Cecilia Adams
Her beautiful eyes sparkled as did her infectious smile. Every day those eyes would read a book from her library, something for the book club, a favorite magazine. The sights and sounds of the sea and the shore were dear to her, and she chose to live there where she could be close to these things every day. Cecilia’s other greatest joys in life were her church and her grandchildren, to each of which she was very dedicated and loved dearly.
James Lee Aldridge, Sr.
May 7, 1927 – November 14, 2007
James was a loving husband, father and grandfather. His life was filled with laughter and the need to help others, from serving his country in the Armed Forces to spending endless hours volunteering at both his church and East Forsyth High School. He was a loyal employee of RJ Reynolds for over 38 years. A devoted husband to his wife, Ruth, whom he spent the last seven years of his life looking after, sitting by her side once she was diagnosed with congestive heart disease. For him to donate his eyes at his death was his final gift to others and the perfect ending to the life he led.
Deborah “Debbie” Givens Alfaro
Debbie was the youngest child of Jim and Polly Givens. She was a late-in-life surprise for her mom and dad and continued to surprise us all for the rest of her life. She kept part of her little girl love in her collection of Pillsbury Doughboy and Strawberry Shortcake things. She had battled her weight for years and in 2003 underwent bariatric surgery. She lost 160 pounds, and the picture we have sent was her last Bariatric Weight Loss Gala where she shined like a new star. She leaves behind her husband of 15 years, Victor Alfaro, and her son and sidekick, Cameron, age 13. Debbie loved life and could play the piano like a dream. She had the awesome talent of being able to hear a song twice and then being able to play it. I wish everyone had a chance to meet her and hear her laugh. You can see the twinkle in her eyes in the picture. Her death was both sudden and unexpected, but we were blessed that we all spent that Thanksgiving Day together as a family. She had put herself down as a donor on her license and we knew that she would want to help as many people as she could. I pray that whomever she helped to see will use that gift to see the good in people. If they find themselves drawn toward Pillsbury Doughboys and Strawberry Shortcakes, it’s just an old habit for those big blue eyes. We love and miss her so very much, but we know she is in heaven with Jesus and her mom and dad. We are blessed that we will see her again.
The Alfaro and Givens Families
Daryl Allen
Daryl Allen loved life. He was a loving husband and father. He never met a stranger. Daryl was a long-distance owner/operator truck driver who loved his job. He enjoyed traveling all over the country and seeing the many wonderful sights the United States has to offer. During his trucking career he traveled to 46 states and Canada, but eastern North Carolina was his favorite place to come home to.
Daryl married his high school sweetheart. They met at age 16, married at age 19 and celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on September 11, 2007 just four days before his death on September 15.
Daryl’s pride and joy were his daughters, Carol Beth and Crystal Lea. Daryl was always telling his girls these three things as they were growing up: show respect, be responsible and be honest. Daryl loved vacationing on Ocracoke Island with his family, boating and fishing and just spending time with this family relaxing on the beach.
Daryl was a man who loved God and his church family. He was a generous person who would do without if others were in need. It was said at his funeral that he was the glue that held his family of brothers and sister together.
Daryl’s health started to decline about eight years ago due to renal failure, and he had to retire from the trucking business. Daryl needed a new kidney and a good friend and fellow brother in Christ donated one of his kidneys to Daryl six years ago. Daryl felt God was blessing him with additional time to be with his family and continue to witness for the Lord. With Daryl’s new donated kidney he was able to have six more years to see both his daughters graduate from high school and college and even walk one daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.
Daryl’s family knows how important organ transplantation is. I think he would be proud to have helped someone have the gift of sight. This was his final gift of giving.
His friends and family will miss him, but we can rejoice because we know he is in heaven signing, rejoicing and praising God.
We love you,
Wanda, Carol Beth and Crystal
Ethel Mills Frazier Allen
December 16, 1938 – June 11, 2007
Mama was born in Harnett County and was the oldest of six children. She raised three children on her own. Mama was a gifted woman – she wrote poems, plays for the church, and even wrote a song when she was a teenager. Mama also read a lot. When we gave her books to an assisted living center, there were over 350 paperback books. Mama was a person who spoke freely and was very blunt.
Mama retired from Tyco Electronics (Raychem) after 20 years of service. She was well respected and loved by the people at work and anyone who knew her.
When I was growing up, mama always told us that she was an eye donor. Being young and not knowing what was involved in eye donation, I told her that someone would not want to wear thick glasses like hers. Her reply was that a blind person would not care if they had to wear glasses.
Shirley H. Allen
May 25, 1934 – March 10, 2007
Our mother, Momma as we called her, was the most generous person in the world. She was giving and kind in all that she ever did. We have never recalled a day that she did not have extra folks invited in to stay and live under her roof. Money was always scarce, but it never kept her from providing everyone with a good meal and clean clothes to wear. She most times went without herself at the risk of helping others.
When she was younger she never got the opportunity to graduate from high school. Then the opportunity to get her GED came along and it was the year Marion graduated from high school and so did Momma. We were all very proud of her and she was so happy.
When our daddy’s mother passed away suddenly, we were in the fifth and third grade. Daddy had three other siblings left without a mother or father. Daddy decided it was best to keep them all together and raise them right along with us. Hardy, who was a year older than Marion, was a Downs Syndrome baby and a blue baby at birth and was born at home instead of a hospital. Irene was the same age as Marion and Rocky was a year younger than Lenora. Suddenly we had a family of five children and Momma and Daddy. Momma never complained.
Momma made sure we were all clothed, fed, and got an education. She taught us right from wrong and to live by the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Momma always said, “Pretty is as pretty does.” Oh yeah, she walked miles to and from school in the snow and rain, too. We heard that story as well.
Momma loved food. She loved any type of new dish and created a few of her own. She made the best fried chicken, crab cakes and most everything she cooked, unless it was a strange concoction. She would say after her meal, “That was the best I’ve every ate!” Her favorite drink was Diet Coke. We rarely saw her without one.
Our Momma was the best and we loved her very much. We are so proud of her choice to donate her eyes and give the gift of sight to someone who might otherwise not be able to see. She loved to discover and explore new things and enjoyed reading and wanted everyone to be able to do the same. Education and enjoying life was such a big part of Momma’s idealism that she has rubbed off on so many people and touched so many lives. The choice to give her eyes was just another way of giving of herself.
By her daughters,
Marion Allen Ferrell and Lenora Rae Allen
Peggy Alspaugh
Peggy Alspaugh was a unique person. She could knit, quilt, sew, cook, basket weave, paint, draw, sculpt, cross stitch, do calligraphy, even lay brick. She loved to travel: Russia, Finland, Sweden, England, France, Switzerland, Austria and New Zealand with Friendship Force. She even played bells one Christmas with a bell choir in the White House. She had a loving family: two sons, one daughter, and six grandchildren. She was a happy person and loved people. She was a member of many groups including UNC-G Alumni Association, PEO, Piedmont Quilting Guild, Guilford County Home Economics Club, Girl Scouts, church circle, church quilting group, Curry School Class of 1948 meeting group, and others. She taught by example and is sorely missed and mourned.
Tom Alspaugh
Judy Fowler Anders
Judy Anders died on Mother’s Day, May 13, 2007, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born on August 8, 1939 in High Point, NC. She was an animal lover and enjoyed gardening and late night walks with her neighbors and their animals. She touched so many hearts and lives; was such a joy to be around; was so funny and wise; was always happy as long as she knew her friends and family were happy, sometimes putting her own wants aside. She was always so eager to share her beautiful and contagious smile with others; so loving, kind and compassionate. Although the tragic loss of our mother will affect us for the rest of our lives, her memory accompanies us throughout each and every day. Our prayers are that her life will continue to positively impact this world in which we live. In Christ’s love we will someday be reunited with her forever.
Surviving are her husband, Bill Anders; two daughters, Brenda Puffenbarger and Jackie Kanoy; her mother, Lucille Nelson; brother, John Nelson; three grandchildren and three great grandchildren; one godson, Garrett Nelson and Alex Nelson, and one special friend Rhonda Anderson. She will be missed so very much.
Gloria Andrews
My mama Gloria Andrews, at seventy-eight years young, was a hard worker in everything she set her mind to. Full of life, no negative thinking around her. She raised three children, was then blessed with nine grandchildren, and then there were ten great-grandchildren and she loved us all and told us that we could be anything we wanted to be. Miss Gloria was a real fighter with all the diseases that hit her all at once. Her sister found the black leather outfit she has on. Mama had always dreamed of wearing an outfit like that, except she would rather have had a red shirt. Red was her favorite color. I remember when Daddy would go to work on Saturdays. Mama and I would go and put on some records, especially Elvis Presley, and we would dance and have ourselves a good time. My Mama worried over us until she died on April 30, 2007. Love you, Mama.
Melvin “Melly-Mel” Andrews, Jr.
Melvin “Melly-Mel” Andrews, Jr. blessed us with his presence on March 2, 1972 and he ascended to heaven on October 29, 2007. He will always be remembered as a much loved charming, gentle young man who had a big heart, a bright smile, a comedic presence and a deep love for his family. He was a sweet, sweet spirit.
When Mel entered a room, you always knew you would end up laughing. He would captivate you with his funny stories and mocking of his family members. He would make your heart smile. Mel was the go-to guy for critiques of movies because he never missed the opening night of new releases. Mel was the go-to guy for technical gadgets because he owned them all. His mission was to make sure his family stayed in the 21st century. He was a die-hard Carolina fan and he owned just about everything emblazoned with the Tar Heel insignia - a Santa hat, rugs, glasses, blankets, car mats, shirts, etc. No truer fan has been born.
Mel loved his family intensely—his mother, his daughters, his brothers, his grandparents, his niece, his aunts, his uncles, his cousins—and we intensely loved him every second of his 35 years. We are all better people for having known him and having loved him.
Although he is gone, he will never be forgotten because we see his bright smile in his lovely daughters, we hear his funny stories and his laughter from his loving brothers and we feel his unconditional love from his dear mother.
My precious nephew, Melvin “Melly-Mel” Andrews knew that life was not a dress rehearsal, so he truly lived all of the days of his life.
Micah Rhea Arrants
Micah Rhea Arrants , 17, of Concord, was a senior scholar athlete at Northwest Cabarrus High School. He was an excellent student, an artist, a musician, a runner, a wonderful son and brother and a friend to all. He died on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2007, of a rare blood-clotting disorder at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Micah played the bass guitar, mandolin, guitar and trumpet, and received high school and scholastic art awards. He wished that everyone would tread lightly upon the earth, and planned to major in environmental science and run cross-country in college. He was a leader on his cross-country team, always encouraging his teammates and putting them and others first.
Micah had a wonderful sense of humor, could be friends with anyone, and had a firm sense of justice in how others should be treated. His cross-country coach said he had the gift of being able to connect with people of all ages and from all walks of life - the athletes, the musicians, the artists, the advanced placement students, teachers, children and parents. Micah was wise beyond his years, and lived life to the fullest. As one friend said, "his work ethic towards music, art, school, and running were ideal. He never did anything halfway. He always gave 100 percent in everything.” Another said, “Even in his last race, the day before he was hospitalized, he pushed himself to the limit. We can all learn from Micah to never take a race for granted, because for all we know it could be our last one.” To show their love and support for Micah, his family and Northwest Cabarrus High School set up a scholarship fund for deserving students, called the Micah Arrants Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Joseph Arrants and Gail Smith-Arrants (parents), Kate Arrants (sister)
Thomas C. Austin
Tom was born and raised in San Francisco. We moved to North Carolina 16 years ago. He loved the peace and quiet.
He went through life with a droll sense of humor and, at times, a cynical eye.
We were married for 31 years and I miss him every day. He has two sons from his first marriage and five grandchildren. He never got to see his youngest grandson. Maybe whoever has his eyes will see him. He’s a little red-head (like Grandpa), so watch out for him.
