Brown-Wynne Funeral Home

Jeffrey Lynn Cook, 70, died suddenly on Saturday, September 24, 2022 while visiting Boone, NC with his family. A native of Mt Airy, NC, Jeff was born on September 7, 1952 to the late Claude and Mary Ruth Cook. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his older brother, Olan Johnson Cook. After graduating from Mt Airy High School, Jeff served in the US Army for two years, was stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and given the opportunity to visit twelve European countries. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Appalachian State University in 1976. He began his career in the paint business, working at Glidden and Duron Paint Stores, before joining...

Richard F. Dreyer, 77, of Cary, NC passed away peacefully at home on July 19, 2022, after a long illness. He will be dearly missed by his wife, Kathleen (Kelly) Dreyer, his sons Ricky and Gregg, daughter-in-law Evelyn (Lozada) and the joys of his life, his grandchildren Esme, Declan and Finnley. Rich was born to Anne and Herb Dreyer in Hoboken, NJ where he was raised with his four brothers: Herb (Mary) Stratford, CT; Paul (Marilyn) Falmouth, MA; Tom (Annmarie) Barnegat, NJ; Jerry (Debbie) Leonia, NJ. He attended St. Michael's High School in Union City, NJ and St. Peter's College in Jersey City, NJ where he excelled as an athlete, especially on the basketball court. After...

Eleanor Lomas McGough Leonard, April 15, 1934 - July 15, 2022, Cary, NC; formerly of Greenville, PA and Ormond Beach, FL. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday July 30, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Glenaire, 4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary, NC 27511. Private interment will be in the Chapel Mausoleum at Raleigh Memorial Park, Raleigh, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Brightspire Foundation, The Micou Browne Endowment, 4000 Glenaire Circle, Cary, NC 27511 (brightspire.org), or The Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation Inc., 739 Chappell Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606 (nctlc.org). Memories and expressions of condolences can be shared online at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home of Cary, NC:...

Carol Decker Ferguson passed away peacefully on July 12, 2022 in Cary, NC, after a long journey with Alzheimer's dementia. Born on November 26, 1938, in Elizabeth, NJ to Charles Fisher Decker and Katherine Hoplock Decker. Carol was preceded in death by her sister and brother-in-law Georgianna and Bobby Clifton, niece Kay Clifton (all of Asheboro, NC), and brother Charles Lyle Decker (of Charlottesville, VA). She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Sylvester ("Fergie") Stone Ferguson, Jr; three daughters: Terri Reeder (Wes) of Temecula, CA; Julie Gibbs of Cary, NC; and Jennifer Hannigan (Tom) of Kingwood, TX; four grandchildren: Brette Hannigan of Houston, TX; Ryan Hannigan of Austin,...

Brian Patrick Kenedy died on June 9, 2022. A true Irishman, he was the life of any party he attended, telling jokes and playing the guitar. He played and loved all sports, loved his dogs and adored his family. Brian is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara (n?e Sameth), son Brian, Jr. (Linda) and daughter Jennifer Kenedy Lohnes (Kurt) and eight grandchildren. He is also survived by his three sisters, Patricia Bolling, Gabrielle Kenedy and Rosemary Mitchell. Brian was predeceased by his son, Shaun, and by his parents, Captain Louis Kenedy and Patricia Greenidge Kenedy. Brian was born to seafaring parents in Barbados in 1937 and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada. Brian honorably served...

Charles E. Jordan, Jr., age 79, of Cary, NC passed away on Monday, May 2, 2022 at Duke University Medical Center. Charles was born October 16, 1942 in Norfolk, VA to the late Charles Ernest Jordan Sr. and Margaret Lewis Jordan. He was a graduate of Maury High School, attended Old Dominion College and graduated from Eckols College in Philadelphia, PA. He was a retired Senior VP of Beverly Enterprises. He is survived by his wife, Jean Stone Jordan; daughter and son-in-law, Lorie and Greg Strickland of Cary, NC; granddaughter, Jordan Michelle Strickland of Glendale, CA; brother and sister-in-law, Lewis and Grace Jordan of Norfolk, VA and their children Andrew, Christopher and Maggie. In...

Jerry Hyatt Knox died on April 30, 2022 at Wake Med Cary, NC. He lived in North Carolina since 1966 when he moved from West Virginia. He lived with his wife Jane for 65 years. Jerry was the son of Earl and Lorna Knox. Earl worked at Lamb Glass and Lorna was a kindergarten teacher at East School in Mt. Vernon. Jerry graduated from Mt. Vernon High School in 1953 and attended Ohio University from 1953 to 1957. He worked for Johnson Service Co. and married Jane Geiger in l957. They moved to Toledo, OH where they made their home for 5 years and had three sons. Then Jerry took a job with Johnson Service Co. in Charleston, West Virginia, where their daughter was born. In 1966 they moved...

Jerry Hyatt Knox of Cary, NC died on April 30, 2022 at Wake Med Cary. He was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio on July 28, 1935. Jerry and his wife, Jane loved living in Greensboro and raised their four children there. Jerry owned a heating and air conditioning company, Diversified Control Systems. Jerry and Jane were members at Trinity Church and were on the Young Life Committee. Later, they helped start Greensboro Bible Church. After retirement, he and Jane moved to Old North State, NC where Jerry enjoyed golfing and fishing. Later they moved to Bermuda Village in Advance, NC where they lived for ten years. In 2021, they moved to Cary, NC to be closer to family. Jerry is survived by his...

Jerry Hyatt Knox of Cary, NC died on April 30, 2022 at Wake Med Cary. He was born in Mt. Vernon, Ohio on July 28, 1935. Jerry and his wife, Jane loved living in Greensboro and raised their four children there. Jerry owned a heating and air conditioning company, Diversified Control Systems. Jerry and Jane were members at Trinity Church and were on the Young Life Committee. Later, they helped start Greensboro Bible Church. Jerry loved and cherished his wife, Jane of 65 years. He was a devoted father and Christian whose service and philanthropy for Christ reached many worldwide. After retirement, he and Jane moved to Old North State, NC where Jerry enjoyed golfing and fishing. Later they...

Douglas Richard Johnson, 91, passed away peacefully on January 31, 2022, in hospice at Waltonwood Lake Boone retirement community, Raleigh, NC. Doug was surrounded by the deep love and comfort of his wife Marcia and his children. Doug was born in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, on November 10, 1930, to Nels and Nellie Johnson. His family moved to Troutdale, Oregon, during the early years of World War II. Doug graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School. Future education plans were put on hold during his four years of military service in the Air Force during the Korean War. He later enrolled in the University of Portland as a General Engineering student. At age 75, Doug retired as Mechanical...

Jane Palmisano passed away peacefully after a long, courageous battle with Dementia. She is survived by her husband of 74 years, Laurence Palmisano; daughter, Leslie Corn; grandchildren, Melissa (Jason) Liner, Matthew (Jennifer) Corn; six great-grandchildren all of whom live in the Raleigh area; and a sister, Doris Molner of Parker, CO. A private family service will be held at a later date. Jane was born and raised in Northfield, NJ. She attended Northfield schools and graduated from Pleasantville High School. While a teenager, and during the Second World War, she played piano in a dance band for the USO clubs in the area. She worked for 30 years as a bookkeeper and public accountant...

Murdick F. Johnson, Jr. passed peacefully on 12/ 6 /2021 at age 91 supported in love by family and friends. Murdick was born in Wilmington, NC on August 17, 1930 to the late Murdick F and Lucy (Nee Norris) Johnson of Wilmington. He was preceded in death by 4 brothers, Wilbur, Fred, Bascom, and Roy and 6 sisters, Clara Drevyn, Vadie Sikes, Marguerite Brock, Lillian Fry, Letha McWhirter, and Blanche Stanley. In high school, Murdick was in ROTC. He later joined the Naval Reserve and was called to service in the US Navy during the Korean war. After service, he began a career working in a test lab for utility poles. His career as a lumber inspector led Murdick and his wife, Jean, to settle in...

Richard ("Dick") Lawrence Cohen, formerly of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, passed away in his home in Cary, North Carolina on November 4, 2021. He had just celebrated his 99th birthday. Dick was the husband of Sally Bloom Cohen of Pittsburgh, PA and the late Mildred Kutner of Philadelphia, PA. He is survived by his two sons, Robert (Linda Tramel) and Paul Cohen, step-daughters, Margery Amdur and Ellen Amdur Andelman (Martin), grandsons, Jacob and Alexander ("AJ") Rubel, sister-in-law, Adele Cohen and many loved nieces and nephews. Dick was preceded in death by his parents William and Theresa Cohen of Philadelphia, PA and his brother, Mark Cohen, M.D. of Wilmington, DE. Dick...

Van Ray Groce, Sr., age 83, passed away at home on October 23, 2021. He was born October 7, 1938 to John Marvin and Beulah Rosser Groce in Sanford, Lee County, North Carolina. He attended Sanford Central High School, the University of North Carolina and was a lifelong Tarheel fan. Van also served in the National Guard. For over 52 years Van developed land, built commercial properties, and built homes for families in the Sanford area. He was instrumental in the development of numerous residential neighborhoods in Lee and Harnett counties. He especially enjoyed designing homes to meet a family's specific needs and was a visionary in everything he touched. Van loved spending time with his...

Bobby Sullivan Roper, 78, died Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at Transitions Life Care Hospice Home in Raleigh, NC. Roper was born July 14, 1943 in Durant, OK to the late Emma and Jack Roper. A 1961 graduate of Sherman High School in Sherman, TX, Roper was an All-District selection in both football and basketball. He earned a scholarship to play football for Coach Frank Broyles at the University of Arkansas, and was a member of the 1964 national championship Razorback team. He went on to enjoy a successful career in coaching that began under Coach Paul Bryant at the University of Alabama and included stops at Wichita State, The Citadel, Virginia, Iowa State, Pitt, Tennessee, Oregon State,...

Mary Ann Upton, 80, of Apex, NC passed away on Oct 14, 2021 in Raleigh, NC. Mary Ann was a retired Middle School teacher who recently moved from Newton, NC to Apex, NC. She is survived a by a loving husband, Ron of 56 years in addition to four children: Ellen Keough and her husband Rob of Red Lion, PA; Matt Upton and his wife Julie of Dawsonville, GA; David (Dave) Upton and his wife Gennifer of Apex; Christopher (Chris) Upton and his wife Cassie of Apex; two brothers, Kurt David (Bo) Findeisen of Sacramento, CA and Kurt Otto (Ott) Findeisen of Philadelphia, PA; fifteen grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Mary Ann was a member of Jordan Lutheran Church of Apex and was...

Robert Larry Smith, husband of Martha Gant Smith, died Monday, September 6th, at his home in Cary, NC. He was born in Zanesville, Ohio and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Architecture from Ohio University. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Robert Smith and Eula Maye Styles. He is survived by his wife and two sons; Chris Smith of Waxhaw, NC, wife Jeanne, and grandchildren Matthew, Justin, and Emily; and Eric Smith of Sumter, SC, wife Jennifer, and granddaughter Taylor. Services will be held on Sunday, September 19th at 2:00 p.m. at Kirk of Kildaire Presbyterian Church located at 200 High Meadow Drive, Cary, NC. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Transitions...

On August 3, 2021, Heaven celebrated as they welcomed home one of their angels who lived a full and meaningful life and carried Christ in her heart in every endeavor she embarked upon. This angel's given name was Patsy "Pat" Grainger and while she was born and raised in Clarkton, NC she spent the majority of her life in Cary, NC. Pat was the daughter of Mary Gertrude Fisher Evans and Charles Eubie Evans. She is survived by her siblings; Ada Byrd Davis (Bruce) and Charles Eubie Evans Jr. (Jean), and her two children and their spouses; Michelle Lee Grainger (R. Zalon Thurman Jr.) and Hiram Frank Grainger II (Kristen). She was known affectionately as Momma Pat to Roger Zalon Thurman III...

David Joseph Tolan, age 88, of Searstone Retirement Community, Cary NC, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. David was born on January 25, 1933, in New York, New York, to the late Thomas Joseph and Annie Griffin Tolan. An accomplished flutist in his youth, he was offered a music scholarship to The Juilliard School in New York. However, also having an interest in the sea and astronomy, he chose to attend SUNY Maritime College, earning a B.S. in Marine Transportation. David spent 50 rewarding years in the maritime industry including six years of seagoing service with Alcoa Steamship Company as a deck officer, also serving ten years as a Naval Reserve officer and earning his U.S....

David Joseph Tolan, age 88, of Searstone Retirement Community, Cary NC, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. David was born on January 25, 1933, in New York, New York, to the late Thomas Joseph and Annie Griffin Tolan. An accomplished flutist in his youth, he was offered a music scholarship to The Juilliard School in New York. However, also having an interest in the sea and astronomy, he chose to attend SUNY Maritime College, earning a B.S. in Marine Transportation. David spent 50 rewarding years in the maritime industry including six years of seagoing service with Alcoa Steamship Company as a deck officer, also serving ten years as a Naval Reserve officer and earning his U.S....