Martha Wilson Smith
Youngsville
Martha Wilson Smith, 74, of Youngsville made her journey home on Thursday, March 14, 2019, at WakeMed Hospital after a brief illness. She was born in Radford, Virginia to the late Carmen Webb Wilson and Cephus A. Wilson.
Martha was an office manager and vice president of Alexander Exterminating for 24 years before her retirement in 2007.
She was predeceased in death by her first husband, Kenneth Brown; her brother, Willie A. Wilson of Bland, Virginia; and by her second husband and love of her life, Jerry T. Smith.
Martha is survived by her daughters, Sharron Champion (Todd) of Franklinton, Leigh Melvin (Eddie) of the home and Dana Wade of Lexington. She is also survived by her stepsons, Cameron Smith (Emily), Skyler Smith (Megan) and Brian Smith, all of Georgia. Martha was blessed with 18 grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Claude Wilson (Brenda) of Dublin, Virginia.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
William David Ray
Durham
William David Ray, 78, passed away Sunday morning, March 17, 2019, at Transitions Life Care Hospice. He was born in Wake County, the son of the late Vallie R. Ray and Moses L. Ray.
A funeral service was held at 11 o’clock Tuesday morning, March 19, 2019, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home with the Rev. Dr. Mike Jones officiating.
A private burial will be in the Oak Grove Memorial Gardens in Durham at a later date.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Diane Joan Schmid
Raleigh
Diane Joan Schmid, 85, of Raleigh passed away Tuesday, March 12, 2019, in Raleigh. She was born January 5, 1934 in Buffalo, New York, a daughter of the late Victor and Jeanne (Pilkey) Gamble.
Diane enjoyed the beaches and shore vacations, camping and Disney World. She enjoyed watching people and spending time with them, and making ceramics. Diane enjoyed life to the fullest, avid reader, and loved McDonald’s chicken nuggets. She will be remembered for her super abilities with the TV remote and her love of movies. Her happiest moments in life were spent with her seven children, 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Diane is survived by her husband, Edward; and her seven children, Michael Schmid (Pam), Linda Hicks (Kevin), Pattie Heffner, Cheryl Schmid, Kathy Prewitt (Larry), Tom Schmid, and Jim Schmid; 13 grandchildren, Kurt Schmid, Eric Schmid, Kyle Schmid, Eddie Hicks, Amanda Viele (Walt), Tina Brantley (Travis), Tammie Cryer (Billy), Ciara Hawk, Emilie Hawk, Katie Meyer (Ed), Joey Hoyle, Stephen Prewitt, and Jeff Prewitt (Brittney); 17 great-grandchildren, Keith, Kole, Lilly, Chloe, Samantha, Nate, Ava, Ella, Sara, Oliver, Zion, Olivia, A.J., Sophia, Grayson, Eddie and Norah; and her two brothers, David and Dick Gamble.
A funeral mass was held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 18, 2019, at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Wake Forest. Interment followed at Sarasota National Cemetery, Sarasota, Florida.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Frances Adams Melvin
Raleigh
Frances Adams Melvin died unexpectedly at the Litchford Falls Healthcare and Rehab on Thursday, March 14, 2019, in Raleigh at the age of 87.
Frances is survived by her son, James E. “Eddie” Melvin II, his wife, Leigh, and grandsons, Joshua and Nikolas, of Youngsville. She was preceded in death by her father, James Adams of Fayetteville; mother, Ruth McGill Adams of Fayetteville; brother, James Adams Jr. of Fayetteville; and sister, Evelyn Wilson of Tar Heel.
Frances was born on June 12, 1931 in Fayetteville to James and Ruth Adams. She graduated from Fayetteville Senior High School in 1949. She worked with the Fayetteville City Schools, Cumberland County Courts and retired from NC Department of Correction, Probation and Parole with 25 years of service at which time she received the Order of the Longleaf Pine from Governor James B. Hunt. She was a generous and dedicated individual who loved the people she worked with and was passionate about changing and bettering their lives. She was an active and dedicated member of the community and was loved by all that knew her.
Due to cremation the family will have a private service. A Memorial to celebrate her life will be planned at a future time to be determined.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Franklin County Meals on Wheels in the name of Frances Melvin at 127 Shannon Village, Louisburg, NC 27549. Condolences can be sent to https://www.brightfunerals.com/ or mailed to the family at 116 West Persimmon Street, Youngsville, NC, 27596. The family would like to thank the staff of Litchford Falls for their care of her on the last days.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Margaret Hope Perry Finch
Youngsville
Margaret Hope Perry Finch, 89, of Youngsville passed away Wednesday, March 13, 2019. She was born May 11, 1929 in Franklin County, the daughter of the late Walter and Myrtle (Pully) Perry. Margaret was predeceased by her husband, William Dorsett Finch, in 2014.
A funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 17, 2019, at Popes Chapel Christian Church. Interment followed at the church cemetery.
Margaret is survived by her children, Clark Finch, Gayle Ray, Judy Todd and husband, Gary, and Tim Finch and wife, Sheila; grandchildren, Candice Keefer and husband, John, Jacob Ray and wife, Sarah, Sara Todd, Alena Todd, and Tyler Finch; and great-grandchildren, Daemion Ray, Eisen Keefer and Corbin Keefer.
Flowers are welcomed and memorial donations may be made to Popes Chapel Christian Church, 1237 Pocomoke Road, Franklinton, NC 27525.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Barclay Allen Megathlin
Raleigh
Barclay Allen Megathlin passed away peacefully in his home on March 13, 2019 at the age of 77. He was born on November 13, 1941 in Mansfield, Ohio to the late Earle Megathlin and Aimee Beauregard Megathlin.
He grew up in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, graduated from Fairhaven High School in 1960 and from Babson College in 1964 with bachelor’s degree in business administration and minor in English. He taught high school English, moved to Portland, Maine, and then to Boca Raton, Florida in 1969 where he resided until 1985. He worked at IBM from 1969 to 1990 as a computer programmer and later as a technical writer and editor. He moved to Raleigh, in 1985 and later to Wake Forest, where he resided until his death.
However, his main passion in life was music. He was the organist/pianist at Spanish River Church in Boca Raton, Florida from 1975 to 1985 and at Bay Leaf Baptist Church in Raleigh from 1987 to 2018. He was a piano teacher at North Raleigh Christian Academy for 15 years and had hundreds of private piano students in Florida and North Carolina. He played the piano and organ for hundreds of weddings, funerals, and other events over the years.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Kathryn Seabrooke Megathlin, who he married on July 23, 1966, who faithfully stayed by his side throughout his long journey with dementia. He is also survived by two daughters, Pamela Megathlin Scheurich and Kelly Megathlin Frazier; son, Christopher Allen Megathlin (wife Amy); granddaughters, Julia Scheurich and Sydney Frazier; grandsons, Ethan Scheurich, Dylan Frazier, and Connor Megathlin; and step-granddaughters, Haley and Emily Orr; brother, Earle Megathlin (wife Trudy); sister, Virginia Megathlin Warner (husband Lincoln); and numerous nieces and nephews as well as extended family.
Barclay enjoyed sailing on his family sailboat and later taught sailing, loved to play golf, watch baseball and was a passionate Boston Red Sox fan. He loved gardening, home projects, crossword puzzles, scrabble, being involved with his church, and spending time with his family going camping, canoeing, and fishing. Barclay and Kathy enjoyed travelling and went on many cruises together and visited Europe. He was always giving to others and asking what he could do to help others and eagerly giving of himself. He will be fondly remembered for his kind nature, hugs, and infectious laughter. He was a loving husband as well as a wonderful father and grandfather. He touched many lives as a piano teacher through generations of teaching. His smile radiated through his eyes and through his genuine spirit.
A memorial service and celebration of his life was held on Sunday, March 17, 2019, at 2 p.m. at Bay Leaf Baptist Church with a reception after the service in the church reception hall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The family wishes to express gratitude for all the family and friends who have been so supportive through this long emotional journey and many who have become like part of our family, particularly those at Bay Leaf Baptist Church. Barclay meant so much to so many people and his legacy will shine for many years.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
‘M.L.’
Rev. Martin L. Walters Jr.
Wake Forest
Rev. Martin L. Walters Jr. passed away on Sunday morning, March 10, 2019, at his residence. He was born in Anson County, the son of the late Elsie Preslar Walters and Martin L. Walters Sr. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne Wentz Walters; a son, David Walters; and a brother, Duran Walters.
A funeral service was held at 2 o’clock on Saturday afternoon March 16, 2019, at the Neuse Baptist Church, Wake Forest, and 2:30 Sunday afternoon, March 17, 2019, at the Sheets Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington. Between these two congregations, Rev. Walters served as pastor for nearly three decades. Burial was at the Forest Hills Memorial Park in Lexington
Rev. Walters is survived by his children and their spouses, Joe and Dawn Walters of Wake Forest, Johnny and Paula Walters of Louisburg, Kathy and Robert Bailey of Wake Forest, and Karen Walters of Wake Forest; grandchildren, Christopher, Benjamin Walters, Emily Walters Parnell, Sophie, Luci, and Keegan Walters, David, Lauryn, Aaron, and Elizabeth Bailey; sisters, Carolyn W. Williams of Greenville, South Carolina, Vivian Brooks of Charlotte, Joyce Taylor of Rock Hill, South Carolina; and brothers, Kenneth Walters of Rock Hill and Dwight Walters of Rabun Gap, Georgia.
In addition to being an amazing son, husband, father, and brother, Rev. Walters was a proud veteran of the United States Navy, and most importantly, was a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over four decades. He helped to establish many missions’ boards, and in his later years served as a representative for the International Board of Jewish Missions.
Memorial contributions can be made to the International Board of Jewish Missions (IBJM), PO Box 1386, Hixson, TN 37343.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
