Elder Bobby Horton Absher

Elder Bobby Horton Absher, age 87 of Crumpler, NC passed away Monday, February 27, 2023 at his home. Bobby was born February 20, 1936 in Ashe County to the late Fields and Mazie Dixon Absher.  Bobby was a masonry teacher at Beaver Creek High School, the Career Center and Ashe Central High School for a total of 32 years.  He continued teaching four more years half time so the masonry program could continue until the new high school was completed.  He was a farmer all his life as well as an ordained elder.

Bobby pastored his home church, Senter Primitive Baptist Church as well as Pilgrims Primitive Baptist Church in Watauga County and Crab Creek Primitive Baptist Church in Alleghany County.  He also pastored North Fork Primitive Baptist Church for a time.  Bobby loved his church brethren and loved hearing visiting ministers.  He also loved hosting the visiting elders in his home for many years.

For many years Bobby wanted to have a means of keeping in memory our older ways of farming.  He talked about his dream of starting a “farm museum” with several other interested folks and with their input and hard work that dream became a reality, the Mountain Farm Life Museum, located in Ashe County Park.  This was a project very dear to Bobby’s heart.  He continued to be a big part of this project as long as he was physically able.

His interest in farm life continued as he served on the Board of Directors for Ashe County Farm Bureau as well as the Board of Farmland Preservation.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, March 4, 2023 at Ashelawn Memorial Chapel by Elder John Jackson, Elder E. W. Hooven and Elder James Wyatt.  Burial will follow in Senter Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 pm prior to the service.

Elder Absher is survived by, his wife, Mary Howell Absher, one daughter, Diana Absher Caldwell and husband John of Crumpler, one son, Bobby Steven Absher and wife Sally of Knoxville, TN, two sisters, Mary Zell Absher of Crumpler and Mable Dean Absher Murray of Boone.  two grandchildren, Benjamin Fields Absher and wife Stephanie of Austin, TX and Matthews “Matt” Absher of Knoxville, TN, one great-grandchild, Stella Claire Absher. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Mountain Farm Life Museum, c/o Kenneth Richardson, 153 Old Ridge Rd., Crumpler, NC  28617 or Senter Primitive Baptist Church, c/o Vernon Roten, 184 Big Flatts Moretz Rd., Fleetwood, NC.