Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

MURFREESBORO, NC – Hugh Carroll Vincent, Jr. was born April 1, 1934 in Suffolk, Virginia and passed away July 1, 2022, having lived more than 88 wonderful years.

His parents were Hugh C. Vincent Sr. and Lillian Coates Vincent of Newsoms, Virginia. Hugh was raised in Southampton County, Virginia where he attended primary and secondary school and he then attended and graduated from High School at Ferrum College. He thereafter attended N.C. State University in Raleigh, N.C. and received his B.S. in Agricultural Science.

Hugh enjoyed working in many capacities and he never liked to be idle. He was drafted into the Army and served as a trained militia police officer while serving his duty. He spent 47 years as an independent manufacturer’s representative introducing companies such as Bush Hog, Kewanee, and Lilliston Corp. into the mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. He loved the machinery business, but he also loved farming and he actively farmed for more than 50 years in both North Carolina and Virginia.

Hugh was a lifetime member of the NCSU Alumni Association, the Watauga Club of NCSU, and the Wolfpack Club. He loved attending football, basketball and baseball games to watch the Wolfpack in action and to enjoy the company of family and friends.

Hugh served several terms on the Board of Trustees of Chowan University including as chairman. He was an avid supporter of Chowan athletics. He was a long-time member of the Murfreesboro Baptist Church and served as deacon and trustee. In 2006, Hugh received the NC Baptist Heritage Christian Service Award. He enjoyed gardening and growing ornamental plants and particularly enjoyed spending time at the family’s mountain home at Lake Lure.

Hugh enjoyed the Murfreesboro Rotary Club and has immensely enjoyed his many years as a member of the Murfreesboro Coffee Club. He was actively involved for many years with the Murfreesboro Historic Association. He particularly enjoyed refitting a building in the historic district in the design of an authentic blacksmith shop. Now known as the Vincent/Deale Blacksmith Shop Museum, Hugh served as site manager where he practiced the craft and demonstrated for tour groups using his great-grandfather’s collection of blacksmithing tools which he donated to the museum.

Hugh never forgot his kind and loving parents. His mother Lillian was a schoolteacher, and his father Hugh Sr. was a life-long farmer. Hugh credited his parents, along with his wife of more than 66 years, with any success he achieved. Hugh was a family man and family came first. During the earlier years, Hugh traveled quite a bit in his work, and he looked forward after each trip to seeing his wife and six children. This was the highlight of the week. In later years he and his wife were blessed with 11 grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. In Hugh’s words “this old man’s dreams are fulfilled.”

Hugh has also never forgotten his mentors from the time he was growing up in Newsoms. Mr. Edgar Rawls, his 4-H Club Leader, convinced Hugh at the age of 12, to take on a pig and calf project. Mr. G.W. Nichols encouraged him to plant 20,000 pine seedlings as his FFA project. Mr. Leroy Dail, his high school principal and baseball coach at Newsoms School, never lost patience with Hugh and his other players. The primary person that trained Hugh in the selling business, Mr. Hoffman of St. Louis Mo., was the V.P. of marketing of Lilliston Corporation.

Hugh was predeceased by his youngest son, Kevin Douglas Vincent; parents (Hugh C. Vincent Sr. and Lillian C. Vincent); his sister Betty Jane Sakes; nephew Matthew Vincent Sakes; and great-granddaughter Lily Grace Morhard.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Janet Gibbs Vincent; his five children (Dane Vincent, Dean Vincent, Carol Vincent Miller, Christina Vincent; and Hugh C. Vincent, III); his eleven grandchildren (Joshua Miller; Laura, Elizabeth, and Christopher Vincent; Matthew and Brian Vincent; Emilie Mortensen Boone; Rebecca Mortensen and Lucas Mortensen; Jamie Vincent Morhard; Aaron Vincent); six great-grandchildren; and his nephew, Gregory Sakes and two great nephews. This list of family would not be complete without mentioning Douglas Tyler, a long-time friend that Hugh and the entire Vincent family consider as family, along with his wife, Kathie.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made directly to: Murfreesboro Historic Association; 116 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, NC, 27855; Murfreesboro Baptist Church, 200 W. Main St., Murfreesboro, NC, 27855; or Best Friends Animal Society (5001 Angel Canyon Rd. Kanab, UT 8474.); or you may donate online by visiting: www.tmcfunding.com/search; type Hugh Vincent.

A Memorial Service is scheduled for Wednesday, July 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the Murfreesboro Baptist Church.

Immediately following the service, everyone is invited to lunch at the Fellowship Hall at the Church.

Garrett-Sykes Memorial Chapel, Murfreesboro, is handling arrangements for the Vincent family and condolences may be directed to the family by visiting www.garrettsykesfs.com.