Obituary: Mrs. Louise Bigham Moton

Mrs. Louise Bigham Moton, 93, of Statesville, peacefully entered into eternal rest on Saturday, January 2, 2021, at her home surrounded by family. She was born in Iredell County on April 28, 1927 to the late Gadson George Bigham and Mary Bell Ramsey Brown Bigham. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Charles Warner Brown and Gadson Bigham, Jr. and a sister, Margaret B. Booker. At one time she was married to James A. Moton, who survives.

She spent her formative years in Statesville, NC and was a graduate from Morningside High School. She received her undergraduate degree and graduate degree from North Carolina College at Durham, now North Carolina Central University. She was an educator and taught school in Winton, NC, High Point, NC, and returning to Statesville, NC in January of 1971 to Iredell-Statesville School System, Statesville, NC. She joined the staff of Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home as a part-time employee and received her funeral director's license in 1963. Following her retirement from the school system, she enrolled at Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science and received a diploma as a Graduate Mortician and received her NC license as a mortician after successfully passing the National Conference of Funeral Examining Board and then joined the staff of Rutledge and Bigham as a full-time employee. When her mother, Mary B. Bigham, became ill in the 70's, she took over the business. At the death of her mother in 1980, she and her sister, the late Margaret B. Booker and her brother, the late Charles Brown, became the owners of Rutledge and Bigham. She became the General Manager and operator of the funeral home. She was also Licensed Funeral Director, Embalmer, Pre-need Salesperson, was co-owner of Clyburn and Bigham Mortuary in Mooresville, NC. She returned from Rutledge and Bigham Mortuary, Inc. in Statesville retiring in 2013. At the time of her death, she was the President of Rutledge and Bigham Mortuary.

The growth of the business began as a three-room storefront on Garfield Street in 1922 and expanded to a full-service business. She added a Chapel, which she named in memory of her mother, Mary B. Bigham Memorial Chapel, the Rutledge and Bigham Scholarship, The Charles Warner Brown Memorial Scholarship, The Annual Memorial Service and Anniversary Celebration, and numerous other services.

Her community involvement was extensive, serving as a Charter member of Crime Stoppers; Life member of the NAACP; former member of First Baptist Church on Garfield Street serving on numerous committees and she later joined Logan Presbyterian Church, USA in Scotts. She was a past member of the Statesville Housing Authority, Board of Directors, The American Legion Auxiliary, and the Malissa Chapter Order of the Eastern Star. She was a member of Garfield Senior Citizens Club, founding member and Past President of the Piedmont District Funeral Directors Association, a life member of the Funeral Directors and Morticians Association of NC, Inc, and a life member of the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and has served on various committees on the District, State and National Levels.

She leaves to cherish the memory of her life, her former husband and devoted friend, James A. Moton of Charlotte; her son, James David (Enrika) Moton, Sr. of Statesville; her daughter-in-love, Bernardeane H. Moton of Statesville, NC; two grandsons, James David (Christina) Moton, Jr. of Wilmington, NC and Matthew Bernard Moton of Statesville; two great grandchildren, Naomi Christina Moton and James David Moton, III, both of Wilmington, NC; a brother-in-law, Cothe P. Booker of Winston-Salem, NC; her goddaughter, Bernardette H. Davis of Durham; her god grandchildren, Crystal Malea Davis of Durham, NC and Alexis Taylor Davis of Winston-Salem, NC; her god great granddaughter, Milani Marian Harper of Durham, NC; a host of nieces and nephews including Jeannette Louise Brown of Glastonbury, CT and Charles (MaryLee) Brown, Jr. of Hardwick, Vermont; a host of sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, cousins, The Thomas and Louise Moton Family; The Ramsey Family; The Horton Family, The John "Flick" Hardy Family (Wanda, Dimishi and Angel), The Logan Presbyterian Church Family, The Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Directors, Staff and Family including Michael McClelland, Shelby Misher, Flake "Chris" Huggins, Nelda Davis, Priscilla Dudley, Donna Lackey, Hobart Mays, Joey Clyburn, and Bishop Wilford (Deborah) Walls; Joseph T. (Evelyn) Clyburn, Sr. and The Clyburn and Bigham Family, The Rutledge and Bigham Scholarship Committee, The Volunteer Support Staff of Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home; The Volunteer Support Staff of Clyburn and Bigham Funeral Home; Funeral Directors and Morticians, The Green Street Neighbors, numerous organizations, countless families, former students, classmates, and friends.

General public viewing is Thursday at the Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home beginning at 10:00 am until 7:00 pm.

A Private Immediate Family Celebration of Life for Louise Bigham Moton will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 8, 2021 at The Mary B. Bigham Memorial Chapel of Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home, 603 South Center Street, Statesville, North Carolina with Reverend Kaye Barrow Ziglar officiating and Reverend David Ramsey providing the music.

A PUBLIC BURIAL will be Friday, at 2:00 p.m. at The Bigham Family Plot in The Belmont Cemetery. Those who will travel to the cemetery in the processional should assemble at Rutledge and Bigham at 1:00 p.m. and please remain in your cars. There will be loudspeakers at the cemetery for your safety and protection.

There will be NO PUBLIC VISITATION (WAKE), unfortunately, with the COVID-19 Virus. We, at Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home, along with other funeral homes across the country, have been issued a mandate to limit the number of family and/or friends at funeral services. YOU CAN ONLY ENTER THE FUNERAL WITH A FUNERAL PASS WHICH WILL BE GIVEN TO THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY.

You can also view her remains virtually on-line at: www.youtube.com, search Louise Bigham Moton's Viewing.

TO VIEW ONLINE STREAMING OF THE SERVICE...GO TO FACEBOOK TO Bernardeane Moton's, Michael McClelland Page, or Lauren Keaton's Page.

AFTER THE SERVICE IS OVER YOU CAN VIEW THE ONLINE VIDEO BY CLICKING ON Her PICTURE ON OUR WEBSITE. GO TO The BOOK OF MEMORIES CLICK ON PHOTOS AND VIDEO. YOU WILL SEE A LINK TO FACEBOOK - THAT'S THE ONLINE VIDEO.

In addition to flowers, Memorials may be made to The Rutledge and Bigham Memorial Scholarship Fund, 603 South Center Street, Statesville, NC 28677.

Visit the Book of Memories for Louise Bigham Moton at: www.rutledgeandbigham.com. Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home is serving the Moton Family.