Faye Warlick MORGANTON Faye Warlick, of Morganton, went home to be with her Heavenly Father Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, at Frye Regional Medical Center. She was born in Burke County and was the daughter of Bonnie Williams Phillips, of Morganton and the late Cameron Phillips. Faye was the special programs director for the City of Morganton Recreation Department for 45 years, where she instructed all exercise and fitness classes and was director of the Morganton Playschool for 30 years. Her enthusiasm for others overflowed into the community. She was president of Christmas Cheer, Inc. for the past 20 years, and she founded the Senior Citizens travel program, which she organized and led for over 30 years with trips all over the country. Faye was a member of Denton's Chapel United Methodist Church. In addition to her mother, Faye is survived by a son, David Cameron Warlick; her brother, Jimmy Phillips and wife, Margaret; and her life-long friend, Gary Leonhardt, all of Morganton; nieces, Hope Hudspeth, Diane Oliver, and Brooke Simmer; nephews, Jason Phillips and Steve Dyson; six great-nieces; four great-nephews; and one great-great-niece and one great-great-nephew. Faye was preceded in death by her father, Cameron Phillips; and by her sister, Martha Phillips Dyson. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3, 2012, at Burke Memorial Park, with Dr. Bob Shepherd officiating. A Celebration of Life and gathering of friends will follow at 3 p.m. at Denton's Chapel United Methodist Church Christian Learning Center. Memorial contributions may be made to the Morganton Parks and Recreation Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 3448, Morganton, NC 28680 or to Denton's Chapel United Methodist Church, 5358 Denton's Chapel Rd., Morganton, NC 28655. Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting with arrangements. Condolences may be made online at sossomanfuneralservice. com.
 

News Herald  - -  Morganton, North Carolina Article about Faye, Sunday, September 2, 2012

Long-time Morganton recreation department mainstay Faye Warlick, 65, passed away Friday. Warlick was known as devoted friend and community member.

“Faye was a person who loved to work,” said Gary Leonhardt, director of Morganton Parks and Recreation. “She came every morning, raring to go. She worked every morning at 8 or 9 and didn’t leave until 11.”

Leonhardt and Warlick were co-workers and life-long friends.

“She directed all of the exercising programs (at the rec),” he said. “Sometimes she taught up to 14 hours of exercise classes (a day) for us.”

In addition to being an an active employee at the rec center, Warlick also was involved with the Morganton-Burke Senior Center.

“She planned all these trips for us,” her friend Frances Huffman said.

Huffman began working for the City of Morganton June 1, 1969. Warlick joined the City of Morganton Sept. 1 that same year.

“She worked 42 years for the City of Morganton,” Huffman said.

Warlick used her time to engage the community in health-conscience activities and trips they would enjoy.

“She became not only a secretary, but ran a lot of the city’s programs,” Leonhardt said.

Warlick was responsible for starting the Morganton Playschool.

“As many as 60 kids with three different teachers. It only ceased to exist after she retired in April 2011,” he said.

Through the senior center, Warlick planned overnight visits to historic and fun destinations, Leonhardt said.

“She took them all over this part of the country, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, Michigan to the Ford Museum…Memphis, Nashville…”

Warlick was able to reach out to the community because of her personality.

“Faye had a knack, when she started talking with a child, she herself was that age. She had more patience than anybody I’ve ever been around in my life,” Leonhardt said.

Warlick oversaw the annual Christmas Cheer charity in town, a large organization providing toys to children at the holidays.

“It was a big endeavor for her, she makes things happen,” Leonhardt said.

Warlick, as busy as she was, always made time for her loved ones.

“As sick as she was, she always said ‘Frances, oh, I am so happy to see you,’” Huffman said. “We told her, she’ll have to slow down. We always said she’d die with her boots on.”

“Faye was a beautiful lady. When she walked in a room, people stopped for two reasons,” Leonhardt said. “One was her beauty and the other is people knew she had something to say.”

Surviving family members include her mother, Bonnie Williams Phillips and a son, David Cameron Warlick, her brother, Jimmy Phillips and his wife, Margaret, according to obituary information from Sossoman Funeral Home.

Faye was preceded in death by her father, Cameron Phillips, and by her sister, Martha Phillips Dyson.

Her funeral is set for Monday at Burke Memorial Park with Dr. Bob Shepherd officiating; a celebration of life will follow at 3 p.m. at Denton’s Chapel United Methodist Church Christian Learning Center.