Huge Marriages Search Engine!
Leslie Allen Taylor
Leslie Allen Taylor, 77, died Friday, Jan. 16, 2004.
He was born June 27, 1926 in Dover, to the late Leslie and Lilla Bell Rhodes Taylor. He graduated from Dover High School, and then served as a carpentry and masonry apprentice for his father while tending the family farm. He later became a construction superintendent for E.N. Richards in Raleigh and enjoyed a long-standing relationship with North Hills Inc., building homes and commercial properties throughout North Carolina and Virginia. After an association with Merrimac Construction Co. in Chapel Hill, he became a partner in West Wake Builders in Cary. In 1968, he founded L. A. Taylor Building Company, building single-family homes, apartments and commercial properties. Land development was his forte and led to the creation of several local subdivisions.
He was a member of the Wake County chapter of the National Home Builders Association and received the Decade of Excellence Award from the Home Owners' Warranty Corporation. Mr. Taylor served on the Cary Planning Board and on the Wake County Housing Authority. He was president of the Cary Chamber of Commerce in 1974 and was named its 1979 Businessman of the Year. He became a member of Cary First United Methodist Church in 1955.
Mr. Taylor built a home at the coast in Pine Knoll Shores in the late 1970s and was happiest when entertaining family, neighbors and friends there. He played golf and loved everything that nature and the Bogue Sound offered, including net fishing, digging clams and watching his grandchildren cavort in the water around the pier he built.
Les valued close friendships, many of which were formed through church membership, business associations and "The Brotherhood of the Bush, " one of the social groups formed in celebration of Cary's Centennial.
Les was known not only for his generosity and his equal respect for fellow human beings, but for his uncanny ability to conduct a multitude of tasks simultaneously. He savored life, loved to talk, loved to laugh, loved to dance and valued spring above all seasons because it represented renewal of life.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lola Griffin Taylor; his son, Bill Taylor and wife, Joy, and his daughter, Angela T. Pace and husband Bob, all of Cary; his grandson, Jason Taylor of Athens, Ga.; and his granddaughters Morgan Taylor of Berkeley, Calif., Alexandra Kelly and husband, Jimmy, and Alicia Pace, all of Austin, Texas. His younger daughter, Donna Grace Taylor predeceased him in June 2003. He leaves behind caregivers Estella Guzman and Leon and Aurora Hernandez.
A service of celebration of his life was conducted by the Rev. Dr. William Green. It was held Monday afternoon, Jan. 19, at Cary First United Methodist Church. The family received friends after the service in the church Fellowship Hall. A graveside service was held Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 20, at the Griffin Family Cemetery in Kinston with the Rev. Green officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice.
Rose Marino Hess
Rose Marino Hess, 93, passed away Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004 at Western Wake Medical Center. Rose was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1910 to John and Felicia Marino.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Hess, and siblings Mary DeCesare, Catherine Rafanello, Jack and Joseph Marino. Rose resided most of her life in Point Pleasant and Bradley Beach, N.J. She is survived by her daughter, Phyllis Aiken and husband John of Cary; grandchildren, Kirk Tilton of Blakeslee, Penn., John Tilton and wife Kristin of Annapolis, Md., and Christina Hoefer of Cary; and great-grandchildren Meghan and Kathleen Tilton.
Rose was a lifelong devout Catholic. A memorial service celebrating her life was held Wednesday, Jan. 21, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cary. Arrangements were handled by Apex Funeral Directors.
Joe E. Austin
Mr. Joe E. Austin, 64, of Monroe died Friday, Jan. 16, 2004 at his residence.
Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon, Jan. 18, at First Presbyterian Church in Monroe, with Dr. Donald Mitchell officiating. Interment followed at Lakeland Memorial Park.
Mr. Austin was born May 17, 1939 in Union County, son of the late Wade Hampton Austin and Mary Braswell Austin. He was the founder and former owner of Austin Realty Inc. in Monroe. He also was a former president of the Rotary Club of Monroe and a Paul Harris Fellow, and received the distinguished Service above Self Award.
Survivors include his wife, Myra Williams Austin of Monroe; a son, Joe E. Austin Jr. and wife, Whitley of Cary; three sisters, Sybil Steele of Surfside Beach, S.C., Rebecca Ball of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Ferry Lane Lowder of Lexington; and two grandchildren, Joseph Gordon Austin and Mary Preston Austin.
Pallbearers for the service were John Tarleton, James Kerr, Robert Stewart, John Tice, Charles Norwood and Arnold Mills. Monroe Rotarians served as honorary pallbearers.
The family received friends Saturday evening, Jan. 17, at the residence.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 302 E. Windsor St., Monroe, NC 28112; or to Wingate University, Office of Development, Campus Box 3071, Wingate, NC 28174.
Davis Funeral Home of Monroe handled arrangements.
Margaret A. Grant Dukeman
Margaret A. (Grant) Dukeman, 80, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, Dec. 29, 2003. She was born in Terre Haute, Ind., and lived most of her life in Illinois. Since 1993, she had lived in Apex with her son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Sandra Dukeman.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald B. and Altha Sellers Grant; two brothers, Robert Grant and Lawrence Grant; and her husband of 48 years, James Morris Dukeman, on Nov. 12, 1990.
Survivors include three sons, James C. Dukeman and wife Sandra of Apex, Terry G. Dukeman and wife Patti of Decatur, Ill., and Donald A. Dukeman of Shelbyville, Ill.; six grandchildren, Jeff Dukeman and wife Debbie of Sanford, Bill Dukeman and Bonnie Cooke of Pittsboro, Stacy Dukeman Johnson of Bellville, Ill., Chris Dukeman and wife Heather of St. Joseph, Ill., Anna Dukeman and Chris Parish of Decatur, Ill., and Kevin Dukeman and wife Erin of Decatur, Ill.; eight great-grandchildren, Joey and Kristen Dukeman, Bailey Dukeman, Taylor Dukeman, Hannah and Haley Dukeman, Kyle Parish and Braden Dukeman. Also surviving are six brothers, Larry Grant of Chickaska, Okla., Gary Grant of Shumway, Ill., Steve Grant of Nashville, Tenn., Ronnie Grant of Nashville, Tenn., John Grant of Stillwater, Okla., and Norman Grant of Sullivan, Ill. Margaret was a member of the Baptist Church, had been active in the American Legion Auxiliary for 55 years, was a past president of the Arthur, Ill., Legion Auxiliary, and was a Gold Star Sister, a member of the NC VFW and a member of the Sir Walter Raleigh Doll Club. She had many special talents including being an accomplished artist and a doll collector, and she loved to design floral and craft arrangements. Nearest and dearest to her heart was the love of her family and friends.
The family received friends Wednesday evening, Dec. 31, at the Apex Funeral Home.
Illinois visitation and funeral service were held in Arthur, Ill., at the Shrader Funeral Home. Visitation was held Friday afternoon, Jan. 2, followed by the funeral service and burial at the Arthur cemetery.
The family would like to thank friends, family and neighbors for all of their loving support and prayers during Margaret’s illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Heartland Hospice, 3117 Poplarwood Court, Ste. 115, Raleigh, NC 27604.
Michael Scott Pearce
Michael Scott Pearce, 32, of Clayton died Monday evening, Dec. 29, 2003 at WakeMed in Raleigh. He was a former lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps.
A service celebrating his life and homegoing was held Friday, Jan. 2, at 11 a.m. in the Grey Stone Baptist Church in Durham. Burial was in the Apex Cemetery. Surviving are his son, Justin D. Pearce of the home; his father, Zebedee Pearce and wife Grace of Pittsboro; his mother, Brenda Sorrell and husband C. G. of Durham; two sisters, Lisa Pearce Jacobs and husband Andrew of Mebane, and Stefanie Pearce of Pittsboro; and his maternal grandmother, Goldie Pearce of Durham. Also surviving are a stepsister, DaNita Lehman, and two step-brothers, Jason Sorrell and Chris Sorrell; and an uncle, Johnnie Gurley of Goldsboro.
The family received friends Thursday evening, Jan. 1, at Apex Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, 2725 Western Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27606.
Richard Edwin Kennedy
Richard Edwin Kennedy, 90, of Cary died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004 at Western Wake Medical Center.
Mr. Kennedy was a native of Montgomery County. He was predeceased by his wife, Connie Spivey Kennedy, and his parents, Daniel Alexander and Mary Jane Spivey Kennedy. He is survived by his daughter, Edna Cole of Cary; his son, Douglas R. Kennedy of Star; his brother, Warren Kennedy of Robbins; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held Saturday evening, Jan. 3, at Phillips Funeral Home in Star. The family also received friends at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary on Friday evening, Jan. 2.
Funeral services were conducted by Dr. Don Davis on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 4, at Dover Baptist Church in Seagrove. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Dover Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 2527 Dover Church Road, Seagrove, NC 27341, or to the charity of one’s choice.
Kerstin Froberg
Kerstin Froberg, 66, of Cary, died Dec. 31, 2003 at Western Wake Medical Center.
Kerstin was born in Karlskoga, Sweden to Bertil and Britta Bohl.
A funeral service was held on Friday afternoon, Jan. 2, in the chapel of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary. The family received friends following the service at the funeral home.
Surviving are her husband, Sven Froberg; children, Linda Froberg and John Froberg, and daughter-in-law, Kara Froberg, all of Cary; sisters, Inga-Britta Engman, Ulrika Bohl and Kristina Sundqvist, all of Sweden; and grandchildren, Kristina and Reed Russell and Jakob Froberg of Cary.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be sent to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 27624, Raleigh, NC 27611-7624.
