Robert S. Sherwin
Robert S. "Bob" Sherwin, 69, a resident of Cary, died Dec. 5, 2004 at St. Marien Hospital in Amberg, Germany.
Born Feb. 17, 1935, in Spangler, Pa., he was the son of the late Lee A. Sherwin and Lois R. (McMinn) Sherwin. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Linda Sherwin and Marguerite Restich.
Surviving are: his wife of 42 years, JoAnne (Sparrer) Sherwin of the home; daughters, Catherine Hatcher and spouse Kevin Hatcher, Tracy Zothner and spouse Eric Zothner, Leslie Aldridge and spouse Trey Aldridge, all of Apex; son, Robert K. Sherwin and spouse Holly Sherwin of Morrisville; and grandchildren Hannah Hatcher, Andrew Hatcher, Kristie Zothner, Matthew Zothner and Mary Alison Aldridge. He is also survived by two sisters, Nancy Sherman of Lewistown, Pa., and Alice Sherwin of Carnegie, Pa.; three brothers, P. David Sherwin of Montgomery, Texas, Samuel Sherwin of Foley, Ala., and Daniel Sherwin of Harrison City, Pa.; and many nieces and nephews.
Bob served for 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an F-4 fighter pilot with the rank of major. He was an airline pilot for 25 years with Eastern Airlines before retiring in 1989.
The family received visitors at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary on Friday, Dec. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. A memorial service was held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home's Chapel on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to Good Hope Baptist Church Building Fund, 6628 Good Hope Church Road, Cary, NC 27519.
Debra Ann Gray Collins
Debra Ann Gray Collins, 50, of Apex died Dec. 15, 2004, with her loving and caring family by her side.
Mrs. Collins was retired from the Information Systems Technology Department at Underwriters Lab.
She is survived by her husband, Larry B. Collins of the home; one daughter, Karen Collins Medlin, and husband Fred, of Apex; one son, Bryan Gray Collins, and wife Sarah, of Holly Springs; and two grandchildren, Tyler Medlin and Zachary Medlin. She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Katie Collins.
She also is survived by her parents, Charles T. and Jackie Cash Gray of Apex; her in-laws, Jasper and Frances Collins of Holly Springs; one brother, Tony Gray, and wife Ann, of Lancaster, S.C.; a sister, Robin Blalock, and husband William, of Durham; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and a special pet, Lexus Collins.
A funeral was held Sunday, Dec. 19, at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church with the Rev. Buddy Johnson officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
The family received friends Saturday afternoon at Apex Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to the Katie Collins Fund at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, 1288 Mt. Pisgah Church Road, Apex, NC 27523.
Catherine Gowen
Catherine Gowen died peacefully at Rex Hospital in Raleigh on Dec. 20, 2004, after a brief illness.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James; her sister, Mary Kralik; and her brother, John Mahoney.
A Mass of celebration will be held at 11 a.m. today, Dec. 23, at St. Michael The Archangel Catholic Church, 804 High House Road, Cary.
Burial will be at a later date in Calvary Cemetery, Queens, N.Y. Mrs. Gowen was born in New York City on Feb. 3, 1913. She attended St. Catherine of Siena Grammar School and Cathedral High School in New York City. On Sept. 14, 1935, she married James Gowen and they moved to Dover Plains, N.Y., in 1944.
Mrs. Gowen worked as a medical stenographer at Wassaic State School, retiring in 1973. In 1998, she moved to Raleigh to be near her daughters and family. She lived at Sunrise Assisted Living until he hospitalization two weeks ago.
Mrs. Gowen was the loving mother of four children, Maureen Schumann of Massapequa, N.Y.; Cathy and Tim Mannix of Cary; Peggy and Paul Mulligan of Cary; and Jim and Marty Gowen of Lincoln University, Pa.
She was the loved and adored grandmother of Kerri Coughlin, Scott Schumann, Kelley Averette, Dan Mannix, TJ Mannix, Debbie Antonelli, Denise Dell, Kati Hilton, and Brendan, Brianne and Kevin Gowen. She was known as "Gigi" to her great-grandchildren, Sean Coughlin, Micaela and Carter Mannix, Brooke, Connor and Corey Averette, Joey, Frankie and Patrick Antonelli, Matthew and Maggie Dell, and Riley and Jack Hilton. They loved visiting their "Gigi" and listening to her stories and wise advise. "Gigi" was admired, respected, and an inspiration to all who knew her.
Mrs. Gowen's family would like to extend special thanks to the "angels" at Sunrise for their tender, loving support for the past five years. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made for autistic children to Raleigh TEACCH Center, 1418 Aversboro Road, Suite 101, Garner, NC 27529; or to Special Olympics of South Carolina, 856 Montgomery Road, Charleston, SC 29412.
Entrusted with the services are Apex Funeral Directors, 511 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55), Apex.
Stuart Mark Johnston
Stuart Mark Johnston, 36, of Pollocksville and Cary passed away suddenly on Dec.15, 2004, at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Mark died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver while he was working in Pinehurst.
Mark was born April 18, 1968, in Raleigh and was reared in Raleigh and Cary. He lived in Pollocksville, but had been residing in Cary recently while working in the Sandhills area. He lived life to the fullest, never met a stranger, and was a friend to all. He was enthusiastic and could accomplish anything he set his mind to. There was never a dull moment in his life.
Mark loved to travel and was always up for adventure. Hiking in Umstead Park, hiking at Philmont Scout Camp, golfing at St. Andrew's, running up the Eiffel Tower, skiing Loon Mountain and Mount Hood, touring Berlin on his own at age 12, climbing Half Dome, riding his motorcycle across America, hiking the Appalachian Trail, whitewater rafting the Skagit River in Washington and the St. Lawrence in Montreal, hiking the Grey Mare's Tail and Ben Nevis in Scotland, in the winter, in shorts, falconing in Scotland, building a home at Pike's Peak in the winter. Mark believed in living life to its fullest. At home with friends and family, Mark always shared his enthusiasm for cooking, grilling and singing. He loved ESPN and fantasy football, singing karaoke, playing poker, pool, chess, horseshoes, darts, Scrabble, any kind of trivia and crossword puzzles. He loved sharing his world with his grandson Jared, encouraging him to follow in his footsteps through sports and a love of motorcycles. Theirs was a special relationship.
Mark is survived by his wife Toni and her children Jason and Jennifer, and her grandchildren Jared and Elijah, all of Pollocksville; his mother Pat and father Steve of Cary; his sister Amy and brother-in-law Chuck Mooney of Fuquay-Varina; his brother Eric and sister Wendy, both of Cary; his aunt Sandie T. Wash of Louisburg; his aunt and uncle Jane J. and Willie Stallings of New Bern; uncles Tony Tabor and Mike Tabor of Hendersonville; and great-aunt and uncle Helen Ross and Reed McNeeley of Gastonia.
A memorial service was held at the Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church, 200 High Meadows Drive, Cary, on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. Celebrations of Mark's life will be scheduled later in the Triangle area and in the New Bern area. In lieu of flowers, you can remember Mark with MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or The Nature Conservancy.
John 'Harvey' Lucas
John "Harvey" Lucas, 67, of Apex died Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2004.
He is survived by his wife, Marian Lucas; two sons, John Lucas of San Francisco and his wife, Sandy, and Luke Lucas of Chapel Hill; brother, Oliver Lucas of Plymouth; and granddaughter, Justine Lucas of San Francisco.
A memorial service was held Thursday, Dec. 23, at 11 a.m. at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, with Pastor Randy Sherrin officiating. The family received friends immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Greenwood Forest Baptist Church (Debt Reduction Fund), 110 S.E. Maynard Road, Cary, NC 27511.
Brown-Wynne Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
Robert George Schmidt
Robert George Schmidt, 81, of Cary, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004 at his home. He was born July 13, 1923 in Wilmont, Wis., to George L. and Myrtle Westlake Schmidt. Mr. Schmidt served his country during World War II in the 10th Mountain Division and received the Bronze Star. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt and fish, and had a strong belief in the conservation of natural resources that he passed on to his three daughters.
He is survived by his daughters, Judith Ann Schmidt of Reading, Ohio, Laurie S. McCoy and husband, John, of Cary and Donna Dermont of Crystal Lake, Ill.; his grandchildren, John Robert McCoy, Robert Watson and Lauren Stecki; and his brothers, Richard Schmidt of Waunakee, Wis., and Gordon Schmidt of Greer, S.C. Mr. Schmidt was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Emily S. Schmidt.
A funeral service was held Monday, Dec. 27, at 11 a.m. at Apex Funeral Home Chapel. Burial with military honors followed in Apex Cemetery.
The family wishes to express a special thanks to Dr. Sharad Vora and his nurse, Debbie; and to Hospice of Wake County.
Eileen Marie Gress
Eileen Marie Gress, 55, of Apex and formerly of Trotwood, Ohio, died Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was a 30-year member of the French horn section of the North Carolina Symphony. She was an active member of the Healing Touch community and was also a practitioner.
She is survived by her husband, Vic Benedict, also a N.C. Symphony member; stepdaughter, Cherie Benedict of Cincinnati, Ohio, and stepson, Lorin Benedict of San Francisco; parents, Albert and Ruth Gress of Trotwood, Ohio; and sister, Jean Gress of Springfield, Mass.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Wake County, 1300 St. Mary's St., Fourth Floor, Raleigh, NC 27605.
Rev. Paul Kibler
The Rev. Paul Kibler, servant of Jesus Christ, loving husband, son and devoted father, went home to be with the Lord on the morning of Dec. 24, 2004. He was 54.
Pastor Kibler graduated from Concordia Seminary in 1976 and answered various calls within the church before becoming senior pastor of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Cary in 1983. His professional titles and credentials were numerous, but he would have preferred to be remembered only as a servant. He had a special place in his heart for those in need and personally served those in Africa, India, Bolivia and the Appalachian mountains.
Many will remember Pastor Kibler for his professional accomplishments, but many more will remember him as a trusted friend and tireless advocate for those seeking comfort. Paul Kibler loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his family and his church family. And yes, he loved beating anyone he could find in a spirited game of tennis.
Pastor Kibler is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Marlene Kibler; son and daughter-in-law, Nathanael and Brianne Kibler of Cary; daughter, Amy Kibler of Charlotte; mother, Ellen Kibler of New Port Richey, Fla.; sister, Christine, and husband Tom O'Hearn, of New Port Richey, Fla.; sister, Lois, and husband the Rev. William Engfehr, of Collinsville, Ill.; father-in-law, Wayne Wyse of Archbold, Ohio; and many other members of the extended family.
Visitation was held Monday evening, Dec. 27, at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 28, at 1 p.m. at Resurrection Lutheran Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Resurrection Lutheran Church Capital Fund Drive or Resurrection Lutheran School. Donation mailing address: Resurrection Lutheran Church, 100 Lochmere Drive, Cary, NC 27511.
A final word from Pastor Paul: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." — Ephesians 2: 8-10
Tributes may be sent to the family at www.brownwynne.com.
Karoline K. 'Kandy' Saleeby
Karoline K. "Kandy" Saleeby of Apex died Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004. She was born Oct. 19, 1945 to Dwight L. and Barbara Burt Kaster in Lincoln, Neb. Mrs. Saleeby was a secretary with Wake County Public Schools, at A.V. Baucom Elementary School.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today, Dec. 30, at Apex Funeral Home Chapel, 511 W. Williams St. (N.C. 55), Apex. Burial will follow in the Apex Cemetery.
She is survived by her husband, Robert Edward Saleeby, and daughter, Rebecca Christine Saleeby, both of the home; son, Craig Edward Saleeby, and wife, Marlene of Basalt, Colo.; mother, Barbara Kaster of Manassas, Va.; grandchildren, Jenna Karel and Regan Kareline Saleeby; brother, Jeffrey Kaster, and wife, Jean of Amissville, Va.; and several nieces and nephews.
The family received friends Wednesday evening, Dec. 29, at Apex Funeral Home and at other times at the home.
Flowers are welcome or memorials may be made to Parkinson's Disease Foundation Inc., Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 96268, Washington, D.C. 20090-6268.
Charles J. Lawrence
Charles J. Lawrence, 67, of Apex died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, from injuries received in an automobile accident.
He was a member of Salem Baptist Church and was employed by Almay Cosmetic Co. of Apex for 23 years. He had a special love for all animals.
Charles is survived by his wife, Peggy Cox Lawrence; one niece, Joann Berry and husband, Joey of Fuquay-Varina; and two nephews, Henry Denson and wife, Debbie of Princeton, N.C., and David Denson of Goldston.
Memorial gifts may be made to the SPCA of Wake County, 200 Pet Finder Lane, Raleigh, NC 27603.
Lucille DeLoach
Lucille DeLoach, 64, of Cary died Jan. 8, 2005. She is survived by her husband, Odell DeLoach; son, William Collins of Cincinnati, Ohio; daughters, Tracy Billups of Raeford and Theresa Redding of Huber Heights, Ohio; brother, Marion Preston of Chicago; and three grandchildren, Jakim Collins, Keydren Redding and Cameron Billups. Mrs. DeLoach was preceded in death by her mother and father, Ello and Maggie Preston; sister, Willie Kate Robinson; and brother, Legree Preston.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 15, at 2 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 S.E. Maynard Road, Cary. Tributes may be sent to the family at www.brownwynne.com.
Sarah Bradshaw Pegram Pearson
Sarah Bradshaw Pegram Pearson of Cary, born May 21, 1929 in Lenoir, died Jan. 10, 2005 at WakeMed Cary Hospital. She was the last remaining child of Calvin Winchester and Addie Bradshaw Pegram. Her deceased sisters were Jean Bradshaw Fitchett, Calvine Bradshaw Milam and her beloved identical twin sister Ann Bradshaw Edwards.
A memorial service will be held in the Glenaire Assembly Room today, Jan. 13, at 10 a.m. A reception will follow for her children to greet other family members and friends. She will be interred at Apex Cemetery at a private ceremony.
Sarah attended Broughton High School and was graduated from Peace College High School. She attended Woman's College and was graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy. There she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi and Kappa Epsilon sororities. She was the recipient of the Kappa Epsilon award for the outstanding woman in pharmacy.
With her former husband, Dr. John Kent Pearson, she leaves a daughter, Diane Kent Gill and her husband, David Neil Gill, and their children, Addie Lee Gill and Matthew Sumner Gill of Knoxville, Tenn.; a son, John Kent Pearson Jr. and his children, John Amos Pearson and Meaghan Bradshaw Pearson of Portland, Ore.; and a daughter, Sarah Ann Rives and her husband, Howard Wayne Rives, and their children, Virginia Elizabeth Rives and Anna Leigh Rives of Cary.
She lived many years in Apex and later moved to Cary, moving in 2000 to Glenaire.
She practiced pharmacy in various pharmacies in Wake County and had many professional friends and customers with whom she enjoyed practicing her profession. She belonged to the Wake County Pharmaceutical Association, the UNC Pharmacy Alumni Association and Asbury Station DAR. She was a member of the Apex United Methodist Church for many years and later transferred her membership to Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Cary. She founded the Florence Holleman Circle of the Apex Methodist Church and remained a member during her lifetime.
No flowers are requested; a donation in her memory may be made to the Cornerstone Presbyterian Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 1253, Cary, NC 27612; or to The Addie B. Pegram Scholarship Fund, School of Pharmacy, c/o Kevin L. Almond, Associate Dean, School of Pharmacy, 1000 Main St., Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
This scholarship was established in memory of Sarah's mother by the UNC Pharmacy Alumni Association.
Sarah's life was blessed with nieces, nephews, many cousins, a brother-in-law, Everett Edwards, her caring friends and a faithful friend, James F. Lee. She was grateful to UNC and Vanderbilt hospitals, Angel Flight and her physicians James Womble and Mark Graham, and to the staffs of Hospice and Glenaire.
She led a joyous life committed to love of God, family, country, her profession and friends.
James Larry Gibson
Mr. J. Larry Gibson, 73, of Cary, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2005. He was born and raised in Marion, subsequently serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina and a master's degree from the University of Richmond, Va. Mr. Gibson worked in Baltimore, Md., Greensboro and Whitestone, Va., as a corporate accountant; eventually settling with his family in Richmond, Va. He retired there after serving as a vice president with Lawyer's Title Insurance Company. He was also an associate professor for the University of Richmond, a lifelong, accomplished trumpet player and a Sunday school teacher. He was a longtime member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Richmond and more recently, a member of Apex United Methodist Church. Larry is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Gail and Steve Will of Cary; son and daughter-in-law, James “Chip” and Rebecca Gibson of Elgin, Okla.; and grandchildren, Rachel and Cameron Will, and Grayson and Owen Gibson.
Mr. Gibson was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lou Vaughan Gibson; parents, Edward Bryan and Pauline Harkins Gibson; and brother, Edward Bryan Gibson Jr.
The Rev. Bob Bergland will preside over a funeral to be held at 1 p.m., Friday, Jan. 14, at Apex United Methodist Church. Visitation will take place at noon Friday at the church, prior to the funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, Wake County Unit, 11 S. Boylan Ave., Raleigh, NC 27603.
Assisting the family with arrangements is Apex Funeral Home.
