Mary Ellen VanDyke

Born April 23, 1938 in Bluefield, VA, she was the daughter of the late Ted Bryant Pardue, Sr., and Ruby Kathryn Holbrook Pardue.

She grew up in the mountains of Virginia and part of her always remained a child of the woods and hills. She knew she wanted to teach from the time she was a young girl in a one room schoolhouse. She married, had children, and eventually went on to Lenoir Rhyne College to get that teaching degree. Teaching was the love of her life. She poured her whole self into it. She retired from Catawba County Schools after teaching at Maiden High School and then Tuttle Middle School.

She loved her family, Jesus, and random violets picked from the grass. She’s at home with Jesus and her parents, Ted and Ruby Holbrook Pardue, whom she’s been longing to see.

She leaves behind her son, Lee VanDyke and wife, Malynda of Claremont, NC; daughters, Diana VanDyke Caldwell and husband, Ron of Newton, NC, Angela VanDyke of Newton, NC; brother, Ted Pardue, Jr., and wife, Carolyn of Claremont, NC; sisters, Dorothy Wolford and husband, Clyde of Bluefield, VA, Judith Cook and husband, Claude of Claremont, NC, Elizabeth Shook and husband, Marvin of Claremont, NC; 10 grandchildren; and 17 great grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, December 6, 2015 at Providence Memorial Cemetery in Catawba, with Rev. Wesley Caldwell officiating.

The family will receive friends following the service at Ms. VanDyke’s graveside.