Pearl Jane Norris Stanley

Pearl Jane Norris Stanley, 91, of Wilmington, NC, died Tuesday, February 5, 2008, at Cypress Pointe Rehabilitation and Health Care Centre, Wilmington. She was born in Clarendon, NC, June 26, 1916, daughter of the late Vander D. Norris and Lucy Ann Cribb Norris, and was the widow of H.C. Stanley, Sr. Mrs. Stanley graduated from Tabor City High School. She retired from the Woodmen of the World Insurance Company and was the company’s first female insurance agent in North Carolina. Mrs. Stanley was a member of the Insurance Underwriters of the USA and was honored as a National Salesperson of the Year. She was a member of Temple Baptist Church in Wilmington for fifty-four years and a member of the Woman’s Bible Class at the church. She was a past president of the Chestnut Heights Garden Club, and in 1936 she reigned as Miss Tabor City, High School. Her other interest and activities included being a Girls Summer Camp Leader for the Eastern Woodman of the World, a member of the Oldtimer’s Railroad Club, and the Good Sam’s Winnebago Club. Mrs. Stanley and her husband greatly enjoyed traveling across the USA into Canada and to Alaska. She had visited every state in the union with the exception of Hawaii, with her adventures also taking her to the Caribbean and Europe. Being proud of her McPherson ancestry she made sure to include Scotland in her traveling itinerary. Mrs. Stanley was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, always making herself available to family when needed. She will be greatly missed by her loving family and the many friends she met along her way. Surviving is a son, H.C. Stanley, Jr. and wife, Brenda of Raleigh, NC; two daughters, Freida S. North and husband, Albert of Virginia Beach, VA, and Betty S. Russell and husband, Dale of Wilmington, NC; a sister, Myrtle N. Currie of Whiteville, NC; a sister- in- law, Annie Stanley of Tabor City, NC; grandchildren, A. L. North, III, Lorrie White, Lisa North, Jonathan M. Toney, Valerie Kisgen, and Ashley Clemmer; great-grandchildren, A. L. North, IV, Jessica North, Currie Carpenter, Madison Toney, Gray Kisgen, and Gia Clemmer; a step-granddaughter, Erica Banks and her children, Brooks, Summer, and Keston Banks. Also surviving are many nephews, nieces and cousins, and her beloved cat, “Angel.” In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth Ray Stanley; brothers, Collie Norris, Emery Norris, and Homer Norris; and sisters, Mordie Cribb, Ruth Greene, Hazel Gore, and Virbee Faulk. The family expresses their appreciation to special caring friend, Marie Hardee Godfrey, for her devotion to our mother and family. We also express appreciation to the staff at Cypress Pointe Rehabilitation and Health Care Centre. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, February 8, 2008, at Andrews Mortuary Market Street Chapel, Wilmington, NC. Dr. James Whetstone, Dr. Del Parkerson, and Mr. Doug Roach will officiate. Interment will follow at Oleander Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at Andrews Mortuary Market Street Chapel from 2:00 p.m. Friday until the service hour. Memorial gifts may be made to Temple Baptist Church, 1801 Market Street, Wilmington, NC, 28403.