Steve Tyler Bland
Raleigh
Steve Tyler Bland, 51, of Raleigh, passed away June 17, 2018 surrounded by his family at WakeMed Hospital. He was born in Durham County on September 19, 1966. Steve was a graduate of North Carolina State University and was a senior account executive for ePlus Group Inc., a company that he has served for the past 27 years.
Growing up in Versailles, Kentucky, Steve played high school basketball and studied karate extensively. At N.C. State, he followed in the footsteps of his father, his uncle, and several cousins, becoming a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He maintained an abiding love of his TKE brothers throughout his life.
Although dedicated to his work, he also found time to take his boat out on Kerr Lake in the summers, tinker with his beloved 1993 Mustang, and follow his marksman grandfather’s meticulous calibration notes for ammunition reloading.
A private celebration of Steve’s life was held on June 30, 2018 at Clancy Strickland Wheeler Funeral Home.
Steve is survived by his wife, Patricia Lux Bland; parents, David and Betty Atkins Bland of Raleigh; sister, Dana (husband Tim Cowlishaw) of New York, New York; mother-in-law, Mary Lou Lux of Apex; sister-in-law, Angela (husband Guy Blough) of Wendell; sister-in-law, Jennifer Wilson of Garner; brother-in-law, Jeffrey Lux (wife Chrissy) of Willow Spring; his nieces and nephews, Ruby and Marilyn Cowlishaw, Aaron (wife Courtney) and Alexandra Blough, and Hunter and Marley Wilson; his beloved German Shepherd, Phoenixxe (‘Nixxe”); and many friends and extended family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: German Shepherd Rescue and Adoption, 1821 Hillandale Road, Suite 1B #326, Durham, NC 27705, or via their website, http://www.gsdrescue.org.
A service of Clancy Strickland Wheeler Funeral Home, 1051 Durham Road, Wake Forest, NC. (919)556-7400
Dr. Roderick A. Alston II
Wake Forest
Dr. Roderick A. Alston II, 48, of 12508 Oneal Road expired on June 27, 2018 at Duke Medical Center in Durham. He was born on December 22, 1969 in Cumberland County to Grace Simmons Alston and Roderick A. Alston Sr.
The funeral service will be professionally directed Sunday, July 8, 2018, at 3 p.m. at Rush Metropolitan AME Zion Church at 558 East Cabarrus Street in Raleigh. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 7, 2018, at Feggins & Feggins Chapel in Wake Forest.
His survivors are his wife, Dr. Genevieve Faison Alston; two children Chloe Alston and Roderick Andrew Alston III; his parents; Roderick Andrew Alston Sr. and Grace Simmons Alston of Wake Forest; a sister, Cicely (Simon) Justice of Durham; three nephews, three nieces, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
A service of Feggins & Feggins Funeral Service Inc., 430 North White Street, Wake Forest, NC. (919) 445-1018
Sylvia Thompson
Wake Forest
Sylvia Thompson of Wake Forest passed into the presence of the Jesus on June 30, 2018. She was born on August 9, 1945 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to John J. and Anne (Sestrich) Thompson, both of whom have preceded her in death.
In 1963 Sylvia graduated from Johnstown Central High School and began her career in the field of radiology when she trained as an x-ray tech at Johnstown Memorial Hospital. She worked in radiology at Rex and retired from there after which she worked in real estate for Raleigh-Cary Realty where she was presently employed.
She was an active member of Crossroads Fellowship in Wake Forest, where she was an Awana leader for many years. She enjoyed reading, watching classic movies, traveling domestically as well as internationally, but mostly loved hanging out with her family and friends.
She is survived by an incredible group of cousins who she loved so much and who will sense her absence very deeply. They were more like brothers and sisters. The Baltimore, Maryland gang includes Jim and Marian Krebs; Dolores and David Piligian; Mark and Kristen Nevin, and little Aly; Matt and Linda Danforth; and, Maryanne Ressler. The Cleveland, Ohio gang includes Robbie Solich; Rickie Solich; and, Jennifer Solich. The Johnstown gang includes Gene Solich and family and Rita Kissell. Also, Billy Solich of Seattle, Washington, and Mark and Tracy Kraus and daughter, Sarah, of Pittsburgh, Pennysylvania.
She was preceded in death by her dearly loved parents (already mentioned) and sister, Rose Marie; her beloved aunts, Guzzy Solich, Mary Sestrich, Sister Concelia, Sister Marion; and cousin-in-laws, Joanne Solich, Donna Solich, and Ross Ressler.
She will be sadly missed by so many friends and adopted families who she loved and was loved by so much. Best friends Barb Billings and Tim Kelly will feel her loss most keenly. She will be deeply missed by her adopted families including the Williams families, Crosbie family, Westberry families and Billings families. She will be most deeply missed by her adopted grandkid, Cole Westberry, Kai and Toran Williams and Gus Crosbie, as well as so many other children, all of whom knew her most affectionately as Nana. To attempt to name all of Sylvia’s accomplishments would be too lengthy but, to Sylvia, being Nana was her greatest achievement in life. Those lives she touched are forever changed and forever grateful for the amazing woman she was.
A visitation was held Tuesday, July 3, 2018, and the funeral and interment will be held Saturday in Pennsylvania.
A service of Bright Funeral Home, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
Linda Coker Alford
Wake Forest
Linda Coker Alford, 77, died on Sunday, July 1, 2018 at Transitions Hospice in Raleigh. She was born in Williamston, South Carolina on November 19, 1940.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents, the Reverend Jack and Sybil Coker, and her niece, Pam Branning.
She lived most of her life in Wake Forest, and in her 21-year career at Wake Forest Elementary School she helped hundreds of children improve their reading skills. Linda was a faithful member of her church and a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her commitment to her husband, family and friends was unrelenting, all-encompassing and she was a shining example of unselfish love and compassion. She is already sorely missed.
The funeral service will be held at Wake Union Baptist Church at 13345 Wake Union Road, Wake Forest at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 5. Visitation will be held at 3 p.m. in the fellowship hall of the church.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to Transitions Hospice or to Wake Union Baptist Church.
She is survived by Terry, her husband of 59 years; her sister, Annette Durham and her husband, Pat; her sons, Scott and Jeff and his wife, Sandy; granddaughter, Rebecca Rice, and her husband, Kevin; and her great-granddaughter, Ellie; and several nieces.
The family would appreciate you taking the time to leave comments about how she touched your life.
A service of Bright Funeral Home, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
Joan France (Greer) Heffernan
Raleigh
Joan Frances (Greer) Heffernan, born on September 21, 1934 in Covington, Tennessee, passed away at age 84 on June 29, 2018 in Raleigh. Her parents, the late Doris Dawson Fumbanks Greer and the late Felix Edgar Greer, as well as her brother, the late Felix Edgar Greer Jr., preceded her in death.
She graduated Byars-Hall High School in Covington, Tennessee in 1951 where they voted her Best Dressed and Most Beautiful. She was Queen of the Strawberry Festival in the 1950s and attended Gulf Park College in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1954. She graduated from Memphis State University (now University of Memphis) with a bachelor’s degree in business and special education and master’s degree in special education.
Much of her life was devoted to the field of education starting with a strong commitment in the 1960s to prepare schools for racial integration. She began working for the Memphis City Public Schools as one of the first teachers under the new national special education law in the ‘70s and for ten years worked in and developed some of the most cutting edge special education services of the time. In 1984, she became the educational director at Charter Lakeside Hospital and began running an educational therapy business called Academics Plus (A+) in Memphis. Joan was often sought after as an educational expert for television and radio interviews and stories across the state of Tennessee. Throughout her professional career, Joan also kept active in the fashion and beauty realm with various modeling, clothing, and cosmetic oriented jobs and experiences with various department stores, Origins and Chico’s.
She joined the Episcopal Church as an adult and became an active member of every church she joined including St. Matthews in Covington, Tennessee; St. Philips in Memphis, Tennessee; St. Luke’s in Hilton Head, South Carolina and The Falls Church in Falls Church, Virginia.
Joan has always been known for her beauty and brains. She enjoyed entertaining family and friends, dancing, walking on the beach and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She loved people and “never met a stranger” as her mother was fond of saying. Joan was an avid traveler and went to Greece, Turkey, Italy, Australia, and spend wonderful hours with friends in New York, California and Hawaii. Over the years, she has kept in close contact with many of her childhood friends. Joan loved spending time and staying in touch with her many cousins and their children and grandchildren.
After retiring from the education field, Joan began a second business called Redicare in Covington, Tennessee providing caregiving services to people in their homes. She also volunteered as a hospice care provider.
In 2000 she married the late George Heffernan and moved to Hilton Head Island, where she lived an active life tutoring children, taking part in various arts and theatre endeavors and volunteered in St. Luke’s bookstore and thrift store.
During her final years, she lived at Elmcroft assisted living in Raleigh near her son and grandchildren. The staff at Elmcroft loved her lively spirit and elegant style and will miss her greatly. She often expressed her appreciation for their devoted support and loving care.
During her first marriage to the late Raymond Wayne Moore she had four children. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Meredith Greer Moore and is survived by her sons, Raymond Wayne Moore Jr. and William Felix Moore; daughter, Frances Elizabeth Moore; and grandchildren, Peyton Banks Moore and Caleigh Meredith Moore. She is also survived by Ray’s wife, Melissa Prandi Moore, and many close relatives and friends. She is the widow of the late George Heffernan of Hilton Head Island.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to: St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Covington, Tennessee, Transitions LifeCare Hospice Home, Raleigh, North Carolina, or another preferred charitable organization.
Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center is handling arrangements with Maley-Yarbrough Funeral Home in Covington at 1701 Highway 51 S, Covington, TN 38019 Tel: 1-901-476-9778
A service of Bright Funeral Home, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
Ronald Woodrow Pearce
Zebulon
Ronald Woodrow Pearce, 75, went to be with his Lord on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. He was born at home on December 5, 1942 to the late Warenton and Clarice Bell Pearce. Ronald loved God and his family.
He really enjoyed singing and playing Southern gospel music. His passion for elderly ministry was known county-wide.
He was an elder in the Wake Forest Church of God, where he was able to spread his love of Godly healing. He always had anointing oil with him, and was glad to share his beliefs with others.
He is survived by: his loving wife, JoAnn; daughter, Priscilla; and grandsons, Aaron and Blake.
A memorial service was held Sunday, July 1, 2018 at Wake Forest Church of God.
A service of Bright Funeral Home, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
PatriciaThackston Ray
Wake Forest
“Miss Patty” was born in New Jersey to the late William James Thackston and Andrena Anderson Parker Thackston. She was the granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. John William Parker and Mr. and Mrs. William James Thackston of Greenville, South Carolina.
“Miss Patty” was a voracious reader and lover of art, music, history, and literature. In her later years she became an avid traveler, visiting more than thirty countries. Her relentless benevolence, selflessness, and nurturing nature was well known throughout the community, and she was well loved and appreciated as a result. Constantly surrounded by a swirling milieu of family, pets, close friends, social activity, and volunteer work, she always put others above herself. She especially loved working with young children at the pre-school and elementary levels. The impact she made on others is a wonderful legacy to her spirit.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, William Turner Ray Jr.; her infant sister, Mary; her sister, Jane Thackston Young; and her brother-in-law, David L. Young.
She is survived by her sons, Ashby Thackston Ray of Raleigh and her beloved grandchildren, Kettler L. Ray and Sutherland Turner Ray; her son, Randall Hinton Ray of Lexington, Virginia, and daughter-in-law, Kristi Redd; her nieces, Sarah Oakes, Charlotte Isgette, of Charleston, South Carolina; her niece, Rachel English of Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina; her great-nieces, Ariel Barnum, Parker Jane Isgette; and her great-nephew, Harvey Oakes. She is also survived by her dear friend, travel mate, and companion for the last twelve years of her life, Wallace McPherson of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
A celebration of her life will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church on July 7, 2018 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Kindred Hospice, PO Box 70, Oxford, NC 27565.
A service of Bright Funeral Home, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
