Oren Eugene Muse

Oren Eugene Muse, 89, of Denver, NC, passed away peacefully on March 26th at his home.  A native Charlottean, he was born on May 20, 1929.  He was the son of the late Georgia Rogers Muse and John McCauley Muse.

Oren graduated from Central High School in 1947.  Following high school, he played semi-pro baseball with Highland Park Mills in the Piedmont Textile League and attended Kings’ Business College.

In 1950 he enlisted and served three years in the Air Force as an athletic director at both Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington and at Donaldson Air Force Base in Greenville, SC.  Oren was a member of the Fairchild team, which represented the North West, in the Air Force world-wide baseball tournament in 1952.

After receiving an honorable discharge in 1953, Mr. Muse attended Wake Forest College and graduated cum laude, receiving a BBS degree.  He played on Wake Forest’s winning NCAA national championship 1955 baseball team.

In 1957 he began his career with Chevrolet Motor Division and retired as Zone Business Manager in 1987.

Oren was an active member of Denver United Methodist Church and attended the Upper Room Sunday School Class.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at the Denver United Methodist Church at 3:00 PM on April 7th with the Reverend Steve Autrey officiating.  The family will receive friends at the church from 1:30- 2:30 before the service.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 60 years, Trudy Lefler Muse; three daughters: Loren Muse Smith and husband, Gardiner F. H. Smith of Burning Springs, West Virginia; Shummy Michele Orella Muse of Salt Lake City, Utah; Meagan Muse Palmer and husband, Michael John Palmerof Denver, NC; four grandchildren,Gardiner Smith of Raleigh, NC, Sage Smith of Fort Collins, Colorado, McCauley Palmer of Chapel Hill, NC and Cale Palmer of Denver, NC. Also surviving are a sister- in-law, Marguerite Muse,brother-in-law, Hamp Lefler and wife, Katherine of Winston-Salem, NC; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by four siblings: Maryon Friefelder, Charlotte Muse, Carolyn Smith, and John Muse.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Utah chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at 1440 Foothill Drive,Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108;Denver United Methodist Church or Lincoln County Hospice.

Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home of Huntersville, NC is serving the Muse family.