Mary McLawhorn Winstead

Mary Donald (McLawhorn) Winstead, 99, of Raleigh passed away peacefully Monday afternoon, May 4, 2020, at Sunrise of North Hills in Raleigh where she had been a resident for the past seventeen years.

She was born June 14, 1920, in Winterville, NC and was the daughter of the late Kathleen (Jolly) McLawhorn and Larry Austin McLawhorn of Greenville, NC. She was predeceased by her loving husband of 48 years, John Sidney Winstead, a sister, Doris (Minges) Richardson, of New Bern, NC, a brother Ed Jolly McLawhorn, of Morehead City, NC, and a brother William Austin McLawhorn of McKormick, SC.

Mary Donald graduated from Rose High School in Greenville, NC and attended East Carolina University. After World War II, she and her husband moved to Raleigh where she worked as Secretary for the Psychology Department, the School of Education and the Alumni Office at NC State University. She was a 65 year member of Hillyer Memorial Christian Church in Raleigh where she was very active in Christian Women’s Fellowship and visiting shut-ins who were unable to attend services. She worshiped time spent with her family. Trips to the beach or anywhere in eastern North Carolina to visit family members were something she talked about nearly every day during her later years. Nothing brightened her day more than to sit down and view pictures of family and talk about how everybody was doing. She wished so much that her wonderful husband, Sid, had lived to see the birth of her beautiful twin great grandchildren.

She felt so blessed to be survived by so many family members that loved her dearly including a son, Donald Sidney Winstead and wife, Karen Keith Winstead of Wake Forest, NC, a granddaughter, Dawn Winstead Croissant, her husband Chris and two great grandchildren, Kameryn and Kayden Croissant, of Wake Forest and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to issue a special thanks to the staff at Sunrise of North Hills in Raleigh, NC, for all of their loving care over the years, Hillyer Memorial Christian Church whose staff and members visited Mary Donald every Sunday bringing her Communion, Dr. Anant Soni of Raleigh for his special care, Dr. Jeff Lafuria with Doctors Making House Calls and Heartland Home Health and Hospice for their special assistance.

In lieu of flowers, because of her love for our youth, memorial contributions can be made to Hillyer Memorial Christian Church, Youth Programs, 718 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27603.

Private graveside services will be held for the family on Friday, May 8, 2020, at Raleigh Memorial Park.

A service of Bright Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Wake Forest, NC.