Heath Harding Carriker

Heath Harding Carriker, 93, of Ellerbe died Sunday, August 5, 2012 at Pinehurst Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Pinehurst. Mr. Carriker was born December 25, 1918 in Richmond County, a son of the late James Mathias and Martha Ashbury Haigler Carriker. He was a graduate of Ellerbe High School, Class of 1935, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Duke University. At the start of World War II, Mr. Carriker was drafted into the US Army Armored Forces at Ft. Knox, Ky. Later he transferred to the Army Air Corps, where he was assigned to the 8th Air Force in Great Britain. A B-24, B-25 and B-17 bomber pilot, Capt. Carriker spent several hundred hours flying missions in the European Theater, including, the Normandy Invasion, the Battle of the Bulge and in the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign. He was a retired educator and administrator with the Dade County Florida school system, a counselor and a certified gemologist. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Ellerbe Lions Club, Elberta Masonic Lodge # 654 in West End and a former member of the Ellerbe Civitan Club. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Jacqueline Lentz Carriker, brothers, Barney, Oscar, Floyd, Clayton, James, Wayne, Carl and Henry Carriker and sisters, Enola Bennett, Ersel Smith and Selma Tedder. Surviving are his sister-in-law, Alma Carriker of Ellerbe; brother-in-law, John Lentz and wife Lucille of Ellerbe and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 11 am Thursday at First United Methodist Church in Ellerbe with Rev. Elizabeth Polk officiating. Interment with Military Honors will follow in Ellerbe Cemetery. The family will see friends from 10 to 10:45 am Thursday at the church. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, P.O.Box 340, Ellerbe, NC 28338. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Pinehurst Health and Rehabilitation Center for their service and acts of kindness to Mr. Carriker.