Obituaries

Virginia Bowers Rowlett was born April 29, 1946, in Richmond, Virginia. She was known as “Ginny” to her friends and family, and “Ginny Leigh” to her parents. She attended Douglas Southall Freeman High School in Richmond and graduated from Longwood College in 1968 with a degree in education. On August 5, 1967, she married Russell…

She was born Dawn Marie Saunders in Freeport, NY, Nassau County, Long Island. She grew up in nearby Baldwin with three older brothers. Their mother was a kind and gentle person, but the children all suffered physical and emotional abuse from the father. When the three brothers had left, Dawn looked after her own safety…

Carole Ann Latham, née Blozis, passed away on June 16, 2026. Born in Chicago, Illinois to Daniel and Isabel Blozis, she grew up in Arizona and California before eventually making her way east with her growing family, calling Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina home at different seasons of her life. Wherever she lived, she created…

Walter “Walt” Kessler, 95, of Cary, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on June 16, 2026.Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Walt later made his home in Chicago, Illinois, where he spent much of his adult life building a successful career in sales. In 2018, he and his beloved wife Bunny, relocated to Cary to…

Jean La Vonne Stackhouse Skaife, the only child of Phillip and Edna Stackhouse, was born September 12th, 1921. Jean passed away on June 12th, 2026 in Chapel Hill, NC, having lived a full life of 104 years. Jean was born and grew up in Adams, WI, where her father was a railroad conductor. She graduated from…

Rosemary Louise Kavadias (nee Starck), 87, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt died on June 9, 2026 in Chapel Hill, NC after a brief illness. She is survived by her children, Siobhan O’Connor, John O’Connor, III (Dawn), Brennan O’Connor (Denyse), Christian O’Connor (Meredith), Sabrina Kavadias (Robert Sears), Pam Kavadias, and Steve Kavadias. She is also…

⸻In Loving Memory of HedyFebruary 12, 1947 – June 7, 2026Hedy’s life reflected generosity, resilience, and deep devotion to family and community. Born in Shanghai, China, after her parents fled the Holocaust, she carried a lasting appreciation for life and the people in it. She gave freely of herself and remained devoted to those she…

Richard Crockett MillerJuly 18, 1940 to June 6, 2026Richard Miller died peacefully in his home on Saturday, June 6 with his wife Carolyn by his side. He lived a full, rich life of 85 years marked by service, generosity, intelligence and humor. He will be remembered by many for his wit that came with few…

Sharon Elaine Bentch, 75, of Durham, North Carolina, passed away Saturday, June 6, 2026. Sharon, daughter of Virginia and William (Art) Blackwell, of Overland, Missouri, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 8, 1950.Sharon trained at St. Mary's Hospital in St. Louis as a nurse's aide and later in North Carolina as a piano…

Thomas “Craig” Derian, MD passed away on June 4, 2026 at his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He was 69 years old.We lost a very special person that day.Craig grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, during the height of the civil rights movement, and identified strongly with his parents’ commitment to equality, justice, and social…