Raenell Sigmon Hunsucker

Born December 18, 1927 in Catawba County, she grew up the daughter of James “Coon” Conley Sigmon and Nellie Jane Little Sigmon, in Claremont, NC. She graduated from Claremont School in the 11th grade and was asked to teach the following year. She met her husband, David A. Hunsucker, from Oxford. The Hunsuckers, along with Talmage and Maggie Korn and Boyce and Mildred Cloninger, all moved their church membership to Redeemer Lutheran to help a small young church grow and to become pillars of the community in which they all would live. They married and had two children, Barbara Jane Hunsucker and Dale Allen Hunsucker. She has 5 grandchildren, and two beloved, great-grandchildren. The Hunsuckers lived in Catawba for their whole married life, 53 years.

Highlights of her church and civic involvement were that she was a Founding Member of the Catawba Memorial Hospital Auxiliary (now Catawba Valley Medical Center) and began volunteering in 1969. She volunteered there for more than 50 years. She worked as office manager at Catawba Hosiery Mill.

Raenell also spent many years as a dedicated member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, serving on the LWML, and as the past president of LWML, and Catawba Valley Zone, president. She and her husband David were dedicated to the arts and she was appointed to the North Carolina Arts Council Board and served for many years. In addition, she was an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Catawba Chapter #124.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, David Allen Hunsucker; brothers, George “Boots” Conley Sigmon, Buddy Joe and wife Shirley A. Sigmon, James Nicky Sigmon; brother-in-laws, Sammy Ray Propst, Robert Hunsucker and wife Jean; son-in-law, Timothy Ray Laney.

Survivors include sister, Nancy Sigmon Propst of Claremont; sisters-in-law, Betty Sigmon Sigmon of Charlotte, Cathy Rockette Sigmon of Claremont; brother and sister-in-law, Conley and Carolyn Deal of Claremont; daughter, Barbie H. Laney of Conover; son, Dale A. Hunsucker and wife, Penny, of Conover; grandchildren, Patrick H. Laney and wife, Becky, of Catawba, Taylor H. Laney and wife, Katherine, of Conover, Cameron Laney Bixby and husband, Brian, of Claremont, Josh S. Curtis and wife, Aura, of Charlotte, Jonathan C. Curtis, and wife AdriAnne, of Sanford, Maine; great-granddaughters, Peyton E. Laney of Catawba, and Finley K. Bixby of Claremont.

A service celebrating her life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 27th, 2017 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Catawba with Rev. David Moser officiating. Following the service, the family will continue the celebration by receiving friends for a reception in the parish hall at Redeemer. A private burial will follow at Catawba Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Redeemer Lutheran Church, A Place at The Table, P.O. Box 187, Catawba, NC 28609 or to Catawba Regional Hospice, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC 28658.

Condolences may be sent to the Hunsucker family at www.drumfh-conover.com.

The Hunsucker family has entrusted funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Conover, NC.