Ty Boyd, whose golden voice and happy persona charmed generations of Carolinians, moved to heaven on March 16, 2020. He had been in declining health, but you couldn't tell it by his attitude. "Best life of anyone in the whole wide world," he declared a good while before he moved to heaven, surrounded by his wife, Pat, and other family members.
If you've been in Charlotte awhile and are of a certain age, you're probably shaking your head wistfully and saying, "Ty Boyd...." as you recall his glory days at WBT Radio and WBTV in the 1960s and '70s. But if you're new to town or are of a younger age, you'd do well to learn about this Carolinas legend whose optimistic spirit in the face of tragedy and illness will be his legacy.
Ty Boyd was born on July 27, 1931, in Erwin, NC, the youngest of Jerman and Adabelle Boyd's three sons. His father worked in textiles, his mother taught fourth grade, and the life of a small-town boy in eastern North Carolina was captured by the Norman Rockwell-like photo that hangs in the Boyds' den: Ty, lanky, barefoot and nine years old at the time, is pictured running a homemade Coke stand. Given what we know now, he was probably endearing himself to customers as he sold them pop.
The family moved to Statesville, where Ty landed his first radio job at WSIC (at 15 years of age). He attended UNC-Chapel Hill and after graduating he became a Lieutenant in the Navy. Once he returned to Chapel Hill, he was hired at WCHL Radio as the morning man. He also worked at WTVD in Durham, where he hosted the Tar Heel football coach's show and a Saturday night dance party (think Dick Clark, but local). In 1961, came the opportunity of a lifetime: Jim Babb, who ran 50,000-watt WBT at the time, hired him to replace Charlotte broadcasting pioneer Grady Cole as morning man. Jim says his friend Ty was the most optimistic person he ever knew. That spirit came through on the air, where Ty chatted with listeners as if they were next-door neighbors. Each morning, he'd pitch products, give the weather and lean on jazz great Loonis McGlohon to pick the music, Sinatra and the like. Forget today's shock jocks. On Ty's last morning on the air, his friend and WBT cohort, the late musical legend Arthur Smith, told listeners: "I always admired how Ty could get choked up about pork chops at 79 cents a pound at 7 in the morning."
From 1961 to 1973, Ty was No. 1 in 60 consecutive ratings periods. Already a household name, he moved to WBTV, where he hosted the midday show until 1978. His reach extended nationally, hosting the Thanksgiving Day parade for CBS among other assignments. He counted among his friends and colleagues the Carolinas radio and TV personalities who became like family to us: Doug Mayes, Betty Feezor, Jim Patterson, Clyde McLean, "Hello" Henry Boggan.
He left WBTV to focus on his gift for motivational speaking. In 1980, he started an executive coaching company that bears his name, traveling the world with his wife, Pat, to help executives master what he did long ago: The art of communicating. He'd tell audiences, including 80,000 once at a conference at the Atlanta Georgia Dome, to practice what he preached each day on the air: Deliver your message with passion. Ty helped start the National Speakers Association, earning the NSA's top three awards. He also made lifelong friends as a member of the Speakers Roundtable. The youngest of their six children, Molly Hunt, now runs the family business, Ty Boyd Executive Communications & Coaching.
Pat Boyd was with Ty every step of the journey. A Raleigh native, she was living in New York, working as a model and actress, when she traveled to Durham in 1958 to promote a play. Attending a Saturday night dance party, she had the good fortune to meet the handsome emcee. Pat returned to NYC and a year later, while judging the Miss NC pageant, which Ty was the emcee, they were reunited. July 19th 1959 was Ty and Pat Boyd's first date. On the second date, she couldn't believe anyone was that nice. On the way to a concert by big band leader Gene Krupa for their 3rd date, he had to change a flat tire on his Chevy in the rain. He didn't utter a single bad word. That's when Pat knew she was in love. They were married on Oct. 18, 1959, raised six children and built a home in south Charlotte, where they spent more than 50 years together.
Ty is survived by his wife, Pat; five children: Tempe Boyd of Charlotte; Mimi Boyd of Charlotte; Robert Boyd Jr. and his wife, Kate, of Charlotte; Eliot Boyd and his wife, Kerry, of Charlotte; and Molly Boyd Hunt and her husband, Jim, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. They are also survived by 13 grandchildren whom they adored - Eliot, Neil, Miller, Charlie, Lindsay, Audrey, Eleanor, Jameson, Cooper, Alexa, Eliza, Lauren, and Holden.
Ty was tested. He suffered a stroke in 2016. With Pat's support, he regained much of his speech and some of his mobility. But he said he'd have been content to live life on either side of the stroke. Then, in 2017, Ty and Pat lost their oldest child, Anne Boyd-Moore, to thyroid cancer. During her 14-month struggle, when Ty was still recovering from the stroke, the children would carry him up the stairs and lay him beside Anne in bed. They'd hold hands. Ty said the loss never got any easier. He talked to her every day after she moved to heaven. That's the language the family embraces. The Boyds remained close to her husband, Rick, of Charlotte.
In addition to Anne, Ty was preceded in death by his parents, Jerman and Adabelle Boyd; and his brothers, Bill, Richard, and Ardrey Boyd (who was adopted by their parents later in life).
A service to celebrate Ty's life will be announced at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to help feed the children of Mecklenburg County during the school closures for COVID-19. CMS-foundation.org/donate with "relief" in the notes section of the donation page. Contributions can also be sent by mail to CMS Foundation, 4421 Stuart Andrew Blvd., Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28217.
The family is grateful to the doctors, nurses, friends and neighbors who offered love and care, and to the staff and patrons of The Ivey memory wellness day center. Ty was the unofficial Mayor of The Ivey, spending a day or two a week there, making sure spirits stayed high.
Among his many achievements: After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, proud to have served his country. He was inducted into the N.C. Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of North Carolina's most prestigious honors. During its 80th anniversary celebration, WBT-AM named its main studio for him. He wrote several books on success and communications.
And such family traditions: On Sundays, they'd attend Mass, then drive to Waxhaw for the buffet at Bridge & Rail. The kids remember years ago when Mom would hold down the fort while Dad was working. When he walked in the door, Pat would hand him the yardstick and tell him it's his turn to "talk" some sense into the kids. Ever the softie, he'd herd them into a bedroom and close the door. Tears welling in his eyes, he'd barely tap their bottoms then send them back to their mom with this order: "You'd better cry."
If Ty was here, he'd laugh long and loud at the memory. "Best life of anyone in the whole wide world."
If you've been in Charlotte awhile and are of a certain age, you're probably shaking your head wistfully and saying, "Ty Boyd...." as you recall his glory days at WBT Radio and WBTV in the 1960s and '70s. But if you're new to town or are of a younger age, you'd do well to learn about this Carolinas legend whose optimistic spirit in the face of tragedy and illness will be his legacy.
Ty Boyd was born on July 27, 1931, in Erwin, NC, the youngest of Jerman and Adabelle Boyd's three sons. His father worked in textiles, his mother taught fourth grade, and the life of a small-town boy in eastern North Carolina was captured by the Norman Rockwell-like photo that hangs in the Boyds' den: Ty, lanky, barefoot and nine years old at the time, is pictured running a homemade Coke stand. Given what we know now, he was probably endearing himself to customers as he sold them pop.
The family moved to Statesville, where Ty landed his first radio job at WSIC (at 15 years of age). He attended UNC-Chapel Hill and after graduating he became a Lieutenant in the Navy. Once he returned to Chapel Hill, he was hired at WCHL Radio as the morning man. He also worked at WTVD in Durham, where he hosted the Tar Heel football coach's show and a Saturday night dance party (think Dick Clark, but local). In 1961, came the opportunity of a lifetime: Jim Babb, who ran 50,000-watt WBT at the time, hired him to replace Charlotte broadcasting pioneer Grady Cole as morning man. Jim says his friend Ty was the most optimistic person he ever knew. That spirit came through on the air, where Ty chatted with listeners as if they were next-door neighbors. Each morning, he'd pitch products, give the weather and lean on jazz great Loonis McGlohon to pick the music, Sinatra and the like. Forget today's shock jocks. On Ty's last morning on the air, his friend and WBT cohort, the late musical legend Arthur Smith, told listeners: "I always admired how Ty could get choked up about pork chops at 79 cents a pound at 7 in the morning."
From 1961 to 1973, Ty was No. 1 in 60 consecutive ratings periods. Already a household name, he moved to WBTV, where he hosted the midday show until 1978. His reach extended nationally, hosting the Thanksgiving Day parade for CBS among other assignments. He counted among his friends and colleagues the Carolinas radio and TV personalities who became like family to us: Doug Mayes, Betty Feezor, Jim Patterson, Clyde McLean, "Hello" Henry Boggan.
He left WBTV to focus on his gift for motivational speaking. In 1980, he started an executive coaching company that bears his name, traveling the world with his wife, Pat, to help executives master what he did long ago: The art of communicating. He'd tell audiences, including 80,000 once at a conference at the Atlanta Georgia Dome, to practice what he preached each day on the air: Deliver your message with passion. Ty helped start the National Speakers Association, earning the NSA's top three awards. He also made lifelong friends as a member of the Speakers Roundtable. The youngest of their six children, Molly Hunt, now runs the family business, Ty Boyd Executive Communications & Coaching.
Pat Boyd was with Ty every step of the journey. A Raleigh native, she was living in New York, working as a model and actress, when she traveled to Durham in 1958 to promote a play. Attending a Saturday night dance party, she had the good fortune to meet the handsome emcee. Pat returned to NYC and a year later, while judging the Miss NC pageant, which Ty was the emcee, they were reunited. July 19th 1959 was Ty and Pat Boyd's first date. On the second date, she couldn't believe anyone was that nice. On the way to a concert by big band leader Gene Krupa for their 3rd date, he had to change a flat tire on his Chevy in the rain. He didn't utter a single bad word. That's when Pat knew she was in love. They were married on Oct. 18, 1959, raised six children and built a home in south Charlotte, where they spent more than 50 years together.
Ty is survived by his wife, Pat; five children: Tempe Boyd of Charlotte; Mimi Boyd of Charlotte; Robert Boyd Jr. and his wife, Kate, of Charlotte; Eliot Boyd and his wife, Kerry, of Charlotte; and Molly Boyd Hunt and her husband, Jim, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. They are also survived by 13 grandchildren whom they adored - Eliot, Neil, Miller, Charlie, Lindsay, Audrey, Eleanor, Jameson, Cooper, Alexa, Eliza, Lauren, and Holden.
Ty was tested. He suffered a stroke in 2016. With Pat's support, he regained much of his speech and some of his mobility. But he said he'd have been content to live life on either side of the stroke. Then, in 2017, Ty and Pat lost their oldest child, Anne Boyd-Moore, to thyroid cancer. During her 14-month struggle, when Ty was still recovering from the stroke, the children would carry him up the stairs and lay him beside Anne in bed. They'd hold hands. Ty said the loss never got any easier. He talked to her every day after she moved to heaven. That's the language the family embraces. The Boyds remained close to her husband, Rick, of Charlotte.
In addition to Anne, Ty was preceded in death by his parents, Jerman and Adabelle Boyd; and his brothers, Bill, Richard, and Ardrey Boyd (who was adopted by their parents later in life).
A service to celebrate Ty's life will be announced at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to help feed the children of Mecklenburg County during the school closures for COVID-19. CMS-foundation.org/donate with "relief" in the notes section of the donation page. Contributions can also be sent by mail to CMS Foundation, 4421 Stuart Andrew Blvd., Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28217.
The family is grateful to the doctors, nurses, friends and neighbors who offered love and care, and to the staff and patrons of The Ivey memory wellness day center. Ty was the unofficial Mayor of The Ivey, spending a day or two a week there, making sure spirits stayed high.
Among his many achievements: After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, proud to have served his country. He was inducted into the N.C. Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of North Carolina's most prestigious honors. During its 80th anniversary celebration, WBT-AM named its main studio for him. He wrote several books on success and communications.
And such family traditions: On Sundays, they'd attend Mass, then drive to Waxhaw for the buffet at Bridge & Rail. The kids remember years ago when Mom would hold down the fort while Dad was working. When he walked in the door, Pat would hand him the yardstick and tell him it's his turn to "talk" some sense into the kids. Ever the softie, he'd herd them into a bedroom and close the door. Tears welling in his eyes, he'd barely tap their bottoms then send them back to their mom with this order: "You'd better cry."
If Ty was here, he'd laugh long and loud at the memory. "Best life of anyone in the whole wide world."
Ty Boyd, whose golden voice and happy persona charmed generations of Carolinians, moved to heaven on March 16, 2020. He had been in declining health, but you couldn't tell it by his attitude. "Best life of anyone in the whole wide world," he declared a good while before he moved to heaven, surrounded by his wife, Pat, and other family members.
If you've been in Charlotte awhile and are of a certain age, you're probably shaking your head wistfully and saying, "Ty Boyd...." as you recall his glory days at WBT Radio and WBTV in the 1960s and '70s. But if you're new to town or are of a younger age, you'd do well to learn about this Carolinas legend whose optimistic spirit in the face of tragedy and illness will be his legacy.
Ty Boyd was born on July 27, 1931, in Erwin, NC, the youngest of Jerman and Adabelle Boyd's three sons. His father worked in textiles, his mother taught fourth grade, and the life of a small-town boy in eastern North Carolina was captured by the Norman Rockwell-like photo that hangs in the Boyds' den: Ty, lanky, barefoot and nine years old at the time, is pictured running a homemade Coke stand. Given what we know now, he was probably endearing himself to customers as he sold them pop.
The family moved to Statesville, where Ty landed his first radio job at WSIC (at 15 years of age). He attended UNC-Chapel Hill and after graduating he became a Lieutenant in the Navy. Once he returned to Chapel Hill, he was hired at WCHL Radio as the morning man. He also worked at WTVD in Durham, where he hosted the Tar Heel football coach's show and a Saturday night dance party (think Dick Clark, but local). In 1961, came the opportunity of a lifetime: Jim Babb, who ran 50,000-watt WBT at the time, hired him to replace Charlotte broadcasting pioneer Grady Cole as morning man. Jim says his friend Ty was the most optimistic person he ever knew. That spirit came through on the air, where Ty chatted with listeners as if they were next-door neighbors. Each morning, he'd pitch products, give the weather and lean on jazz great Loonis McGlohon to pick the music, Sinatra and the like. Forget today's shock jocks. On Ty's last morning on the air, his friend and WBT cohort, the late musical legend Arthur Smith, told listeners: "I always admired how Ty could get choked up about pork chops at 79 cents a pound at 7 in the morning."
From 1961 to 1973, Ty was No. 1 in 60 consecutive ratings periods. Already a household name, he moved to WBTV, where he hosted the midday show until 1978. His reach extended nationally, hosting the Thanksgiving Day parade for CBS among other assignments. He counted among his friends and colleagues the Carolinas radio and TV personalities who became like family to us: Doug Mayes, Betty Feezor, Jim Patterson, Clyde McLean, "Hello" Henry Boggan.
He left WBTV to focus on his gift for motivational speaking. In 1980, he started an executive coaching company that bears his name, traveling the world with his wife, Pat, to help executives master what he did long ago: The art of communicating. He'd tell audiences, including 80,000 once at a conference at the Atlanta Georgia Dome, to practice what he preached each day on the air: Deliver your message with passion. Ty helped start the National Speakers Association, earning the NSA's top three awards. He also made lifelong friends as a member of the Speakers Roundtable. The youngest of their six children, Molly Hunt, now runs the family business, Ty Boyd Executive Communications & Coaching.
Pat Boyd was with Ty every step of the journey. A Raleigh native, she was living in New York, working as a model and actress, when she traveled to Durham in 1958 to promote a play. Attending a Saturday night dance party, she had the good fortune to meet the handsome emcee. Pat returned to NYC and a year later, while judging the Miss NC pageant, which Ty was the emcee, they were reunited. July 19th 1959 was Ty and Pat Boyd's first date. On the second date, she couldn't believe anyone was that nice. On the way to a concert by big band leader Gene Krupa for their 3rd date, he had to change a flat tire on his Chevy in the rain. He didn't utter a single bad word. That's when Pat knew she was in love. They were married on Oct. 18, 1959, raised six children and built a home in south Charlotte, where they spent more than 50 years together.
Ty is survived by his wife, Pat; five children: Tempe Boyd of Charlotte; Mimi Boyd of Charlotte; Robert Boyd Jr. and his wife, Kate, of Charlotte; Eliot Boyd and his wife, Kerry, of Charlotte; and Molly Boyd Hunt and her husband, Jim, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. They are also survived by 13 grandchildren whom they adored - Eliot, Neil, Miller, Charlie, Lindsay, Audrey, Eleanor, Jameson, Cooper, Alexa, Eliza, Lauren, and Holden.
Ty was tested. He suffered a stroke in 2016. With Pat's support, he regained much of his speech and some of his mobility. But he said he'd have been content to live life on either side of the stroke. Then, in 2017, Ty and Pat lost their oldest child, Anne Boyd-Moore, to thyroid cancer. During her 14-month struggle, when Ty was still recovering from the stroke, the children would carry him up the stairs and lay him beside Anne in bed. They'd hold hands. Ty said the loss never got any easier. He talked to her every day after she moved to heaven. That's the language the family embraces. The Boyds remained close to her husband, Rick, of Charlotte.
In addition to Anne, Ty was preceded in death by his parents, Jerman and Adabelle Boyd; and his brothers, Bill, Richard, and Ardrey Boyd (who was adopted by their parents later in life).
A service to celebrate Ty's life will be announced at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to help feed the children of Mecklenburg County during the school closures for COVID-19. CMS-foundation.org/donate with "relief" in the notes section of the donation page. Contributions can also be sent by mail to CMS Foundation, 4421 Stuart Andrew Blvd., Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28217.
The family is grateful to the doctors, nurses, friends and neighbors who offered love and care, and to the staff and patrons of The Ivey memory wellness day center. Ty was the unofficial Mayor of The Ivey, spending a day or two a week there, making sure spirits stayed high.
Among his many achievements: After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, proud to have served his country. He was inducted into the N.C. Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of North Carolina's most prestigious honors. During its 80th anniversary celebration, WBT-AM named its main studio for him. He wrote several books on success and communications.
And such family traditions: On Sundays, they'd attend Mass, then drive to Waxhaw for the buffet at Bridge & Rail. The kids remember years ago when Mom would hold down the fort while Dad was working. When he walked in the door, Pat would hand him the yardstick and tell him it's his turn to "talk" some sense into the kids. Ever the softie, he'd herd them into a bedroom and close the door. Tears welling in his eyes, he'd barely tap their bottoms then send them back to their mom with this order: "You'd better cry."
If Ty was here, he'd laugh long and loud at the memory. "Best life of anyone in the whole wide world."
If you've been in Charlotte awhile and are of a certain age, you're probably shaking your head wistfully and saying, "Ty Boyd...." as you recall his glory days at WBT Radio and WBTV in the 1960s and '70s. But if you're new to town or are of a younger age, you'd do well to learn about this Carolinas legend whose optimistic spirit in the face of tragedy and illness will be his legacy.
Ty Boyd was born on July 27, 1931, in Erwin, NC, the youngest of Jerman and Adabelle Boyd's three sons. His father worked in textiles, his mother taught fourth grade, and the life of a small-town boy in eastern North Carolina was captured by the Norman Rockwell-like photo that hangs in the Boyds' den: Ty, lanky, barefoot and nine years old at the time, is pictured running a homemade Coke stand. Given what we know now, he was probably endearing himself to customers as he sold them pop.
The family moved to Statesville, where Ty landed his first radio job at WSIC (at 15 years of age). He attended UNC-Chapel Hill and after graduating he became a Lieutenant in the Navy. Once he returned to Chapel Hill, he was hired at WCHL Radio as the morning man. He also worked at WTVD in Durham, where he hosted the Tar Heel football coach's show and a Saturday night dance party (think Dick Clark, but local). In 1961, came the opportunity of a lifetime: Jim Babb, who ran 50,000-watt WBT at the time, hired him to replace Charlotte broadcasting pioneer Grady Cole as morning man. Jim says his friend Ty was the most optimistic person he ever knew. That spirit came through on the air, where Ty chatted with listeners as if they were next-door neighbors. Each morning, he'd pitch products, give the weather and lean on jazz great Loonis McGlohon to pick the music, Sinatra and the like. Forget today's shock jocks. On Ty's last morning on the air, his friend and WBT cohort, the late musical legend Arthur Smith, told listeners: "I always admired how Ty could get choked up about pork chops at 79 cents a pound at 7 in the morning."
From 1961 to 1973, Ty was No. 1 in 60 consecutive ratings periods. Already a household name, he moved to WBTV, where he hosted the midday show until 1978. His reach extended nationally, hosting the Thanksgiving Day parade for CBS among other assignments. He counted among his friends and colleagues the Carolinas radio and TV personalities who became like family to us: Doug Mayes, Betty Feezor, Jim Patterson, Clyde McLean, "Hello" Henry Boggan.
He left WBTV to focus on his gift for motivational speaking. In 1980, he started an executive coaching company that bears his name, traveling the world with his wife, Pat, to help executives master what he did long ago: The art of communicating. He'd tell audiences, including 80,000 once at a conference at the Atlanta Georgia Dome, to practice what he preached each day on the air: Deliver your message with passion. Ty helped start the National Speakers Association, earning the NSA's top three awards. He also made lifelong friends as a member of the Speakers Roundtable. The youngest of their six children, Molly Hunt, now runs the family business, Ty Boyd Executive Communications & Coaching.
Pat Boyd was with Ty every step of the journey. A Raleigh native, she was living in New York, working as a model and actress, when she traveled to Durham in 1958 to promote a play. Attending a Saturday night dance party, she had the good fortune to meet the handsome emcee. Pat returned to NYC and a year later, while judging the Miss NC pageant, which Ty was the emcee, they were reunited. July 19th 1959 was Ty and Pat Boyd's first date. On the second date, she couldn't believe anyone was that nice. On the way to a concert by big band leader Gene Krupa for their 3rd date, he had to change a flat tire on his Chevy in the rain. He didn't utter a single bad word. That's when Pat knew she was in love. They were married on Oct. 18, 1959, raised six children and built a home in south Charlotte, where they spent more than 50 years together.
Ty is survived by his wife, Pat; five children: Tempe Boyd of Charlotte; Mimi Boyd of Charlotte; Robert Boyd Jr. and his wife, Kate, of Charlotte; Eliot Boyd and his wife, Kerry, of Charlotte; and Molly Boyd Hunt and her husband, Jim, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. They are also survived by 13 grandchildren whom they adored - Eliot, Neil, Miller, Charlie, Lindsay, Audrey, Eleanor, Jameson, Cooper, Alexa, Eliza, Lauren, and Holden.
Ty was tested. He suffered a stroke in 2016. With Pat's support, he regained much of his speech and some of his mobility. But he said he'd have been content to live life on either side of the stroke. Then, in 2017, Ty and Pat lost their oldest child, Anne Boyd-Moore, to thyroid cancer. During her 14-month struggle, when Ty was still recovering from the stroke, the children would carry him up the stairs and lay him beside Anne in bed. They'd hold hands. Ty said the loss never got any easier. He talked to her every day after she moved to heaven. That's the language the family embraces. The Boyds remained close to her husband, Rick, of Charlotte.
In addition to Anne, Ty was preceded in death by his parents, Jerman and Adabelle Boyd; and his brothers, Bill, Richard, and Ardrey Boyd (who was adopted by their parents later in life).
A service to celebrate Ty's life will be announced at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to help feed the children of Mecklenburg County during the school closures for COVID-19. CMS-foundation.org/donate with "relief" in the notes section of the donation page. Contributions can also be sent by mail to CMS Foundation, 4421 Stuart Andrew Blvd., Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28217.
The family is grateful to the doctors, nurses, friends and neighbors who offered love and care, and to the staff and patrons of The Ivey memory wellness day center. Ty was the unofficial Mayor of The Ivey, spending a day or two a week there, making sure spirits stayed high.
Among his many achievements: After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, proud to have served his country. He was inducted into the N.C. Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of North Carolina's most prestigious honors. During its 80th anniversary celebration, WBT-AM named its main studio for him. He wrote several books on success and communications.
And such family traditions: On Sundays, they'd attend Mass, then drive to Waxhaw for the buffet at Bridge & Rail. The kids remember years ago when Mom would hold down the fort while Dad was working. When he walked in the door, Pat would hand him the yardstick and tell him it's his turn to "talk" some sense into the kids. Ever the softie, he'd herd them into a bedroom and close the door. Tears welling in his eyes, he'd barely tap their bottoms then send them back to their mom with this order: "You'd better cry."
If Ty was here, he'd laugh long and loud at the memory. "Best life of anyone in the whole wide world."
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
