James Queen

Waynesville-James Richard "Dick" Queen, age 86, of Queen's Farm, died Friday, September 10, 2004 at his residence, after an extended period of declining health from complications of Parkinson's disease. Born in Haywood County on May 23, 1918, he was the son of noted square dancer Sam L. Queen and Glee C. Queen. Richard Queen was involved in public service all his life. After graduating from Brevard College in 1936 and Western Carolina Teachers College in 1938, he followed his mother's example and worked as a teacher and elementary school principal in Haywood County. As manager and member of the Soco Gap Square Dance Team, he danced at festivals throughout the country. He was especially proud of performing with the team in 1939 at the White House for President Roosevelt and the King and Queen of England. He entered the Army in 1941, served in the Pacific Theater where he received nine battle stars and left active duty in 1946 with the rank of major in the Air Corps. He retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1970. After WWII, he entered the law school at Chapel Hill, but withdrew to enter a lifelong career in politics. He served in Washington in senior administrative roles in the offices of North Carolina Senators J. Melville Broughton and Frank P. Graham, Representative George Shuford and Senator B. Everett Jordan. He was a delegate to three Democratic National Conventions and worked in campaigns at every level. After coordinating the Western NC campaign of President Kennedy in 1960, he served in the Commerce Department in Washington for eleven years until his retirement in 1972 as the Supervisor of Field Services. With his wife, Lois, he was the proprietor of Queen's Farm at Dellwood during the 1950s and 60s, leading summer visitors on pack trips into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After his government retirement, he built assisted living facilities in Haywood and Jackson counties. Richard Queen was a world traveler and an avid golfer, and once won the club championship (handicap division) at the Waynesville Country Club where he was a member for more than fifty years. His Maple Grove United Methodist Church was equally important to him and he will be buried in its cemetery, near where his grandfather donated land almost one hundred years ago. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lois Pryor Queen; three sons James Richard Queen, Jr. and his wife, Sara Jo Lohr of Lexington, NC, Frank Queen and his wife, Bruce Totty of Waynesville, and George Queen of Waynesville; two daughters, Buffy Queen of Waynesville, and Susan Queen of Swannanoa; his sister, Sara Queen Brown of Clyde; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his youngest son, Sam L. Queen and by his brother, Sam L. Queen, Jr. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 12, 2004 at the Waynesville chapel of Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services. The Reverends Michael A. Shuford and G. W. Jameson will officiate. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. Sunday, prior to the services, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Dallas Clark Cemetery Maintenance Fund, P.O. Box 97, Clyde, NC 28721 or to the Good Samaritan Clinic of Haywood County, 112 Academy Street, Canton, NC 28716.

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