Sam T Gore III

December 30, 1946 – January 15, 2025

S. Tony Gore III passed away peacefully at his home on January 15, 2025, surrounded by family and friends. Tony was born on December 30, 1946 to Sam T. Gore Jr. and Thelma Gordon Gore of Whiteville, NC. A lifelong Tar Heel, Tony left Whiteville in 1965 to attend the University of North Carolina. In 1968 Tony met the love of his life, Becky, and they made Chapel Hill their home for the next 57 years, marrying in 1976.

Tony had a highly successful and diverse professional career. In the 1980’s, Tony was a founding member of Vanguard Cellular Systems, one of the early pioneers in the U.S. cellular telephone industry. Tony helped lead the development and operational start-up of some of Vanguard’s original “Cellular One” service areas, including central Pennsylvania and Myrtle Beach, SC. Tony later helped engineer numerous strategic acquisitions which underpinned Vanguard’s growth into one of the largest independent cellular operators in the country. After 20 years, he retired as Executive Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions when Vanguard was acquired by AT&T in 1999.

After Vanguard, Tony was a founding partner in SouthStar Capital, a privately owned asset development and management company in Charlotte, NC. Through SouthStar, he was a co-founding investor and original Board member in a start-up fiber optic broadband company, Conterra Networks, which grew to become one of the largest privately-owned broadband/internet service providers in suburban and rural America. Tony often reflected upon the great privilege and honor it was to have worked alongside his best friend and “brother”, Steve Leeolou, for so many years.

Earlier in his career, Tony owned and operated two iconic Chapel Hill establishments – Purdy’s and Elliot’s Nest, where his business acumen and warm personality engendered not only successful businesses, but many lifelong friendships.

Tony was a person of high integrity, fiercely loyal, and a true extrovert. He had a knack for connecting with people, he never forgot a name or a face, treated everyone with genuine respect and kindness, had a razor-sharp wit, and was a gifted storyteller. His positivity and energy filled the room and he always walked on the sunny side of the street. He was one of those exceedingly rare people who always put others before himself and would quite literally give someone the shirt off his back.

Notwithstanding his commercial success, Tony’s first love and greatest accomplishment was his family. He was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and grandfather. Tony is survived by his wife, Becky of Chapel Hill; his sister, Kathy Simmons (Terry) of Lake Waccamaw; his children, Travis Gore (Annie) of Cary, and Kasey Porter (Thomas) of New York City; his four granddaughters Rly, Elle, Kate and Sam; and his goddaughter, Alex Hamby and godson, Collin Leeolou.

A memorial service will be held at University United Methodist Church on Friday, February 7, 2025 at 3 pm, followed by a celebration of his life in the Old Well Ballroom at the Carolina Inn (where Becky and Tony’s wedding reception was held).

Please consider making a contribution in Tony’s memory to the SECU Family House in Chapel Hill, where Tony was a longtime supporter and served as a board member of the Hamilton Road branch.