Jack Monroe Sigmon

Jack was born Nov. 26, 1934, in Catawba County, North Carolina, to Lillie Punch Sigmon and Carroll Monroe Sigmon. Lillie passed away in 2001, and Carroll in 2005.

Jack was a member of the last graduating class of Startown High School before it was converted to an elementary school. During his time at Startown, he drove a school bus, served as a cheerleader and was voted Wittiest Male by his classmates.

Jack met his wife, Shirley, through 4-H. They were married June 13, 1953, in the parsonage at Fairgrove United Methodist Church, beginning a partnership that spanned more than seven decades. They attended Fairgrove UMC together until it closed, after which Jack worshipped with several local congregations. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued attending services virtually.

Faith and family were always at the center of Jack’s life. He helped his parents work their farm and maintained a yearly garden of his own until his health no longer allowed it. The staple crop was always white cucumbers.

Above all, Jack cherished his family. His greatest joy was the love he shared with Shirley, his daughters Sherry and Debbie, his grandchildren Joshua, William, Matt, Jules, Nat, and his great-grandson Thomas. Each knew his steady support, quiet strength and deep affection. Sherry was a constant and devoted presence in her parents’ daily lives, providing practical care and companionship they deeply appreciated. Debbie brought her own deep devotion — a steady source of love, encouragement and support woven through every chapter of Jack’s life. Both daughters held a special place in his heart, and each, in her own way, was a source of great comfort to him.

Jack worked at Southern Furniture in upholstery and shipping until his retirement. One of his fondest career memories was working alongside family — his parents Carroll and Lillie, his daughter Sherry and his sister Vera. Few families can claim three generations working together under one roof.

Jack and Shirley began their married life in an apartment above Drum Funeral Home before building their own home down the road from his parents. They remained at that address for the rest of their lives together.

Jack was a devoted UNC-Chapel Hill fan who especially enjoyed football Saturdays during Debbie’s undergraduate years at Carolina. His favorite professional team was Washington, and one memorable autumn found the whole family in the Washington, D.C., area together. While Sherry and Shirley spent the day at Joshua and Ginny’s home, Jack, Debbie, Joshua and Jeff made their way to Arlington for a Washington-Panthers game. The stadium impressed them all, and Washington’s victory made the day even sweeter — a delight especially shared by Jack and Debbie.

Jack loved to fish. When Shirley’s brother Allen was stationed in Virginia, the family made trips to fish in the Chesapeake Bay. For many years, vacations at Holden Beach meant fishing in the surf and from the pier. One year, the catch was so plentiful that the handles broke off the cooler when they tried to lift it.

When Sherry and Debbie were young, Jack and Shirley spent nearly every weekend camping at Price Park outside Blowing Rock, often alongside Jim and Betty Eckard and their family. The Peaks of the Otter was another beloved destination. That spirit of adventure extended beyond the Carolina mountains — on one especially memorable trip, the family camped in a New Jersey parking lot to attend the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, where they saw Michelangelo’s Pietà on loan from the Vatican, experienced color television for the first time and took in games at both Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium. Debbie, the younger of the two, was too young to remember, but those stories became part of the fabric of family lore.

Through the years, the family returned again and again to the places they loved most. Nearly every autumn brought a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway to enjoy the changing leaves and the Daniel Boone Inn in Boone became a favorite stop — particularly during the years Matt attended Appalachian State University.

Among their most cherished travels were trips to Egypt and Israel in 1999 and two memorable journeys through Europe in 2016 and 2018. Both trips included time in Belgium with grandson Joshua, his wife Ginny and their son Thomas, and both brought different members of the family together along the way. The 2016 adventure took Jack and Shirley through seven countries and roughly 6,800 miles of European roads, with Debbie and Nat joining for a significant portion of the journey and Matt sharing a different leg of the trip. In 2018, they returned to Europe with Sherry to celebrate Joshua earning his bachelor’s degree. COVID-19 eventually brought plans for future travels to an end, but the adventures they shared and the memories they made remained among Jack’s most treasured — as did the family who made every journey worth taking.

Jack's family will miss his unwavering support, quick wit, gentle guidance and the comfort of knowing he was always there when they needed him.

Jack is survived by his wife, Shirley Hedrick Sigmon of Newton; daughters, Sherry Buterbaugh and husband Jeff Buterbaugh of Newton, Debbie Orr and husband Bill Orr of Garner; grandchildren, Joshua Hefner and wife Ginny McCabe of Belgium, William Spivey and wife Laura Tripp Spivey of Raleigh, Matt Spivey of Raleigh, Jules Spivey of Raleigh, Nat Spivey and fiancée Grace Thorpe of Raleigh; great-grandson, Thomas McCabe-Hefner of Green Bay.

The family will receive friends at 2pm at Drum Funeral Home, Conover followed by Celebration of Life at 2:30pm.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Abernethy Laurels and the team at Carolina Caring Hospice for their compassionate care of Jack during his final chapter.

Memorials may be made to Carolina Caring Hospice at carolinacaring.org or to Transitions LifeCare at tansitionslifecare.org