Generations of students mourn 'Bossman'

George Clifton Exum Sr. was a veteran of World War II who taught construction and masonry to generations as a trade instructor at Washington and J.W. Ligon high schools.

Posted 4:42 p.m. Oct 1, 2010 — Updated 4:42 p.m. Oct 1, 2010

RALEIGH, N.C. — A Raleigh teacher known as "Bossman" for providing job opportunities to those he trained died Sunday.

George Clifton Exum Sr. was a veteran of World War II who taught construction and masonry to generations as a trade instructor at Washington and J.W. Ligon high schools. He earned his nickname because many of his students went on to become licensed contractors, forming their own businesses.

Exum developed and built Raleigh's first black-owned neighborhood shopping center.

A wake will be held Friday at 6 p.m. Carlton L. Gray Funeral Chapel, 2810 Kidd Road. A funeral service will be held Saturday at noon at St. Paul AME, 402 W. Edenton St.

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