William "Bill" Peter Garrabrant

Bill was born and raised in Wilmington, NC, the son of the late Edgar Cornelius Garrabrant and Esther Kennedy Garrabrant. Over the years he had several homes at Wrightsville Beach and was a lifelong member of the Carolina Yacht Club where gatherings of family and friends penetrated his very being. As a boy and young man, he treasured football games with his buddies, his bicycle paper route, and being a lifeguard at the Yacht Club. Bill was a 1949 graduate of New Hanover High School and organized numerous reunions over the years. At his alma mater, NC State, he was a member of SAE fraternity, organizer of a duplicate bridge game and the head cheerleader.

Bill and Lou settled in Raleigh in 1962 and raised their 3 children. Bill was active in, and a founding member of, various social clubs where dancing was a primary feature. He was friends with many of the band members who provided the music for his feet. When North Hills started their Beach Music series Lou and Bill were regular attendees bringing lawn chairs to the venue, dancing to the tunes which inevitably included a request by Bill to play Johnny B. Goode. Warm weather saw Bill frequenting strawberry fields, and the NC Farmer’s Market for overripe peaches. These were starring features in his homemade ice cream which he shared prodigiously with his family, friends and business associates. If you were lucky, you got an invitation to come to his house, located above the dam on Crabtree Creek. From there you rode on his Huck Finn inspired raft, motoring up the creek. A little jaunt and you were in another world, with homemade ice cream waiting as a treat at the end of your unlikely journey.

Bill’s energies were evident in the community. He was a deacon at White Memorial Presbyterian Church, active in the Republican Party, President of the Raleigh Sales and Marketing Club, and President of the Raleigh Sports Club. Under the Holshouser administration he was on the Board of the NC Railroad Association and The Southern Growth Policies Board.

He was a pioneer in the promotional products business, starting his own company in 1966, bringing him much pleasure and life-long relationships. Bill’s outgoing personality, warmth and creativity made him a natural salesman.

In his leisure he could be found in his wood working shop or playing bridge. He crafted keepsakes, furniture, tree houses, playhouses, and beach houses. Playing duplicate bridge for most of his life saw him start and run a duplicate game at the Carolina Country Club, where he was the “King of No Trump”. What he enjoyed doing, he enjoyed deeply and wanted those around him to share in his enthusiasm. This included traveling with Lou, growing paperwhites in December, cleaning up Crabtree Creek with Art Ross, and selling firewood and kindling for Warmth for Wake for which he was named Tarheel of the Week.

Singing in the kitchen or in the Junior League Follies, Bill’s spirit projected outward. In these later years as dementia became the norm, those who took Bill for daily rides in their car were always treated to his expression of love for being outside. It was always “a beautiful day”. We are blessed that this was his spirit. We are eternally grateful for the love and care provided by his friend Ricky L. Williams, who along with Lou, insured he got out every day.

Bill is survived by Lou and his 3 children living in Raleigh, Victoria Garrabrant Hare (Bryant), William Peter Garrabrant, Jr, Richard Raiford Garrabrant (Trish), along with 3 grandchildren of Raleigh, Louise Schoolfield Hare, Richard Raiford Garrabrant, Jr. and Peter Shepherd Garrabrant and one grandson of Honesdale, Pennsylvania Ransom Bryant Hare V (Alat) and 2 great grandchildren, Meenakshi Hanes Hare and Lalita Louise Hare. He is also survived by his nephew, Robert C. Cantwell (Mary) and his niece, Margery Louise Garrabrant, who is more sibling than niece.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Captain John Richard Garrabrant; his infant daughter, Martha Elizabeth Garrabrant; his sister, Elizabeth Garrabrant Cantwell; and nephew, Edgar Cornelius Garrabrant ll.

A memorial service will be held at White Memorial Presbyterian Church at 2pm on Thursday, October 7th followed by a celebration of life at the Carolina Country Club.

For those who would like to honor Bill with a memorial contribution they may be made to White Memorial Presbyterian Church or Transitions LifeCare.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Brown-Wynne, 300 St. Mary’s Street, Raleigh.