Earle Edwin Batt

(May 27, 1932 - December 24, 2018)

Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

Earle Edwin Batt, Jr. 86, of Atlantic Beach, NC, was born on May 27, 1932 in Washington, D.C. to Earle Edwin Batt, Sr. and Ellen Eugenia Peter. He grew up in Herndon, Virginia and graduated from Herndon High School. Earle was an outstanding athlete. He excelled at boxing and baseball. After high school, he was drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. However, Earle joined the U.S. Navy in the Korean War from 1950-1955. After his tour, he attended the University of Oklahoma on a baseball scholarship.

Earle lived and worked in Miami for a local magazine distributing company. While living and working in Florida, he picked up the love of golf and saltwater sports fishing. In 1971, Earle started the Rocky Mount News Agency in Rocky Mount, NC. He built the business from the ground up and through the years touched many lives. In 1996 after 25 years of building a successful business, he sold the Rocky Mount News Agency.

Throughout his life, he fished many billfish and sportfishing tournaments throughout North Carolina and along the Eastern Seaboard. In 1990, Earle won the 16th Annual White Marlin Open, the “World’s Largest Billfishing Tournament” in Ocean City, Maryland on his boat the Earlee Bird.

Earle never really retired and never lost his competitive spirit. For anyone who ever met, him, they know he lived life to the fullest. In his later years, Earle enjoyed walking on the beach with his dog and being on the boat whether it was fishing or cruising.

He is preceded in death by his parents: Earle Edwin Batt, Sr. and Mary Ellen Peter Batt; three siblings: Marie Batt (Bob Norman), Calvert Lee Batt (Patricia), William Jackson Batt (Lorna) and his son Christopher Earle Batt.

He is survived by his wife of 34 years: Ann Hardee Batt of Atlantic Beach; his sister: Audrey Batt Lawrence (Chuck); his children: Earle Edwin Batt, III (Lisa), William “Billy” E. Batt, Linda Suzanne “Sue” Batt, Cheryl “Cherie” Batt (Dean), Mary B. Grosfuss (Keith); daughter-in-law: Connie Brandt Batt and; other children: Walter “Wally” Roy Poole, III, Robert “Bob” Hardee Poole (Harvette), Jonathan Gregory “Greg” Poole (Vickie), and Charles Ruffin Poole (Kathryn).

Grandchildren: Adrainn Lane Gray, Ashley Nicole Gray, Blair Alexandra Ellis, Nicholas Earle Batt, Nathan Edwin Batt, Blake Smith, Ryan Grossfuss, Roxanne Dominique Sumner, Catherine Blair Poole, Jonathan Gregory Poole, Jr., Mary Hannah Poole, Mary Kathryn Poole and Georgia Claire Poole.

Memorial donations may be made in honor of Earle Batt to the Town of Atlantic Beach: Town Park, Post Office Box 10, Atlantic Beach, NC 28512

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 29th from 3 to 4pm at Edwards Funeral Home, 702 North Queen Street, Kinston, NC, visitation will follow.

Arrangements by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations. Online condolences may be expressed at www.edwardsfhc.com.