Stearns (Polk County, NC)

Notable Births & Deaths for Stearns ...

Below is our list of notable people who were born, died or were buried in the area surrounding Stearns. Please note that while we are collecting data on an ongoing basis, it's a big task and it's unlikely that our list will ever be more than a sample.

Harry Anderson (Actor, comedian, magician)
- Full name: Harry Laverne Anderson
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Harry Anderson<1>
- He was born in Newport (RI) on October 14, 1952 (a Tuesday) and died in Asheville (NC) on April 16, 2018 (a Monday).
- Newport is located in Newport County, Rhode Island.
- Asheville is located in Buncombe County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 65.
- The body was cremated.
Pinkne 'Pink' Anderson (Musician)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Pinkne 'Pink' Anderson<1>
- He was born in Laurens (SC) on February 12, 1900 (a Monday) and died in Spartanburg (SC) on October 12, 1974 (a Saturday).
- Laurens is located in Laurens County, South Carolina.
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 74.
Paul Michael 'Oz' Bach (Musician, arranger)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Paul Michael 'Oz' Bach<1>
- He was born in Paw Paw (WV) on June 24, 1939 (a Saturday) and died in Asheville (NC) on September 21, 1998 (a Monday).
- Paw Paw is located in Morgan County, West Virginia.
- Asheville is located in Buncombe County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 59.
- He is buried at Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery, located 26 miles [41.8 km] to the west of Stearns. The cemetery is located in Transylvania County, North Carolina.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery
Edward Jones Borom (Major League Baseball)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Edward Jones Borom<1>
- He was born in Spartanburg (SC) on October 30, 1914 (a Friday) and died in Dallas (TX) on January 7, 2011 (a Friday).
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Dallas is located in Dallas County, Texas.
- At the time of his death, he was 96.
- He is buried at Laurel Land Memorial Park, which is located in Dallas County, Texas.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Laurel Land Memorial Park<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Laurel Land Memorial Park (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Laurel Land Memorial Park
Forrest Harrill 'Smoky' Burgess (Major League Baseball)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Forrest Harrill 'Smoky' Burgess<1>
- He was born in Caroleen (NC) on February 6, 1927 (a Sunday) and died in Rutherfordton (NC) on September 15, 1991 (a Sunday).
- Caroleen is located in Rutherford County and is 23 miles [37 km] to the east of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Rutherfordton is located in Rutherford County and is 16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 64.
- He is buried at Sunset Memorial Park, located 17 miles [27.4 km] to the east of Stearns. The cemetery is located in Rutherford County, North Carolina.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Sunset Memorial Park<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Sunset Memorial Park (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Sunset Memorial Park
Tommy Caldwell (Musician)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Tommy Caldwell<1>
- He was born in Spartanburg (SC) on November 9, 1949 (a Wednesday) and died in Spartanburg (SC) on April 28, 1980 (a Monday).
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 30.
- He is buried at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, located 28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast of Stearns. The cemetery is located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Greenlawn Memorial Gardens<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Greenlawn Memorial Gardens (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Greenlawn Memorial Gardens
Toy T. Caldwell, Jr. (Musician)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Toy T. Caldwell, Jr.<1>
- He was born in Spartanburg (SC) on November 13, 1947 (a Thursday) and died in Moore (SC) on February 25, 1993 (a Thursday).
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Moore is located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
- At the time of his death, he was 45.
- He is buried at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, located 28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast of Stearns. The cemetery is located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Greenlawn Memorial Gardens<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Greenlawn Memorial Gardens (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Greenlawn Memorial Gardens
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald (Author, artist)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald<1>
- She was born in Montgomery (AL) on July 24, 1900 (a Tuesday) and died in Asheville (NC) on March 10, 1948 (a Wednesday).
- Montgomery is located in Montgomery County, Alabama.
- Asheville is located in Buncombe County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of her death, she was 47.
- She is buried at St. Mary's Cemetery, which is located in Montgomery County, Maryland.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for St. Mary's Cemetery<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to St. Mary's Cemetery (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to St. Mary's Cemetery
Roberta Flack (Singer, pianist)
- Born: Rubina Flake
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Roberta Flack<1>
- She was born in Black Mountain (NC) on February 10, 1937 (a Wednesday) and died in New York (NY) on February 24, 2025 (a Monday).
- Black Mountain is located in Buncombe County and is 24 miles [38.6 km] to the north of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- New York is located in Kings County, New York.
- At the time of her death, she was 88.
- We don't have any burial details.
Art Fowler (Professional baseball)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Art Fowler<1>
- He was born in Converse (SC) on July 3, 1922 (a Monday) and died in Spartanburg (SC) on January 29, 2007 (a Monday).
- Converse is located in Spartanburg County and is 28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 84.
- He is buried at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, located 28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast of Stearns. The cemetery is located in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Greenlawn Memorial Gardens<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Greenlawn Memorial Gardens (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Greenlawn Memorial Gardens
George Guy Gray (Actor)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for George Guy Gray<1>
- He was born in Oakland (CA) on October 30, 1893 (a Monday) and died in Asheville (NC) on September 8, 1967 (a Friday).
- Oakland is located in Alameda County, California.
- Asheville is located in Buncombe County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 73.
- He is buried at Oakwood Memorial Park, which is located in Los Angeles County, California.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Oakwood Memorial Park<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Oakwood Memorial Park (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Oakwood Memorial Park
Dorothy Hart (Actress)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Dorothy Hart<1>
- She was born in Cleveland (OH) on April 4, 1922 (a Tuesday) and died in Asheville (NC) on July 11, 2004 (a Sunday).
- Cleveland is located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
- Asheville is located in Buncombe County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of her death, she was 82.
Eddie Jackson (Singer)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Eddie Jackson<1>
- He was born in Forest City (NC) on September 4, 1946 (a Wednesday) and died in Philadelphia (PA) on May 3, 2010 (a Monday).
- Forest City is located in Rutherford County and is 20 miles [32.2 km] to the east of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Philadelphia is located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
- At the time of his death, he was 63.
- He is buried at Mt. Peace Cemetery, which is located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Mt. Peace Cemetery<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Mt. Peace Cemetery (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Mt. Peace Cemetery
Randy Johnson (Professional football)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Randy Johnson<1>
- He was born in San Antonio (TX) on June 17, 1944 (a Saturday) and died in Brevard (NC) on September 17, 2009 (a Thursday).
- San Antonio is located in Bexar County, Texas.
- Brevard is located in Transylvania County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the west of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 65.
- He is buried at Hillside Cemetery, which is located in DeWitt County, Texas.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Hillside Cemetery<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Hillside Cemetery (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Hillside Cemetery
Jackie 'Moms' Mabley (Comedian)
- Born: Loretta Mary Aiken
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Jackie 'Moms' Mabley<1>
- She was born in Brevard (NC) on March 19, 1899 (a Sunday) and died in White Plains (NY) on May 23, 1975 (a Friday).
- Brevard is located in Transylvania County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the west of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- White Plains is located in Westchester County, New York.
- At the time of her death, she was 76.
- She is buried at Ferncliff Cemetery, which is located in Westchester County, New York.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Ferncliff Cemetery<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Ferncliff Cemetery (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Ferncliff Cemetery
George Mathews (Actor)
- Full name: George Joseph Mathews
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for George Mathews<1>
- He was born in New York (NY) on October 10, 1911 (a Tuesday) and died in Caesars Head (SC) on November 7, 1984 (a Wednesday).
- New York is located in Kings County, New York.
- Caesars Head is located in Greenville County and is 25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 73.
Rex Lloyd Nelon (Singer)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Rex Lloyd Nelon<1>
- He was born in Asheville (NC) on January 19, 1932 (a Tuesday) and died in London (England) on January 23, 2000 (a Sunday).
- Asheville is located in Buncombe County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 68.
- He is buried at Georgia Memorial Park, which is located in Cobb County, Georgia.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Georgia Memorial Park<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Georgia Memorial Park (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Georgia Memorial Park
James R. Packard (Race car driver)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for James R. Packard<1>
- He was born in Spartanburg (SC) on September 23, 1931 (a Wednesday) and died in Fairfield (IL) on October 1, 1960 (a Saturday).
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Fairfield is located in Wayne County, Illinois.
- At the time of his death, he was 29.
- He is buried at Floral Park Cemetery, which is located in Marion County, Indiana.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Floral Park Cemetery<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Floral Park Cemetery (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Floral Park Cemetery
Nina Simone (Singer, songwriter, musician, activist)
- Born: Eunice Kathleen Simone
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Nina Simone<1>
- She was born in Tryon (NC) on February 21, 1933 (a Tuesday) and died in Carry-le-Rouet (France) on April 21, 2003 (a Monday).
- Tryon is located nearby and to the south of Stearns.
- At the time of her death, she was 70.
- The body was cremated.
Patrick Sky (Singer, songwriter, musician, producer)
- Born: Patrick Linch
- He was born in College Park (GA) on October 2, 1940 (a Wednesday) and died in Asheville (NC) on May 26, 2021 (a Wednesday).
- College Park is located in Fulton County, Georgia.
- Asheville is located in Buncombe County and is 29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- At the time of his death, he was 80.
- We don't have any burial details.
Clara Smith (Singer)
- Find-A-Grave Memorial for Clara Smith<1>
- She was born in Spartanburg (SC) on March 13, 1894 (a Tuesday) and died in Detroit (MI) on February 2, 1935 (a Saturday).
- Spartanburg is located in Spartanburg County and is 27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast of Stearns (which is located in Polk County).
- Detroit is located in Wayne County, Michigan.
- At the time of her death, she was 40.
- She is buried at Lincoln Memorial Park, which is located in Macomb County, Michigan.
- The Find-A-Grave entry for Lincoln Memorial Park<1>
- Google driving directions:
- From your current location to Lincoln Memorial Park (Patience, this may take a moment).
- From Stearns to Lincoln Memorial Park

Footnotes ...

<1>	The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.