- Date Of Birth: January 5, 1934
- Date Of Death: July 25, 2021
- State: North Carolina
On January 5, 1934, Mary Carolyn Propst, entered the world in Salisbury, NC to her parents, the Rev. Johnnie and Mary Morrow Propst. As a small child she liked to put on her father’s work boots so he nicknamed her “Boots” and the name stuck throughout her life. Boots, 87, passed away at her home on Sunday, July 25, 2021, having spent the last couple of weeks surrounded by her children, grandchildren and close friends.
Boots grew up in the Trading Ford Community and attended Dukeville School for eight years. She then went on to Spencer High School and was a member of the Railroader Class of 1952. Her two lifelong friends from first grade were Norma Jean Eller Bringle and Bobbie Lemly Loflin. Her first job as a teen was at Kress Store and she retired in 1996 from Innes Street Drug Store. She loved to crochet and was known for making many Christmas stockings and giving them to family and friends. She also walked/ran some 5K races in her later years. Boots enjoyed watching her children in their school activities like NRHS band and cheerleading. She loved attending her grandson’s track and cross country meets at ERHS. Boots was a life-long cat lover and is survived by her almost 17-year-old faithful, devoted and spoiled cat, Precious.
She grew up at Trading Ford Baptist Church and was saved at the age of eight. She was a long-time member of Oakdale Baptist Church and dearly loved her pastors, especially her current one, Rick Freeborn, who was like a son to her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Johnnie and Mary Propst, her brother, Chester, and a grandson, Matthew Morgan. She is survived by her four children that she had with her first husband, Chauncey Gale; Melody Gale, Butch Gale (Magdalene), Trudy Gale (Bob Pendleton) and Crystal Gale; her grandchildren; Jennifer Basinger (Billy), David Gale (Layle), Steve Gale, Zachary Rattler, Eli Walton and Christin Murphy; her great grandchildren; Heather, Ivy, Matthew, Windy, Adam, Isaiah, Ellie, Levi, Jade, David and Bryan; her nieces and nephew; Debbie Nunley, Gwenn Long, Steve Propst and Muffit Armstrong.
