Beloved Fallston man dies in wreck

A well-known and beloved Fallston man was killed in an early morning wreck Monday in Vale, according to North Carolina Highway Patrol.

At approximately 7:20 a.m., highway patrol responded to a fatal collision on N.C. 18 at N.C. 10 in Lincoln County.

"A 2019 Dodge Ram traveling west on N.C. 10 failed to stop at a stop sign and was struck by a 1997 Dodge van traveling south on N.C. 18," said a news release from Highway Patrol. "This collision caused the van to overturn."

The driver of the van, Barry Wilson McKee, 59, of Lawndale, died of his injuries at the scene.

The driver of the truck, Jose Vargas Moreno, 31, of Dobson, and three passengers were not injured, according to the release. Moreno was arrested and charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle, no operator's license and failure to yield. He received a $15,000 bond. The initial investigation does not indicate impairment or speed to be contributing factors in the collision. During the on-scene investigation, the roadway was closed in the area for several hours.

McKee, who went by the name Horty, was a smiling bearded man known for wearing suspenders and for his generous spirit. He was a Burns High and N.C. State University graduate, a former horticulture teacher at East Lincoln High School and currently sold plants and produce in Fallston.

His Facebook page was filled with condolences, tributes and memories by Monday afternoon. Former students wrote he was the best teacher they ever had. One former student, Benjamin Deason, said McKee was much more than a horticulture teacher, he was a mentor and a voice of reason when they acted out.

"He was a father figure to some of us. He was a man who taught us right from wrong when we didn't know the difference. Barry McKee was a man who I looked to when I had no one else in my days of high school," he wrote. "He saved me from myself more than once. I respected this man before I knew the definition of the word. He sheltered us when we skipped class, but didn't let us goof off, we still had to work. Whether it was watering plants, feeding calves, feeding fish, cleaning the horticulture building or mowing grass. He didn't allow slackers to slack. I am truly thankful for the life lessons and the education he taught us. I am so blessed to have known such an honorable man."

He was described as a man with a genuine, kind spirit, famous for his entrepreneurship and who always willing to go out of his way to help others.

McKee was married with a wife and two children.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Beloved Fallston man dies in wreck