Blanche Catherine French Honeycutt

Blanche Catherine French Honeycutt, 90, passed away at the Hospice Home of Wake County, Wednesday, May 23, 2012. She was preceded in death by her parents Blanche Taylor French and Preston Earl French; husband Haywood H. Honeycutt, Jr.; and sister, Dixie French Coward. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 30, 1921. Shortly thereafter, the family returned to Raleigh, N.C. where she lived most of her life.

She is survived and remembered with love by her daughter, Sandra Honeycutt Reynolds; her son, Haywood H. “Woody” Honeycutt III, and his wife Betty Clyde; four grandchildren, Matt Reynolds and wife Suzanne, Diana Reynolds-DeBree and husband Dan, Andrew H. “Drew” Honeycutt and wife Parker, and Katherine Honeycutt Todd and husband Stephen, and as “Great Granny” by Jack DeBree, Aidan Reynolds, Sawyer Reynolds, Savannah Reynolds, Davis Todd and Katie Todd.

She graduated from Needham B. Broughton High School in 1939 and from St. Mary’s College. In high school she was voted sports superlative her senior year and continued her passion for the school by serving as class agent, chairing or co-chairing all the reunions of her class to reunite her classmates, as well as serving similar roles at St. Mary’s College. Always fashion conscious, she was successful in numerous retail businesses before starting her career as owner of “B” Honeycutt Realty, which she continued until the end of her life. She held numerous positions with the local, state and the national Board of Realtors, but enjoyed her role as social chair as much as anything. She was a member of Hillyer Memorial Christian Church in Raleigh. She served as a docent and hostess for the Governor’s Mansion; was a volunteer at Rex Hospital; a member of the Junior Woman’s Club and Woman’s Club, being voted Member of the Year in 1997, and a member of the Capitol City Club. In her later years, she loved to travel with family and alone. She loved life and this was reflected in her bountiful energy. She will be missed very much.

The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation for the loving and compassionate care provided by the people of Duke Raleigh Hospital and especially the wonderful staff of the William M. Dunlap Center for Caring Hospice Home.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday May 26, 2012 at Montlawn Memorial Park, Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial gift may be made to Hospice of Wake County, 200 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, N.C. 27607 or a charity of choice.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary’s St. Raleigh.