Marvin Charlie Frazier

Marvin Charlie Frazier, 96, left us on Friday, January 24, 2020.  A native of Halifax County, he was the son of Charlie C. Frazier and Saphronie Rebecca Browning Frazier. A veteran of WW II, he served the US Navy aboard the USS Albemarle between 1943 and 1945 and as a diesel mechanic in Northern Africa. Born in Roanoke Rapids, he moved to Wake Forest at the age of 16.

Marvin quit school during the depression at age 10 to work and help his mother take care of he and his 4 brothers and sisters. He moved to Wake Forest at the age of 16, to live and work with his uncles. During his service years he pitched a “No Hitter” on a boat for the US Service Members Fleet Championship. He said the only thing about it is the Military newspaper misspelled his name! Marvin pitched for years in community men’s “wind-up” softball leagues. He also became a Lightweight Boxing Champion during his service years.

After his service, Marvin became a mechanic, ran a garage, drove short and long-haul tractor trailers for McLean Trucking  out of Winston and Pilot in Durham, and worked as a warehouseman for A&P for a total of just over 30 years. For the next 15 years, he was the Traffic Manager at Neuse Plastics Company in Wake Forest.

Marvin married Lara Lee Faulkner in 1946, the love of his life for 52 years until her death in 1998. Marvin and Lara (he called her “Lee” and “Leo”) used to love to dance as a young couple and bowled in several leagues. God blessed him with his second love, Naomi Puryear Cashwell, and they were married in 2000 and lived 12 happy years together before her passing in 2012. He met Naomi at a dance, bought a new car and drove it and her almost 12,000 miles the first year he knew her to watch and participate with her in ballroom and variety dancing. They were quite the couple!

Marvin loved dancing, whistling, singing and bowling which both wives loved to do with him. He was always busy, doing mechanical things, working on the house and yard or planting and cultivating the garden which he had for so many years of his life. He was a strong, mild mannered husband who thrived to love and teach his children and grandchildren. He was always happy, witty and fun to be around. He was a hard worker and a true friend who helped many of his family, friends, co-workers and employees.

He was quick witted to the delight of most who knew him and would “out of the blue” come up with a joke or comment that broke the tension and put everyone at ease. He had been in a nursing home for age-appropriate dementia since 2014 where he has been exalted by staff as “Mr. Funny Man” and “Mr. Character”. He was for several years the most highly functioning resident.

Marvin leaves behind: 3 children – Glenn Wayne Frazier, Sr. and wife, Wanda; Judy F. Mims and husband, Bobby; Michael Lee Frazier and wife, Mary; 7 grandchildren – Glenn Frazier Jr. and wife, Adria;  Lee Frazier and wife, Tina; Pearl Forte Frazier, William Mims; Belinda K Mims and husband, Justin Hoff; Christopher Frazier; Jennifer Frazier McGuigan and husband, Chris; and 5 great grandchildren - Daylon Frazier, Gunner Frazier, Brittany Kay Lewis, Hazel and Heidi McGuigan. He is survived by one sister, Vernell Frazier Vick of Roanoke Rapids Predeceased siblings are Clinton and John Billy and sister, Myrtle Frazier Butler.

Marvin was fortunate in his second marriage to Naomi to inherit 5 more children: John & Susan Cashwell, Dorothy Maynor, Phil & Laura Cashwell, Rev. Don & Wanda Cashwell, Ted & Julia Cashwell. He spent time and loved them as if they had been with him the entire 76 years before meeting their Mom.

We wish to thank all those who assisted in his care including the staff of The Oaks at Mayview for the past 2 years. We especially thank Pearl Forte Frazier for her love and caring of our Dad. We also thank the staff and workers of the Transitions Care of Raleigh Hospice for their special care in the past six months of Dad’s life.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 1, 2020, at 3:00 P.M. at Bright Funeral Home Chapel in Wake Forest followed by entombment with military honors at Pine Forest Memorial Gardens. The family will receive guests between 2 -3 P.M.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Transitions Life Care Hospice, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 in his Memory.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.