This page is dedicated to the Carolina Galaxies members we have lost...

June 1st, 2009

My father, Ivan R. Patterson passed away this date. He was a Vietnam vet who led a hard life, but one thing I will always cherish is the 1964 Ford Galaxie that he gave me back in 1981. He had 13 or 14 old cars and I admired them all but one hot summer day that year he gave me the choice between a 65 Corvair and that 64 Galaxie. Big block power always wins out over a 4 cylinder so the choice was easy! He and I spent the better half of a year making it road worthy and it was my main transportation all through high school. When I left for the Air Force I left it with my mother and grandmother with one simple statement... "It will NEVER be for sale".  All through my life that Galaxie has always been a passion he and I shared and although I'll never get another chance to take a ride with him, he will always be with me. I have dedicated the 2009 Nationals to his memory for if he hadn't trusted me enough to give me a Galaxie at the young age of 15, there's no telling what kind of car I would be in love with today. Please visit the site I built in his honor: http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/GrandpaIvan/homepage.aspx I miss you dad! Love, Greg

November 11th, 2008

The following email was sent to Greg Patterson by Dick Axlerod's wife Kathy: I'm writing to you about my husband, Dick Axelrod, who was a member of the Galaxie Club.  He was very proud to be an owner of a beautiful car - 1963 Ford Galaxie 500XL Convertible - original and unrestored.  Unfortunately, Dick passed on November 3, 2008.  In looking over his things, I found that Dick wrote about how he got his car which also included a picture of it.  Would you be interested in having this in your magazine?  He loved cars and maybe this would be a nice memorial for him.  If you are interested, please give me your address and let me know ASAP.  Thanks, Kathy Axlerod  (I hope to have Dick's story published here and in the Galaxie Gazette soon. He was a fine fellow with a rare and beautiful Galaxie... I'll miss him! Greg)

August 29th, 2008

The following was written by Greg Patterson about Don Poole for the Galaxie Gazette:

Long time Ford Galaxie Club member and founding Carolina Galaxies member Don Poole passed away August 18^th at his home in Harmony NC after a courageous battle with cancer. Born and raised in North Carolina, US Air Force Veteran and member of many civic and religious organizations& Don was an active member of his community. I first met Don at the Charlotte Autofair in the early days of forming our chapter. (Back when we used to sit in the grandstands without our cars) Don always had a booth in the infield where he sold Galaxie parts. And he had a LOT of parts! Don joined our chapter immediately and always supported us. I have sent many, many folks in his direction thru the years and he usually had what they needed. But Don also had a big heart, a kind personality and a sense of humor to go along with it. About a year ago another fellow named Don Poole that lived in the same area passed away. I got word of it and since I knew about our Dons cancer I assumed the obvious and emailed our chapter members. In short order I got an email from Don saying I aint dead!I felt terrible but Don took it with stride. I visited him last year and took a look through his corral of vehicles and mountains of car parts. What a collection! My cousin bought a couple of NOS 1966 license plates and Don turned and handed his money straight to me for his chapter dues. Don never gave up, he continued fighting and thinking about the future. He will truly be missed. Don will be cremated then returned home to his daddy's farm that he loved so much. Don is survived by his loving wife Maureen; sons James Donald Poole Jr. and wife Sarah, Stephen Poole and wife Dawn; daughter Jenny Poole; grandchildren Patrick and Madison Poole; brother Joe Poole and wife Teresa; and his beloved Sophie. In honor of Donald's memory, donations may be made to Hospice of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, NC 28625, to the American Legion Post 113, Harmony, NC 28634 or to Clarksbury United Methodist Church Building Fund, 924 E. Memorial Highway, Harmony, NC 28634. Condolences may be sent to the family online to www.mem.com. Don may no longer be with us, but Ill always look for him on that corner swap meet spot in the orange field at Charlotte and Dons spirit is riding shotgun with every Galaxie in the Carolinas.
 

February 8th, 2005

L.C Stone of Hemingway SC has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Many of you knew him well, and others will recall meeting him at the Sumter Car show last May where he brought his stunning 62 XL convertible and took an award! (His friend Dick Axlerod wanted to share these words with us. Greg)

A Few Thoughts about Lonnie Clarendon “L.C.” Stone, Jr. On December 26th, a man that was a dedicated family, spiritual, community, and Ford man lost his long battle with cancer. I met Lonnie Clarendon Stone, Jr. of Hemingway, SC, when I became a member of a car club in Georgetown. He was a true Southern Gentleman. He introduced himself to me as “L.C. Stone of Hemingway,” and that is how everybody knew him. At that time, I didn’t know he had cancer. We found a common ground between us when he found out I had a 406 Galaxie. It seems that, when he and Ann, his wife, got married back in the early 60s, he had a rust-colored, ‘62, 406 hardtop. It had some Holman and Moody work done to it.

L.C. was such a down-to-earth person that I didn’t realize that he had accomplished many things in his life. He was a past president and member of the Williamsburg Farm Bureau (a 25-year member), a Hemingway Lions Club “1985 Farmer of the Year of Williamsburg County, and a past treasurer of the Winyah Cruisers of Georgetown. He was also a commissioned Kentucky Colonial in 1975 by then Governor Carroll.

When I met him he had a 1975 Chevy convertible, but the hunt was on for another Galaxie. In the meantime, he bought his wife one of the first new T-Birds --- always a Ford man. He would call me and we would check out numbers and thoughts about the cars he was looking at. Then one day he told me he was driving to Kentucky to look at a Galaxie with his son in-law Matt. Two days later, on the same day he returned, he came home with a restored, 1962 Galaxie XL convertible. It wasn’t a 406, but it was a beautiful Galaxie. You could find him at most cruise-ins and shows, here in North or South Carolina, picking up trophies.

“Cancer” was never mentioned although we knew he must have been hurting. We all remarked at what a strong constitution he had. He was a model to us who complained about minor aches and pains. Then on his birthday a couple of years ago, they found another cancer, but that never got him down. He still cruised with the top down and was looking for the elusive 406. Even though he could not drive his Galaxie in the Hemingway Christmas parade, he had to be in it and one of his friends drove the car with him in it. He new the end was near, but a most important thing he had to do was to take his two grandchildren to Disney World. He said he wanted to see their faces light up at all the things happening there. To see him in a picture taken nine days before his death, you would never have known he was terminally ill.

A short time after he was home, he had to be admitted to the hospital. The end was here - no complaints. He leaves his wife, Marjorie Ann, whom he had shared his life for 40 years. He also leaves: Two children - Daniel and his wife Tammy, and Marjorie Lynn and husband, Matt Smith, and their two children, Tristan and Payton; Sisters - Viola Cribb of Spartanburg, Viva Nell Stone and her husband Donald Wilson of Lexington, and Norma Jean Stone Miller of Pamplico. In the funeral procession, a friend drove his Galaxie. My 406 Galaxie convertible and other classic cars were there according to his wishes.

At the cruise-ins, I still miss that hand on my shoulder like he used to do to get my attention. But I know, when my time comes, I will feel that hand on my shoulder again. When I turn around, there he will be “L.C. Stone of Hemingway” with his hand extended. His ‘62, rust-colored, 406 hardtop Galaxie nearby - ready to talk about Fords, especially Galaxies.

Donations can be made to Johnsonville Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 1021, Johnsonville, SC 29555, or the Midway Baptist Church, 756 Baptist Road, Hemingway, SC 29554.

This page maintained by Greg for Carolina Galaxies. All rights reserved.
Revised: 29 Jul 2010 12:07:45 -0400 .