Elizabeth "Libba" Strain Feichter

Elizabeth (Libba) Strain Feichter, 85, died peacefully at home on January 8, 2025, in Waynesville, NC. She was born on November 18, 1939, in Jackson, MS, to the late Haldane and Marylene Strain (née Ham).

Libba graduated from McClenaghan High School in Florence, SC, in 1957, and from Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina (now UNC-Greensboro) in 1961, earning a Bachelor of Music Theory. She later earned a Master’s degree in Music Education from Western Carolina University. On October 12, 1962, she married Rex Roland Feichter, her husband and friend of 49 years.

Libba's life was dedicated to contributing—whether to her family, her students, or her community in Waynesville. She was friendly, enthusiastic, curious, and sharp-witted. Never one to easily accept praise, she always redirected it to others. Libba was known for her bright spark of red hair and fiery personality to match, both of which she flashed to the very end.

In the early 1960s, Libba moved to Waynesville, where she fell in love with the area’s lush, tree-covered mountains. It was there that she and Rex first crossed paths at the long-closed Charlie’s Drive-In. That moment began an enduring partnership, one in which each made the other better. Their relationship was full of affection, humor, encouragement, and the occasional impassioned “conversation.” Both Rex and Libba were exceptional cooks and hosted countless gatherings with family and friends, which became a defining aspect of their loving relationship.

As a public school music educator, Libba taught at various Haywood County schools, with her base being the old Hazelwood Elementary on Virginia Avenue. Armed with her trusty autoharp, she taught thousands of students to sing, clap, tap, and play along. Her goal was to introduce them to songs, skills, and ideas that would help guide them through life. Even decades after her retirement, it was common for her to encounter former students, engaging with each and remembering them by name. The love and respect were entirely mutual. It is poetic that several of her caregivers during the final years of her life were former students.

The arts were deeply important to Libba. In 1984, she and Rex, along with other advocates, founded Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART). Their goal was to create a semiprofessional theater that fostered local talent and presented inspiring performances to the community. Libba served in various roles, including board member, box office staff, actor, musician, behind-the-scenes support, and ultimately, Director Emeritus. Though she would humbly point to others, HART’s status as an awardwinning theater company with a year-round schedule and a multi-venue performing arts center is due in part to Libba’s boundless contributions.

Libba was also a founding board member of Voices in the Laurel (chairperson, 2016–2018), a member of the Waynesville Public Art Commission, and a long-time supporter of the Haywood County Arts Council.

After retiring from teaching in 1997, Libba turned her focus to public service. From 1999 to 2011, she was elected to the Waynesville Board of Aldermen three times. She was only the second female board member in the town’s history and its first female Mayor Pro Tempore. Libba also served on the boards of Mountain Projects, the Downtown Waynesville Association, and supported many other civic organizations.

Though we mourn the loss of a woman of profound impact, we celebrate Libba’s life and the legacy of her fiery spirit of contribution. She would want nothing more than for us to carry that spirit forward.

Libba is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Rex. She is survived by her three children and their spouses: Laurie Feichter Frodsham and her husband Chris of Waynesville; Jon Feichter, his wife Janice, and their children Grace of Ann Arbor, MI, and Michael of Waynesville; and Will Feichter, his wife Molly, and their children Emma and Wilson of Raleigh, NC, and Hankins of New York, NY. She is also survived by her sister, Angie Messer of Waynesville, NC, and many other family members in Waynesville, across the United States, and in Germany and Austria.

The Feichter family extends their sincere gratitude to Libba’s caregiver, Tresia Arrington and her staff, as well as her former colleagues at Haywood County Public Schools, HART, the broader arts community, and various municipal service organizations.

A memorial service celebrating Libba’s life will be held in the spring. Details will be provided at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Haywood Arts Regional Theatre or Sarge's Animal Rescue Foundation.

The care of Ms. Feichter has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville