Dr. Harry William Killian of Asheboro was born to Edith Kephart Killian and Maynard William Killian in Bates Creek outside Murphy on May 12, 1940.
He was educated in the Murphy City School system and graduated a year early from Murphy High School. He attended undergraduate school at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, where he met the love of his life, Peggy Carroll. They were married only three days before he entered the UNC School of Dentistry.
Upon graduation he joined the United States Army, where he served as an officer for two years stationed in Fort Devens, Mass. In 1968, he was discharged, and he set up his family dental practice in Asheboro.
Dr. Killian served families for exactly 50 years officially retiring in 2018 and was a member of the Randolph Dental Association. Many will fondly remember him as the “whistling dentist.”
Harry was active in his community through service and generous in his giving. As a member of Rotary, he received the Paul Harris Fellow award.
He was a member of First United Methodist Church, where he loved singing in the choir, and spent a few of his earlier years as a youth group counselor with his wife, Peggy.
He was a friend and a mentor. He was compassionate and treated everyone equally while always leading by example. He also enjoyed hunting and was an avid golfer.
Harry was preceded in death by his love, Peggy Carroll Killian; grandson, Ben Luckenbach; sister, Joyce Nunnelley; and brother, Ben Killian.
He is survived by his daughter, Christie Luckenbach, her husband Eric, and son Beau; his son, Matt Killian, his wife Julie and daughters Isabel and Mary Helen; brother Ronny Killian; and numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews.
Pugh Funeral Home, Asheboro, is servicing the family. Services will begin at 3 o’clock in the afternoon Thursday, May 20, at First United Methodist Church in Asheboro. A receiving line will be immediately following the service in the parlor. Interment will be held in New Hope Memorial Gardens.
Donations may be made to the Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, www.chsnc.org, P.O. Box 14608, Greensboro, NC 27415-4608; the Peggy Killian Memorial Fund at First United Methodist Church, 224 N. Fayetteville St., Asheboro, NC 27203; and United Way of Randolph County, 363 South Cox St., Asheboro, NC 27203.
Please share remembrances and condolences at www.pughfuneralhome.com.