Foy Avis Ingram, believed to be the oldest person in North Carolina, passed away Saturday, March 19, 2016, at The Pines at Davidson. She was 112.
Ingram was born Nov. 28, 1903, in Farmer, NC, three weeks before the Wright Brothers made their first powered flight.
Ingram had lived at The Pines since 1988. DavidsonNews.net “Around Davidson” columnist Brenda Barger followed her activities, reporting a few years ago that she still enjoyed daily walks and played bridge twice a week.
Brenda said Sunday: “She had been in Health Care for some months now. Last fall she joined us Sundays for BINGO – bringing her bridge tally with her in case she needed it and not at all sure she knew how to play BINGO. She was an elegant person, Vogue magazine cover attired, until the end. ”
She founded the duplicate bridge club at the Pines, a club now named in her honor. She earned a “Life Master” designation for her competitive bridge play.
She’s survived by her sister Anna Land, who also lives at The Pines.
Foy was the daughter of John Thomas Ingram and Christianna Cranford Ingram. She was preceded in death by brothers Henry Louis Ingram, John Thomas Ingram, Jr. and Charles Leon Ingram, as well as two sisters, Alberta Ingram Smith and Mabel Ingram Redding.
Foy graduated from Asheboro High School and Woman’s College Business School. In 1923, she moved to Raleigh for a job at the N.C. Secretary of State’s Motor Vehicles Licensing Section, now the Department of Motor Vehicles.
When she retired in 1970, she was director of the Registration Division, which oversaw the licensing, titling and financial responsibility of motor vehicles. She had held the job since 1946.
She was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine by the governor of North Carolina for her outstanding service to the state. She was a member of the first United Methodist Church in Asheboro.
Foy often marveled at the changes she had seen in her lifetime. Her positive attitude, her wonderful sense of humor, her successful career at a time when that was rare for a woman and her abiding interest in her family made her an inspiration and a role model.
She had nine nieces and nephews, 21 grand-nieces and nephews, 27 great grand-nieces and nephews and one great, great grand-nephew.
A graveside service is planned at Asheboro City Cemetery on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at 2pm.
Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is handling arrangements, and invites condolences and messages at its website, pughfuneralhome.com
David Boraks 