Christine Blalock Redecker, 88, passed away on November 15, 2020 at the Stewart Healthcare Center of Springmoor Retirement Community. Born in Person County on August 31, 1932; she was one of eight children to the late Richard Blalock and Agnes Brooks Blalock.
Christine grew up in Timberlake, NC and enjoyed the activities that take place in a small rural community such as attending the local Methodist Church, walking to her schools, and riding the train to Durham to shop. As a teenager she was selected to a travel softball team and experienced traveling throughout the Unites States. After high school Christine left Timberlake to attend to East Carolina University and obtained a teaching degree. During her summers she worked at Camp Sea Gull as an activities/program director. When Christine completed her ECU degree, she moved to Raleigh to begin her teaching career which span for over 32 years with Wake County Public Schools. Christine was instrumental in the start of the Wake County school‘s Magnet program and wrote curriculum during the summer months between school years. She also enjoyed working on a program called “Pieces of Gold” that allowed elementary students in Wake County to perform at Memorial Auditorium. The love of learning followed Christine throughout her life and she obtained a Master’s degree and pursued a PhD in Education at UNC Chapel Hill.
Christine was involved in many activities outside of teaching. She was a member and Sunday school teacher at Highland Methodist church. When she moved outside the Raleigh city limits, she transferred her membership to Asbury Methodist church. For more than 50 years, Christine was a member of the Raleigh Woman’s Club where she enjoyed the fellowship and working on committees to improve life in the Raleigh area. Christine was also a key member of Delta Kappa Gamma for 60 plus years where she continued helping fellow teachers throughout her life.
Christine’s best roles were as a wife, daughter-in-law, mother and grandmother. She met her husband, Henry, when he moved to Raleigh with the Westinghouse company in the late 1950s. Christine was a fun mother/grandmother and enjoyed activities such as going on field trips, reading, singing, and attending sports events with her children/grandchildren. She was an avid sports fan and her children knew not to walk in front of the TV during a UNC Tar Heels or Duke basketball game. Christine lived a fun and admirable life. Even at Springmoor Retirement Community, she continued to encourage people while playing bingo and attending different group gatherings such as poetry readings and vespers.
She is survived by her two daughters: Joan Redecker Sims, of Cary and Jane Redecker Speer and husband James, of Youngsville; grandchildren: Joseph “Lon” Sims, III and wife Tiana Spruill-Sims, Matthew Sims and wife Olivia, Kaitlyn Speer, Ryan Speer, Bailey Redecker, and Emily Redecker; great-grandchildren: Joseph Simms IV, David Sims, Payton Sims, Noah Sims and Luke Sims; and by other family and friends.
Christine was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Henry Walter Redecker; her son, Henry W. Redecker, Jr.; and by all of her siblings, including her twin sister, Pauline Gentry.
Due to present gathering precautions, a Private Service for the family will be held on Sunday, November 29th at Raleigh Memorial Park. The service will be recorded and posted to the Facebook Page of Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park for all to view immediately afterwards.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are preferred to YMCA Camp Sea Gull, Raleigh Woman’s Club, or Springmoor Endowment Fund.
If you would like to leave a message of condolence to the family, you may do so below within "add a memory".
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18