R. B. Cline

R.B. Cline, age 84, of Forest City, passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at Hospice of the Carolina Foothills.

R.B. was born Friday, December 12, 1941 in Cleveland County to the late Cecil Cline and Margie Ashe Cline. He was a truck driver most his life and a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Cliffside. In his retirement years, he became an expert in woodworking. He constructed porch swings and various other types of wooden furniture and would sell them at local flea markets. R.B. also had a heart for a large number of neighborhood cats which he faithfully fed on a daily basis. He also enjoyed fishing.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by siblings, Frances Spake, Bob Cline, Mildred Jones and Carl Wiley, Jr.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife of forty-two years, Judith C. Cline; children, Lisa Price (Jimmy) of Myrtle Beach, SC, Lynn Smathers (Eric) of Forest City, Kathy Ford of Concord, NC, Randy Partain (Joy) of University Heights, Ohio, Lisa Bridges (Van) of Forest City, Lori Searcy (Danny) of Rutherfordton and Tim Frashier (Angel) of Cliffside; sisters, Kathy Bush and Karen Bradley; brother, Wink Wiley; seventeen grandchildren and thirty-three great grandchildren.

The funeral service will be held at 3:00 pm on Saturday, March 14th at Calvary Baptist Church of Cliffside with Reverend Tim Frashier, Mr. Zach Emory and Reverend Tim Sheridan officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service time at the church. At other times they will be gathered at 1416 Old Henrietta, Forest City, NC 28043.

Memorial donations are requested to the Rutherford County Human Society, PO Box 998, Rutherfordton, NC 28139 or www.rutherfordcountyhumanesociety.org