Nancy Delores Haithcock South passed away on Monday, Nov. 13, 2017 at Trinity Oaks Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was 83.
Nancy was born in Greensboro to the late Tom and Frances Dick Haithcock, the oldest of their three children.
A graduate of Greensboro High School, Nancy moved to Salisbury in 1952 to attend Catawba College. While at Catawba, Nancy was a cheerleader, an officer in the Student Government Association, on the newspaper staff and active in many other campus organizations. Nancy cherished the relationships formed at Catawba, particularly with roommate Mitzi Sanders Wegerek and suitemates Barbara Roark and Kat Smith. Until her health declined, Nancy and Mitzi regularly attended Catawba's homecoming festivities together, rekindling friendships and laughing over which classmate looked the oldest! The most important relationship Nancy made at Catawba was the one with a handsome, charismatic Yankee, Bruce Dudley South. On their first date, Dud (which was what Nancy called him) told Nancy he was going to marry her. A year later, months after Nancy's graduation from Catawba, Dud's prediction became reality when the couple were married at First Evangelical and Reformed Church in Greensboro. While Dud finished his degree at Catawba, Nancy took her first job as an eighth-grade teacher at Hurley School. Dud graduated from Catawba in May of 1957 and one month later, the couple welcomed their first child, Karen. The young family moved to Durham while Dud pursued his degree in Physical Therapy from Duke University, but Salisbury remained home, and they returned there in 1959. Nancy supported Dud in his career as Physical Therapist at the VA Hospital and, subsequently, when he was hired to start the first physical therapy department at Rowan Memorial Hospital (now Novant Rowan Medical Center). A second daughter, Donna, was born in 1961 and son Bruce completed the family in 1964. Nancy was a stay-at-home mom until Bruce started school. She was a PTA grade mother for each of her children and never missed a game, performance or special activity in which they participated. Nancy was a Girl Scout and carried that enthusiasm for Scouting to Karen and Donna's involvement in Girls Scouts and Bruce's in Boy Scouts. Nancy was the glue which held the family together and that was never more evident than when Dud died in 1974 at the age of 44. Nancy was only 40 years old. She was a widow and the surviving parent of three children under the age of 18. Her previous devotion to her children was surpassed only by her commitment to them following Dud's death. Nancy dedicated everything she had and everything she was to her children. It wasn't easy being a single mother and breadwinner in the 1970s. Yet Nancy did it and her children never wanted for anything either materially, spiritually or emotionally. She was always Karen, Donna and Bruce's chief cheerleader and proudest supporter. She was an amazing Mother. It turns out that the only thing Nancy was better at than being a Mother was being a Grandmother. Oh, how she loved her grandchildren! Brantley came first, with Josh arriving a mere six months later and Kristine in 1996. Theirs were mutual admiration societies, for sure. Each of them loved their MeMaw and cherish special memories of playing games, watching sports, talking history and knowing – without a doubt – that she thought they were the greatest things since sliced bread. Nancy's great-grandson, Kainon, fascinated and enthralled her. It is Kainon's loss that his Great-MeMaw won't be part of his life. In Nancy's professional career, she taught social studies in Junior High School and in the Adult Education Department at Rowan Technical College (Rowan Cabarrus Community College). She also served as a Field Director for the Hornets' Nest Girls Scout Council and as Assistant to the Dean of Admissions at Catawba College. Prior to her retirement, she worked as the manager of the Salisbury office of Carolina American Tours. Nancy was a life-long reader and learner, something she passed along to her children. While she was able, she read two newspapers each day, the Salisbury Post and The Charlotte Observer, and always had a book at hand. She will be remembered for her laughter and smile, her selflessness, her devotion to family and her ability to not take life quite so seriously.

Nancy is survived by her daughters, Karen South Jones and Donna Lane South; son, Bruce South; grandsons Brantley Goheen and Joshua South of Seattle, Wash.; granddaughter, Kristine South; great-grandson, Kainon Wade South; son-in-law, Mike Jones; daughter-in-law, Tonya South; brother and sister-in-law, Tommy and Beverly Haithcock of Greensboro; sister, Hilda Haithcock Miller of Greensboro; uncle, Harvey Dick of Lexington; niece, Deborah Thrower and husband George of Charlotte; nephews, Eric Miller of Greensboro and Mark Miller of Orlando, Fla.; great-nephew, Jason Haithcock and great-niece, Kelly Haithcock Wyrick of Greensboro; and cousin, Dr. Ken Clapp.

The South family wishes to thank the staff of Trinity Oaks Health and Rehabilitation Center. They cared for Nancy as if she was a member of their own families and we could not be more indebted to them for making Nancy's last days on earth as peaceful as possible. The South children hope the staff knew by Nancy's bright smiles and twinkling eyes that she appreciated their kindness. Nancy also loved Dr. Sam Roy and was accused, on more than one occasion, of inventing reasons she needed to make an appointment with him. Dr. Roy and his staff laughed with and cared for Nancy with loving kindness; those moments were priceless to her. Visitation and Service: Friends and family are welcome to visit the family on Friday, Nov. 17, from 4-7 p.m., at the home of Karen South Jones, 810 Old Stone House Road. A service to celebrate Nancy's life will be held Saturday, Nov. 18, at 3 p.m., in the Faith Center of St. John's Lutheran Church, with Pastor Rhodes Woolly officiating, followed by a reception in Peeler Hall. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Rowan County Youth Services Bureau, 1322 S. Fulton Street, Salisbury, NC 28144 or to Trinity Oaks Changing Spaces Campaign, P.O. Box 947, Salisbury, NC 28145. Summersett Funeral Home is serving the South family.
Published in Salisbury Post on Nov. 15, 2017 470, Nancy Delores Haithcock South