Hospitality House hosts dinner in memory of Avery native
Jeremy Scott
When a loved one is lost it can be a disheartening event, however, when Terry Charles King, a beloved guest at Boone Hospitality House passed away, the shelter decided to celebrate his memory with a dinner in his honor.
At 5:30 p.m. on the Wednesday, Aug. 22, Boone Hospitality House held a dinner in honor of recently passed Avery County native King. The dinner was a serving of King’s preferred meal; meatloaf, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits, sweet peas and orange slice cake. Zach Ollis, Shelter Coordinator at Hospitality House, conceived of the event as a way to remember King.
“He always had something to say, (he was) very smart, very intelligent,” Ollis said. “But the biggest thing was his humor. He was always making a joke or laughing at something. He always looked at the positive side of things. He would always try to help others. He never met a stranger. Everyone he would meet he would always make friends with.”
King recently passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 14, after a battle with cancer. He grew up in Avery County, attending the Avery County High School in Newland. In 2009, King first arrived at Hospitality House, where he would occasionally stay when he needed help. In 2011, King began to reside permanently at the Hospitality House. Several months ago, the Hospitality House contacted King’s family and rekindled their relationship. King’s funeral was held on the Friday, Aug. 17.
“He was just a gentle, easy, bright soul here,” Todd Carter, Director of Development, said. “One of the volunteers at the funeral said ‘If I walked in, and I saw Terry smiling I knew it was going to be a good day.’”
At 5:30 p.m. on the Wednesday, Aug. 22, Boone Hospitality House held a dinner in honor of recently passed Avery County native King. The dinner was a serving of King’s preferred meal; meatloaf, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits, sweet peas and orange slice cake. Zach Ollis, Shelter Coordinator at Hospitality House, conceived of the event as a way to remember King.
“He always had something to say, (he was) very smart, very intelligent,” Ollis said. “But the biggest thing was his humor. He was always making a joke or laughing at something. He always looked at the positive side of things. He would always try to help others. He never met a stranger. Everyone he would meet he would always make friends with.”
King recently passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 14, after a battle with cancer. He grew up in Avery County, attending the Avery County High School in Newland. In 2009, King first arrived at Hospitality House, where he would occasionally stay when he needed help. In 2011, King began to reside permanently at the Hospitality House. Several months ago, the Hospitality House contacted King’s family and rekindled their relationship. King’s funeral was held on the Friday, Aug. 17.
“He was just a gentle, easy, bright soul here,” Todd Carter, Director of Development, said. “One of the volunteers at the funeral said ‘If I walked in, and I saw Terry smiling I knew it was going to be a good day.’”
