Person Page - 4735

     Dorothy Margaret Simmers was buried at Acton Methodist Church Cemetery, Candler, Buncombe Co., North Carolina.^1,2 Her married name was Pace.¹ She married Benjamin Harrison Pace Jr., son of Benjamin Harrison Pace and Annie Millard Thrash.^1,2 Dorothy Margaret Simmers was born on August 28, 1908 at Rockingham Co., North Carolina; Her death certificate has a birth year of 1909.^1,2 She died on April 2, 1947 at Winston-Salem, Forsyth Co., North Carolina, at age 38.^1,2

     Benjamin Harrison Pace III was buried at Acton Methodist Church Cemetery, Candler, Buncombe Co., North Carolina.¹ He Benjamin Harrison Pace, III, died Monday, March 25, 2013, at Memorial Mission Hospital, after a well fought and gallant battle. Ben was the son of the late Benjamin H. Pace, II, and Dorothy Simmers Pace. Ben is survived by his wife of 34 years, Jamie D. Pace, as well as two daughters: Michelle Pace Wood and husband Gary of Candler, and Lucille Pace Miller and husband Keith of Newnan, Georgia. Also surviving is his very dear granddaughter, Emma Camille Wood. A sister, Pat Loflin, and cousins Thomas L. Thrash, Lee Pace Brawley, and William J. Teague also survive. Ben often spent summers in the Candler area with his great grandparents Lee and Nellie Thrash and Uncle Jay and Lucille Pace. He loved to talk about the summers he spent at Lake Junaluska helping his Uncle Dale and Aunt Mary Thrash at Lakeside Lodges. Ben lived with his mother's sister and husband Virginia and Edward Teague during high school and graduated from Calvert County High School on the Chesapeake Bay. From there, he received a B.S. Degree in Biology from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland where he was captain of the cross country and track team. Following graduation, Ben enlisted in the United States Navy, attaining the rank of L.T.J.G. He served on the USS Okinawa during the Cuban Missile Crisis and on the Admiral's Staff of the Atlantic Fleet. After the service, Ben worked 12 years for Sun Oil Company and progressed to become the corporation's sales manager for a three-state region. In 1976, Ben returned to Asheville to establish his own business. The first Country Food Stores opened in March 1977, and was located on the former site of his family's home place. Over the next 35 years, Ben grew his dream to include 16 convenient stores, as well as branching out into real estate investing. Ben was selected in 1986 as Entrepreneur of the Year by the Western Carolina Entrepreneurial Council. Ben believed in serving his community and thoroughly enjoyed his many years on the MSD board of directors. In addition, he served as a member of the Buncombe County Community School Advisory Council, and was a board member of BOOST, presently known as Mountain Mobility. Ben was a graduate of Leadership Asheville V, a member of Riverlink, a board member of the Council of Independent Business Owners, and was both a trustee and finance committee member for Montmorenci United Methodist Church. Ben was a member of the VFW, past president of the Enka-Candler Business Association, and a licensed Real Estate Broker. He also founded and was a sponsor of "The Knot Hole Gang" providing the joy of the Tourist baseball to many young children in our region. In addition to this extraordinary work, he was a founding member of the Buncombe County Democratic Men's Club, and ran for County Commissioner in 1980 and again in 1984. After this, he ran for NC State House in 1996. Ben put his all into strengthening the Buncombe County Democratic Party. Ben was a faithful Democrat and great lover of politics. However most importantly Ben Pace was a man of his word, who loved life, silently helped many people, and offered many people a second chance to succeed. He lived by the golden rule, and was a man of great integrity. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at Montmorenci United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Lisa Hartzog Hannah and Dr. Duke Ison officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Acton United Methodist Church Cemetery.¹ He was born on December 16, 1938 at Washington, D.C..^1,2,3 He married Jamie Unknown circa 1979.¹ Benjamin Harrison Pace III died on March 25, 2013 at Asheville, Buncombe Co., North Carolina, at age 74.^1,3

     Madith Beatrice Melton was born circa 1911 at Candler, Buncombe Co., North Carolina.¹ As of March 8, 1958,her married name was Pace.¹ She married Benjamin Harrison Pace Jr., son of Benjamin Harrison Pace and Annie Millard Thrash, on March 8, 1958 at Annandale, Fairfax Co., Virginia; This was Ben's third marriage.¹