Senator Steve Goss, 65, of Boone, NC, died quietly at home on Monday evening, October 26 after a short battle with cancer. Senator Goss was born in Warrensville, NC to the late Leonard and Sibbie Goss on November 7, 1949. He played football for Ashe Central High School for all four years and upon graduation, attended Appalachian State University where he earned a BS in social sciences with a minor in education in 1972. He received his Masters of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1982. Goss married Phyllis Johnson Goss on July 19, 1970. Senator Steve Goss began his career as a teacher and football coach. Goss served as a Southern Baptist minister for over 40 years, serving in churches from eastern North Carolina to southern Virginia. He served as the pastor of Friendly Grove Baptist Church, Kearfott Memorial Baptist Church, Biscoe First Baptist, Warsaw Baptist Church, & Oak Grove Baptist Church. He was still serving as the senior pastor at Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church in Jefferson, NC, upon his death. Steve and his wife, Phyllis, served on the foreign mission field in Tokyo, Japan at Tamagawa Baptist Church during the 1980s. Senator Steve Goss served for two terms in the North Carolina State Legislature, representing Ashe, Alexander, Wilkes, and Watauga counties. Senator Goss worked hard to bridge differences and make our state a better place for all North Carolinians. Goss worked hard for his 180,000 constituents, regardless of political affiliation. Goss collaborated closely with local Representatives Cullie Tarleton and Ray Warren to impact the region with such accomplishments as the initial funding for the planning of the new ASU nursing school, funding for the new school of education for ASU, and funding for the expansion of the Alexander County Detention Center that brought scores of new jobs to the county. Goss also worked hard to initiate the funding for the Hwy. 221 expansion as well as the perpetual funding for the operation of the new Wilkes country visitor's center off of Hwy 421 among other accomplishments. Goss was dedicated to education and ethics reform and served as the Senate Chair of the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee. Senator Goss is survived by his wife, Phyllis of the home, two children and spouses: Andy and Kaleigh Goss of Crestview, FL, and David and Kelly Sechrist of Wilmington, NC. He also is survived by five grandchildren: Madison & Brianna Goss and Cameron, Cohen, & Katie Gray Sechrist. He is survived by a brother, Dean Goss of Jefferson, NC, and a sister, Carol Driver and husband Don of Washington State. He is preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, and a granddaughter, Abigail Sechrist. Visitation will be at Boone Family Funeral Home in West Jefferson on Thursday evening from 6-8 pm. The funeral will be held on Friday at 11:00 at Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church in Jefferson, officiated by Cory & Doug Halsey. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church, PO Box 65, Jefferson, NC 28640 or Caldwell Hospice, 902 Kirkwood Street, NW, Lenoir, NC 28645.