Donald (Gus) Lee Cross
Wake Forest
August 14 ~ December 11, 2018
Gus Cross, 89, of The Villages, Florida, formerly of Wake Forest, passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, under the care of Cornerstone Hospice Care.
He was born August 14, 1929 in Newark, Ohio to the late John N. Cross, MD., and Dorothy M. Glesen.
He is survived by the love of his life, Donna Jean (Bell) Cross, and 10 children, Peggy Porterfield, Don Carroll, Greg Cross, Ann Correia, Amy Cross, Scott Cross, Eric Cross, Kevin Boekho, Becki Harris and Randy Redmond, and many grandchildren. He also took his nephew, Jack Cross, and niece, Kathy Cross, lovingly under his wing.
He attended high school at West High, Columbus, Ohio, and graduated in 1951 from Ohio State University with a degree in insurance. He was a member of the Ohio State golf team. He was passionate about all things Ohio State.
Gus began playing golf at 10; golf was his lifelong passion. In 1955 at Wake Forest he played a round of golf with the great Arnold Palmer. Gus lost by one stroke. He cherished the memory of that match.
Gus served his country as a member of the Army Reserve, attaining the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
Gus was a leader in the insurance industry, where he was active as a consultant all his life. He also was a very successful and beloved teacher who shaped the development of many young lives, first as a distributive education instructor and then as a GED teacher.
He excelled as a Boy Scout Master, mentoring seven young me to the rank of Eagle Scout, among them his son Greg.
Gus and Donna enjoyed the full-time camping lifestyle and travelled extensively. They became managers of the Escapee Campground in Benson, Arizona.
Gus was a humble man of few words but wonderful deeds. All who knew and loved him, cherished him and will hold him in their hearts.
A celebration of Gus’ life is scheduled for Tuesday, January 8, 2019, at 11 a.m. at the Lady Lake United Methodist Church in Lady Lake, Florida.
Keisa Raybon Phillips
Zebulon
Keisa R. Phillips, 56, passed away suddenly at her home on Friday, December 14, 2018. She was born July 1, 1962 in Wake County to the late Chester “CM” Raybon Jr. and Sylvia Gurley Raybon.
She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Timothy Dale Phillips; her mother, Sylvia Gurley Raybon; three brothers, Chester III, Elvis and Maurice Raybon; a sister, Kendra Raybon; two nieces, Gennie and Mary Raybon.
Visitation was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at Maurice Raybon’s home in Zebulon.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Onvia Nell (Long) Walker
Rolesville
Onvia Nell (Long) Walker of Rolesville passed away peacefully on December 14, 2018.
Nell, as she was called by friends, was born in Newnata, Arkansas on March 1, 1932 to Lewis and Mary Ellen Gertrude (Gower) Long. A graduate of Mountain View High School in 1949, she played the position of forward on the Mountain View High School Lady Yellowjackets basketball team. On November 28, 1953, she married Homer Edsel Walker in Lawrence, Kansas, and they started life together in Kansas City, Kansas. She worked as a bookkeeper for Transport Clearinghouse in Kansas City, Missouri, until the family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee and then, Southaven, Mississippi, where she worked for Mack Truck Lines before becoming a stay-at-home mom.
During this period in her life, she was the neighborhood chairman of the Mockingbird Neighborhood Area for the Tennessee/ Arkansas/ Mississippi Girl Scout Council. In this role, she was instrumental in helping to start and support many Girl Scout troops in North Mississippi. She also served as an Assistant Girl Scout Leader for her daughter’s Junior Girl Scout troop.
She returned to work in 1978 at John C. Hines Company where she filled many roles, including bookkeeper and administrative assistant to one of the company owners. At her daughter’s high school, Southaven High School in Southaven, Mississippi, she was an active member and officer with the Band Booster Club and spent many Friday nights supporting the Marching Charger band.
Nell and Homer retired to Newnata, Arkansas in 1998, where they enjoyed being around extended family and reconnecting with long-time friends.
Mrs. Walker was a long-time member of Carriage Hills Baptist Church in Southaven, Mississippi, where she served as a children’s Sunday School teacher and Vacation Bible School worker. In Arkansas, she attended Timbo Landmark Missionary Baptist Church.
Mrs. Walker’s family is planning a memorial service some time in the spring in Arkansas, after which she will be laid to rest beside her husband of almost 52 years, Homer Edsel Walker.
She is survived by her daughter, Debra Walker Elder, son-in-law, Chris Elder, granddaughters, Julie Elder and Lydia Elder, all of Rolesville, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; two brothers, Charles Long and Raymon Long; and four sisters, Opal Long, Edith (Long) Harris, Evie Jean (Long) Avey, and Gennie Lea (Long) Haney, and her parents.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that all memorials be made to Wake Forest Baptist Church Youth Music Ministry, 107 E. South Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27587, 919-556-5141, a ministry in which her granddaughters actively participate. If using the online donation link, please note in comments that the donation is for the Youth Music Ministry as a memorial to Onvia Nell Walker, and please list the same in the memo line of personal checks.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
John Vernon Sadler
Wake Forest
John Vernon Sadler, 80, of Wake Forest passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, December 15, 2018. He was born in Aurora to the late Myra Mayo and Walter Carmon Sadler.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Rebecca Joyner Sadler, and children, Will Sadler (Kim) of Salisbury and Darby Sadler (Jason Robinson) of Raleigh. He also leaves behind two grandsons, Cameron Sadler and Andrew Sadler of Salisbury. His loving siblings include Joseph Sadler (Marge) of St. Augustine, Florida, Ora Moore (Autry) of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and Mary Hill (Delano) of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Walter Carroll Sadler.
John attended Louisburg College and then served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Lake Champlain. He graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in electrical engineering and retired from Siemens Energy.
Memorial donations can be made to Transitions Lifecare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607; SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals, 123 Mason Farm Rd Chapel Hill, NC 27517; Good Days, 6900 Dallas Parkway, Ste 200, Plano, TX 75024; or The USO, PO Box 96860 Washington, DC 20077-7677.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Michael Anthony Cooley
Zebulon
Michael Anthony Cooley, 60, of Zebulon passed away on Sunday evening, December 16, 2018, at WakeMed in Raleigh.
Michael was born in Franklin County, the son of William Bervin Cooley and Shirley Ellington Narron.
A memorial service will be held at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon, December 20, 2018, in the chapel of Bright Funeral Home with Mr. Roy Pittman and Pastor Philip Lyon officiating.
Michael is survived by his father, William Bervin Cooley and his wife, Doris, of Youngsville; mother; Shirley Ellington Narron and her husband, Zeb, of Middlesex; brothers, Greg Cooley of Zebulon and Andy Cooley of Wake Forest; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and a special cousin, Elaine Hayes of Wake Forest.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Wake Forest Church of God Building Fund, 155 East Cedar Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
Friends may visit with the family from 1 to 2 Thursday afternoon before the service at Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Wake Forest, NC (919-556-5811)
Joseph Anthony Mandato Sr.
Wake Forest
Joseph Anthony Mandato Sr., 91, died at his home on December 13, 2018. He was born in Brooklyn, New York to the late John and Bessie (Sanzo) Mandato.
Joseph and his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland. Joseph served in the Army Air Corps during WW II then returned to Baltimore, where he married the former Thelma Martinelli on September 1, 1951. He spent his entire career in the construction industry. Joe and Thelma moved to Wake Forest in 1987 where he worked as a project manager/estimator for Moxley Masonry, Inc. until 2008.
Our dad was a warm and loving father who set an example of a strong work ethic. He cherished his family and stressed the importance of caring and supporting each other. He loved his Catholic faith and his country. He had a lifelong love of golf, playing at Paschal Golf Course until his health made it too difficult. He was an avid sports fan and followed the old Baltimore Colts, Orioles and Ravens as well as his adopted Carolina Panthers. He coached youth sports including softball, baseball, basketball and football and was a charter member and past president of the Edmondson Heights – Westview Optimist Club in Baltimore County.
In his retirement years at The Lodge, he was appointed an Ambassador and loved singing, trivia, crossword puzzles and sharing jokes. But mostly, he loved spending time with his family and many friends. He would rarely turn down a good martini.
He was the kindest and most intelligent man you could ever find. His wit and sense of humor were evident until the end.
He is survived by six children, Toni Mandato Moxley and partner, Duane Schmoeger, John J. and wife, Cindy, Susan Mandato Erat and husband, Mike, Joe Jr. and wife, Lisa, Jackie Finegan and husband, Patrick, and Jeannette Fisher and husband, Todd; his former son-in-law, Russ Moxley; his loving sister, Elaine Dulys and husband, Vytas, and family; 12 adoring grandchildren, John J. Mandato Jr., Angela M. Moxley, Andrea M. Squitieri and husband, Joe, Joseph Anthony Mandato III and wife, Alexandra, Jackie Bumiller and husband, Mark, Philip Fisher and wife, Jessica, Jason Fisher, Colton Fisher, Emily Fisher, Andrew Finegan and fiancé, Sarah Rhodes, Michael Finegan and Jack Finegan; great-grandchildren, Braedon Welsh, Sofia Bilski, Mason and Jackson Bumiller, Charley Mandato and Joseph A. Mandato IV due in January 2019 and Anthony Joseph Squitieri due in May 2019; step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his many cousins, nieces and nephews, in-laws and friends, especially those at The Lodge of Wake Forest.
He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, his brother, John, and sister, Barbara Mandato Duff, and their spouses. And his beloved grandson, Erick Nolan.
Visitation will be on Friday, December 28, 2018 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bright Funeral Home.
A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, December 29, 2019 at 11 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church with inurnment to follow immediately after the Mass in the church Memorial Garden. A luncheon will be provided in the school hall after the inurnment.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dad’s memory to the St. Catherine of Siena Bereavement Committee, 520 West Holding Ave., Wake Forest, NC 27587, to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Fred Owen Mitchell
Youngsville
Fred Owen Mitchell, 81, loving husband, father and grandfather passed away on Friday, December 14, 2018. Fred was born in Franklin County to the late Owen M. and Alice Mitchell. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, a sister, and his wife, Betty M. Mitchell.
A funeral service was held Tuesday afternoon, December 18, 2018, at Unity Baptist Church. Burial followed in Fairview Cemetery in Franklinton.
Mr. Mitchell is survived by a daughter, Kimberly Mitchell of Durham; a son, Charles Mitchell and wife, Kim of Youngsville; a grandson, Owen Mitchell of Youngsville; and a sister, Sarah Lowery of Youngsville.
Flowers are accepted or memorial contribution can be made to Unity Baptist Church, 6338 NC Hwy 96 West, Youngsville, NC 27596.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
Marvin Taylor Pearce
Raleigh
Marvin Taylor Pearce, 78, loving father and grandfather passed away on Wednesday, December 12, 2018. Marvin was born in Youngsville to the late Callie and Ophelia Pearce. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, and three sisters.
Funeral services were held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, December 18, 2018, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Norlina. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Marvin is survived by his three daughters, Wanda Stuart and husband, Russell of Garner, Telecia Sanders and husband, Mike of Lillington, and Tabatha Hurley and husband, Bob of Wake Forest; as well as his seven grandchildren, Matthew, Michael, Brianna, Zachary, Jacqueline, Amber, and Chloe. His loving brothers include William, Dwight, Daniel, and Mack.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
