Alma Kushman
Alma Kushman, 86, of Cary died Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at the Glenaire Retirement Community.
Born in Alexandria, Va., she was the beloved wife of the late Leaton Kushman. She appreciated the love, friendship and care of family and friends in Cary, Clearwater, Fla., and the Washington, D.C., area. Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Keith and Marsha Kushman of Tullahoma, Tenn.; John and Linda Kushman of Hockessin, Del.; and Frank and Peggy Kushman of Indianapolis, Ind.; four grandchildren, Patrick Kushman, Ashleigh Kushman Crane, Tracy Kushman and Stephanie Kushman; and two great-grandchildren, Patrick Kushman Jr. and Andrew Crane. A memorial service will be held at Glenaire on May 23. The Cremation Society of North Carolina is in charge of arrangements.
Jonathan "Stroe" J. Wilson
Jonathan "Stroe" Jason Wilson, 31, of Morrisville, formerly of Danbury, Conn., and New Milford, Conn., died Monday, May 10, 2004 at his home surrounded by his loving family.
Jon was born on Dec. 1, 1972 in Norwalk, Conn. While in Danbury, Jon was employed with ATMI as an analytical technician. He was attending Western Connecticut State University majoring in information management. During his spare time, he enjoyed BMX freestyling. Music was his greatest passion.
He is survived by his fiancee, Tracia Smoya Wolfe, and daughter, Arianna Rebecca Wilson, both of Porters Mountain, Jamaica; mother, Joyce Clair Wilson of Morrisville; sister, Lisa "Wilson" Villarouel and husband, Kevin Sr. of Havelock; maternal grandmother, Gloria Campbell of Negril, Jamaica; aunts, Marian Campbell, Rosemarie Gordon and Patricia Martin; uncles, Lloyd Campbell, Algie Givens, William Givens and Randy Givens; great-aunts, Mabel Dunbar, Nellie Williams and Francella Williams; great-uncles, George Broomfield and Vincent Lynch; and nephews, Kevin, Cameron and Jason. Also surviving are his special cousins, Melissa McCaw and Matthew Gethers, both of Connecticut. Jon leaves behind many cherished cousins and friends.
Jon was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Eugene Wilson of Dendron, Va.
The family received friends Friday evening, May 14, at Apex Funeral Home.
A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. today, May 20, in the Church of St. Mary The Virgin, Negril, Jamaica. He will be buried in Red Ground Cemetery, Negril, Jamaica, West Indies, his family's cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Connecticut.
Vasti Lorene Jones Graybeal
Vasti Lorene Jones Graybeal, 82, of Glenaire Retirement Community in Cary, died on May 17, 2004.
A funeral service was held at Forest Hill Baptist Church in Raleigh on Wednesday, May 19. Internment followed at Raleigh Memorial Park. The family received friends May 18 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary.
Vasti Graybeal was born a Georgia "peach" and always kept that complexion. She was raised in Florida, where she met and married a handsome soldier from Maryland, Kyle Graybeal. Their married life of 55 years led them to North Carolina, where she lived most of her adult life. In Wilmington she raised her three children, Robin, Dean and Kyleen. She was very active in the church, Sunset Park Baptist, and had leadership roles in the Women’s Missionary Union.
When Cary became home for the Graybeals, Vasti began a real estate career that spanned over 20 years. She found "homes" for many people and affected their lives with the stability of a home life. Robin and his wife, Judy, settled in Cary, where they raised a son. David. He and his wife, Anne, currently reside in Atlanta. Dean and Linda Graybeal live in Raleigh and have a son, Geoffrey, of Chapel Hill. Kyleen has a son, Charlie Elks, who lives in Greensboro with his wife, Letitia. Kyleen and her fiancée, Allen Jones, reside in High Point. Ironically, although Vasti has three grandsons, she has three great-granddaughters, Katie, Caroline and Lizzi. Vasti's time as a "homemaker" was a legacy for her family.
Vasti and Kyle moved to Glenaire Retirement Community in Cary. Memorial contributions can be made to its foundation. At Glenaire, Vasti enjoyed life and shared her vivacious personality with her friends from there and her church home, Forest Hills Baptist Church. Contributions can be made there as well.
She led a full and blessed life!
"The ability of her hands fed our bodies, the beauty of her ministry fed our souls, and the strength of her spirit will live on."
Any expression of sympathy will be appreciated by her family.
Louise H. Holleman
Louise H. Holleman, 85, of Chatham County, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at Hillcrest Convalescent Center in Durham after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer's. She enjoyed decades of attending Bell's Baptist Church. She taught Sunday school there, and grew and arranged its flowers each Sunday for many years. Her family will miss her wonderful home-cooked meals and glorious flowers that were a tribute to her hard work ethic. Many Chatham County youngsters were fortunate to have learned sewing and homemaking from Louise, as a result of her many years as a 4-H leader. A service celebrating her life and homegoing was held Wednesday afternoon, May 26, in the Bells Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Bells Cemetery.
Surviving are two sons, L. Worth Holleman Jr. and wife Kim of Greensboro, and Timothy A. Holleman and wife Ann of Chapel Hill. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Caroline, Worth and Elliott of Greensboro, and Christy and Anna of Chapel Hill; three sisters, Blonza H. Smith of Apex, Clorine H. Marsh of Greensboro and Harriet H. Tellefsen of Wilson; and many special nieces and nephews.
The family received friends Tuesday evening, May 25, at the Apex Funeral Home.
Flowers are welcome, or memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.
Judith Ann Johnson
Judith Ann Johnson, 57, died Saturday, May 22, 2004. She was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., to James and Dorothy Nardulli. Judy had resided in Cary since 1976. She taught at Sacred Heart Cathedral School from 1976 through 1985 and was a member of the church choir from 1976 through 1989. She also taught preschool at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church for several years.
Judy is survived by her husband, Robert Johnson of Cary; one son and one daughter, Seth Johnson and Cara Johnson, both of Cary; a brother, James Nardulli of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and two sisters, Grace Regutti of Cary and Jackie DeVito of Apolla, Pa.
The Mass of Christian burial was celebrated Wednesday morning, May 26, at Sacred Heart Cathedral Church.
The family received friends Tuesday evening, May 25, at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Ataxia Foundation, 2600 Fernbrook Lane, Suite 119, Minneapolis, MN 55447-4752.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.MeM.com.
Lena Hall Medlin
Lena Hall Medlin, 76, of Apex, died May 24, 2004 due to an extended illness. She was a native of Nash County.
Mrs. Medlin was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hunter Medlin, in 2002 and by a grandson, Ronald Michel Pittman.
Funeral services will be held today, May 27, at 11 a.m. in the Apex Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in the Apex Cemetery.
Survivors include a son, Ronald Pittman and wife Patti of Bear Creek; a brother, Charlie Hall and wife Lillian of Rocky Mount; three grandchildren, Melisa Dawn Pittman, Matisha Rose Pittman and Diane Michele Pittman; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
The family received friends Wednesday evening, May 26, at Apex Funeral Home.
Paul Walter Becker
Paul Walter Becker, 74, of 402 Geranium Court, died Sunday, May 30, 2004 at Harnett Manor Nursing Home, Lillington. Mr. Becker was a World War II veteran. Memorial services were held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, at Angier Baptist Church, 155 S. Hickory St. Inurnment will be at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery.
Mr. Becker is survived by his wife, Nan Becker; children, Kevin Becker and his wife, Margaret, and Mark Becker, both of Maryland; step-children, Glenn Holleman and his wife, Josie of Dacula, Ga., and Rachel Price and her husband, Coley of Angier; grandchildren, Will and Henry Becker; and sister, Ruth Aubrey and her husband, Jim of Pennsylvania; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association, North Carolina Eastern Chapter, 400 Oberlin Road, Suite 208, Raleigh, NC 27605-1351.
Services were entrusted to Apex Funeral Home, 511 W. Williams St., N.C. 55, Apex.
Margaret (Peggy) Walker Gasperson
Margaret (Peggy) Walker Gasperson died Saturday, May 29, 2004 at her home. She was born in Wilmington on Sept. 15, 1928, daughter of the late Harvey Pender Walker and Margaret King Walker.
She graduated from Needham Broughton High School, class of 1946, and N.C. State University, class of 1951. She was a social worker in Johnston and Wake counties and served as secretary and treasurer at Stay Right Tank Company Inc. for 40 years.
Peggy is survived by her husband of 53 years, George C. Gasperson Jr.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Beth and Mike Franklin and Sally and Chuck Booth; five grandsons, Walker, Barrett and Hunter Franklin and Charlie and Justin Booth, all of Raleigh.
The family received friends Monday, May 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 S.E. Maynard Road in Cary.
A funeral service was conducted Tuesday, June 1, at 11 a.m. at Macedonia United Methodist Church in Cary. Entombment followed at 1 p.m. in Historic Oakwood Cemetery's Mausoleum.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Wake County, 1300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC 27605 or Macedonia UMC Building Fund, 2700 Jones Franklin Road, Cary, NC 27511 or NCSU Alumni Association, in care of Younts Taylor Garden Terrace, Campus Box 7503, Raleigh, NC 27695-7503.
