Ethel M. Wojciechowski
Wake Forest
Ethel M. Wojciechowski, 88, passed away in Raleigh on Friday, December 21, 2018. She was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey on January 29, 1930, a daughter of the late Evaristo and Edith (Wickman) Solar.
Ethel lived most of her life in New Jersey, raising her family in Metuchen. She moved to Wake Forest just ten years ago to be closer to her daughter.
Ethel will be remembered for her love and generosity that she shared with everyone she met.
She worked for 24 years with Lockheed Electronics in Plainfield, New Jersey. Ethel was a Girl Scout Leader, President of Metuchen 1st Aid Auxiliary, President of Bonhampton Senior Citizens for ten years and she was also a member of the Clara Barton First Aid Auxiliary.
Ethel is survived by her two children, Joseph Wojciechowski of Port Monmouth, New Jersey and Joan Bailey and her husband, David Bailey, of Wake Forest; three grandchildren, Joseph Wojciechowski Jr., Michelle Stoffer and Jenna Wojciechowski, all of New Jersey; two great-grandchildren; and many loved nieces and nephews.
The family received friends at the Bailey’s home on December 30, 2018. A remembrance will be held in New Jersey at a future date. Ethel’s burial will in New Jersey among many of her past family members.
Contributions may be made to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Jean Elizabeth Wood
Youngsville
Jean Elizabeth Wood, 82, of Youngsville, loving wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on Monday, December 17, 2018. She was born in Potsdam, New York to the late Lionel and Regina Delair Columbe.
She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Dietrich E. Wood; five children, Elizabeth Wood (Kevin Goodwin) of Franklinton, Patricia Campola (Robert) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, A, James Wood (Kim) of Raleigh, Catherine Santa Maria (Steve) of Holland Patent, New York, and Robert Wood (Christi) of Spanish Fort, Alabama; 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She also leaves her siblings, Ann Rehder of Cary and Arthur Columbe (Patricia) of Baden, Pennsylvania; sister-in-law, Janet Wood-Yates of Gloversville, New York; and brother-in- law, Roger Shalala of Elbridge, New York. She was preceded in death by her sister-in-law, Linda Shalala, and brother-in-law, Walter Rehder.
A funeral Mass was held Friday, December 21, 2018 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church. Inurnment followed in the church Memorial Garden.
She was a parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church of Wake Forest. She was a devoted daughter, wife, mother and grandmother. Jean never met a stranger. After her husband’s retirement, they traveled throughout the US, Canada and Mexico. In her spare time she made the most beautiful stained glass pieces of art and her knitting was way beyond compare. She will be greatly missed by all.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to any Alzheimer’s group of your choice.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
John Desmond Kennedy
Wake Forest
John Desmond Kennedy, 85, of Wake Forest passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 20, 2018, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was lovingly cared for at home by family until his last days.
John is survived by his wife of 62 years, Nicole Farley Kennedy, and three children, Louise Kaskel, Mark Kennedy (Diane), and Anne Garrett (Pat). John and Nicole were blessed with eight grandchildren, Justin Kaskel, Miriam Kaskel, Matthew Kaskel, Patrick Kennedy (Katie), Lauren Cherry (Tom), Michael Kennedy (Clair), Shannon Garrett, Caroline Garrett; and three great-grandchildren, Lucienne Kennedy, Camille Kennedy, and Haley Cherry. He is remembered with love by Richard and Louise Momparler, Rick Kaskel and extended family and friends.
John was born in Island Pond, Vermont, the third child of Harold and Mary Eliza Foss Kennedy, and was raised in Montreal, Canada. He graduated from St. Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont and the University of Maryland Law School in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a career federal administrator retiring as director of Health and Human Services for the Northeast Region of the United States, residing in Boston, Massachusetts, where he raised his family.
Throughout his life, John was a voracious reader with special interest in history, science, chess, classical music and opera. He also spent many of his retirement years enjoying bird watching in the company of the Brookline Bird Club where he was honored to serve as president for a time. When not pursuing intellectual interests, John was known to be a sports junkie, having switched allegiances from the mighty Montreal Canadiens to the Bruins and all Boston teams, especially the Red Sox. He was always available to watch a game and it was a frequent topic of conversation.
The family wishes to thank Hospice of North Carolina for their attentive care, assistance and support to Nicole and Anne during the past several months. A Funeral Mass was held on Saturday, December 22, 2018, at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Wake Forest.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Timothy ‘Timmy’ King
Wake Forest
Timothy “Timmy” Wade King, 56, died Friday, December 21, 2018 at home. He was born November 21, 1962 in Wake County to the late Homer L. King and Emma Jean Ray.
Timmy worked in the auto repair field for many years with Ed Joyner Body and Collison Shop as well as Precision Automotive.
Funeral services were held Sunday, December 23, 2018, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home. A private burial was held at Falls Community Cemetery.
Surviving are a brother, Donnie King and wife, Sherry, of Wake Forest; a niece, Rachel King; and a nephew, Chris Faison.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Katherine ‘Kathy’ Creech Clark
Raleigh
Katherine “Kathy” Creech Clark, 81, died Thursday, December 20, 2018. She was born December 2, 1937 to the late William Vester Creech and Lula Katie Jackson Creech. Beside her parents, she was preceded in death by five brothers and sisters.
Kathy retired after 28 years as a wire specialist from Alcatel-ITT.
Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, December 26, 2018, at Bizzell Grove Memorial Garden, Bizzell Grove Church Road, Princeton.
Kathy is survived by: her husband, of 33 years, John Jerome Clark Jr. of Raleigh; a son, Allan Watson of Raleigh; a daughter, Nancy Kimberly Blayton and husband, Raleigh Jr., of Dallas; and a grandson, Raleigh Brayton III.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Annie Gray Mitchell Richards
Youngsville
Annie Gray Mitchell Richards, 95, passed away Saturday December 22, 2018. She was born in Franklin County, the daughter of the late Annie Vera Perry Mitchell and Richard Clarence Mitchell. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fletcher Richards Jr.; a son, Sid Richards; and her sisters, Louise M. Coffey and Faye M. Doby.
A funeral service was held Thursday afternoon, December 27, 2018, at Beulah Christian Baptist Church. Burial followed in the Mitchell Family Cemetery.
Mrs. Richards is survived by her son, Ned Richards of Youngsville; her daughter; Deborah Soles and her husband, Thomas, of Youngsville; brothers, Bill Mitchell, Neal Mitchell, Curtis Mitchell and Willie Gray Mitchell; six grandchildren, Teresa Richards, Michelle Hill and husband, David, Kim Allen and husband, Darren, Ginger Richards, Michael Minor, and Joseph Soles and wife, Julie; 14 great-grandchildren, Caitlin and Braellin Hill, Faith and Gracelyn Tyree, Devin, Peyton and Khloe Nguyen, Dakota and Dechlan Minor, Gabriella and Damiana O’Brien, Bailey, Zoe and Logan Soles; and one great-great-grandchild, Reign Nguyen.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Craig D. Creel, Esq.
Wake Forest
Craig D. Creel, Esq., who grew up in Las Vegas as a trail-blazing athlete, attorney, father and friend, died Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at home in Wake Forest after an arduous and courageous fight with brain cancer. He was 64.
The cause of death was a glioblastoma, but Craig fought cancer and other difficult illnesses his entire life. No one would have known this as he was “the healthiest sick person” one could ever know. Craig exhibited boundless energy; his optimism and charm were infectious, noticeable to all upon his entrance into a room.
Craig was one of the best athletes Las Vegas produced, who as a child growing up in the 1950s and ‘60s had an almost maniacal passion for baseball, falling to sleep many nights listening to the Dodgers broadcast on his transistor radio.
Craig loved to practice until he perfected his skills: shooting, serving, pitching, hitting, throwing, putting, and chipping. He was an acclaimed pitcher, recruited by the Kansas City Royals out of high school to play catcher, Nevada’s number one-ranked high school tennis player, a member of the UNLV tennis team, the city’s Punt-Pass-and Kick winner, the annual Free Throw Shooter winner, a state basketball champion, and scratch golfer who was widely recognized as one of the best amateur golfers in Las Vegas. As a first-year baseball recruit at the University of Arizona, even Ted Williams told him to never change his swing!
If Craig’s notorious high school years as an impressive athlete did not precede him, more would have taken note of his high intellect. As a voracious reader from a young age, his library was impressive, his Bible study commendable, and his knowledge of history exemplary. He enjoyed high fantasy most of all and was a storyteller himself, having completed the beginnings of an adventure novel around the time his dream business, BrainTrust Tutors, was born. Craig was a beautiful writer who also taught English at UNLV and Sacramento State as well as Constitutional Law at Peace College.
Craig had a very successful career as a reputable trial attorney in the western United States. A graduate of the McGeorge School of Law in 1982, where he won the Mock Trial competition, he applied his intellect, humor, and dedication to helping hundreds of defendants as a Public Defender in Clark County, Nevada; as a medical malpractice attorney for St. Paul Insurance in Portland, Oregon; and as a corporate and personal defense attorney in private practice in Las Vegas. Craig trained hundreds of attorneys in trial techniques, produced ethics courses, and was roundly respected in the Las Vegas legal community. He was admitted to practice law before the Nevada, California, and Oregon Supreme Courts. His appellate briefs continue to be taught at the UNLV School of Law.
As much as Craig loved to read, he arguably loved music even more. He could sing and entertained a lifelong study and admiration of great classical music and jazz. His favorite classical pieces were usually Russian, and the piano works of Rachmaninov always chief among them. He also had a special appreciation for “The Sultan of Swoon.” Having seen Sinatra in person many times, Craig maintained tremendous respect his whole life for Frank’s romantic style. Craig adored films and as he became sicker in life, spent more time appreciating his favorites such as the miniseries adaptation of Larry McMurty’s “Lonesome Dove,” Herman Wouk’s “War & Remembrance,” and Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Little Dorritt. With his forever, adoring wife, Molly, they cherished Italian works of art such as the film Cinema Paradiso and the Young Montalbano series.
Early to rise, a quick wit, and armed with the independent spirit of a western cowboy, it was only natural that he was looked upon by many as a role model. The elder of five younger siblings — Curt, Cory, Christy, Clay, Carey — and father to five boys himself — Matthew, Alec, Trevor, Sean, and Ryan — he was at ease with children, dedicating much of his life to coaching and teaching youngsters. He helped numerous high school students earn Division I baseball scholarships, mentored his nieces and nephews, and founded his dream business, BrainTrust Tutors, to help all children reach their God-given potential. Opening a tutoring business was a two-decade vision which Craig finally realized in the Raleigh Triangle in 2006, also hometown to his father, Charles “Chuck” Creel of Chapel Hill.
Craig was a spiritual, contemplative, and god-fearing man who strived to reach his potential in all facets of life and impressed those around him of the nobility of such a struggle. His never-dying, conscientious resilience and optimism about life in the face of tremendous physical ailment and pain was a testament to his psychological fortitude and simple toughness in the face of hardship. He had a relationship with Jesus Christ and hoped to inspire his younger boys Alec and Matthew.Craig was also quite proud of his older boys Trevor, Sean, and Ryan.
He is survived by his loving wife Molly (Marguerite), his parents, Charles and Susann ‘Sue’ Creel, and six adorable grandchildren – Luke, Connor, Annique, Hayden, McKinley, and Sean Jr.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Craig’s name to the North Wake County Baseball Association: NWCBA, 1845 Grandmark Street, Wake Forest, NC, 27587.
A funeral service was held Friday, December 28, 2018, at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Burial followed in the Wake Forest Cemetery.
A service of Clancy Strickland Wheeler Funeral Home, 1051 Durham Road, Wake Forest, NC.
Boyce C. Medlin
Raleigh
Boyce C. Medlin, 92, passed away on Tuesday, December 25, 2018 at Elmcroft of Northridge. He was born in Wake County, the son of the late Minnie Leatherwood Medlin and Otho Medlin.
Mr. Medlin was a veteran of the U.S. Army and was a member of the Wake Forest American Legion Post. He obtained degrees from Mars Hill University, Wake Forest University, Duke University, and the Southeastern Baptist Seminary. He worked in education most of his career and served as a Wake Forest town commissioner from 1997 to 2001.
A funeral service was held at 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon, December 29, 2018, in the chapel of Bright Funeral Home. A private burial was held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Durham.
Mr. Medlin is survived by his sons, Mark Medlin and his spouse, Patrick Fitzsimmons, of Weaverville, Andy Medlin and wife, Jolie, of Raleigh; a sister, Dot Ogburn of Mt. Airy; and his grandchildren, Keller Medlin and wife, Michelle, Meredith Medlin, Connor Medlin and Drew Medlin.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Wake Forest Historical Museum.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Kenneth Victor Rosenlund
Youngsville
Kenneth Victor Rosenlund, 75, of Youngsville died Wednesday, December 26, 2018. He was born June 15, 1943 in Port Chester, New York, a son of the late Victor and Eleanor (Sewell) Rosenlund. He is predeceased by his daughter, Lorraine Smith.
A funeral service was held at 12 p.m., Monday, December 31, 2018, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home. Entombment followed at Pine Forest Memorial Gardens.
Kenneth is survived by his wife, Hazel Roselund of Youngsville; daughters, Stephanie Starr of Naples, Florida, Pamela Lardo (George) of Dallas, Beverly Avery Fountain (David) of Wake Forest, and Terrie Lian (Phil) of Youngsville; his son, David Avery of Youngsville; several grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Oak Level Christian Church, PO Box 216, Youngsville, NC 27596.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Thomas Payton Gupton
Franklinton
Thomas Payton Gupton, 79, of Franklinton passed away on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. He was born November 6, 1939, a son of the late Payton and Kathleen (Nelms) Gupton.
Thomas retired after 30 years as a machinist with The News & Observer. He enjoyed the outdoors, doing yard work from sun up to sun down. Thomas also enjoyed yard-sales with his family.
He is survived by his wife Ann (Lindsey) Gupton; his children, Teresa G. Piper and Gregory Bryant Gupton; two grandsons, Payton Proctor and Colt Proctor; five great-grandchildren; step-daughters: Donna G. Isley, Barbara J. Shearron, and Bevery G. Baker; and nine step-grandchildren. He also will be remembered by many extended family members and friends.
A private family service was held Sunday, December 30, 2018 and inurnment will be held at the family cemetery.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Mildred Hendrick Carey
Raleigh
Mildred Hendrick Carey, 92, passed away on Monday, December 24, 2018, at her residence. She was born in Campbell County, Virginia, the daughter of the late Lois Ware Hendrick and Joseph Hendrick. She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. H.W. Carey.
A funeral service was held at 11 o’clock Thursday morning, December 27, 2018. at Neuse Baptist Church on Louisbury Road in Wake Forest.
Mrs. Carey is survived by her son, Harold W. Carey Jr. and wife, Becky, of Concord; a daughter, Pamela Carey Brown and husband, David, of Raleigh; a brother, Joseph Hendrick and wife, Harriett, of Amherst, Virginia; grandchildren Melissa Carey Lynch and husband, Chad, H. Gregory Carey, Kristen Brown Sweet and husband, Ben, Kendra Brown Sudden and husband, Robert; and a great-great-grandchild; Wyatt Sweet.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 10086, Toledo, OH. 43699-0086.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Linda Kay Tant
Wake Forest
1944~2018
Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Linda Kay Tant, 74, went to heaven on Saturday December 22, 2018.
She was born in Wake County, the daughter of the late Thelma Horton Tant and Herman Tant, and was preceded in death by a brother, Charles H. Tant of Burbank, California.
She was a faithful member of Glen Royal Baptist Church.
Linda graduated from Forsyth School of Nursing and Salem College where she earned her degree in 1967. She was dedicated and loved others throughout her nursing career. She retired after 30 years of nursing. She loved Southern Gospel music, working with flowers for her church and watching the birds in her back yard.
God was first in her heart, followed by her church family and friends. She was grateful for their love, support and prayers in her declining years.
A funeral service was held at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon, December 28, 2018, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home. Burial followed in the Wake Forest Town Cemetery.
Linda is survived by a special cousin; Bob Warren and his wife Betsy of Charlotte, NC and many friends.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Transitions Life Care Hospice, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
