Sue & Bliss Williams with Huck.jpg
Sue and Bliss Williams with their dog, Huck The Blue Ridge Parkway leaves each of us with special memories. We invite you to share your experiences, remembrances, and the favorite places from your journeys. Tell us your story.
Carrying forward a family tradition and legacy
In 1980, our parents, Sue and Bliss Williams, bought a yet to be built condominium behind the Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock. After its completion, our family spent many happy times exploring the area, and some of the most memorable moments were picnics at the Julian Price Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The afternoons at the park were spent throwing footballs, hiking the trails, cooking hamburgers, and gathering around the picnic tables our mother had carefully laid with her red and white tablecloths. We always had a game of Othello going with our dad leading the winners circle and challenging the grandchildren. We carried on that tradition for more than 20 years.
Prior to the afternoon picnics, our mother would often walk the path around Bass Lake, as she did many days of the week. Following our dad’s death in 1998, she continued to spend a great deal of time at the lake and made many friends along the way. She saw a need for restrooms at Bass Lake and was so happy to participate in the funding of the project.
Our parents’ great-grandchildren have recently enjoyed visits to the Parkway. Our family now has a 35-year and four-generation history with the Blue Ridge Parkway. -Debby Fleischer & Patty Baldwin
In 2007, the Sue and O. Bliss Williams Endowment Fund was established to support Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. To learn more about creating an endowment, e-mail Ashley Edwards or call (866) 308-2773, ext. 170.