Ena Faye Taylor Thompson

Born on September 20, 1935, in Dublin, NC, Faye was the daughter of the late Alton Wade and Agnes Leighton Hester Taylor. She grew up with a love for learning, graduating from Lumberton High School before earning degrees from Mars Hill College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Faye dedicated three decades to shaping young minds as an elementary school teacher, instructing students in Colorado, Lumberton, NC, and Caswell County, NC. She was incredibly proud to be a charter member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary organization for women educators. Even while working full-time, she was a devoted homemaker and an extraordinary cook who always put her family first.

Faith was the cornerstone of Faye’s life. She was an active member of First Baptist Church in both Lumberton and Greensboro, finding great joy and community in the missions and her beloved friends in the Joy Sunday School Class. Beyond her church and career, Faye was a passionate historian and genealogist. She loved traveling, reading, knitting, hunting for treasures at antique stores, and finding peace at the beach. Above all, she cherished every moment spent with her family.

Affectionately known as "Mama Faye," she was a treasured grandmother and great-grandmother who nurtured a unique, deeply loving bond with each of her descendants.

Faye was preceded in death by her husband, John N. Thompson; her former husband, Prentice R. Barker, Jr.; her parents; her siblings, Agnes Berlene Nance (Ernest) and Alton Whitted Taylor; and her in-laws, Joann Taylor and Harvey Dail.

She leaves behind a beautiful legacy and is survived by her daughters: Lisa Burns (Melvin) of Florence, SC; Shelley Garrett Ennis (Randy) of Locust Hill, NC; Kathryn Faye Edmondson of Greensboro, NC; and Jenny Horne (Scott) of Summerfield, NC. She is also survived by her siblings, Max Taylor and Sandra Dail; her sister-in-law, Annette Taylor; her five grandchildren, Jack Mady, Jamison Mady Kerr (Emmett), David Alexander Garrett, Wayne Gore (Taylor Leamey), and Kristen Gore (Drake Price); and her two great-grandchildren, Gracie and Thomas Kerr.

A service to commemorate her life and faith will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home, 515 N Elm St, Greensboro, NC. Family and friends are invited to gather for a visitation immediately following the service to share memories and celebrate Faye's remarkable life.