Brittany Racey
At 16, Brittany Racey was a sophomore attending Union Pines High School. She looked forward to obtaining her driver’s license and expanding her educational horizons beyond high school. Brittany saw herself as the next Rachael Ray or Paula Deen. Her favorite hobbies included cooking and animal care. She also donated her hair to the Locks of Love foundation for another child’s benefit. She often cooked dinner for our family, and she even cooked for family gatherings reaching to 30 relatives. Brit’s love of animals brought three cats and one dog to join our family. Brit could light up a room with her smile and positive attitude towards life. Her favorite color was pink, and she especially enjoyed using Coach as her number one line for purses and accessories. Brittany truly loved life, even if she spent a large amount of it in a dialysis center. Nothing could keep her from school, her friends, or her family.
Marcus L. Reese, Sr.
My brother, Marcus L. Reese, Sr, was born on June 1, 1951 in Alabama, and was relocated to Boston with his Mom and siblings. He was a very outgoing person who always loved to be doing or moving. He was able to graduate from the Boston Culinary Arts School in which cooking became his love of food. He and his wife have three sons (his wife predeceased him in 2005 from lung cancer.). The most important task in his career was when he completed and received his license to drive tractor-trailer trucks. He was able to travel all over the country delivering, meeting people, and sharing his past experiences. My brother was so proud to inform people that he was a born again Christian and he always would smile and say, “I just started living!” He also was in his seventeenth year of sobriety, and he was faithful to his meetings and his brothers and sisters of his chapter. I could go on and on but if he was here today he would say, don’t worry about all the things I have done in my lifetime, and the awards and trophies I received. Just tell the people that life is what we make of it. This battle with cancer is not mine; it belongs to the Lord. So he has gone on home to be with his mother, father, and his wife, all of whom have passed from cancer. But remember the first three letters of CANcer is CAN which means we can survive it; or, we can go to be with the Lord, either way - we CAN have the victory.
Sincerely,
Angie Reese and family
Jerry Ricketts
My husband, Jerry Ricketts, was a good, kind and generous man. He loved God, me, his family and helping others.
Jerry died of cancer on July 11, 2006. When I was asked if he was an eye donor, I didn’t hesitate with my answer. Years ago we had both decided to be eye donors.
When I received the letter from the North Carolina Eye Bank telling me that his cornea donation had given sight to two people, I was so proud of Jerry for his decision to be an eye donor. Even in his death he was helping others with the precious gift of sight.
Heddie Ricketts
Grady Ritter
His love for adventure allowed him to travel throughout the United States where his life touched many.
Nancy T. Rose
August 3, 1943 – August 15, 2006
A loving mother and grandmother.
You are always in our thoughts.
My mom was a person full of life. The three most important people in her life were her daughter and two grandchildren. We were the reason she fought.
She had battled cancer for four years. It started in her breast and then went to her bones. In mid July I got the news that no daughter wants to hear from a doctor, “The cancer has gone to her liver, and she has just a few weeks left.”
I prayed for Jesus to take the cancer away. On August 15, 2006 He took all her sickness and pain away, as he took her home. My heart broke that day and a part of me died with her. But now I have a beautiful angel looking over my children and me, my mom.
Little did I know that morning, God was going to call your name, in life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone, for a part of me went with you, the day God called you home.
You left us beautiful memories, your love is still our guide, and though we cannot see you, you are always by our side. Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.
From the hearts of Teri, Christopher and Hailey
We love you and miss you
David Lewis (Tree) Ruffin, Jr.
Mr. David Lewis (Tree) Ruffin, Jr., is the son of Dorothy Ruffin and David Lewis Ruffin, Sr. David Ruffin, Jr. was born June 1, 1970 in Greensboro, NC. He departed this life October 7, 2006 at Moses Cone Hospital. David attended Grimsley High School. He loved to play basketball, and be around his family and friends. David was so fun to be around, even when times were bad. He always managed to put a smile on everyone’s face, and we will all miss that.
