Victoria (Vickie) Mace

Vickie was a dedicated mother, wife, daughter, and church member.

Vickie always had a smile and a word of encouragement for anyone she met.

Even in her untimely death, she was thinking of others, through her wish of being an organ donor.

She will truly be missed by friends and family alike. Although Vickie is gone, her life and character will continue on in her son, Dakota.

We will never forget "Our Angel", and we will always love her.

Andree Martin

Andree Paule Marie Martin died on Friday, January 25, 2002, in Wilmington, North Carolina. She was born in Miliana, Algeria, North Africa on February 28, 1928, the daughter of Andree Guillemin and Jeanne Remond Guillemin.

She is survived by her husband, Louis L. Martin, of Hampstead; her son, Paul Martin of Raleigh; her daughter, Jeanne Marie Martin and husband, Kenneth Howell, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; a grandson, Phillip Martin of Raleigh. In France, her brother, Jean Guillemin and his family; her uncle, Marcel Remond in Nice; her niece, Danielle Lenoir and family in Paris also survive her.

Andree was a member of Topsail Presbyterian Church since 1977, and served as a deacon for three years. She was very active in many church functions, including being a Women's Circle leader, and was instrumental in starting a memorial garden for the church.

She will be remembered for her love and expertise in cooking, as well as her love and skill in gardening. Her memory will be treasured by her many friends and relatives in the United States and France.

Ruth Martin

Ruthie was our oldest sister and we miss her so much. She was so full of life and always took the world by its tail. She taught us that sometimes you have to fight to live, and she fought a hard fight. We admired her strength to go after her dreams.

There's a yard full of flowers, trees and shrubs. She helped plant them all, and each day she is seen in them.
We thank God he blessed us with her for a time.

Her sisters and brothers

My daughter was a kind, loving, compassionate person. She loved life and never met a stranger. She was a hard, devoted worker. I miss her so very much.

Her mother, Ruth

Luther James (Jim) Matthews

Jim loved life. He was a very intelligent person. He was someone you could talk to, and you knew he was hearing each word. He loved gardening, golf, and fishing.

Jim had the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. He planned on being a donor long before I even thought of being one.

Because of his illness, only his eyes could be used. It is such a comforting thought to know a part of Jim still lives on through the eyes of the two recipients.

His loving wife

Brian Mayronne

Brian was a beloved son and brother. Only fourteen months younger than his sister, and a big brother to two younger brothers. He loved to go fishing more than anything in the world. We love him, and miss him so.

Wilbur McGee

Daddy said "my eyes are not very good, but if they can help a blind person see, I want them to be used."

He enjoyed life and brought joy to all around him. He had a great sense of humor, and his laugh was contagious. You simply could not stay in a bad mood around Daddy. His positive outlook lifted many a downtrodden spirit.

Daddy was a thoughtful fellow who helped family, friends and neighbors in need, but he worked behind the scenes, not needing to be glorified for his outreach.

To know him was to love him.

John Cameron McInnis

John was born in Fayetteville, NC, was married to Shirley for forty years, the father of two daughters and one son, grandfather of four, plus another grandchild born eight months following his death, and named Cameron, after his grandfather.

John was a retired County Emergency Management Coordinator. He also served as a volunteer fire chief, and was honored by city and county fire departments at the family visitation and funeral.

Charles McIntyre

Charlie's eyes took in darkness - a father's reasonless hand raised in anger, a mother drowning in children and left to tend the next one's cries, a table with too little, twelve year old fingers bloodied with a man's labor.

Charlie's eyes projected light - twenty smokes to the shivering man who requested just one, light in the unknown single mother's apartment, his signature guaranteed because his wife asked, light on kittens and puppies whose abandoned cries pierced the night and found their home in his, joyous light of success shared with employees.

His eyes glowed thanks for the smallest kindness. And our eyes wept as we gave his gift of light, when far too soon he was gone.

Lori Sue McLamb

Suzy is shown here at one of the happiest times of her life, holding our new grandsons, Michael and Xavier in May of 2000.
I was honored to have twelve wonderful years with this woman.
I love you, and will always miss you.

Brenda Meacham

Brenda was an encourager. She was compassionate and loyal, a woman of monumental strength. A person who loved to garden. A person who loved nature, her animals, and family.

As a child, Sam was a typical happy, energetic young person. He loved riding BMX bicycles and building jumping ramps with his friends. He liked skate boards, remote control cars, and dirt bikes. He enjoyed sports - particularly soccer and basketball. He loved collecting baseball and basketball cards - especially Michael Jordan cards.

When Sam became older, he liked electronics, fishing, and preferred driving a truck, rather than a car. He liked being outdoors, especially after dark, when the stars were out and the weather was cooler. He loved riding a motorcycle and talking to other motorcycle enthusiasts. He successfully rode his motorcycle from North Carolina to Texas in April of 2002, meeting many interesting people on the journey.

Sam was a thoughtful son, brother, and grandson. We miss his gentle and wonderful sense of humor. He filled our lives with happiness and he made us laugh all the time. We had great respect for him, and we thought of him as a very good friend. We were truly blessed to have him in our family and share his life for 23 years. Our lives were enriched by knowing him, and it is our hope that at least two other people experience a fuller, more beautiful life because of his donation of his eyes.

We appreciate the opportunity to share the memories of a life that accidentally ended so quickly. He was very important to us. This tribute is submitted with sad hearts and fond memories.

Sam's parents, brother, sister, and grandparents.

Ray was a very loving husband, father, and grandfather. He always tried to set a Christian example for his family. He was very proud of his son and daughter for the fine Christian parents they have become, and for the four grandchildren they gave him.

Ray always tried to see the best in people, and be fair and honest with everyone.

"I love you" were the first words he said to me each morning, and the last he would say to me at night. Those were also the last words he spoke to me before his death.

I feel I was very blessed to have him as my best friend and husband.

Danny Monroe

It is difficult to write a few memories about my brother, because my mind is full of special events from his childhood through his adult life. Danny was so full of life and he loved life to the fullest. He was a wonderful son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle and friend to many people. When Danny worked out of town, he would call our mother and check in with us. When mother answered the phone, he would say "this is your baby boy, mama." We know our mother would give anything to hear those words again. Danny was a very tender hearted man and it didn't take much to make him cry, even though he looked like a very strong independent man. Danny never had anything bad to say about anyone, and he always looked for the good in all people. This trait is evident in the personalities of his two sons, because they are like their dad in the way they treat and respect others. Danny was very proud of his sons and his grandchild, Madilyn.

Danny loved all types of sports and was a die hard Clemson Fan. GO TIGERS. He enjoyed having friends over to watch the games on television. All the nieces and nephews loved when uncle Danny was around, because he would play with them just like another kid. Danny was born between two sisters, and he could really give us a hard time when we were children. But we will always cherish those days of playing baseball, riding our bikes, hide and seek with neighborhood kids, going to the pool, and even a little fight or two. But after we grew up, he was always there for us. Danny never called or said good bye without saying "I love you, sis" and he could give the best hugs of any man we know.

Danny was a spiritual man that enjoyed going to church to worship our Heavenly Father. We talked often about how blessed our family has been through the years. At the time when we were asked to donate Danny's corneas, it seemed to be a difficult decision. But now we are so pleased that through this donation, two people were able to regain their sight. We know Danny would have wanted us to do this, and it has made his death easier to bear for the entire family. At the moment we received the letter of the successful transplants, we were overcome with emotion and joy. We thank God for the blessing we received and the blessings the recipients received through our love for Danny. Our love for Danny will always exist, and our memories will remain fresh in our minds until the day we are reunited with him in heaven.

This is Lilly Ree, as she was known by her family, friends, and classmates, growing up in Greenville, South Carolina.

This is Ree, as she wanted to be called as she became the mature lady who was a very beautiful person inside as well as outside.

She was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, and grandmother, as well as a good and true friend.

The light, bright, sparkling smile that she had was shared by everyone she saw, or came in contact with.

May that same smile be present and carried forward with her offer of sight to those who were receivers of this precious gift.

From her loving husband and family