earl Clifton Mounce, age 79, climbed over the fence and ran briefly to the water’s edge. The ducks flew up and quacked, the deer turned to look at the hunter and the turkeys gobbled as if they knew they were safe. Earl passed away Monday, October 3, 2022 at SECU Hospice Center in Yadkinville.

Earl was born January 15, 1943 in Surry County and was the oldest son of Heber Mounce and Mary Lee Holyfield. A man born in the wrong century, he should have lived the life of Jerimiah Johnson. Instead he was a hard-working, faithful employee on every job he ever had. Earl was a member of First Baptist Church of Elkin and was a graduate of Elkin High School Class of 1963 where he played football, baseball, and was on the wrestling team.  He learned to weld at Chatham Manufacturing as a D.O. student. He later went to work at Bahnson in Winston-Salem and became a HVAC service technician, traveling from Maine to Arkansas. Earl retired from Jones, Lang and LaSalle, contracted to Duke Energy. He was a son, brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather and a devoted friend to many. Earl was a little league baseball and football coach and for about 25 years he videoed the Elkin High School varsity football games and has 3 state championship rings to prove it. Earl was an avid fishermen, hunter, hiker, and outdoorsman.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, David Gene Mounce; sisters, JoAnn Mounce Courtney, Nancy Mounce Royall, and Faye Mounce Martin.

Survivors include: his high school girlfriend and wife of 58 years and 8 months, Kathy Royall Mounce of the home; daughter, Sarah M. Steelman and her husband Johnny of Winston-Salem; sons, Jason Earl Mounce and his wife Lisa of Elkin, Slade Clifton Mounce and his wife Jessica of Elkin; brother, Sam Mounce of Elkin; sisters, Melba Mounce Keys of Winston-Salem, Linda Mounce Kumar of Atlanta, Cathy Mounce Folger and her husband Ros of State Road; grandchildren, Jade Garris Price and her husband Kalib of Winston-Salem, McKinley Garris and his wife Piper of Winston-Salem, Seger Clifton Mounce of Charlotte, Devin Earl Mounce and his wife Emily of Elkin, Hailey Mounce and her husband Eric of Elkin, Aidan Stegall, Lily Kathryn Mounce; great-grandchildren, Lizabeth Mounce, Slade Mounce, Luke Mounce, Bellamy Miller; brother-in-law, Jessie Royall and his wife Teresa of Boonville; sisters-in-law, Jayne Pardue and her husband Rick of State Road, and Kim Longworth and her husband Doug of Elkin and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family will receive friends Sunday, October 9, 2022 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Elkin.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Mountain Valley Hospice, 1427 Edgewood Dr., Suite 101, Mt. Airy, NC 27030 or Blue and Gold Alumni Scholarship, c/o Doug Reinhardt, 147 E. Edison Dr., Statesville, NC 28625 ( https://www.blueandgoldscholars.com/donating ).

The family would like to thank the staff of SECU Hospice Center, special friend, Sherri Masten, and special family friend and comforter, Barbara Hiatt for their care.