Joan Rothrock Cline Backhaus, 77, Clineland Road, Cherryville, passed away
at home on Wednesday, January 4, 2015.

Born in Cleveland County on October 22, 1939, to the late Edwin Haywood
Cline and Joan Rothrock Cline. Joan graduated from Waco High School in
1957, Gardner Webb College in 1959 and Catawba College in 1961 with her
Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and Health. She would go on
to teach in Cleveland, Lincoln, Gaston, and Rowan County Schools in 1961 and
finally retiring in 2012. Though Joan began working on the family dairy,
Clineland Dairy, delivering milk before she had her driver's license to
local schools.

Joan will always be remembered for her love of basketball. She learned to
play ball on the family dairy shooting through an old tire rim. In high
school, she would receive the most valuable player award three years in a
row. When she graduated high school, she had scored 3307 points in her
career and a game high of 72 points. She still holds the career record for
Cleveland County Schools of most points scored in a basketball career. After
high school, she would play ball for Gardner Webb College where she would
again earn a Most Valuable Player award. She also played in the 1962 state
tournament. During her teaching career, she would coach basketball and
become Crest High School's first female coach.

Joan was awarded Miss Shelby in 1959 and was May Queen at Gardner Webb
University. She also owned and operated Country Fun and Fitness from 1979
to 2014, and taught horseback riding, dance and swimming at her home.

She was a member of Elizabeth Baptist Church and the Joyce Roberts Sunday
School Class.

In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by her sister, Patricia
Cline Gold.

She is survived by her son, Edley Lattimore and fiancée, Brooke Harris of
Cherryville; grandson, John Brody Lattimore; two nieces, Vickie Beam and
husband, Gary of Kings Mountain and children Lacey and Brittany and Jennifer
Fitzpatrick and husband Bruce of Cherryville; special cousin, Peggy Goforth
of Shelby; caregiver, Joyce White of Cherryville; four good friends, Pat
Harrill of Shelby, Doris Dedmon of Shelby, and Joanne & Jack Price of
Rutherford College; and two special dogs, Cline and Cooper.

The family will receive friends on Sunday from 2:00 to 3:00 PM at Elizabeth
Baptist Church.

The funeral service will be at 3:00 Pm on Sunday at Elizabeth Baptist Church
with the Dr. Rit Varriale officiating.

The burial will follow the service in the church cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Cleveland County, 951 Wendover Heights
Drive, Shelby, NC 28150.

A guest register will be available at www.stameytysingerfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Stamey-Tysinger Funeral Home & Cremation
Center, Fallston.