Barbara Maclyn “Mackie” McDaniel Weeks, 77. With an effervescent personality and her perfectly coiffed hair, she embraced life and all who passed her way. A woman of strength, love of family, compassion for others and a deep and abiding faith in her Lord and Savior. A founder of the Fayetteville Area Shag Association Hall of Fame, she loved dancing with her husband of 57 years, playing in the surf and taking in a sunset at day’s end. She had a lifelong kinship with her Fayetteville High School class of 1965. She was the horse whisperer, and with a heart for animals all. She was “Mackie, and one of a kind. Jan. 2.
Heather Marie Williams, 25. She was the innocent young woman with the beautiful green eyes and the bright and contagious smile. She liked fishing with her father and thrift shopping with her mother and always looking for the next dog to rescue. “She is gone too soon,” the preacher said, “but forever with the Lord.” Jan. 5.
Robert Earl Capps, 88. He liked an Easter Sunday, a Christmas cantata, a communion Sunday and a homecoming on the church grounds of his beloved Galatia Presbyterian Church, where he was the longtime Sunday school superintendent, a church deacon, an elder and sang in the choir. And he was the master builder of all those Putt-Putt Golf Course miniature holes, the windmills and the mountains for generations of kids and teenagers to stand as tall as the mountains they chose to climb in pursuit of their dreams. Jan. 7.
Geraldine Dillard Griffin, 92. “She always will be in my heart,” a daughter would remember a loving mother of kind and gentle ways, and with a deep faith in her Lord and Savior. Jan. 10.
(Ret.) Sgt. Clinton “Clint” James Bonnell, 50. “My brother is a salt-of-the-earth good human being,” a sister said. “I mean, he had his flaws like every other person. But he was just a salt-of-the-earth good man.” Jan. 27.
Patricia Irene Leach Ray, 80. For 50 years, she took on the most noble calling. They called her “Nurse Pat.” Feb. 5.
Richard Mullington (Dick) Lewis Jr., 90. “After 90 years on this earth – more than most people get – I’ve taken my leave,” the longtime lawyer wanted us to know in a heartfelt farewell. “Above one of the side doors of the Sacred Heart Basilica at Notre Dame, three words are inscribed: ‘God, Family, Country.’ Those words became kind of a mantra for me. Faith came first. I loved my parish and always felt closest to God while worshipping here at St. Pat’s (Catholic Church) with so many of you. Family followed closely behind. And then, of course, country. Reuniting with Linda will be one of the great joys of heaven. God blessed Linda and me with four sons – Richard, Hardy, David and Frank. People often joked that I showed more pictures of my dogs than my boys. Well, in my defense, they were very photogenic dogs. But my sons know that each of them brought more joy and love into my life than they’ll ever fully realize. God made me to know him, love him, serve him in this life, and to be happy with him forever in heaven. As I sign off from this world and step into the next, know that I tried to live a life filled with faith, laughter and deep appreciation for the people I was privileged to know. In return, I hope you’ll remember me with a smile, a joke and most important, a prayer or two.” Feb. 22.
William “Bill” Headrick Owen, 87. You never saw him without his welcoming smile and engaging way. He never – not once – lost his spirit or love of life. A prince of a man, he was. Feb. 23.
Donnie Freeman Barefoot, 84. The retired Haymount Barbershop owner with the clipper and shears, who could tell you anything and everything you ever wanted to know about Fayetteville and its people. They called him “The Source,” and Donnie Barefoot was for sure. March 2.
Philip “Chip” Wiley Haigh III, 78. One of the good guys, and he never changed. You can’t say it better. March 9.
Gail Fleck Harrington, 72. With a radiant smile, she was Miss Fayetteville 1971, and a queen to remember. March 14.
Mary Anne Bell Keith, 69. A house is not a home without a loving wife, mother and grandmother. March 23.
John Robert “Bobby” Taylor, 88. The oil business executive, who kept us warm in the winter cold and could tell a story with the best of ‘em. March 23.
Sylvester Owen Smith III, 81. “With his life robustly lived and fully in order, in the early hours of his final Thursday morning, Skipper laid his book on his chest, smiled one last time at his wife sleeping by his side and departed for an even more intimate and inconceivably glorious communion with God.” March 27.
Robert Earl “Bob” Poole, 79. A self-made Fayetteville businessman, and a father for a son and daughter to admire and love. April 6.
Matthew Moody Smith Jr., 86. He loved waterskiing on White Lake in Bladen County, his long service with the Fayetteville Rotary Club and seeing children’s faces each December as a past co-chair of the Fayetteville Rotary Christmas Parade along Person and Hay streets. He was Fayetteville born and proud to be. April 7.
Gene Williford, 82. From the Central High School class of 1960, his footsteps are imprinted throughout the Eastover community. A savvy businessman with a gift of wit, he loved good seafood and days at the beach. April 16.
Maj. Tandra Denise Adams, 53. The chief jailer for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, she wore her badge with pride, because she was a deputy and proud to be. May 2.
Rudolph Grantley Singleton III, 60. “If everyone had a father like I did, they’d want to be a kid forever,” a son remembers. And Rudolph Singleton III wanted us to know that “he had a great life, because of friends like you and the kids of Skye Drive. May 7.
Christopher Lawrence Morgan, 69. No better husband and father than this good man with a twinkle in his blue eyes, a smile and a heart for helping others, no matter the hour of the day or night. May 9.
Daniel Vernon Kinlaw, 81. A day on the coastal waters, family cookouts, fish fries, East Carolina football games, Easter Sundays and sunsets at Ocean Isle Beach brought him joy. But loving Kaye Edwards Kinlaw, his bride of 63 years, was the heart of his life. May 18.
Jimmy Harrell “Pete” Batton, 68. Firefighters today are better because the retired Dublin Volunteer Fire Department chief taught them how down Bladen County way. May 24.
John Harvey Oliver Jr., 98. A man who loved calling Fayetteville home, where you’ll find his fingerprints on the Cumberland County Board of Education, the Salvation Army board of directors, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, United Way of Cumberland County and his vision for the Cumberland Community Foundation. May 26.
Elwood Eugene Tyndall, 80. “My memories go all the way back to walking down the dirt road and seeing hundreds of little frogs in the wheel ruts,” he wrote in 2015 about his life, which began in Lenoir County. “My time with the 82nd (Airborne) was my destiny. It was what I was born to do. I’ll never be nothing but a soldier, and paratrooper at heart.” May 29.
James “Jim” Madison Kizer, 85. The retired civil engineer, who earned the admiration and respect of land developers in Cumberland County and beyond. And how the Haymount United Methodist Church congregation marveled at his tenor voice on a Sunday morning. June 2.
Ricky Dennis Huff, 69. The Hoke County farm boy who never forgot his Ashley Heights roots and never met a stranger. June 2.
Rosa Lee Torrey, 97. A woman of elegance, grace and wisdom, and a teacher never to be forgotten for her love of students. June 6.
Richard James “Dick” Perry, 96. A World War II veteran, who called Fayetteville home, where he had a passion for the saxophone, performed with band musicians to include Dave Blume, Bobby Wren, Roy Roach and Wally Hinkamp, and for more than 50 years was a part of the Hay Street United Methodist church choir. A gentleman if ever there was. June 6.
Mary Ann Edwards McCoy, 90. Where there was a cause in the community, she was there from the founding of the Cumberland Community Foundation to the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. June 14.
Father David E. Noone, 83. “I hope I’ve left behind more love than regret, more laughter than tears and more faith than doubt. And while I hate to leave behind the people and places I’ve loved, I trust that the same God, who has walked with me all these years, is walking me home now.” June 15.
Stephen Gilbert Smith, 73. He had a zeal for every day of life, and shared his enthusiasm with all whom he met. The Exchange Club of Fayetteville barbecue spring fundraisers brought him joy with fellow members, and the stories they could tell. He was quick-witted, but you always knew where he stood. He looked forward to his time at Topsail Island with his wife, children and grandchildren, and watching a sunrise and a sunset. And when you needed him. Steve Smith was there. June 19.
Dr. Godfrey E. Ohadugha, 76. A primary care physician with a compassionate ear and bedside manner. June 23.
Franklin McNeil, 86. A Cumberland County Schools educator, who devoted more than 30 years as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. A love for his students and a love for poinsettias at Christmas. June 23.
Owen Henry Harris, 94. The longtime Cotton Fire Rescue chief for 42 of his 70 firefighting years, who mentored countless firefighters along his way. July 10.
Charlotte Moore McLaurin, 73. The retired principal of Morganton Road Elementary School is remembered for her “genuine care for students and families, and her unwavering belief in the power of learning.” July 18.
William “Bill” Michael Passick Jr., 94. There’s not a kid who came along in the Massey Hill community and didn’t come to know the compassion of Bill Passick in the 1960s and beyond. He was affectionally known as the “Mayor of Massey Hill.” July 19.
Beverly Holmes Berry, 99. His life compass was his Lord and Savior. July 29.
Rev. Earl Monroe Vaughan, 95. “He had dedicated his life to be a pastor in Christ’s church, to proclaim good news, teach the Savior’s ways, administer the sacraments, marry our children and bury many in our families,” the Rev. Jay Coker said. “He visited the sick, comforted the lonely, led churches in worship and mission, laughed with us, cried with us and forever shared Jesus’ powerful promise … He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” July 29.
John Fairley Dunn Jr., 81. There wasn’t much the retired owner of Dunn’s Nursery and Garden Shop along Skibo Road couldn’t tell you about azaleas, camellias, roses, boxwoods, centipede sod and dogwoods, River Birch, crepe myrtle, fruit and Japanese persimmon trees or whatever would best suit your home or commercial landscape in his 57 years at the nursery. He was one of a kind, and those who came to know J.F. Dunn will tell you so. Aug. 23.
Clyde Randall “Randy” Boone, 83. He was the 19-year-old who grew up along Pine Valley Loop in Haymount and hitchhiked his way to Universal City, Calif., where he would find fame on The Virginian television series as a horse-riding ranch hand, singing and playing a guitar. “In a way, I’m probably the last of the singing cowboys,” he once humbly said of his television and film career. Aug. 28.
Gen. William “Buck” F. Kernan, 79. “Honor and integrity were hallmarks of his character,” Col. (Ret.) John T. Whelahan Jr. said about the retired four-star general and Pinehurst resident, who was a past commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps on Fort Bragg and later as Supreme Allied Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander – Atlantic. “He constantly cultivated a climate of honorable service in the (U.S. Army) Rangers and other units he was in. And doing the right thing wasn’t an option; it was the only possibility. Personal courage went without saying. He was a Vietnam vet, and throughout his career led soldiers, paratroopers and Rangers into combat on multiple occasions.” Sept. 2.
Donny “Don” Kay Price, 82. The late owner of the Lafayette Ford dealership along Raeford Road and Eastover resident, Don Price, was just one of those good men who passed our way. If he saw someone in need of a helping hand, the reach never was too far for Don Price. “Let’s live by his values and being kind and generous,” daughter Kim Fisher said it well about her father, “so his legacy will live on.” Sept. 10.
Diane Lee Howell Jones, 79. A devoted mother and lifelong artist who taught art at Fort Bragg Schools. Her handmade smocked items at the Holly Day Fair were among her crafts to the community for many Christmas seasons. Sept 23.
Trevor J. Merritt, 17. No. 11, E.E. Smith High School football team. Gone too soon. Oct. 8.
Nicholas K. Williams, 17. No. 4, E.E. Smith High School football team. Gone too soon. Oct. 8.
Jai’hyon Lamont Elliott, 18. No. 21. E.E. Smith High School football team. Gone too soon. Oct. 8.
Jean Cunningham Rice Hermann, 92. She believed in a dinner table with good food, a glass of wine and spirited conversation. She was the well-traveled military wife, who called Fayetteville home and taught fourth graders at Holbrook School on Fort Bragg the joy of reading, writing, science experiments, and she believed in every student’s tomorrow. You will find her footsteps in support of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Cape Fear Botanical Garden, the Arts Council of Fayetteville Cumberland County, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, the Cumberland County Council on Older Adults, the Daughters of the American Revolution Col. Robert Rowan Chapter, the Sandhills Chapter of the American Red Cross and her beloved St. John’s Episcopal Church. She faced terminal illness with courage and grace. Oct. 8.
Nelvis Lee Semel, 81. A proud Navy veteran, he served in Vietnam. A proud member of the N.C. Blue Knights Chapter Xlll. A proud Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office homicide detective and deputy, and proud to have escorted Elvis Presley during Presley’s three concerts at the Cumberland County Arena in August of 1976. Oct. 10.
Ted E. Lepper, 64. He carried a tennis racquet in one hand and his Bible in the other. He had a way of putting others before himself, and it was just his humble way. Oct. 15.
Elton “Wayne” Long Jr., 63. His calling was to be a pharmacist, and passionate he was about his calling for more than 35 years. Oct. 31.
Slade “Burton” Lawson III, 54. A son to remember. Nov. 8.
Rev. Billy H. Herring, 93. A former Godwin mayor, he touched countless lives through his sermons, pastoral care and unwavering commitment to his faith. Nov. 12.
Joseph Gardner Barbour, 91. There’s a pall in the back office of the Honda dealership along U.S 15-501 in Aberdeen, where automobile buyers could find Gardner Barbour from 1967 until Oct. 22. A U.S. Army 82nd Airborne soldier, he didn’t just sell automobiles, Gardner Barbour sold you an everlasting friendship, often calling just to check in about how you were doing in life. He was a dedicated husband, father and friend to all who passed his way. Nov. 15.
Phillip Blackmon Harris, 88. Oh, what Phil Harris would give for just one more day with cookies, a tube of lipstick and one more tender kiss on the cheek for the wife he loved for 70 years until his dying day. He lived his life at the foot of the Christian cross for all of his days. “When I grow up,” a son says, “I want to be just like my daddy. Nov.17.
Clarence Tew, 90. “Always eager to share the gospel of Jesus.” Nov. 24.
Barbara Gurganious Schultz, 85. “I play for the glory of God,” the Linden resident always said of her years as pianist at Cedar Falls Baptist Church, Eureka Baptist Church and every first Sunday in May for homecoming at her childhood Black River Presbyterian Church in Sampson County. Nov. 30
Margaret McCaskill Carpenter, 93. A sweet Southern lady with kindness throughout her soul. Dec. 2.
Dr. John Hugh Bryan, 81. “Every patient that I treat becomes a friend,” said the retired medical director of radiation oncology and co-founder with the late Dr. Kamal Manubhai Bakri of the Cape Fear Valley Health Cancer Center. Dec. 18.
Sondra Mooney Nobles, 85. An educator to remember, and how she loved those summer days at Lake Waccamaw. Dec. 23.
Laura Kohlstedt Downing, 60. Forever sweet, quiet-natured, never pretentious and the personification of a lady. She loved Thanksgiving, Christmas and an Easter Sunrise service along Ocean Isle Beach. “She gave the best hugs,” a daughter says. She was Laura Kohlstedt Downing, and as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. Dec. 27
Sam Thomas Reid Henrickson Jr., 82. He became the family patriarch at age 15, devoted to his widowed mother and the father figure for a younger brother and younger sister in the little, white house in the cul-de-sac at the bottom of Willborough Avenue just off Raeford Road. A devoted father of four, his dedication to his wife of 64 years was steadfast. And the youngsters he coached on the baseball and football fields and the basketball courts were a hallmark of his time, where his teams earned countless city championships, but Sam Henrickson taught those young athletes that it wasn’t about whether you won or lost when the games were at end, but the pride and dignity with how you played the game. Dec. 30.
They were fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, grandparents, friends and neighbors — and a part of our lives. They were among those we lost in 2025. Let us remember always, they walked among us. May they rest in peace, and may their memories be a blessing.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961
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