Stewart Couch- A Celebration of Life

RAYMOND STEWART COUCH

BUXTON – Raymond Stewart Couch, 61, passed suddenly on Tuesday, February 21, 2012, near Rivas, Nicaragua while vacationing with friends.

Stewart Couch was the owner of Hatteras Realty. He was a gifted businessman, and a true pioneer in the vacation rental industry, having built the company from a fledgling operation of 12 cottages in 1982 to a nationally-known vacation rental property management company managing nearly 600 homes, employing almost 200 people during the height of the vacation season.

Stewart was a world traveler, having spent over 40 years traveling to the far reaches of the globe to experience the world’s most renowned surf breaks. His respect and passion for the history, heritage and recreational liberties of Hatteras Island and the Outer Banks reinforced the Cape Hatteras National Seashore as a world-class vacation resort.

He will be remembered for his zany sense of humor, which added an invaluable element to his considerable communication skills in his personal and business life.

Some of his professional accomplishments include: Founding Director of NC Vacation Rental Managers Assn. (NCVRMA); National Director VRMA; State Director, NC Assn. of REALTORS; 2004 President, Outer Banks Assn. of REALTORS and Board of Directors, Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce. He carried 17 professional designations and licenses in the real estate industry.

He is survived by his beloved daughter, Elizabeth Nicole “Nikki” Couch of Kill Devil Hills; his brothers, John Couch and Danny Couch of Buxton; several nieces and nephews, and his late mother’s extensive family including uncles, aunts, cousins and friends in his mother’s native Kansas.

His family is indebted to the community of REALTORS, Homebuilders, residents and friends of the Outer Banks and beyond for their love and support during this time. We are also indebted to dear friends, Steve Magliano and Jody Stowe, of Hatteras Island and Rivas, Nicaragua; the American Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua; Congressman Walter Jones’ offices in Washington, DC and Greenville, NC; and Mr. Roberto Cardenal of Managua, Nicaragua.

Instead of flowers, the family requests donations to The Outer Banks Association of REALTORS (OBAR) Scholarship Fund, 201 W. Eighth St., Nags Head, NC 27959 or the Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance (CHAPA), PO Box 1355, Buxton, NC 27920.

A funeral service will be held at 2 PM on Thursday, March 1 at Buxton United Methodist Church in Buxton, NC with a reception afterwards at Hatteras Realty in Avon, NC. Twiford’s Funeral Home of the Outer Banks and northeastern North Carolina is handling the arrangements

Updated Information For Driving Permits on Cape Hatteras Seashore

The final rule has been established to require permits for ORV use on the beaches of Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  In this blog we have gathered the latest information on permit costs, location of designated permit offices, and the effective date on this new ruling.

 To obtain an ORV permit, you must complete a 7-minute educational video program, and acknowledge in writing that you understand and agree to abide by the rules governing ORV use at the Seashore, and pay the appropriate permit fee.  You may purchase a 7 day permit for $50, or an annual permit for $120, at either of the 3 permit office locations.  The ORV permit offices are located at Coquina Beach, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Visitor Center (Buxton), and the Ocracoke Visitor Center.  These offices will be open year-round, seven days a week (except Christmas Day), from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with expanded hours on weekends and holidays during the summer season. You must purchase a permit for each ORV you plan on driving on designated routes.  You must purchase a permit in person at one of their designated permitting sites. 

In order to provide the public with ample time to obtain a permit, there will be a transition period between February 15 and March 15 before the rule is fully implemented and enforced.  During the transition period, the NPS will install new ORV route markers and information signs, and will focus on informing the visiting public about the ORV permit and other beach driving requirements under the special regulation.
For further information please visit http://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/off-road-vehicle-use-new.htm