Merlene Virginia Green Ogburn, 96, of Statesville, N.C., who led a remarkable life, left this world to be with her maker on August 11, 2024, at 4 a.m.
She was born on October 21, 1927, in Auburndale, Fla., and was the youngest of three daughters of Edgar James Green and Julia Hamrick of Aucilla, Fla. Her stepfather, John Dallow, was a captain of tug and shrimp boats, and during the summers the family travelled up and down the east coast from Little River, S.C., to Miami, Fla. Merlene (Mert) was a third-generation Floridian of which she was so very proud. She grew up on the beach, where she loved fishing and the surrounding waters and was educated in Pompano Beach, Fla, where she and her high schoolmates were known as the “Bean Pickers.”
She attended the University of Miami after graduation to accumulate credits toward her nursing degree at Duke University, where she met her husband, Dr. Paul Lanier “Lanny” Ogburn. In September of 1947, he completed his training as an Army Flight Surgeon (1st Lt.). Since Lanny was to be immediately shipped out to Japan as part of the 5th Air Force occupation of the Southern Island of Kyushu, Japan, she decided to postpone her nursing degree. They were married October 7, 1947, in Charlotte, N.C. where his father, Reverend Nicholas Snethen Ogburn Jr., a Methodist missionary in Japan, performed the ceremony. Merlene soon followed Lanny to Japan a few months later, and the next year, their eldest son, Paul Lanier Ogburn Jr. was born. In July of 1949, Lanny was discharged as a Captain, and the new family moved to Atlanta, where Lanny studied pathology at Emory University. From Emory, Lanny was accepted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., so thethird-generation Floridian had to survive the 3-4 feet of snow, and she bore their next three sons, Nicholas, David, and Mark, there. While at Mayo, Lanny met Dr. Davis of Statesville, N.C. who offered him a position in his hospital, Davis Hospital. So again, the family moved; this time to Statesville in 1954, where they had their daughter, Merlene Virginia (Ginger).
Merlene had her hands full with four boys and a girl, but still loved adventure and traveling. She and Lanny packed up their station wagon with a sleeping mat in the back and drove all the way to Alaska in 1961, when the roads were miles of “washboard” gravel. Merlene was always prepared for her family, and when she saw a sign that said Warm Springs ahead, they detoured and put all the children in their bathing suits and had hours of bliss. Merlene was a very devoted mother and identified her children’s strengths and talents and nourished them. She had such a love of nature and animals and was a talented artist. The house was always filled with cats and kittens, and she taught her children how to identify trees and plants. She enrolled all her children in art classes and Statesville’s swimming team. She supported her boys in football, basketball, and wrestling. When most of the boys were out of high school, Merlene worked as an operating room (OR) nurse at Davis Hospital for 10 years, and during this time she obtained her LPN while working. In the 1980s, she commuted to the University of Charlotte, where she received her BSN. She then became a Nursing Instructor at Michelle Community College and taught many young women in the different departments in Davis Hospital over seven years.
Merlene never lost her love of travel; she and Lanny travelled the world and visited Spain, Russia, China, Australia, and attended several Methodist mission trips in Central America, Panama, and Mexico. She lived a life of excellence and her legacy lives on.
Lanny predeceased her in 2011, but she is survived by her children: Dr. Paul Lanier Ogburn Jr. (wife Susan Lawson), Dr. Nicholas Lee Ogburn (wife Martha Davis), Dr. David Hoyle Ogburn (wife Lauren Avellone), Sandi Ogburn Walters (widow of Mark Dallow Ogburn), and Virginia (Ginger) Ogburn-Matthews (widow of Richard Harley Matthews); grandchildren, Eric Lawson Ogburn, Brandon Lee Ogburn, Ryan Christopher Ogburn, Stacey Nicole Ogburn Shelton, Nicholas Theodore Ogburn, and Tiffany Matthews Stewart; two nieces, Debra McGee Sebastian and Pam Davidson Schaefer; 14 great grandchildren; and many more family members too numerous to name.
A visitation will be held at Nicholson Funeral Home in Statesville, N.C., from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Graveside services will be held in Oakwood Cemetery at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 16, 2024.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations/memorials be made in Merlene Ogburn’s name to any of the following charities: Amedisys Hospice in Georgetown, S.C.; Alzheimer’s Foundation of America; Saint Frances Animal Center of Georgetown, S.C.; or any Humane Society of your wishes.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.nicholsonfunerals.com.
Nicholson Funeral Home is honored to serve the Ogburn family.
