Katherine Griffin Cooke
Franklinton
Katherine Griffin Cooke, 92, of Franklinton passed away on Thursday, March 21, 2019. “Mama Cooke,” as she was known to many, was born February 21, 1927 in Franklin County to the late Mary Moody and Hinton Atlas Griffin. She attended Woodland Baptist Church and was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and homemaker. She retired in 2009 from the State of North Carolina as a food service assistant and was a great seamstress.
Funeral services were held at 3 o’clock Monday afternoon, March 25, 2019, at Woodland Baptist Church. Burial followed in the Flat Rock Baptist Church Cemetery.
She is survived by her children, Kathy Walker (Bob) and Donald Cooke (Carolyn), all of Franklinton; sisters, Rachel G. Johnson of Virginia, Betty G. Fox of Wake Forest, Judith G. Young of Asheville, and Virginia Smith of Wilmington; brothers, Atlas Eugene Griffin of Louisburg, Edward Lewis Griffin and Jerry D. Griffin both of Wake Forest, Harry Michael Griffin of Raleigh and David P. Griffin of Norlina; grandchildren, Michelle Walker McMullen (Chris), Heather Renee Siler (Evan), Christopher R. Walker (Chelsey), Melissa Carolyn Cooke, and Travis Donald Cooke (Melissa); great-grandchildren, Ava and Lydia Siler, Chloe Walker, Cameron, Brooklyn and L. Abigail Cooke. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William Vernon Cooke, and her brother, William R. Griffin.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 80 Health Park, Suite 10, Raleigh, NC 27615.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811)
William Voight ‘Bill’ Didawick Jr.
Raleigh
Bill Didawick, 83, died Monday, March 25, 2019. He was born on October 22, 1935 in Moorefield, West Virginia to the late William Voight Didawick Sr. and Fannie Tucker Didawick. He was a U.S. Army veteran as well a National Guard veteran
Bill worked as the manager for data processing for many years. He also enjoyed hunting, golfing and fishing.
Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Mincie Barbour Didawick; his children, Ed Didawick and wife, Dawn, and Eric Didawick and wife, Victoria; and grandchildren, Ryan, Tyler and Zane.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association’s National Office, 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at Bright Funeral Home.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811)
Kevin Martin McMahon
Wake Forest
Kevin Martin McMahon, age 80, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, March 16, 2019, at WakeMed in Raleigh due to complications from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Kevin was born on December 30, 1938 in Stretham, England, to Martin McMahon and Mary (O’Meara) McMahon. His first childhood memories were of the nightly bombing campaigns carried out by Nazi forces during the Blitz of London in World War II.
In an effort to escape the economic hardships brought upon England following World War II, he and his family immigrated to the United States when he was 14, settling in Paterson, New Jersey. Kevin spent 1961-1962 serving with the United States Army’s 7th Infantry Division in Korea, but received early honorable discharge after his only brother, Tommy, was tragically killed in training while preparing to deploy to Vietnam with the 101st Airborne.
Shortly after returning home, Kevin started a 28-year career with the New York City Police Department, first as a subway patrolman and eventually retiring as a lieutenant. He was inducted to the NYPD’s Honor Legion in 1984 for “acts of extraordinary bravery performed in the line of duty at imminent and personal danger to his life.” Kevin also spent a brief part of his NYPD career at John Jay College as a police sciences instructor.
In addition to Paterson, New Jersey, Kevin also spent part of his life living in Pearl River and Valley Cottage, New York, and eventually retired to Clearwater, Florida.
Kevin loved his children and grandchildren, the Catholic Church, military history, ballroom dancing, classical music, and coffee. He is survived by his loving children, Stephen and Anne-Marie, and his loving grandchildren, Anthony and Christopher.
Kevin’s final resting place is Salisbury National Cemetery, Salisbury, North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made on Kevin’s behalf to The ALS Association (alsa.org/donate).
He will be forever missed.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center. (919-556-5811)
Judith ‘Judy’ Ann Caprioli
Wake Forest
Judith “Judy” Ann Caprioli, 79, died Thursday, March 7, 2019. She was born December 8, 1939 to the late Harry and Gladys Wiese Nelis.
Judy grew up in West Allis, Wisconsin and lived a few houses away from the man she would later marry. Judy had no interest in Bob until his best friend, Judy’s brother Jimmy, set them up on a blind date. After that date they were inseparable. Throughout their years together they moved from Wisconsin, to Texas, to Georgia and then North Carolina. Their plans to retire in Wisconsin were scrapped after spending the winter.
Judy was an active member of Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church until she was bedridden and unable to attend mass. She was grateful to church members who would come and visit her.
Judy very much enjoyed her time with her family be it family get-togethers’ at home or camping. She always had baked goods available and loved to make pineapple upside down cake for her husband Bob. Judy loved to knit and made afghan blankets for all of her children and grandchildren. Judy also loved to play cards and socialize along with gardening.
Judy was preceded in death by a brother, James Nelis, and a sister, Katherine Nelis
Judy is survived by: her husband, of 55 years, Robert “Bob” Caprioli; her four children, Michael Caprioli and his wife, Denise, and their children, Christina Caprioli and Matthew Caprioli, Theresa Caprioli and her children, Mandi Solomon, Jay Melton Jr., Laci Melton and Christopher Melton; her three great-grandchildren, Jay Melton III, Kyleigh Melton and James Solomon Jr., Mark Caprioli and his wife, Lisa, and children, Aiden Caprioli, Holden Caprioli, and Micki Caprioli
Judy’s funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 30, 2019, at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church.
A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 405 South Main Street, Wake Forest. (919) 556-5811
