Arthur Lee "Tab" Stikeleather ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Military from 22 Nov 1944 to 30 Nov 1946 in , , NC: WWII: Serial # 44 018 773: Private First Class, Army, American Theatre Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal. ⁴

2. Residence: on 25 Jun 1948 in Stony Point, Alexander, NC. ¹

3. Residence: on 9 Aug 1988 in Statesville, Iredell, NC. ²

4. Residence: on 30 Mar 2013 in Statesville, Iredell, NC. ⁷

5. Newspaper: Statesville Free News: Tab Stikeleather: '?You just get up and keep going?', 16 Jul 2016, Statesville, Iredell, NC. ⁷ Growing up on a farm with 11 siblings, Tab Stikeleather learned the value of hard work and says it's that work ethic and staying active that keeps him going.

Family, friends and co-workers surprised Stikeleather with a birthday celebration for his 90th birthday on Friday at Randy Marion Chevrolet. His wife, Jeanie, and children Paul Stikeleather, Jill Stikeleather and Toni Bostian attended with their families.

Tab shared laughs and reminisced about past times. He said they just "went over the top" with the celebration, and he felt humbled by all of the attention.

"If we could live to his age and have half his energy, we'd be doing good," said Rhyne Scott, general manager for Randy Marion Chevrolet. "You are an inspiration."

Stikeleather was raised in Stony Point. He was the next to youngest child in a family of nine boys and three girls.

"We were raised on nothin'," Stikeleather said. "I don't know how my daddy did it, but he was a wise man."

The family grew cotton and everyone worked hard together.

"We didn't go anywhere but to the cotton patch," Stikeleather said.

World War II came and four of the Stikeleather brothers went off to war. Tab volunteered for the Navy because he knew he would be drafted.

"When I got there, they said, 'You would make a great soldier,' and put me in the Army," he said.

Stikeleather was stationed in the Pacific. When the war was over, he returned home and farmed for a few years. He tried his hand at selling furniture and also opened a drycleaning business, but discovered his true passion was with automobiles.

In 1958, he got a job at Boggs Motor Company. In 1960, he opened a dealership with his brother and cousin. They ran it for six years on Meeting Street in Statesville, but didn't have enough money and closed.

Frank Deaton then gave him a job at Carolina Motor Company. He made $60 a week and earned $2 for each car he sold.

Then Stikeleather became general manager for Dixie Jeep, and stayed on when the business was purchased by Bell and Howard in the 1990s and then recently by Randy Marion.

"If you look up 'car guy' in the dictionary, that would be Tab," Marion said as he thanked him for all he has done for the dealership.

Stikeleather was general manager until 25 years ago, when he had a brain tumor and had to slow down. He continued to work part-time.

"Everybody's been so good to me," Stikeleather said. "The Lord's been really good to me. He's done it all; I didn't do it."

At 90, Stikeleather continues to work at the dealership, always very dapperly dressed and wearing a spiffy hat. He gets the mail and delivers paperwork to the Mooresville office.

Stikeleather and Bill Howard had a genuine friendship that lasted until Howard's death a couple of months ago.

"We appreciate the friendship and loyalty," Bill's daughter, Linda Howard, said. "We are so honored and blessed to have you in our lives."

When Howard was no longer able to drive after a stroke, Stikeleather would pick him up every morning, take him to breakfast and bring him into the dealership to go through his mail and spend a few hours in the office.

Tips for longevity and what's kept him going? Stikeleather says to stay active.

"You overlook the pains. You just get up and keep going," he said. "I go to bed early and get up early. If you lose it and just start sitting on the couch, then you can't get it back."

Stikeleather certainly practices what he preaches. Many weeks, he works six days, putting in six or seven hours each day. After that, he does chores around the house, and he still mows his yard and gardens.

And, according to his grandson, Adam, he makes the best greenbean casserole ever.

Stikeleather is an active member of Monticello Baptist Church. Every Sunday morning he opens the church and starts the air-conditioning.

"It's been a good life and this celebration just tops it," Stikeleather said.

6. Residence: on 24 Oct 2017 in Statesville, Iredell, NC. ⁵

Arthur married Jeannie Elizabeth Beeker, daughter of Augustus Clark Beeker and Alaska Carrie Vaught, on 25 Jun 1948 in , Rowan, NC.¹ (Jeannie Elizabeth Beeker was born on 4 Oct 1929 in Cleveland, Rowan, NC ^{8 9} and was buried in Statesville, Iredell, NC ⁹.)