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Paul Mosteller passed away Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024. He was the last remnant of Mosteller Radio & TV, a business that his father, Elmo Mosteller, opened in Andrews in 1946, after returning from World War II. Paul and his brother, Michael, worked with their dad until the shop closed in the mid-1990s due to the declining health of their father.
The quaint little shop played an important part in the history of the town of Andrews. It was down-home and friendly, and a reminder of a slower, peaceful living, like a scene that would be portrayed in a Norman Rockwell painting. It was a time when town folks stopped by to talk a while on their way to the post office.
Laughter filled the space as many a fish story originated behind that counter from the regulars like Johnny Wilson, Lloyd Gregory, Carol Stewart, Max Solesbee and, of course, the VFW crew.
The walls and shelves were lined with a lifetime of memorabilia. Fiddles and guitars swung from hooks, and old clocks hung silently on the walls alongside family pictures. Adding to the nostalgia and the curio atmosphere was a priceless radio that set on a shelf, which Elmo had made at the age of 10.
All through the shop were displays of the newest models of television sets and stereos, which were wooden console cabinets. They were a beautiful piece of furniture, unlike the flat screens we have today. Elmo offered repair service on the televisions, as well as the floor model stereos. And that was where his sons came in.
Michael and Paul would come to your home and pick up the heavy television sets and the stereos, take them back to the shop for repairs, and usually returned them the same day, unless they had to order a part. This was a time that television sets had tubes that would burn out and have to be replaced.
Later, the business expanded into the satellite TV, and the boys were kept busy installing the large white dishes to half the residents in Andrews, which now are obsolete. But if you drive around the countryside, you will see that some still stand in the fields and backyards, like ghosts from the past.
Paul married Teresa Beavers, and they have two sons, Sheridan and Hunter. Teresa is a teacher at Andrews Elementary School, and she was an exemplary caregiver during Paul’s extended illness.
Elmo Mosteller married Betty Jean Gregory, and they had four children, Patricia, Michael, Paul and Melissa. Elmo passed away Nov. 7, 1996, followed by his son, Michael, in March 2008, while Betty died in December 2014. Melissa said tearfully, “There is only two of us left, me and Pat.”
Paul will always be remembered for his big beautiful smile. He came in your house smiling, and he left smiling. He had the best personality in the family. He was generous to a fault and would give you the shirt off his back. He loved to hunt and fish with his high school friends, brother and, most of all his hero, Lewis Foster, his brother-in-law.
“Don’t grieve for me, Paul would have said, just remember that I am free.
“From all the pain and suffering, I am now who I should be.
“You’ll feel my spirit at Nantahala Lake, and across Rainbow Springs.
“And on that road to Clear Creek, my immortal soul still rings.”
Kandy Barnard is a columnist for the Cherokee Scout. To talk about the Andrews Valley, call her at 828-361-3268 or email kandybarnard@gmail.com.