North Carolina – Fall 2020

Loving, caring, outgoing, always thinking of others Nessie always made others feel special and loved. At 4’11” she was small in size, but with a huge heart. She truly believed that all people deserved to be treated with dignity and respect and be loved unconditionally. She could not accept the bad things the world throws at people. She loved everyone, and they loved her back.[...]

Creative, explorer, dreamer, comedian, philosopher Mikie could always make people laugh. If you were sad or mad or just didn’t want to, he would beam his infectious smile and there you were, laughing with him. He was also good at convincing people to do things they may have reservations about. He would turn on the charm and say: “Trust me, it will be fine.” Sometimes it was, sometimes not![...]

Loving, kind, energetic, honest, mischievous Dean was a cool kid with a floppy beach haircut and a loving and somewhat mischievous personality. He loved being outdoors; fishing, skateboarding, biking, playing soccer and training his dog Cody. He also loved elderly people and kids and was kind and thoughtful in his interactions with them.[...]

Kind, compassionate, caring, funny, charismatic Gavin was a kind, loving person, fun to be around and always considerate of others. He loved and cared about all people but made extra efforts to reach out to those who had a poor home life or who needed support.[...]

Awesome, talented, courageous, sweet, smart, handsome “As a small child Lucas would awaken with a smile each morning,” his mother Phyllis said. Throughout his life, he was always smiling, happy and energetic. Lucas loved playing guitar, fly-fishing, backpacking, horseback riding, and was a great woodworker. He had a close relationship with the Lord and had an expert knowledge of the Bible. He was passionate about life, God, his family and friends and about getting an education.[...]

Loving, hero, compassionate, funny, kind Though Megan had a strong personality and would let you know where you stood with her, it was tempered with her kindness, compassion and her desire to be helpful to everyone, even during her own difficulties. She loved to see people happy and was equally passionate about the prospect of making a good future for her and her children.[...]

Kind, empathetic, caring, comical, pure Sam was a kind, loyal and loving soul, with a sympathetic, non-judging attitude and a fierce love for his family. He was goofy and funny but also compassionate and naïve. He loved with all his heart and even when struggling himself, was always there for his friends. [...]

Creative, curious, expressive, nature lover, dog whisperer, zest for life As a child, Kara was loving, joyful, inquisitive, highly intelligent and astute. Her mother, Bobbi states: “she was quiet and thoughtful, independent and introverted, instead of joining groups, she would observe and play quietly with one or two people.” [...]

Energetic, loved to laugh, challenging, painful, wounded Some thoughts that came to mind when Joey’s family was asked about him were energetic, sensitive, but afraid to show it, athletic, and compassionate with a heart for those less fortunate. He also had a short attention span, liked being the center of attention, was intelligent, charming, artistic and wounded. “He was very complex,” his parents said. “He would love you with his whole heart and he would challenge you with his whole heart.”[...]

Lovable, kind, giver, happy, well-liked “Tonya was like the Sun,” her grandmother, Adrienne said, “She blinded you with her energy and infectious joy.” Tonya loved the beach and concerts, getting her nails and hair done and was passionate about the people she loved. She generously shared what she had, lived in the moment and was happy, bubbly and always laughing; until she started using drugs. [...]

Just for today, know hope. At 6’3” Michael was a big presence when he came into a room. He had an enormous heart, was always smiling and had a gift for making people feel loved and cared for; a legacy he left with many people over his brief life. [...]

Loyal, funny, kind hearted, strong faith Branch was a loyal man, very protective of his family and close friends and always there for them. He remained steadfast in his religious beliefs throughout his life, always praying before meals, and often reading his Bible. He was funny and liked all types of music including alternative, rock, rap and ska but particularly the group Sublime. He liked to freestyle and rap, but lost interest toward the end as his substance use took over.[...]

Caring, loving, athletic, quiet, loved Layton had a love for sports, family and friends. “Family time was always a priority for Layton,” according to his dad, Craig. They played cards, took hikes in the mountains, spent time at the beach together and took trips to places like the Grand Canyon, the Florida Keys, Orlando theme parks and Washington, D.C.; they made many great family memories. Layton and his brother Cody were close and often played sports and worked out together. At 14, Layton took a boating course, got an operator’s license and spent hours boating, body surfing, kayaking or tubing.[...]

Creative, stubborn, sensitive, protective, loyal, perfectionist Sam was reserved, preferring to study things from afar before joining in. He felt things to his core and was sensitive to the feelings of others but didn’t like to share his own emotions. He was very self-disciplined, delving deeply into any of his interests and practicing until he conquered them. Earlier in life, this manifested in mastering flips and twists in skateboarding or spray-painting graffiti and painting murals; later in his love of custom knife making, which he planned to continue as a lifelong career. [...]

Charming, sensitive, determined, generous, playful Shaun was sensitive, caring, and compassionate, but also lively and not afraid to fight for what he believed in. He was proud to have earned his scuba diving certification and very advanced in the gaming world, playing one online game for 20 years. He also loved movies and had a large collection of videos that he watched over and over. [...]

Magical, beautiful, painful, brutal and too short of a life Kegan was funny and smart and also painfully sensitive. He felt everything deeply and as a result, experienced a great deal of anxiety and depression. It was a burden to feel this way, but he wasn’t comfortable getting professional help from psychiatry. He had a passionate interest in plant medicine and went to Mexico to investigate plants he believed would heal his brain and eradicate his craving for drugs. “He just wanted to feel okay about himself, to feel normal,” his mother, Sherri said.[...]

Loving, gregarious, exuberant, captivating, humorous “Once you met Thomas, you didn’t forget him,” his mother said. He was fun-loving, energetic and lived more life in his 33 years than most people did in living to an old age. He loved his family and his many friends and they enjoyed his quick wit, his loveable sarcasm and funny comebacks.[...]

Beautiful, big-hearted, funny, adventurous, animal lover Katie was an adventurous, smart, jokester with a wicked sense of humor and a zest for fun. She was fiery and outspoken standing up for the underdog in any situation. Another side of her was gentle, sensitive and insightful. [...]

Kind, gentle, intelligent, daring, wicked sense of humor When Alex was little he was open, free, chatty and precocious. He was a character; very happy, intensely creative and inquisitive from day one and loved to learn about the world. Alex constantly asked questions until he was satisfied with the answers. The family laughingly said; “he was a force to be reckoned with” and “he marched to his own music.” In addition to those traits, Alex was compassionate, kind and had a quick sense of humor. [...]

Cursed by addiction, freed by adventure Michael was a character with a bigger than life personality. He was different from anyone you would ever meet. He was such a charmer that he could offend you and make you laugh all at the same time. He loved talking about his crazy sounding ideas, some revolving around conspiracy theories, paranormal activity and Bigfoot.[...]

Honest, self-deprecating, helpful, fun loving, man of integrity Eric was described by his family as a fun loving, risk taking guy. He liked living on the edge and the adrenaline rush of exciting, and often dangerous, adventures. He often recounted his close calls with laughter and a sense of amazement that he had survived.[...]

Beautiful soul, best dad and papaw ever Unconditional love was the theme of Tim’s life. He was a caring friend, father and “Papaw” generous with his love, his time and his resources to provide the best life for everyone he loved. Tim was loyal and trustworthy. His daughter Ashley said: “When he gave his word, it was done! You could call on him day or night and he was there.“[...]

The best man I knew “George was an amazing father and the best, most loyal partner one could have,” his partner Alexandra said. He was over the moon when Alexandra became pregnant. After Siena was born and Alexandra went back to work, George was happy to be home with the baby. He was elated to have a family and texted pictures of the baby throughout the day. George was also a caregiver to his mother, who was in a wheelchair and needed some support. He visited her every day to attend to her needs and brought her flowers once a week. “Everything for George was about family,” Alexandra said.[...]

Passionate, creative, empathetic, loving, kind At 6’3”, Vincent was a tall, handsome and stately young man with aquamarine eyes and an engaging presence that brought joy to every room he entered. He was reliable, fearless, considerate and respectful with a generous spirit and a heart of gold “He had a great laugh and could bring your spirits up if you were down,” his mother, Karen said, ‘He had a gift for making everyone feel special.”[...]

Beautiful, caring, hurting, loving mother Melissa put a creative spin on everything she did. She decorated for every holiday, made great desserts and cookies and unique Halloween costumes. The last party Melissa gave for her daughter, Amber’s birthday included beautiful decorations, fun activities and a special limo ride[...]

Altruistic, beautiful. strong, fearless, healer Hope was a “kind, generous, loving and happy girl with a quick wit and a laugh that lit up your world.” She cared about others more than herself and was an excellent caregiver to her grandparents, younger sister and baby cousins. She was gentle, compassionate, loving and thoughtful; “a true ray of sunshine.” She made everyone feel important, needed and wanted and ended every conversation with “I love you.”[...]

Happy, loyal, kind, precious, loved to laugh People who loved Calin described him as a loving son, brother, and uncle. He was best friends with his sister, was extremely loyal, kind, and often went out of his way to help others. He had a gift for making people laugh and his smile would brighten any room. Calin loved music, soccer, swimming, wake boarding, and was a great cook. At one point, he wanted to go to culinary school to be a chef.[...]

Too young to die Matt was described as having a very rough life, but also with the determination to change his life into the best it could be. He had the desire to make the lives of his friends and family easier too by helping them in any way he could, whether it be a ride to the airport, taking time to listen to them, or making them smile.[...]

Happy, short lived, misguided, missed, never forgotten Timmy was precocious from birth. He was very smart and capable and had advance computer skills at an early age. He taught himself Spanish and spoke it fluently. He was outgoing, social, adventurous and caring. Timmy loved gymnastics, cars, making music and was a natural leader. He often tried out new hair and beard styles and drove with his music blaring.[...]

Selfless, humble, loving, outgoing, kind-hearted. Parker was one of those rare individuals who could immediately strike up a conversation with anyone, making them feel they had been friends for years. His infectious smile made him approachable and laughter was present wherever he was. He was kindhearted, generous and thoughtful.[...]

Life fulfilled for greater purpose Dakota was a happy-go-lucky person, bubbly and cheerful with a contagious laugh and a smile that drew you in. She was a prankster, loving to catch people off guard, like hiding under the bed and grabbing someone’s ankle as they were climbing into bed. Paradoxically, she suffered from anxiety, depression, and low self-worth, silently trying to cope with it on her own. [...]

Great life, until addiction Jason was extremely outgoing, able to talk to anyone about anything; people were drawn to him. He loved helping others and would often give money, food, or a coat to those who needed it. He went on youth mission trips with his church building houses in Honduras and restoring homes in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.[...]

Joyful, Adventurous, Faithful, Brave, Loving Clay was the quintessential all-American guy next door. He was kind-hearted, affectionate and selfless with a glorious smile and contagious laugh. Family and faith was everything to Clay. He revered his father, adored his extended family and doted on his younger brother. He was a self-proclaimed mama’s boy, stating his mama was his #1. [...]

Loving, passionate, fun, caring, free spirited Katie was a loving mother, daughter, sister and friend. Her personality was “as big as the sky,” her mom, Angelia said. ‘She had the biggest, darkest eyes; you could get lost in them and see straight into her soul. But she also carried the pain of the world in those eyes and longed for peace.”[...]

He was an exquisite human Adam seemed to have a” risk-taking gene” his mother said. He jumped off cliffs, rode every scary ride in amusement parks and performed aerial jumps on his bike and skateboard. He lived his life fully and with gusto. He was outgoing, wickedly funny, and also warm, caring and engaged with the ones he loved.[...]

Too good for this world When Tom was a little boy he was obsessed with Star Wars. He dressed up in costumes reenacting scenes from the movies while slashing his light-saber about. He loved creating characters and developing video horror movies with his friends. The family loved fishing, going to the beach and having EPIC Christmas celebrations together.[...]

Sensitive, funny, deep, loving, impactful Danny was very sensitive and empathetic. He felt every feeling very deeply and could not stand to see a person or animal suffer. At first meeting he would seem a little quiet and reserved, but as you got to know him you could see his goofy, mischievous side. He loved to play pranks on people and make them laugh, but he also had an appealing vulnerability that he only revealed to his family and closest friends. [...]

Adventurous, loving, fearless, passionate, accepting Cam had an unmatched zest for life. He was an adventurer and happiest in nature. He loved kayaking, hiking, camping, swimming, cliff climbing and jumping off. Cam saw life differently than most and didn’t place boundaries on himself. He was a fearless free spirit, going headfirst into everything. Not cut out for a conventional path, he wanted to live and enjoy life on his own terms. [...]

Loving, funny, thoughtful, kind, compassionate Tim never met a stranger, and everyone who knew him loved him immediately. He had a vibrant, fun-loving personality, and loved to make people laugh. His mom cherishes the videos the family has where they can hear his contagious laughter. [...]

Courageous, Loyal, Compassionate, Fun loving, Warrior “To know Josh was to love Josh,” was an often-repeated theme at his celebration of life service. Josh was remembered as a loving, caring and authentic person with a calm demeanor and a tender heart. He loved people unconditionally and was always interested in hearing their stories and sharing their struggles. He led NA meetings, and encouraged so many people with their walk in sobriety.[...]