Recent Obituaries

Aug 30, 2021

DURHAM- Ms. Shirley Jean Soyars, 79, passed away on August 30, 2021.

Ms. Soyars was born November 9, 1941 to the late Harry and Nannie Soyars. Shirley was the most caring, sweet, and soft-spoken woman. She loved baby dolls and her favorite color was pink. Shirley looked out after all her housemates and would help the staff members look in...

Aug 29, 2021

DURHAM- Mr. Linwood Dillard, 73, passed away on August 29, 2021.

Mr. Dillard was born August 28, 1948 to the late Quenton Dillard and Mary Ruth Coston Moore. Linwood retired after 30 years at GTE and in his retirement, worked for 18 years at Sport Durst Automotive. He really enjoyed his working career, as his co-workers became a second family...

Aug 26, 2021

DURHAM- Mr. Gerald Dane Elliott, Sr., 76, went to be with his Lord and Savior on August 26, 2021.

Mr. Elliott, Sr. was born February 23, 1945 to the late Carvie and Missie Elliott. Gerald served in the United States Air Force as an aircraft mechanic in the Vietnam Era. He retired from Durham Water Resources as a machinist. Gerald...

Aug 26, 2021

Clara Lois Creech passed peacefully Thursday, 26 August 2021. She was born the third child of Reverend R. Ronald and Mary Belle Smith Creech, on 31 May 1956 in Florence, South Carolina. Ruth and Elizabeth, her two older sisters, remember her days at our home in Durham. Her younger siblings, Rebecca and Paul, do not. However, we all have fond...

Aug 25, 2021

Sylvia Smith Roth died in her sleep Tuesday night at her home in Raleigh.  She was 97 years old.

She was born Sylvia Smith in Manhattan, New York, on June 18th, 1924, the first child of Louis Koval Smith and Hannah Barewitz Smith.  As a young child she lived in The Bronx, New York, and then in Jamaica, Queens, in...

Aug 24, 2021

DURHAM- Mr. Robert Tony Lassiter, 73, passed away on, August 24, 2021.

Mr. Lassiter was born March 2, 1948 to the late James and Ethel Lassiter in Durham, NC. After 30 years, Robert retired from American Tobacco Company and became the owner and operator of Lassiter Machine Shop in Durham, NC. He loved fishing and was a member of the...

Aug 24, 2021

CREEDMOOR- Mrs. Iris Campbell O’Neill, 77, passed away on August 24, 2021.

Mrs. O’Neill was born July 22, 1944 to the late Leonard and Ruby Campbell. Iris was a huge NASCAR fan and could always be found cheering on Jeff Gordon every Sunday afternoon. She loved fishing just about anywhere, but especially at Kerr Lake. Her favorite bird was a...

Aug 23, 2021

HILLSBOROUGH- Mrs. Barbara Pearce Miles, 75, went to be with her Lord and Savior on August 23, 2021.

Mrs. Miles was born October 19, 1945 to the late Sam and Maxine Pearce in Wake Forest, NC. Barbara grew up attending and was a longtime member of Liberty Baptist Church. Later in her life, she became a member at Grace Reformed...

Aug 22, 2021

DURHAM- Mr. William “Billy” Howard Goss, 56, passed away on, August 22, 2021.

Mr. Goss was born July 9, 1965 to the late Samuel and Delores Goss in Durham, NC. Billy was an avid Duke Basketball fan. He loved to fish and was always a hard worker. The light of his life was his granddaughter, Chryslee. Billy will be remembered...

Aug 20, 2021

DURHAM – Mr. George Lee Garrett 89, passed away peacefully at the home of his Daughter Diane Thomas on August 20, 2021, where he had been a resident in Las Vegas, Nevada for the past 16 years.

Mr. Garrett was born January 16, 1932 to the late Clarence Johnson and Mary Belle Gooch. He retired after 42 years with the...

Aug 20, 2021

MORRISVILLE – Mary lanna Searls King passed away at her home on August 20th, 2021.

Mary was a native of Durham and the daughter of the late Walter Newton and Elsie Herndon Searls. She was a member of Lowe’s Grove Baptist Church and the Light Bearer’s Ruth Bible Class.

She is survived by her daughter Pamela King Leonard (David), along...

Aug 16, 2021

DURHAM- Mrs. Bonita Williams Matherly, 79, passed away on, August 16, 2021, peacefully at home.

Mrs. Matherly was born November 9, 1941 to the late Walter and Gladys Williams. Bonita worked as a Senior Executive Leader with Avon for 28 years. She loved being a part of a community that made life beautiful. She was a feisty and strong woman...

Aug 15, 2021

DURHAM- Mr. Jay Gerard Santorello, 59, passed away on, August 15, 2021.

Mr. Santorello was born July 14, 1962 to the late John and Inez Santorello in Smithtown, NY. He was a 1980 graduate of St. Johnsbury Academy in St. Johnsbury, VT. Jay has been a proud Free Mason for over 25 years. He served as Master of the Lodge...

Aug 15, 2021

OXFORD- Mrs. Shirley Barbour Marshburn, 88, passed away on, August 15, 2021.

Mrs. Marshburn was born June 15, 1933 to the late William and Viola Barbour. Shirley loved flower gardening, taking care of her cats, and crocheting. She enjoyed cooking for her family, as well as spending time together as a family. Shirley will be missed by many.

In addition...

Aug 14, 2021

Aug 11, 2021

ROUGEMONT – Mr. Edward Sherman “Ed” Godley, 82, passed August 11, 2021.

Mr. Godley was born September 29, 1938 to the late George and Callie Mae Godley in Kinston, NC. Ed was an active member of Bethany Baptist Church and was previously a member of The Summit Church Homestead Heights.

Ed was a proud veteran of the US Air Force...

Aug 11, 2021

Mrs. Ruth Worrell Smith, Age 92, passed away, August 11, 2021 surrounded by her family.

She was born on April 25, 1929 to the late Quince and Christine Worrell.  Ruth was the devoted wife of the late Frank Smith; the loving mother of Barry (Ginny) Smith, Bill (Linda) Smith, Kathy (Doug) Koman; the proud grandmother of Christi (Kirk), Brian (Rachel),...

Aug 11, 2021

William “Bill” Steven Meyer, 71, passed away at his home in Durham on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 following a long and hard-fought battle with bladder cancer.

Bill was born on June 15, 1950 to the late Melvin and Esther Meyer in Chicago, IL. He received an M.S.W. from the University of Illinois and moved to North Carolina in 1979 where...

Aug 10, 2021

DURHAM- Mr. Gray Alexander Edwards, Jr., 71, passed August 10, 2021.

Mr. Edwards, Jr. was born May 6, 1950 to the late Gray and Hazel Edwards, Sr. in Durham, NC. Gray was an active member of Bethany United Methodist Church and the Lizzie Grey Chandler Sunday School Class. He worked at Hillandale Golf Course as their groundskeeper, as well as...

Aug 7, 2021

DURHAM – Mark Anthony “Tony” Massengill, 52, passed away Saturday, August 7th, 2021 at his home.

Tony was born June 29, 1969 to Ralph B. and Sandra Jones Massengill in Durham, NC. He is preceded in death by his father and brother, Timothy Floyd Massengill.

Tony is survived by his mother; three brothers, Ralph B. Massengill, Jr. (Beverly) of Conroe,...