John Carl Ervin

John was born October 10, 1938 in Burke County to the late Carl Worth Ervin, Jr. and the late Ocenia Murray Ervin Moore. An active member of First Presbyterian Church, Newton, he served as Elder and Session Member Class of 2001, chairing the Property Committee of the church.

During his many blessed years of touching lives, John enjoyed nurturing friendships and making people smile. He delighted in creating innovative daily traffic reports and humorous commercials aired on WNNC Radio for his business, John Ervin’s Union 76 in Newton. He deejayed Saturday evenings at WFMX Radio, Statesville.

Beginning 1980 he continuously served on the Catawba County ABC Board for twenty-five years and was an Auxiliary Deputy for the Catawba County Sherriff’s Department. He served on the Catawba Valley Community College Motorsports Advisory Board.

A long-time NASCAR veteran crew chief, he worked with three generations of the Jarrett racing family, Ned Jarrett, Dale Jarrett, and Jason Jarrett. He was inducted into the NASCAR Mechanics Sports Hall of Fame, Talladega, AL in 1997. Before retiring, he was CFO and Team manager of Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure, Denver, NC. Later he enjoyed working part-time with Drum & Willis-Reynolds Funeral Homes. His smile and unique laughter put everyone at ease.

Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Frances Harbinson Ervin; sister-in-law and husband, Evelyn Harbinson and Allen M. McRee of Newton; sister Martha Ann Ervin Hollar of Spartanburg, SC; two nieces, Julia Hollar Whisenant and husband Rick of Hendersonville, NC and Joanna Hollar Swanson and husband Eric of Spartanburg, SC and their families; plus his beloved extended church family and his close friends.

The family would like to thank the staff of Hospice of Sherrills Ford for their special care of John and for their compassion.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 24 in the Chapel of First Presbyterian Church in Newton. Rev. Dr. Wallace Johnson will officiate.

The family will receive friends immediately after the service in the church parlor.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Catawba Regional Hospice, 7473 Sherrills Ford Road, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673 or First Presbyterian Church, 701 N Main Ave., Newton, NC 28658.