DURHAM -- Felton was born February 7, 1919, the first of Diamond Ball Nease and Homer Nease's seven children, in Stephens County, Oklahoma. His undergraduate education was at the University of Oklahoma; he then went to Duke University in Durham, completing his MA and progressing to the Ph.D. in ecology and life sciences in 1953. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force as a medic. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Durham. He married Pauline Ligon on November 28, 1950, a marriage that lasted nearly 60 years. He worked as a research scientist in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and taught life sciences at Louisburg College, retiring in 1985.
He put intense energy and imagination into his work as a teacher and demanded investment and hard work from his students. Many of those he trained as undergraduates now work in technical, research, and academic positions in the scientific community. He had many passionate avocations, including hunting and fishing. Fish were always a special fascination with him. As a scientist, he was interested in how they worked as organisms and how they behaved. As a sportsman, he loved to catch them. After he had caught them, he liked to cook and eat them, and he was very skilled in fish and game cookery. Cooking in general was another of those passionate avocations, and he became adept in breadmaking and the making of jams. A patriot, he was an active participant in the American Legion, Post 7, serving as vice-commander and as chaplain. He read continually, with an emphasis on the sciences and history, and was a skilled photographer with a keen artistic eye. Cookery was also a great and ongoing joy. He made a point of providing food and hospitality for anyone in need. He scorned stereotypes and consistently defied them, particularly the stereotype of ageism; he enjoyed vigorous health and was even more active in retirement than he had been while employed. The first week of hunting and fishing season in the early autumn of 2010 was a happy and productive week for him; he caught innumerable fish and shot a goose. On September 13, after a Legion meeting, he had a serious accident in his beloved Ford truck, which had taken him safely on many hunting and fishing excursions, and fractured his spine. He died in the early morning hours of Thursday, September 23, 2010. One of his former students, John Beckler, cared for him at Duke University Medical Center after his accident.
In his immediate family, his survivors are his sister, Pauline Nease Bruns; numerous nephews and nieces; his widow, Pauline Ligon Nease; and his daughter, Laura Argiri. Also among his survivors, he would like to have his closest friends named: Dr. Hervé Momméja-Marin, David Terry, Madelyn Smoak, Tom Simonetti, Malcolm Allison, Titus Heagins, and Lewis and Helen Snow. Felton's family wishes to thank all the staff members of the Duke University Medical Center's ICU ward for the fine care he had there, and in particular John Beckler and Dr. Carmelo Graffignino. We are grateful that Felton's care was handled with skill and compassion and on Felton's own terms.
Funeral arrangements are through Clements Funeral Services, 1105 Broad Street, Durham. Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday, September 25. His funeral service will be held in the Clements Chapel Sunday, September 26, at 2 p.m., followed by full military honors at the graveside, Maplewood Cemetery, by the American Legion, Post 7. The celebration of Felton's life will be held at Hervé Momméja-Marin's residence, 1011 Ninth Street #3, Ninth Street Commons, Durham between 3 and 8 p.m. following the funeral. People are welcome to come directly from Clements to the celebration. Flowers are welcome, and so are memorial gifts to Louisburg College (501 West Main Street, Louisburg, NC 27549) and St. Joseph's Episcopal Church (1902 West Main Street, Durham, NC 27705). His funeral rites in his hometown will be held on Tuesday, September 28, at Bethel United Methodist Church, Lawton, Oklahoma.
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