Allen Cooke who is Nora Cooke's son was nice enough to call and share the sad news. Nora owned Cedar Hill Farm when it was on Providence Road. Allen's call brought back many lovely memories, of showing at the Mecklenburg Hounds show grounds, hunting with MHI and all the lovely people I came to know. Lucius stood out, I often did fitness work on the sides of the roads and would pass by Lucius as he was coming or going.  He always took time to stop, ask about the horse I was riding where I was next headed.  He will be missed.. Alston Wolf

Jimmy,

I just found out about Doc.  I am so very sorry.  Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Your in my thoughts and prayers.

To the family of Dr. Gage, my deepest sympathy.  I worked at The Nalle Clinic from 1975-1989 and knew Dr. Gage in passing.  I grew up in Red Springs, NC and my aunt, Alice Hall, from Red Springs, was a dear friend of Ruth Vardell Gage. I never made the connection until I stayed at the Gage cottage in Blowing Rock as the guest of a college friend, after having left the Nalle Clinic, and saw the Gage's address in Clemson, SC on a magazine in the cottage.  It is indeed a small world and I wish I had known Dr. Gage better when I worked at the Nalle Clinic.

Jimmy, 
You do not know me, but I worked with Dr. Gage at the Nalle Clinic on King's 
Drive in the 70's. I was new to Charlotte and a new mother. I loved his dry wit and we got along famously, as he took me under his wing. He loved my daughter, Kelly. The other nurses in the office had been with him for a long time, so I was a bit green. We just clicked. He invited the girls in the office to his home in Waxhaw on one occation, and he was the only man there in a house filled with talkative and noisy females. He took it in stride, and actually seemed to enjoy the evening. One Easter, I put a bird's nest in the seat of his old heavy wooden desk chair, and then filled it with black jelly beans. He laughed about that for quite a while, and teased me about it for years. 

On several occasions I ran into him at the HT-Arboretum and was always genuinely interested in my family and expressed great joy when he spoke of you. He was quite proud that you had become "a fine boy"

He was a true Southern gentleman, and a kind and gentle soul. 

My sincerest sympathy to you and your family.

He will be missed.

I was lucky to have known and worked with him.

The World has lost a good man...a good man in the best and most classical sense. Many an hour we spent together in the Cone 
Estate... Horses... And on foot at Blowing Rock and Grandfather's
Mountain...walking and talking of life and our places in itt  So many
yeas ago. We were together, Lucius, in Charlotte going out to eat at the Epicurean when I first saw my Becky. Our planned trip down the 
Linville Gorge together was put aside while Becky and I courted; then
you and I never got to do the Linville. Did you do it later ? So beautiful it was.(..is ) ? You were to come and visit us in New Zealand if they ever
made a bridge you said. Didn't like the idea of flying over all that water did you ?  No bridge yet. Too bad. And now too late. Ain't that a bummer ?.

Becky and I will attempt to enclose a photo of you when you kindly
consented to act as our best man more than fifty years ago. You will
most certainly be missed. We shall send a check to the Serria Club 
in your name. Gallop on !  And happy trails.

Bye for  now, Lucius
          ( Bad ) Billy Greene
          and Becky Castanas Greene
email :
beckybillgreene@live.com
Address :
23 Ocean View Road
Hatfields Beach; Auckland, New Zealand

Reading Allan Smyth's comments, I know he is describing the same "Doc" Gage that I knew all too briefly.
I was fortunate enough to spend a summer as his water skiing partner back in the early 70's. He taught me how to ski barefoot and how to start him from his shallow-water one-legged stance. I can still see him leaning forward with his arms outstretched behind when he began to tire.
We would often go to the Copper Kettle for something to eat after a good afternoon of skiing. He always ordered the Greek Salad.
Like Allan, I had the opportunity to prove my equestrian ability as I was unceremoniously dismounted from his little horse.
I too regret not having had the opportunity to spend more time with him. I will have these and other fond memories of him forever.

We regret that our world has lost a kind, gentle soul in Lucius Gage.  He and numerous other Gages vacationed at the houses on "Gage hill" next to the Cone estate in Blowing Rock NC.  

I vacationed with my siblings and numerous cousins at the "Vardell cottages" across town.  Though he was one of the older cousins, Lucius was unfailingly kind and thoughtful to us "small fry" cousins.

When I arrived at Davidson College in the fall of 1955, Lucius showed up within a week and took me to water ski at his lake cottage. On numerous occasions he tried to teach me to ride his gentlest horse,but I was not a good horseman.

One Christmas holiday, Lucius took me in his new blue T-Bird to the Everglades, where we stumbled into the Audubon Bird Count, with hilarious results.  

My wife and I regret that we did not make time to visit Lucius more in his declining years.  The world is a poorer place in the absence of this kind, thoughtful, gracious soul.  We wish there were more like him.

Allan and Vercey Smyth
Mitchell, Oregon.
alsmyth@wildblue.net

He may have been "Doc" to some, but in our family he was "Lu," a beloved "out-law," as opposed to "in-law." We were related through his Uncle Gaston "Sug" Gage and our Aunt Ruth Vardell Gage. My first meeting with Lu was at my grandfather's Chestnut Hill house, built around the same time as Lu's grandfather's house on "Gage Hill" in Blowing Rock. Custom was for small fry to circle the living room and hug all the gathered relatives before heading to bed. Here was this tall, quiet man I'd never seen before, but being told he was "kissin' kin," I followed the custom. In summers to come we made many expeditions together: down Linville Gorge, across Grandfather Mountain, a number of secret locations for morell and lactarius musrooms. There was a memorable "fox hunt" at Hound's Ear (as it was then called) where we sat around a fire listening to the hounds baying (the foxes were quite safe) and the Gages spent the following week trying to round up their dogs. Over the years he acted as "doc" for occasional cousinly cuts, bumps and ailments.  A few years ago a truck rattled up our drive and there was Lu, for a "few minutes," which stretched into a good last visit. Lu will be missed by the Smyth clan.

To all of the Gage family I send my sympathy for your loss.
Jimmy-I know what a void this will leave in you life and you have my most sincere sympathy.Please keep in touch. 
Judy Strickland Leftwich
jsl8747@juno

OBITUARY

Dr. Lucius Gaston Gage Jr.

June 7, 1925 – September 4, 2011

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