Former EB athlete Mozeley ‘remained strong until the end'

Daphne Mozeley, who participated in four different sports at East Burke High School before graduating in 2001 and later serving as a teacher assistant and coach at Heritage Middle School, died at age 42 on Dec. 30 after battling cancer for more than four years.

A lifelong Burke County resident who was a member of the Cavaliers’ volleyball, basketball, softball, and track and field teams as Daphne Abernathy during her high school days, she married fellow EB graduate RJ Mozeley in 2004. They have three children together: 21-year-old son Mason and daughters Bailey and Shellie, who are 17 and 10, respectively.

Notably, Mason is a former Burke County prep baseball player of the year at Freedom who is currently a redshirt junior at UNC Pembroke after previously playing at UNC Greensboro and Catawba Valley Community College, while Bailey is a two-time prep volleyball conference player of the year at Draughn who signed her letter of intent in November to play at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute in Hudson after she graduates in May.

Two of Daphne Mozeley’s best friends were her cousin, Stephanie (Brendel) Hatley, and Kristin (Camp) Ramsey. Mozeley grew up playing sports with both of them and continued to do so at EB, where all three were also on the homecoming court as seniors.

“The first thing that comes to mind is she was a person full of life,” said Ramsey, who was ultimately named homecoming queen for the 2000-01 school year. “There was never a dull moment around Daph. Laughter was always present wherever she was, and it was very contagious. I am so blessed to have known her and spent so much time with her throughout our lives.

“Our time together in sports began when we were in fifth grade and lasted throughout high school. … She was an amazing competitor who put her whole heart into whatever she was playing. Daph was the kind of person you wanted on your team. She would encourage you and not think twice about taking up for you. Into adulthood, that never changed. She was the same encourager, and I always knew she was there for me any time I needed her.”

Hatley pointed out that she and Mozeley “were inseparable” as children, also stating that “we weren’t just cousins, we were best friends.”

“In sports, she was one of my outside hitters on the volleyball team (Hatley was a setter), one of the most competitive and aggressive players on the basketball team, and my training partner on the track team,” said Hatley. “We both did field events and races, and we were part of a couple relay teams together, so we were constantly by each other’s side.

“When I think about Daph, I think of her contagious laugh, sense of humor, and competitive spirit. … Daph helped me enjoy life. I’m certainly the more serious person in the pair, but she showed me that having fun and acting silly were also important to enjoying life. Without her, I would have missed out on so many fun moments. And her competitiveness was almost hilarious as she would be the one coaches would send in to foul someone or rough up another player.”

One of Mozeley’s noteworthy accomplishments as a high school athlete was competing in the second annual Catawba River All-Star Shootout at Lenoir-Rhyne. The contest showcased the top senior basketball players from Burke and Caldwell counties against the best that Catawba and Alexander counties had to offer.

Mozeley also qualified for state in track on more than one occasion, first as one-fourth of a relay team and later as a pole vaulter. She was a standout in the discus throw as well.

Mozeley continued to play competitive sports in her later years, and she also participated in CrossFit alongside her husband, who Ramsey called “the love of her life.”

“I am inspired by her love for her family and for the Lord,” said Ramsey. “If you were ever around Daph, she was talking about her kids and RJ.”

“Any time I was around Daph, she talked about her kids,” added Hatley. “... When I drove her to her treatments in Chapel Hill, she told me all about their accomplishments and how proud she was of them. My son, Noah, also plays baseball now, and that was always a constant conversation about how Mason and Noah were doing. RJ and the kids were her whole world.”

And despite facing a disease for which she was told there was no cure, Mozeley did so with dogged determination and with the same will that made her a successful athlete.

“Even on hard days, she would still be at a game cheering on one of her kids or attending an event that was put on in her honor,” said Hatley. “Every time I would text her about how she was doing, she rarely said anything negative. Her laughter and beautiful spirit remained strong until the end.

“When my parents, husband, and I went to see her right after Christmas, she was still laughing and smiling even though she was in pain and getting weaker. And she wasn’t afraid to share her journey. I hope others are inspired to live life to the fullest because of Daph’s example.”

Added Ramsey: “She is the toughest person I know, especially in my generation. The girl never stopped and never complained. She encouraged me in ways she never knew.”

Services for the celebration of Mozeley’s life were held at East Valdese Baptist Church on Jan. 3.