1969
Stephen
2024
Stephen Pelham
December 31, 1969 — January 2, 2024
Stephen William Pelham, 79, of Hickory died January 2, 2024 at Frye Regional Medical Center. He was born December 14, 1944 in Endicott, New York to the late Charles and Eleanor Pelham.
Stephen was an avid hunter and fisherman growing up in upstate New York. He was an enthusiastic roller skater leading him to meet his wife Barbara at the Alexandria Arena roller rink in Alexandria, Virginia in 1963 and they were married on December 12, 1964.
Stephen honorably served in the US Army from January 1963 to June 1966. He was an Army Airplane mechanic and Army Air Traffic Controller. He worked with IBM from June 1966-January 1969. In January 1969, he went to the FAA training center to get his ATC certification. In June 1969 he began working at Washington National Airport. In June 1979, he left Washington National and went to Roanoke Regional Airport in Roanoke, VA. Steve worked his way up to the supervisor level, with the highlight of his career was helping save the jobs of many controllers during the ATC strike of 1981. In 1982, Steve moved his family across the country to Evergreen, Colorado and started his new position at Stapleton International Airport. When Steve was forced out of the control tower when diagnosed with diabetes in 1989, he wrote the training and operations manuals for the new Denver International Airport. Steve retired from DIA on January 2, 2001.
Freshly retired Steve and Barbara moved back across the country in January 2001 to Hickory, NC. He was a member of Christ United Baptist Church where he was ordained as a deacon in May 2006. Steve and Barb became members of Crossroads Baptist Church in January 2014, Steve was voted in as a deacon in January 2016.
Stephen is survived by his wife of 59 years, Barbara Pelham; children, Daniel Pelham, Darrin Pelham (Angela), Annjeannette Pelham Wells (Richard); grandchildren: Jennifer, Steven, Joey, Amanda, Brittany, Christopher, Kaci, Kai; and great-granddaughter, Peyton.
Memorial Service will be held 2:00pm, Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Crossroads Baptist Church, 2288 Zion Church Rd, Hickory, NC. The family will receive visitors from 12:30pm-1:45pm prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Crossroads Baptist Building Fund.
Stephen was an avid hunter and fisherman growing up in upstate New York. He was an enthusiastic roller skater leading him to meet his wife Barbara at the Alexandria Arena roller rink in Alexandria, Virginia in 1963 and they were married on December 12, 1964.
Stephen honorably served in the US Army from January 1963 to June 1966. He was an Army Airplane mechanic and Army Air Traffic Controller. He worked with IBM from June 1966-January 1969. In January 1969, he went to the FAA training center to get his ATC certification. In June 1969 he began working at Washington National Airport. In June 1979, he left Washington National and went to Roanoke Regional Airport in Roanoke, VA. Steve worked his way up to the supervisor level, with the highlight of his career was helping save the jobs of many controllers during the ATC strike of 1981. In 1982, Steve moved his family across the country to Evergreen, Colorado and started his new position at Stapleton International Airport. When Steve was forced out of the control tower when diagnosed with diabetes in 1989, he wrote the training and operations manuals for the new Denver International Airport. Steve retired from DIA on January 2, 2001.
Freshly retired Steve and Barbara moved back across the country in January 2001 to Hickory, NC. He was a member of Christ United Baptist Church where he was ordained as a deacon in May 2006. Steve and Barb became members of Crossroads Baptist Church in January 2014, Steve was voted in as a deacon in January 2016.
Stephen is survived by his wife of 59 years, Barbara Pelham; children, Daniel Pelham, Darrin Pelham (Angela), Annjeannette Pelham Wells (Richard); grandchildren: Jennifer, Steven, Joey, Amanda, Brittany, Christopher, Kaci, Kai; and great-granddaughter, Peyton.
Memorial Service will be held 2:00pm, Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Crossroads Baptist Church, 2288 Zion Church Rd, Hickory, NC. The family will receive visitors from 12:30pm-1:45pm prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Crossroads Baptist Building Fund.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Stephen Pelham, please visit our flower store.
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