Jeanne Sutton Hack

Jeanne Sutton Hack, born October 14, 1928 to Allen and Bert Grimes Sutton of Apex, died of pneumonia on April 12, 2020 Easter Sunday, Day of Resurrection. She is survived by two loving sons, Herbie Allen Hack and Joseph “Sutton” Hack, residing in Berlin, Germany and Charlotte, NC, respectively. Also surviving are 3 beloved granddaughters: “Little” Sutton of Miami, FL; Liza of Charlotte, NC; and Olivia of Matthews, NC. She also leaves behind deeply loved cousins and friends.

Jeanne graduated from Apex High School in 1945 at the age of 16 and attended James Madison University in Virginia for 4 years and graduated in 1949. She married the love of her life, Joseph Edward Hack Jr. in August of 1949 and lived in Petersburg, VA several years where she worked as a social worker for USO- Traveler’s Aid Society. She and her family moved to Apex to care for her mother and remained there for the rest of her life.

She attended Sunday school and church at the Apex United Methodist Church, which she loved and was devoted to all of her life. She held many positions in the church and sang in the choir as a child and 26 years as an adult until she developed COPD that affected her lungs. At the time of her husband’s death, February 10, 1979, she resurrected her life as a giver of service and love. She was the first Welcome Wagon Lady in Apex, served Meals on Wheels, and was treasurer for the Apex Library when it first elected a board. She served on the Wake County Social Service Department Board for 6 years and was chairman for 3 years. She served on the Raleigh Christian Woman’s Club board for 21 years and served 18 years on the Apex Planning and Zoning Board. She was an advocate for the African American Community on Ten-Ten and was responsible for getting them on the Apex Water System. She served as a delegate to the NC Methodist Conference for 18 years and the Raleigh District United Methodist Women Board. She created and worked as chairman of the Bereavement Mission in her church since 1995, coordinating and serving meals to all church members at times of loss, preparing receptions for funerals of the bereaved.

With her beloved husband, she enjoyed many golf tournaments at Myrtle Beach, horse races at Stoneybrook, the Kentucky Debry, and then she became a well-known fan of her beloved TarHeels at ACC and NCAA tournaments. With her legion of best girlfriends, she loved cruises on the Mississippi. Her greatest love was theater, especially musicals at Raleigh Little Theatre, Memorial Auditorium, and at Sanford. Her wildest adventures would have to be when her son lived in NYC, where she and many girlfriends would stay at the Waldorf, walk in the Easter Parade, enjoy years of Broadway shows and Lincoln Center and dancing (on the guest list) at Studio 54.

Probably one of her “crown jewels” was working on the Design Team at Apex United Methodist Church, enlarging and remodeling the sanctuary and Crossroads addition, which remains a testament to her foresight and devotion. She was the oldest founding member of the Florence Holleman Circle which she so deeply loved. And finally, she donated a part of her land to the Apex Community Garden, sponsored by the Church, and open to everyone. She embraced inclusion and diversity and this beautiful oasis, which donates food to the community, is a living testament of her divine inspired vision.

Jeanne Hack was known and loved as a larger than life, feisty, endearing pillar of the community. If someone had a problem, she could tell you the truth about it and what you should do to solve it in about 2 minutes. She was all about mind over matter, which was why she outlived her body even in the final years. She felt God had blessed her by allowing her to be born in Apex and grow up in a community of humility, pride, hard work, and grace. All those whose lives she touched remain eternally elevated and lifted up in her legacy of love and compassion.

A memorial service at the Apex United Methodist Church will be announced at a future date.

Donations in her memory may be made to the Apex UMC memorial garden. Arrangements with Apex Funeral Home.