RG Absher

Year Inducted: 2026

Ray (RG) Absher was born in Ashe County in 1955 and has been associated with Wilkes County since 1974, when he enrolled in classes at Wilkes Community College. He played on the basketball team under Coach Joe Linny.

After earning an Associate of Science Degree, he then transferred to NC State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Resources Management in 1978. While at NC State, he was active in 4-H and a member of the Alpha Gamma Roe Fraternity.

After graduation, he began a career with the US Army Corps of Engineers at Hartwell Lake in Hartwell, Georgia, serving as a Park Interpreter. In 1981, he returned to Wilkes County as a Park Ranger at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. He was later promoted as Assistant Resource Manager in 1989. He continued to serve in that capacity until retirement in 2010 with 32 years of service.

Following retirement with the Corps, he began work with the Yadkin River Greenway Council in 2010. As of this writing, he serves in the capacity as the Executive Director.

RG has also been an active leader in the Partnership of National Trails, serving as the Trail Leaders Council Chair for 9 years.

His community service to Wilkes County included his work in Old Wilkes Incorporated, which later became the Wilkes Heritage Museum. He joined Old Wilkes in 1983. He was one of several Wilkes County citizens who worked to plan and develop the Wilkes Heritage Museum, which opened to the public in 2004. He led the museum's launch of the Candlelight Ghost Tours in 2005 as a fundraiser for the museum. He researched the area's ghost stories and published a book, “The Ghosts of The Yadkin Valley,” in 2009.

Absher is a musician and has performed at MerleFest regularly since 1992 with the band Banknotes. He has recorded several music albums, including Gypsy Wagon, Banjo and Bow, Shiners Hollow, Celtic Cottage, and Stone Circles. He also performs Celtic music with his band Celtic Sessions.

Absher has been a long-time active member of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association and has served as President and Vice President. He enjoys doing historic interpretive programs for Wilkes County Students at the annual OVTA reenactment programs held at Wilkes Heritage Museum, Fort Defiance, and Elkin Municipal Park.

He now resides in Taylorsville, NC, with Molly Brown. He and Molly enjoy maintaining a strong connection to Wilkes County, regularly commuting for his work at the Yadkin River Greenway and a wide variety of projects. Absher’s roots date back to the settlement times in Wilkes County, and he continues to be active in both civic duties and public service.