Roxanna Gentry Pahl, 97, of Raleigh died at home, Tuesday, March 11, 2014. surrounded by her loving family. Roxanna was the daughter of James Larkin Gentry and Rosa Belle Buchanan. She was born in Person County, N.C. on May 23, 1916. The youngest of nine, Roxanna was surrounded and nurtured by her brothers and sisters, growing up together on the family farm in the community of Allensville. As a young adult, she pursued her education at Meredith College in Raleigh and with interest in the nursing profession, graduated in 1941 from Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Winston-Salem, NC. Roxanna was commissioned as an officer in The United States Army Nurse Corps. As an Army officer and nurse, she met and married the love of her life, William A. (Bill) Pahl, while he was training as a Lieutenant with the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Roxanna and Bill were happily married until his death in 1990.
As a loving mother, she followed the lives and careers of her children, and remained active in the community as the local and regional President of Quota International of Raleigh, an organization committed to the success and well being of women in business. Roxanna is survived by her children, William A. Pahl, Jr. and wife Martha S. Pahl, J. Larkin Pahl and wife, Alice G. Pahl, Dianne P. Laird and Rose Marie Pahl, all of Raleigh, ten grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren. Bill and Roxanna were long-time members of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, in Raleigh. Roxanna maintained an active life style in the community and in the family business, William A. Pahl Co., Inc. She was a devoted reader of books and novels and cherished each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always thought of others first and to the end lived her life with grace and compassion. Her passing was in keeping with her life; no fanfare, peaceful and with dignity. The family expresses its gratitude to its many life-long friends and to all the staff of Hospice of Wake County.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Michael’s Episcopal Church Discretionary Fund, Temple Beth Or, Raleigh or to Hospice of Wake County.
Visitation with the family will be observed immediately following services at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 1520 Canterbury Rd, Raleigh, NC 27608 at 2:00 PM, Monday, March 17th. A private burial will take place after the visitation at Raleigh Memorial Park, Raleigh.
Arrangements under the direction of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home St Mary's Street, Raleigh, North Carolina.
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