Greater Greensboro Open Blog: 12/01/2016

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Green Coat Club Crest

1971 Greensboro Jaycee President Charles Richard “Dick” Routh October 8, 1934 – December 24, 2016

Charles Richard “Dick” Routh October 8, 1934 – December 24, 2016 Charles Richard “Dick” Routh passed away peacefully on December 24, 2016 at 82, with all of his family at his side. Routh was born in Greensboro on October 8, 1934 to the late Charles Sheldon Routh and Helen Stockard Routh. Routh graduated from Greensboro Senior High School in 1952, where he met his wife Delaine Turner, and was an all-state football and basketball athlete. He received a basketball scholarship to attend Virginia Tech, and later transferred to and graduated from Elon College. Routh had a long and distinguished career in business in the Greensboro area. He held senior management positions at Home Federal Savings and Loan, Fortis Corporation and Cornwallis Development Corporation. While President of Cornwallis Development, Routh was instrumental in the development of New Irving Park, Land’s End, Barrington Place, Provincetown, and the Villages of Lake Jeannette. He was particularly proud of the Lake Jeannette development and enjoyed riding through that neighborhood in his retirement. After retirement, Dick and Delaine moved to Pinehurst where they enjoyed many wonderful years of golf and building another set of friendships there. Dick’s leadership activities were not limited to his career in business. He also cared deeply about the Greensboro community and its health. Over the last 6 decades, he served on the boards of many local non-profit agencies, including: the Greensboro Jaycees (as President in 1971), First Presbyterian Church as Elder and Deacon, the Greensboro Science Center, the East Market Street Development Corporation and Presbyterian Homes Inc. He was particularly proud of his service to Presbyterian Homes, Inc. and his role in the design and building of River Landing at Sandy Ridge where he later lived. Most importantly, Routh was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. As important as his other accomplishments seemed to others, he was most excited and engaged by his family and particularly his grandchildren. He followed his grandchildren’s successes with great interest and encouraged them at every turn. He also loved his regular golf game, his regular walking routine and his activities as a master gardener, a distinction he earned after retirement. He was blessed to enjoy all of these favorite activities up until his last two weeks. Dick is survived by his wife of 62 years, Delaine Turner Routh. He is also survived by two sisters, Lurlei Woodard and her husband Bud, Judy Morgan and her husband Rick, and his brother Tommy Routh and his wife Donna. He is also survived by three children: David Routh and his wife Jenny of Chapel Hill, Blair Crouse and her husband Eric of Greensboro and Amy Hodges and her fiancé David Wilson of Raleigh. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren: Elizabeth Routh Jalazo, Anna Routh Barzin, Sallie Routh, Dale Wood, Cameron Wood, David Crouse, Hannah Crouse and Emma Hodges, and two great grandchildren: Sloane Jalazo and Evelyn Jalazo. A memorial service will be held at River Landing at Sandy Ridge in Colfax, N.C. on Wednesday, December 28th at 2pm. The service will be followed by a reception where the family will greet guests. Memorial contributions can be made to the Presbyterian Homes Foundation, Inc., 2109 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax, NC 27235 The family wishes to thank the team at UNC Hospitals for their attentive and personal care to Dick and the entire family.