Barbara "Jean" Ewing Laton

Barbara “Jean” Ewing Laton, 89, of Albemarle, passed away Friday,June 28, 2024 at St. Andrews Assisted Living Center in Concord, NC. 

Jean was born March 2, 1935 in Stanly County, NC to the late Dwight Sloan Ewingand the late Helen “Louise” York Hammond. She was also preceded in death by husband, Thomas “Tommy” Laton, and son, Mark Laton. 

Survivors include sons, David Laton (Betty Laton) of Albemarle, NC and Gary Laton (Kristi Laton) of Mount Pleasant, NC; grandchildren, Derrick Laton (Natalie Laton)of Miami, FL, Brian Laton (Jenny Laton) of Lake Forest, CA, and Pressley Laton (KC Banner) of Blowing Rock, NC.

A Badin High School and Pfeiffer University alumna, Jean competed as a multi-sport college athlete in the early-1950s, basketball having been her favorite. After graduating from Pfeiffer, she began her career working in payroll at Alcoa in Badin, NC, transitioned into the role of homemaker in 1958 when her first son was born, and proceeded to raise her three boys while balancing the family’s knack for keeping many irons in the fire. In true Laton fashion, she never shied away from work, whether it was her time working at Whitley’s Luncheonette, followed by managing their family-owned restaurant, the Bar-B-Q Shack, during the mid-1970s in East Albemarle, running the snack bar at the Stanly County Country Club, manning their booth every year at the Stanly County Fair, or providing transportation for her sons’ candy apple delivery routes throughout town and surrounding areas.

Her love of sports never faded, supporting her grandsons at their basketball games through their high school years, pulling for her son, Gary, during numerous drag boat and stock car races in the 1990s, and following her favorite professional teams and athletes in the NBA, PGA, and NASCAR. She and husband, Tommy, loved hosting family and friends at Charlotte Motor Speedway every May and October for the NASCAR races from the mid-1990s through the late-2000s. During the family’s time as owners of Concord Speedway, it was rare for her to miss those Saturday night races with Tommy and son, David. Known to be the outspoken type, she never failed to let people know where she stood, especially where sports and family were concerned.

Fiercely proud of her family, Jean loved spending time with them, telling anyone she could about what everyone had going on in their lives. Forever sharing stories from earlier years, she absolutely loved a good laugh and had a wonderfully dry sense of humor. Before moving into St. Andrews Assisted Living Center in November 2022, she enjoyed spending her time outside watching boats pass by from the back porch whether at her home on Lake Tillery or Sunset Beach, constantly listening to Elvis Presley albums and sharing a mutual love of music with her granddaughter, planting flowers and working in the yard, and constantly redecorating. Her friends and caretakers at St. Andrews certainly can attest that her love of decorating never stopped, always decking out her room with lights and whatever decorations she could get her hands on for whichever holiday was coming up next. When she wasn’t in decorating mode or watching her favorite digital picture frame’s slideshow of her family, she enjoyed spending her days in the activity room with her friends making art and playing bingo, always sure to help others play along. Jean was a member of Highland Baptist Church in New London as well. Her family and friends will greatly miss her giving nature and tenacious spirit, yet they find peace knowing she is reunited with other loved ones.

The family wishes to thank the staff at St. Andrews Assisted Living Center in Concord who cared for her over the last year-and-a-half.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to VIA Health Partners ( https://www.viahp.org/ ) in memory of Jean. 

The family has decided to hold a private service. While the family appreciates your support, they request privacy at this time.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Laton family.