Susan Leigh Holding
St. Petersburg, Florida
Susan was born July 20, 1967, to Thomas E. Holding III and Sue Hankins Holding. She lived in Wake Forest and attended Ravenscroft School in Raleigh where she graduated in 1985. Susan also attended East Carolina University. She lived and worked in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she passed away on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, after a lengthy illness.
Susan is survived by her mother, Sue, and by her younger brother, Thomas.
The family requests that donations made in Susan’s name to the Raleigh Rescue Mission.
The family will receive visitors from 7 to 8 on Friday evening, April 1, 2016, at Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 S. Main St., Wake Forest, NC 27587. (919-556-5811)
Margaret Mary Stephens
Zebulon
Margaret Mary Stephens, 65, of Zebulon died Sunday morning, March 27, 2016, at Duke Raleigh Hospital.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home with Jaime O’Brian officiating. The family will receive visitors one hour prior to the service in the funeral home.
Mrs. Stephens is survived by her husband, William R. Stephens, of the home; children, Carrie Ann Klein-Sichterman of Cary; Jeremy Klein of Henrietta, New York; Jeffrey Klein of Mendon, New York; several grandchildren; and her father and mother-in-law, Robert and Emi Stephens of Wake Forest.
Memorials may be directed to SPCA of Wake County, 200 Petfinder Lane, Raleigh, NC 27603. www.spcawake.org.
A service of Bright Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 405 S. Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587. (919-556-5811)
Lucille Vastlik
Wake Forest
Lucille Vastlik, 85, of Wake Forest passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2016.
A graveside service funeral will be held at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon, April 2, 2016, at Wake Forest Cemetery.
Lucille is survived by her daughter, Rosemary Jackson and husband, William, of Wake Forest; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a sister, Shirley. Lucille was preceded in death by her husband, Frank A. Vastilik Jr.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811)
Clifford Allan Prehn
Youngsville
Clifford Allan Prehn, 67, of Youngsville and formerly of Geneva, Ohio, passed away on Friday, March 25, 2016, at the Hospice Center Hock Family Pavilion in Durham after a two-year struggle with sarcoma. He was surrounded by his loving wife and children.
There will be a visitation with the family on Wednesday, March 30, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Bright Funeral Home Chapel in Wake Forest. A service will be held immediately following the visitation at 2 p.m.
Clif is survived by his devoted wife of 41 years, Paula (Todd); a son; Eric (Annette) Prehn of Haskins, Ohio; a daughter; Jennifer (Daniel) Tabor of Wake Forest; a sister; Karen (Mary Lorenz) Ford of Burien, Washington; a brother, Dale (Rebecca) Prehn of Henderson, Nevada; nephew; Jerry Prehn; and nieces; Carla (Prehn) Clark and Madison Prehn. He will be sorely missed by his grandchildren; Alexandria Miller, Samantha and Zachary Tabor, and Andrew Prehn.
Clif was preceded in death by his parents, Roland and Norma (Bettinger) Prehn; brother, Douglas Prehn; grandson, Travis Prehn; and honored uncle, Lawrence Bettinger.
Clif graduated from Madison High School in 1966 and then attended the University of Akron. He served in the US Air Force from 1968-1972.
Clif loved all types of games and competitions including golf, cards, chess, and checkers. He held a long career in information technology. He enjoyed his work at Key Bank as a network engineer where he specialized in scripting. His co-workers described him as a trusted advisor and mentor. His love of technology extended into evenings and weekends as he enjoyed online gaming.
Clif was a dedicated husband, father and grandfather. When his children were growing up, he imparted sportsmanship and ethics while coaching his kids’ little league teams. He enjoyed fishing and driving his boat (The Red Raven) while vacationing with his family in Canada or on Lake Erie.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Sarcoma Foundation of America at curesarcoma.org or 9899 Main Street, Suite 204, Damascus, MD 20872.
A service of Bright Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 405 S. Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587. (919) 556-5811.
Dorothy Jean Autry Wood
Zebulon
Dorothy Jean Autry Wood, 81, of Zebulon passed away Thursday, March 24, 2016. She was born in Wake County, the daughter of the late David Autry and Margie Hardie Autry.
Funeral services were held at 11 o’clock Monday morning, March 28, 2016, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home. Burial was in Raleigh Memorial Park.
Mrs. Wood is survived by her children, Teresa Maiden of Zebulon, Robert Wood Jr. of Louisburg, Shelby Hackworth of Ohio, Vincent Wood of Rolesville, Chris Wood of Louisburg and Troy Curtis Dean Jr. of Wendell; a sister, Thelma Wall of Virginia; a brother, Edward Lee Autry of Georgia; 17 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811)
Ben Walter ‘B.W.’ Neville Jr.
July 5, 1929 – March 22, 2016
Wake Forest
Ben Walter “B.W.” Neville Jr., 86, of Wake Forest passed away peacefully at home on March 22, 2016. Ben was in active service in the United States Army and was a Korean War veteran. He retired from Overnite Transportation after 35 years of service, and continued to work for Leith Auto until early 2015.
Funeral services were held at 11 o’clock Friday morning, March 245, 2016 at Rolesville Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Randy Bridges officiating. Burial was in the Scarborough Family Cemetery.
Ben is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Dorothy Scarborough Neville; son David (Lynda) Neville; grandchildren, Brandon (Mary Beth) Neville, Jennifer (Robert) Griffin, Sarah (Blair) Thomas, Kari (Christopher) Cowperthwaite, and Melanie (Bryan) Wright; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Mary Neville; by a beloved son, Michael D. Neville; and four sisters, Mary Stallings, Myrtle Perry, Mildred Fowler, and Ruth Carroll.
The family would like to extend sincere appreciation to the staff at Wake Med, Duke Raleigh, and Rex Hospitals for their care over the past year, and to Transitions Hospice for their service and support.
Memorial contributions may be made to Rolesville Baptist Church, P. O. Box 185, Rolesville, NC 27571.
Pallbearers were Waylon Deans, Keith King, Bobby Fowler, Steven Stager, Sean Anders, Greg Bell, Frankie Jobe, and Pete Davis.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Wake Forest, NC (919-556-5811)
Bobbie Keith Lane
Durham
Bobbie Jean Keith Lane, 67, of Durham, formerly of Wake County, passed away Wednesday, March 23, 2016, at Transitions Life Care. She was born in Wake County and was the daughter of the late Connie and Mary Walker Keith.
Funeral services were held at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, March 29, 2016, in the Chapel of Bright Funeral Home. Burial was in the Keith Family Cemetery.
Bobbie is survived by her daughters, Ellie Stevenson and husband, Douglas, of Hillsborough and Kerry Williams and husband, Dennis, of Knightdale; son, Donald Johnson of Creedmoor; grandchildren, Faith and Hope Stevenson and Hailey Williams; sister, Minnie Ross of Wake Forest; and brother, Doug Keith of Seattle, Washington.
Memorial contributions may be made to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811)
Carley Hughie Smith
Morehead City
Carley Hughie Smith of Morehead City was laid to rest on Saturday, March 26, 2016, with a graveside service at 11 a.m. at Raleigh Memorial Park. He was by God’s grace released from his pain Tuesday, March 22, 2016.
Carley loved to fish, hunt, and garden. Playing old hymns and country music on his guitar brought him great joy. His last request was to play his old guitar and sing his favorite hymns.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Edna Smith; son, Danny E. Smith, and his wife, Delores; daughter, Sandra Smith Holt; grandsons, Bryan Holt, and his fiancée, Kerri, Jason Holt and his wife, Angie, Kevin Holt, Joshua Smith, and Andy Smith; step-granddaughters, Pam Plyler and Renee Jordan; great-grandchildren, Hollie Estes, Luke Jordan, Kendal, Jayci, Joey and Riley Holt; and his daughter-in-law, Jutta Smith.
Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his son and namesake, Donnie Hughie Smith; step-grandson, Bill Plyler; and by his parents, Archrael and Nealie Mills Smith.
A service of Bright Funeral Home and Cremation Center. (919 556-5811)
Rosemary Deeley Charles
1953 ~ 2016
Youngsville
Rosemary Deeley Charles, 62, of Youngsville passed away on Sunday, March 20, 2016, at her residence. She was born in Royal Leamington Spa, England, the daughter of the late Myrtle Barr Deeley and Ronald Deeley.
Mrs. Charles is survived by her husband, Richard R. Charles; a daughter, Laura Charles Hilla and husband, Curt; a son, Christopher Charles; grandchildren, Matthew Hilla, Natalie Charles, Ashley Charles and Cameron Charles; sisters, Pat, Audrey, Sandy and Gill; and brothers, Andy and Robert.
The family requests that flowers be omitted.
A memorial visitation was held from 1 to 3 Saturday afternoon, March 26, 2016, at the Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811)
Michelle Simone Barlow
Wake Forest
On the evening of March 22, 2016, Michelle Simone Barlow passed away suddenly due to injuries sustained when her vehicle was rear-ended by a dump truck on Capitol Boulevard south of Wake Forest. Michelle was returning from a teacher’s workshop at the Wake County Public School System central office in Cary. Michelle, having just been named the intervention coordinator at Wake Forest High School, attended this workshop to help develop a plan to support struggling students. She was 42 years old.
Michelle Lynn Simone was born on June 3, 1973, at Kent County Memorial Hospital in Warwick, Rhode Island. She is the second born and only daughter of Lynn E. Simone and Donald V. Simone of Smithfield, Virginia.
Michelle’s life was one that could best be described as both loving and serving. Whether in her home, classroom, church, or community, she lived in such a way that made a great impact on the lives of everyone everywhere. Her love for teaching, though great as it was, would always be second to the love she had for the students themselves. Her desire was to meet each student’s needs right where they were while always placing the greater value on the heart of the student and the development of their truest potential. Those that knew Michelle knew of her love of cooking and fellowship around the table with family, friends, and students. This act of loving service along with her nurturing lifestyle is what earned her the name “Ma” as well as many new sons and daughters. Michelle cared deeply as well for her family, friends, co-workers, and community, always placing the lives of others before her own in sacrificial acts of service. This “fruit” of Michelle’s life is a testimony to her unashamed and unwavering faith that is planted firmly in her loving Savior, Jesus Christ.
Michelle is preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Domenic and Alice Simone of Coventry, Rhode Island, and maternal grandparents Clayton and Flo Griscom of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Michelle is survived by her husband, Michael Craig Barlow; her two children, Rhett Michael and Vanessa Renee Barlow; her parents, Donald V. and Lynn E. Simone; and her brother, Anthony Lee Simone and his family. She will also be greatly missed by extended family, church family, co-workers, students and friends worldwide.
There was a life celebration service for Michelle in Virginia on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, at 1 p.m. in the gymnasium at Franklin High School in Franklin, Virginia, as well as a second service in North Carolina on Friday, April 1, 2016, at 3 p.m. in Binkley Chapel on the campus of Southeastern Baptist Theology Seminary in Wake Forest.
Instead of flowers donations can be made to World Vision. This is a charity that the Barlow family has been supporting continually for over ten years in the hopes to see an end to global hunger. Donations can also be made for use in local needs to Restoration Church in Wake Forest in honor of Michelle.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 S. Main St., Wake Forest, NC 27587 (919-556-5811).
