Jim Aikens
Jim Renolda Aikens, 60, of 3136 Barus St., Valdese, died Tuesday at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem after a short illness. Born in Burke County on April 15, 1933, he was a son of the late R. W. Aikens and Ola Smith Aikens. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Valdese. He was an employee of Premier Manufacturing. Surviving are: his wife, Doris Allen Aikens of the home; a daughter, Sharon Aikens of Asheville; a brother, Ray Aikens of Morganton; and three sisters, Ailene Poteet of High Point, Leta Fulbright and Barbara A. Oliver, both of Morganton. The memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the First United Methodist Church of Valdese with the Revs. Dewey Bailey and Larry Wilkinson officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to: the First United Methodist Church of Valdese, 217 St. Germain Ave., S.E., Valdese, N.C. 28690. Bass-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
(The News-Herald, Morganton, NC, February 23, 1994. Submitted by Bruce D. Glasbrook

Ola Smith Aikens
Funeral services for Mrs. Ola Smith Aikens, 55, of the Drexel section of Route 3, Morganton, were conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Kirksey Funeral Home chapel in Valdese. Officiating were Rev. John M. Barnes and Rev. Albert Ambrose. Burial was in Drexel Memorial Park. Mrs Aikens, wife of R. W. Aikens and member of a family well known in Burke, died at 3:10 a.m. Saturday at Valdese General Hospital. She had been in declining health for some time and had frequently been in hospitals. Her husband operates a poultry and egg business at their home on U.S. 70 near Drexel Road intersection. Born in Caldwell County January 31, 1908, Mrs. Aikens was a`daughter of Mrs. Estelle Glasbrook Smith. Surviving in addition to her mother and husband are three daughters, Mrs. Thad Poteat of Drexel, Mrs. Jimmy Oliver of Morganton and Mrs. Herman Fulbright of Route 3, Morganton; two sons, Ray W. Aikens of Route 3, Morganton, and James R. Aikens of Valdese. She leaves also two sisters, Mrs. Stanley Bradshaw of Rocky Mount and Mrs. Glenn Houck of Radford, Va.; four brothers, Carl, Haskell, Gutherie and Garland Smith, all of Valdese; and five grandchildren.
(The News-Herald, Morganton,NC, March 18, 1963. Submitted by Bruce D. Glasbrook

Revels W. Aikens
Revels Woodrow Aikens, 68, of Route 9, Morganton, died early today at Valdese General Hospital following a brief illness. Born in Burke County, March 22, 1913, he was a son of the late Ada Crawley Aikens. He was the retired owner of Aikens Poultry Co. of Morganton. Survivers include his wife, Ruby Chester Aikens; two sons, Roy W. Aikens of Morganton, Jimmy R Aikens of Valdese; three daughters, Mrs. Barbara Oliver of Valdese, Mrs. Ieleen Poteat of High Point, Mrs. Leta Fulbright of Morganton; a sister, Mrs. Edna Crawley of Morganton; two stepsisters, Mrs. Wallace Laura Carswell of Connelly Springs and Mrs. Robert Loretta Crow of Morganton; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Mr. Aikens will be held Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Valdese Church of God with the Rev. Morris Byers officiating. Burial will be in Drexel Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Kirksey Funeral Home of Valdese.
(The News-Herald, Morganton, NC, September 15, 1981. Submitted by Bruce D. Glasbrook