Mary Barham McNeill

Mary was born in Washington, DC on July 17, 1931 to William Perry and Delores Selden Barham. Her parents passed away when she was very young and she was then adopted by her aunt and uncle Waverly and Marta Barham. She spent the majority of her life in Red Springs, NC where she married Warren C. McNeill, Jr. They had three children before his death at age 29. Mary took on the task as a single mother of three with only love in her heart. She was a school teacher in Red Springs and Fayetteville for 28 years. She spent time with her kids as a den mother to the Cub Scouts. She loved growing Hibiscus and collected Mary’s Angels Christmas ornaments. All will remember her as a loving mother to her children, doting grandmother to her grandchildren, and caring teacher to all the children she touched in her classrooms throughout her career. Mary was a resident of Brighton Gardens for the past several years and even until very recently, she was very independent, coming and going as she pleased. In recent years she was a member of Hayes Barton United Methodist Church. Her favorite scripture was proverbs 31, which taught her the worth of a virtuous woman.

Surviving are her children, Warren C. McNeill, III and wife, Barbara, of Raleigh, Waverly Barham McNeill, of Summerville, SC, and Susie McNeill Smith and her husband, Woody, of Laurinburg, NC; and her grandchildren, Mary-Beth McNeill and Rebekah McNeill. She was preceded in death by her husband Warren C. McNeill, Jr. and two sets of parents.

A funeral service will be held Monday April 1, 2013 at 2:00 PM, at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, 2209 Fairview Road, Raleigh, NC 27608. Interment will be at 5:00PM Monday at Alloway Cemetery in Red Springs, NC.