Felix W. Weinhold

Felix W. Weinhold, 79, originally from Hampton, Virginia, died Monday morning August 30, 2021, at Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, NC, of complications following a heart valve replacement surgery. In 1962, while stationed at USMCAS Cherry Point, Felix and his wife, Elois Dunton Weinhold, moved to Morehead City. After Felix left the Marine Corps, they decided to make the town their permanent home.

Felix worked on the waterfront at Capt. Ottis’s Fish House where Capt. Ottis called him “Red”. He later worked a short time at Conner Mobile Homes and then as a route salesman for Tom’s Distributor, Wilbur Garner of Newport.  A lifelong lover of plants, Felix spent many happy years as an employee of Munden Garden Center until it closed causing his early retirement on his 65th birthday. Later he was parttime handy man at Clawson’s Restaurant, Beaufort.

Felix’s volunteer activities began about the time the County Ministerial Association began work at the NC State Port of Morehead City, opening the Seaman Service Center. For over 20 years he and his wife manned the center on Thursday evenings welcoming mariners from around the world. They also volunteered as EARTHWATCH participants on various research projects, first studying deer and their affect on the understory in Shenandoah Mountains, working from the Smithsonian Research Center in Front Royal, VA.  Then they mapped and documented coral bleaching around San Salvador, Bahamas. Researching mosquito fish, they dived in inland blue holes on Andros, Bahamas. A project on Tobacco Cay documented fish and sea plants on this small islet, just inside the Belize barrier reef. The research scientist directing this study aided the Belize government in preservation plans for the reef.  Locally Felix especially enjoyed volunteering at Martha’s Mission in Morehead City and as a bellringer for the Salvation Army Christmas campaign.

Felix enjoyed traveling with his wife and after spending their 25th Anniversary in Freeport, Bahamas they were frequent visitors there.  Two sea kayaking trips, one in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands and one in the Solomon Islands, took them to remote islands some inhabited and some with welcoming villagers. The crystal-clear Pacific waters made snorkeling a wonderous view of beautiful fish and other creatures as well as coral of various shapes, sizes, and colors.  Retirement offered them time to make several extended road trips in England, the Highlands and Outer Hebrides of Scotland and the US Southwest.

Felix is survived by Elois, his wife of 59 years, his son Bill and wife Sarah (all of Morehead City), his grandson William (St. Thomas, USVI), his sister Felicia Messick (Smithfield, VA), brother-in-law John Cave (Harbinger, NC), and nieces Leslie Messick-Grubbs, (Smithfield, VA) and Jennifer Dobson-Hall (Rockport, MA.).  He was predeceased by his father, Felix Weinhold, mother and stepfather Helen and Dick Ammons and sister Rosalie Weinhold Cave.

Visitation will be 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 5th, at Bayview Cemetery with the graveside service to follow at 6:00 p.m. The service will be officiated by Major Aaron Goldfarb.

Memorial donations can be made to Martha’s Mission Cupboard, 901 Bay Street Morehead City, NC 28557 or the Salvation Army, 2800 Bridges Street, Morehead City, NC 28570.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.