Lewis Baxter Eller Jr.

Lewis Baxter Eller, Jr., 89, passed away peacefully Tuesday March 14, 2017 after a number of years of declining health. L.B. as he was known, was born June 26, 1927 in Granite Quarry, N.C. to the late Lewis Leith Baxter Eller and Ethel Godwin Eller. L.B. served his country in the US Coast Guard during World War II, travelling to various places in the world as the Coast Guard assisted the U.S. Navy, and he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, as a photographer.

He retired from Equifax (formerly Retail Credit Company) in 1993 after 40 years with the company.

LB met Helen Jane Boone while they were students at Pfeiffer Junior College in Misenheimer, N.C. where he was a starter on the basketball and baseball teams and she was a cheerleader. L.B. graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.A. degree in Business Administration. He was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

During his lifetime, L.B. maintained a curiosity and interest in many hobbies and activities including exotic birds, photography and collecting vintage cameras, reading historical fiction, rock and gemstone polishing, square dancing, coaching for a time the Hardbarger Business College women’s basketball team, gardening with the Wake County Men’s Garden club, serving a term as president, organizing the annual Godwin Family Reunion and supporting the UNC Tar Heels as a proud alum and longtime season ticket holder for men’s football & basketball and women’s basketball.

From the age of 11, when his father built him a darkroom, L.B. had a lifelong passion for photography.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, March 18, 2017 in the Joseph G. Brown chapel at Edenton Street Methodist Church, 228 W. Edenton St., Raleigh. The family will receive friends at the church after the service.

Surviving: wife of 64 years, Helen Boone Eller; son, Lewis B. Eller, III (Katrina) of Raleigh; son, Brent D. Eller (Betsy) of Raleigh; grandsons Payne Eller, Ben Eller, Sam Eller & George Eller; brother Jerry Eller (Priscilla) of Yadkinville; sister in law Eleanor Eller of Granite Quarry; and several nephews and a niece.

In addition to his parents, L.B. was preceded in death by his brother Jim Eller of Granite Quarry.

Burial will be later in the Eller Family plot at Shiloh Methodist Church in Granite Quarry.

Arrangements are under the care of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home 300 Saint Mary’s St. Raleigh, NC 27605