Farewell

Any death in a small community affects many people. Recently two well-known and respected native islanders died.  

Last week Thomas Midgett, a Vietnam veteran who retired from the NC Ferry Division and later worked for the National Park Service, died at his home on Ocracoke. Thomas was friendly and well liked by native islanders, newcomers, and visitors alike. He was known as one of the island's foremost gardeners. Thomas was 67 years old. You can read his obituary here. 

On October 7 Jule Garrish, 94, died at his home in Beaufort, NC, where he lived with his wife Rosemary. Jule's first wife, Etta Mae Howard, died a number of years ago. Jule was a US Navy veteran and was retired from the US Coast Guard and the NC Department of Transportation. Many of our readers will remember Jule as a featured performer at the Ocracoke Opry in Deepwater Theater. His signature song was "Governor Edward Hyde," a tribute to the Swan Quarter ferry. Audiences loved it when Jule paused to speak into the soundhole of his guitar. "This is your captain speaking...."
You can read Jule's obituary here. Jule is buried in the Howard graveyard across the lane from Village Craftsmen.
 
This month's Ocracoke Newsletter highlights several noteworthy staircases in historic island homes. To read the newsletter, and see photos, click here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092117.html.