EVELYN ANNE O’BRIEN POWELL

March 8, 1915 – December 18, 2013

by Patricia McCarthy, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Pittsboro, 2015

Evelyn Anne O’Brien Powell

Evelyn Anne O’Brien married Woodson Lea Powell III in 1934. In 1937/38 they returned to his hometown of Pittsboro, North Carolina. At this time Evelyn became an Episcopalian, joining St. Bartholomew’s as one of the youngest members.

Shortly afterwards she became a member of the Woman’s Auxiliary Branch (the forerunner to Episcopal Church Women.) Meetings were held during the day as most of the women did not work out of their homes. Generally the attendance was about twelve. Through the years Evelyn served as President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Besides the local meetings at St. Bartholomew’s, there were Convocational and Diocesan gatherings. The branch supported all the activities of the church, even a bazaar to raise money for two to three years. She indicated there wouldn’t have been a church except for the women.

Later when women were allowed positions on the Vestry Evelyn served multiple times. During her 80s she became a member of a Search Committee seeking a new priest for St. Bartholomew’s. At that time she was a representative for the older members of the church. She found the process of writing a profile, reviewing applications and later interviewing candidates to be a time of spiritual growth.

Besides her church activities Evelyn continued to raise her three children. Her son Woodson Lea Powell IV reported it was understood that every Sunday without fail the family was expected to attend and participate in the church service. Her daughter, Anne, was the first female acolyte at St. Bartholomew’s. It is also noteworthy that her son entered seminary and eventually the priesthood.

Through the years Evelyn has seen people become angry with the church and leave. She, however, stayed on, stating, “It is my church and I’m not leaving.” For a number of years Evelyn was the oldest member of St. Bartholomew’s. Even when unable to attend church regularly because of decreased vision, hearing and mobility, she still enjoyed receiving the Eucharist as often as possible in the home of her son or daughter.

When asked about the Episcopal Church Women, Evelyn was glad to hear that it has been revived at St. Bartholomew’s. She sent her best wishes to the group. Her greatest contribution to her home church has been her continued support for more than 75 years.

JUDITH JOHNSON BECKETT

b. July 3, 1944

by Allison Rankin, Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Wilmington, 2015

Judith Johnson Beckett

Some people start a book club or a community watch program. Judith Beckett starts a church. This isn’t a project for the faint of heart. But Judith welcomed the challenge, and with the support and guidance of fellow Episcopalians and the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina, she spearheaded the formation of what is now Holy Cross Episcopal Church, in the southern portion of New Hanover County.

It all began with an idea posed by Holy Cross member Fred Hammond – why not start a church in the southern section of the county and affiliate it with the beach town of Carolina Beach? It was 1991, and Fred had noticed a cinderblock church building for sale on Myrtle Grove Road. He emailed Judith and said, “Let’s buy it and start a church.” Judith responded, “No, hell no!” But she thought about it some more and emailed him back to say, “Let’s talk.”

“We started meeting every week trying to figure out next steps,” said Judith. It wasn’t long before word got out to John and Claudia Bennett, Jim and Marie Warren, and John Carter, all members at St. Paul’s, as well as to Paula Studebaker, member at St. Andrew’s on the Sound. Fred thought the next thing to do was to contact the Rev. Richard “Dick” Warner, a retired priest who had filled in at St. Paul’s. Dick advised them on the process of starting a church.

Meanwhile, Judith and her husband, Carl, went to the Deanery twice to get support. “It went over like a lead balloon!” said Judith. The Deanery could not understand why another Episcopal Church was needed in Wilmington. “We explained the demographics, and told them all of the existing Episcopal churches were north of Monkey Junction (where US highway 421 intersects with NC 132),” she said, leaving the whole southern section of New Hanover County without an Episcopal Church.

“In 2003 we started meeting at our house on Wednesday nights,” Judith said. Church members continued to meet at the Becketts’ house until they were able to rent the choral room in Ashley High School. The church started to grow and services migrated to the high school band room and then to the school cafeteria.

In 2007 Holy Cross members began worshipping in the Myrtle Grove Middle School cafeteria. Those were the days when church services were “on the road” – the altar, chairs, prayer books and song books, and the nursery “quilt” were all set up and taken down for each service. “This got tiresome,” Judith said. “We did that for two years.” And then in 2009 the vestry bought the property on Myrtle Grove Road at what is now Holy Cross Church. Members broke ground for the new church on Saturday, November 14, 2009.

Today, Judith serves as a greeter at Holy Cross, is a member of the parish life committee, helps out at the annual yard sale, and is involved in most any church activity that comes along. Judith Beckett – an Episcopal churchwoman for all times.

MOLETA WADDELL

b. 1920

by Carolyn Townsend, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Pittsboro, 2014

Moleta Waddell

At the age of eight Moleta Waddell became a member of St. James’ Chapel, the African American mission in Pittsboro. Her parents, Minnie and Charlie Waddell, had seven children, including Mildred, Moleta, Ruth, and two boys who died of diphtheria.

Moleta attended Horton School in Pittsboro when her family lived nearby. When asked by their landlord to move during the Depression, the family lived way out of town toward the Haw River. For two years the children did not go to school because it was too far to walk. “Mama taught us (Mildred and Moleta) at home; Ruth was just five years old.” Later they went to Hanks Chapel, a country school. When the family moved back to Pittsboro Moleta attended Horton School from seventh through eleventh grade, with no twelfth grade offered at that time.

Minnie Waddell was acquainted with Rebecca Glover and Martha Quince, who worshipped at St. James’ Mission, where Rebecca also served as treasurer. They were both active in the St. James’ branch of the Woman’s Auxiliary. Minnie and her daughters also became very active branch members. Minnie was President from 1944 to 1953. Ruth was a long-time Treasurer, and Moleta served several terms as Secretary and as UTO Custodian. The participation of women at St. James’ began to decline by the 1960s. The last branch listing was in 1963, four years before the mission was closed. Rebecca Glover was President; Minnie was Vice President; Moleta was Secretary; and Ruth was UTO Custodian.

In 1958 the priest-in-charge at St. James’ transferred to St. Philip’s, Salisbury. Moleta remembers that following this move, most of the clergy came from St. Bartholomew’s to St. James in the afternoon to conduct services. She also remembers when the chapel was de-consecrated and sold to the Methodist Church in 1967, then subsequently used by the fire department in a training exercise. “When St. James was deconsecrated I felt so bad; they burned the church down – it was all the church I knew.” The rector of St. Bartholomew’s came to the Waddell’s house and talked with Minnie about coming over to St. Bartholomew’s. The family did transfer in 1968, the same year Minnie died.

Moleta married and moved to Bynum, a mill town between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro. Later she moved back to Pittsboro in the 1940s and returned to worship at St. James where she led the “Call and Response.” Her children Franklin and Rudolph were baptized at St. James and served as acolytes. Her youngest son, Wayne, was baptized at St. Bartholomew’s where he served as an acolyte. Franklin’s oldest daughter, Teresa, came to live with Moleta from the fourth grade through high school. She was baptized and served as an acolyte at St. Bartholomew’s.

Today Moleta remains very active at St. Bartholomew’s – Episcopal Church Women, Altar Guild, Contemplative Prayer group, Thursday Lunch volunteers – and she helps bring communion and music to the residents of Cambridge Hills Assisted Living. She has proudly served as a Lector for the past twenty years.

MARY ANNA DAVIS GEFFROY

July 21, 1865 – December 20, 1936

Based on an article by George Huntley III, Senior at Beaufort High School, 1960; submitted by Mamré Marsh Wilson, Historiographer, Diocese of East Carolina, 2013

Mary Anna Davis Geffroy

Mary Anna Davis – later known by her chosen name, Nannie Pasteur Davis, or affectionately called “Aunt Nannie” – was baptized in 1865 and confirmed in 1877 at St. Paul’s Church in Beaufort, North Carolina. Her father, James C. Davis, was a merchant and once Register of Deeds in Carteret County. Her mother, Sallie Pasteur Davis, was a direct descendant of Louis Pasteur. Nannie attended St. Mary’s Junior College in Raleigh and Chocowinity Girls’ School in Beaufort County. She was married to Malachi Geffroy at home on September 1, 1885.

By 1894 Nannie had been inspired by her mother to travel North to begin securing sufficient funds for the promotion of a school in Beaufort. When the Rev. Thomas P. Noe came back to Beaufort as rector of St. Paul’s Parish in 1899, he and Nannie decided to take Miss Manson’s school as a foundation. As their school grew, they raised the money for a new building with five large classrooms, a kindergarten, a library, a small music room, and a spacious Assembly Hall. In 1906 a large two-story frame Dormitory Building was built, with all the modern conveniences.

St. Paul’s School was founded to promote Christianity and to teach young boys and girls “to use their hearts, minds, and hands.” Compliance with the rules and regulations was an absolute “must.” Church attendance was mandatory for all students and teachers. The course of study was arranged with the double object of preparing for college and of training for the active struggle of life. Graduates of St. Paul’s were admitted without examination to the University of North Carolina and to the University of the South.

The school was maintained largely through donations from societies, churches and friends around the country, although a considerable sum was received from tuition, school entertainment, bazaars, and other school benefits. Governor Charles B. Aycock was a staunch supporter of the school.

Aunt Nannie was superintendent, business manager, secretary, and treasurer of the school for 37 years, and the person with whom all business concerning the school was transacted. She did all the employing of school personnel; she was chief disciplinarian; and it was she who made the school the success it was. As one of her pupils says, “Education was almost her God, and she had an obsession for helping others.”

On November 24, 1927, Nelle Richardson Cooke paid tribute to Nannie in The Beaufort News: “Only a woman of vision, of faith, of determination could have accomplished so great an undertaking as the building, equipping and operating a private school with no assured capital or contributions. Steadily and unfailingly Mrs. Geffroy worked to make St. Paul’s School a financial success. She has been supported in her endeavors by people of wealth who were interested in spending money in so worthy a cause. Mrs. Geffroy has splendidly accomplished her work.”

OLIVIA TAYLOR FEDUCCIA

b. September 5, 1947

by Mary Fry Edmunds Haywood, St. Stephen’s Church, Durham

Olivia Taylor Feduccia

Olivia Taylor Feduccia has been a driving force in keeping two Vance County churches alive. A member of the Historic Properties Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, she has served faithfully for many years on the Committee of St. John’s, Williamsboro, the state’s oldest frame church (1772), where many of her ancestors are buried. She has been untiring in her devotion to that historic church, dealing with details, from cleaning the church to arranging altar paraments and preparing the Eucharist – not only for St. John’s, but for another historic church where regular services were held during her youth: Holy Trinity, Townsville.

The land for Holy Trinity was given by the family of Olivia’s grandmother, Allene Hargrove Taylor. Her grandfather, Edward Osborne Taylor, supervised its building in 1914-15, riding daily to the site on his horse Dan. Olivia, her parents, and her two sisters attended services there during her youth, but eventually the number of communicants as well as the number of services dwindled, and in 1993 the doors closed. Although it stood unused for years, Olivia was determined that it live on. She worked with Historic Properties Commission chairman, the Rev. Canon E. T. Malone, Jr., to reopen the doors, and the first of the now-annual services (Evening Prayer and Communion) began in 2006 with a handful of people. Over the years, however, attendance greatly increased. The Rev. Donald Lowery of Holy Innocents, Henderson, has taken an interest, joining Canon Malone in conducting services and as organist. The annual service is often followed by a reception for participants at Olivia’s family’s homeplace, “Machpelah.”

Olivia and husband, UNC Biology professor Alan Feduccia, whom she married in 1976, have been faithful stewards of Machpelah for almost forty years. The house, along with a galaxy of surrounding buildings, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. On the property is a colonial family cemetery they restored with graves of five Revolutionary War officers. These graves were marked by the Sons of the American Revolution in 2006 with a homily by Alan Feduccia on the Taylors of Machpelah in the Revolutionary War, followed by a fife and drum ceremony at the site. Olivia and Alan manage the farm where they grow tobacco and grains, raise Hereford cattle, and care for a menagerie of formerly homeless dogs and cats.

Olivia was 1965 valedictorian of the Townsville High School class, earned a B. A. in Education from UNC Chapel Hill in 1969, and a Master of Arts degree in Theater Arts from American University in Washington, D. C. in 1972. She taught at Kerr Lake School, Townsville, before taking a job in UNC’s Extension Division. Olivia and Alan divide their time between Machpelah and Chapel Hill, where she is an active member of the Folio Book Club and The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America. She has also served on the board of the Stagville historic site in Durham County.