Jeffrey Leonard Hoffman
Wake Forest
October 1, 1966 ~ June 18, 2017
Jeffrey Leonard Hoffman, 50, of Wake Forest passed away Sunday, June 18, 2017. Jeff was born in Duplin County and grew up in the Lincolnton area.
Jeff was the youngest son of Thomas Marshall Hoffman and Betty Harris Hoffman (Turner), who both preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by an older brother, Thomas Marshall Hoffman Jr. (aka Tommy or “Butch”).
He is survived by two sisters, Pamela Hoffman Springston, of Washington, and Myra Hoffman Carter (spouse: Daniel) of Dallas; his soulmate and lifelong friend, Joey Groves of Raleigh; and sister-in-law, Teresa Carawan Hoffman (widow of Tommy Jr.)
He was a graduate of East Lincoln High School, Class of 1985 and attended Appalachian State University. For a time during the late 1980s/early 90s, he lived in the beautiful Golden State of California.
Jeff was a joyful, adventurous spirit who was well loved, just as he loved. His quick wit and intellectual talents were well appreciated by his family, friends and employers. He had a kind heart and an easy smile, and particularly enjoyed being near the ocean or beach. He had a generous spirit and infectious laughter that echoes amongst us even now.
He enjoyed spending time with friends and participating in family events. He loved good music, good food, movies, travel, and anything purple. As a music fan, he was the kind who rarely missed an opportunity to sing along with a song. He had a vivid memory and a unique imagination. He was fascinated by travel and took every opportunity he could to see new places in the world. He made friends everywhere he went.
As a traveler and emissary of laughter and friendship, Jeff leaves a legacy of friends that reach across the continent.
The family had two services: The first memorial service was held at Fraley Memorial Baptist Church in Gastonia on Saturday, June 24. A second service was on Sunday, June 25, at Falls Baptist Church with burial at Falls Community Cemetery.
The family wishes to extend their sincerest thanks for the generous outpouring of love and support received and expressed by his many friends and loved ones.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Falls Community Cemetery, 9705 Fonville Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
A service of Clancy Strickland Wheeler Funeral Home, 1051 Durham Road, Wake Forest, NC.(919-556-7400)
Ann ‘Danny’ Ray
Wake Forest
Ann “Danny” Ray, 83, died Tuesday, June 27, 2017.
Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Wake Forest, NC
Sandra ‘Sandy’ Minor
Youngsville
Sandra “Sandy” Minor, 60, died Tuesday, June 27, 2017.
Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Wake Forest, NC
Betty Baugh Young
Wake Forest
Betty Baugh Young, 79, passed away on Tuesday morning, June 20, 2017, at her residence. She was born in Bland County, Virginia, the daughter of the late Hallie Umbarger Baugh and Philip Crocket Baugh. She was preceded in death by a son, Charlie Roland Young Jr.
A funeral service celebrating her life was held Friday morning, June 23, 2017, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home with the Rev. J. Marshall Neathery officiating. Burial followed in the Wake Forest Cemetery.
Mrs. Young is survived by her husband, C. Roland Young; a daughter, Sandra Y. Jones; a son, Dennis Young; grandchildren, Jeffery B. Jones, Christina Burrell, Jessica Dawn Young, Melissa M. Young and Laura A. Young; and four great-grandchildren.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC. (919-556-5811)
Frederick Lee ‘Freddie’ Wood
Rolesville
Frederick Lee “Freddie” Wood, 76, of Rolesville,\ passed away Monday afternoon, June 19, 2017, at his home. He was born in Franklin County, the son of the late Ennis and Dollie Gupton Wood, and was a member of Rolesville Baptist Church. Mr. Wood was a retired carpenter and was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Funeral services were held Thursday morning, June 22, 2017, at Rolesville Baptist Church. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Mr. Wood is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sandra Brown Wood; sons, Chris Wood and wife, Crystal, and Tracy Wood and wife, Susan; grandson, Collin Wood; brother, Larry Wood and wife, Wanda; and nieces, Amanda and her husband, Tim, and Stephanie.
Flowers are welcome or memorial contributions may be made to Rolesville Baptist Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 185, Rolesville, NC 27571 or to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC. (919-556-5811)
Johnny Edward Johnson
Wake Forest
Johnny Edward Johnson, 72, passed away Tuesday morning, June 20, 2017, at his residence. He was born in Johnston County, the son of the late Eliza Bunn Johnson and Ashley Ivey Johnson.
A memorial service honoring his life was held at Saturday afternoon, June 24, 2017, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home with Rev. Mark Pergerson officiating.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife, Dora Mae Johnson; daughters, Tanya McCord (Bob) of Franklinton and Maranda Mason (Rod) of Louisburg; a sister, Josephine “Jo” Wall (Doug) of Clayton; brother-in-law, Junior Sullivan of Wake Forest; and grandchildren, Autumn Best (Brandon) of Smithfield, Hunter Mason (Syerra Hicks) of Louisburg and Ethan Mason of Louisburg.
Memorial contributions can be made to Victory Junction Gang Camp, 4500 Adam’s Way, Randleman, NC 27317.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC. (919-556-5811)
Mary Ellenorah Lowry Howington
Wake Forest
Mary Ellenorah Lowry Howington passed away at home on Monday, June 19, 2017, two months shy of her 100th birthday, surrounded by family and friends. She was born on August 28, 1917 in New Albany, Indiana, the youngest child and only daughter of Adalaide Jasper Lowry and Stewart Lowry.
Mary, however, never knew her father due to her parent’s estrangement before her birth. The day after Mary graduated from high school she became the breadwinner for her mother and at times some of her extended family. In the 1940s they moved from New Albany to Palm Beach, Florida, then to Orlando where Mary worked for the Civil Service.
While at work, Mary met her future husband, Erastus Cyril Howington (Rasty), and it was literally love at first sight. More than 50 years later, it was still hard for her to put into words the feeling that they both felt when they first saw each other. Mary and Rasty moved to Las Vegas where they married and worked for the Civil Service at Nellis Air Force Base. They had two children, Erastus Cyril Howington Jr. of Raleigh, and a daughter Nedra Nual, who died three hours after birth. Mary, Rasty and Cy (whom they called Butch) joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 7, 1964. It was at church that she was introduced to family history work, and she was hooked.
Rasty passed away on November 7, 1971, leaving Mary a widow at the age of 54. Cy had just left to serve a mission for the LDS church in England. Mary encouraged him to stay on his mission, assuring him that she would be OK, and then immediately dug into her new life by teaching herself how to drive.
Becoming very independent, she would drive all over the country, researching her ancestors and pursuing “clues” to their lives. She was very proud of the fact that she had an ancestor, Goodie Garlick, who was tried as a witch, but only found guilty of being extremely grumpy. Genealogy became one of her passions and she served in the Family History Center of the LDS church both in Las Vegas and in Raleigh for over 50 years.
Mary always loved learning and took many classes at UNLV in Las Vegas and, after moving to Raleigh in 1990, continued taking courses through the community college. Mary also made several friends at church who only spoke Spanish, so in her eighties, she started taking Spanish classes so she could converse with them. Writing was another of her passions and she wrote many stories and poems during her life. She sold her poems to greeting card companies and had one of her stories published in the Raleigh News and Observer. She continued to love words up until the end when playing banangrams and making word puzzles brought her a great deal of joy.
Mary’s 99 years of life spanned a time when women had just received the right to vote. She lived through the Great Depression, two world wars and the magnificence and calamity that we have today. She embraced it all and was truly a woman of determination and courage.
Mary leaves behind her son, Erastus Cyril Jr. (Cy); daughter-in-law, Julie; five grandchildren, Lori (Dave) Collier, Janelle (Ismael) Vergara, Ben (Annie) Howington, Kimmy Howington and Holly (Ryan) Sweetwood; 13 great grandchildren, Chloe, Jonah, Max, Layne and Adalaide Collier, Judith Vergara, Jack, Lila, Alice and Georgia Howington, and Genevieve, Maggie and Caroline Sweetwood; her favorite (and only) niece, Sherri Dominagoni; as well as her dearest friend, Terry Moore.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 8, 2017, at 2 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 5060 Six Forks Road, Raleigh. There will be visitation with the family immediately afterward..
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC. (919-556-5811)
