David Proffitt Dick
1920 ~ 2013
David was born in Guilford County on November 22, 1920 to Adger and Onie Heath Dick, now deceased. David graduated from McLeansville High School and was a member of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church and attended Bessemer United Methodist Church. Also a big part of his life was the ability to train horses. He was active for many years on the Guilford County Agricultural District committee for Horse Management. He also contributed to show arena, horse owners and was very active with the Morgan Horse Association.
Dave Dick was an extrememly valuable asset to the Virginia Carolinas Morgan Club, particularly in his efforts to help educate the youth members in all aspects of working with horses. His helping hand was always available with a ready smile and genuine support.
Elizabeth Ann Walker
~ D 7-21-2011
Beth, with her husband Peter and daughter Annie, were all friends of the VCMHC. Most remember Annie as the family artist, but mother Beth was a very talented and ever so energetic professional. She not only painted pictures, but did murals and decorated many people’s homes with equine scenes.
Shortly before she became ill, Beth was intent on creating a traveling equine program that would bring Morgans and other horses to visit sick children. Sadly she was never able to see this to fruition.
Robert Epperson
1925 ~ 2011
For many years, Bob was an active VC club member and supporter of Southern States Morgan Show. In the 1970’s, Bob and his wife Gloria, son Stephen, and daughter Cynthia started Tennessee Valley Morgan Horse Farm in Knoxville. The TVM Morgan prefix became widely known in very short order.
Bob served on the AMHA Board for 11 years and was a past President of the Association. Daughter Cynthia Elaine Epperson died tragically in her teens, and in her memory Bob and Gloria created the Morgan Horse Youth of The Year Program which still operates today in memory of Cynthia. The VC Youth Club at that time established the Cynthia Epperson Outstanding Youth Award in her honor, and this is presented annually at the Southern States Show where Cynthia and her brother Steven had participated for several years.
Thomas James Hilgenberg
1936 ~ 2012
Tom was the second of 10 children. With seven brothers and two sisters, you know Tom was a competitor at an early age! Winning was always his goal. He joined the Air Force, flew bombers, eventually joined Delta Airlines, became a Captain, and flew jumbo jets nationally and internationally for over 30 years. He met Charlene on a Delta flight and they married in 1964. Charlene was the one involved with horses, and Tom dove right into the equine world.
In 1965, the same year their daughter Heidi was born, Tom and Charlene established Great Oaks Morgan Farm in Newnan, GA. They went on to produce many regional and national champion Morgan horses. As a family during the 1960’s, 70’s, and ‘80’s, they were instrumental in introducing the Morgan horse to Georgia and the southeast Region of the United States. They were members of the VC club for many years and helped put together the Southeastern Morgan Show, which was put on by the joint efforts of Virginia Carolinas and Georgia clubs. Tom and Charlene were also very instrumental in the development of the Georgia Morgan Horse Club, as well as the Dixie Cup Morgan Horse Show.
In the late 1980’s, Tom focused on Competitive Carriage Driving. His passion for this sport enabled him to become a member of the 1998 Silver Medal winning USET Single Horse Driving Team in Ebbs, Austria with his Georgia bred Morgan “Gus”! In addition, he was the TOP finishing American out of 60 competitors!
After retiring from competition, Tom Hilgenberg continued as an active member of the driving community as a judge, trainer and committee member for many years.
Dr. George Wesley Corbin, Jr.
1915 ~ 2012
Father of our current Southern States Show Committee chairperson, Andree Vetrano, and husband of Simone (Simi) Corbin, who founded Van Lu Morgans, George Corbin was a “one of a kind doctor” — the kind who still made house calls after many did not. Barter was still a practice that, although not encouraged, was acceptable to him as payment – and in many cases no bill was ever sent.
George was a wonderful supporter of Simi’s love of horses and would sometimes bring his young daughters – Andree, Lucy and Valli — to Tara Farm for riding lessons.
He was a a WWII veteran of the Army and a Korean War veteran of the US Air Force. George was also awarded the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine” for his faithful service to the State of North Carolina.
Carole Clyne –
~ 9-10-12
Our good friend and club member Carole Clyne died early in September of 2012. For those who never knew her, she was a joy to be around. She came to NC from NY with husband Bob, who settled into the restaurant business in the greater Mecklinburg County area.
Carole was a consumate Morgan horse lover and promoter. She met the McLemore’s and introduced and gave daughter Libby McLemore riding lessons – on a Morgan, of course. This led to the creation of Apple Flat Farm, which became a prominent Morgan farm in Concord started by Libby’s parents, Bob & Linda McLemore.
Again, Carole introduced many horse and non-horse folks to Morgans including our own Elizabeth Abernathy. For a time, they owned a Morgan together for years and then Elizabeth bought a Morgan from Carole.
Carole was a dear, dear friend to this club and to the Morgan society. She was a long-time VC club officer and board member.
Thomas Harrison
1935 ~ 2012
Tom worked for many years in the upholstered furniture industry as vice-president of manufacturing for several businesses including Crestline furniture, Dakin furniture and McCreary Modern. After his career in furniture, he was able to fulfill his lifelong dream of building houses and ran Harrison Construction Company for ten years, building numerous houses in the Granite Falls area.
An active VC club member for many years and a past club president, Tom was everybody’s friend. He and his wife JoNell were always volunteering and holding the club together. Tom was as good as any stand-up comic. His tale of their trip to the Gold Cup show in Ohio one year, getting caught on the bypass going around and around Columbus, being able to see the Show Grounds but not being able to get there, was a classic.
Tom, Jo Nell and son Keith spent almost 40 years promoting Morgans under the Granada Morgan Farm prefix.
See Memorial tab above for links to Tristanne Weber, Barbara Beaumont Cole, James Lawrence Cole and Pat Wyatt pages…