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Judy Carter Barr

Mrs. Judy Carter Barr, 66 of Advance, passed away Wednesday, April 1, 2020. at Forsyth Medical Center. She was born June 4, 1953, in Forsyth County to Charles Levi Carter and Ruby Rights Carter. Judy had retired from Lucent Technologies. She is survived by her husband, Sam, and one son, Tony (Erien); one grandson, Nathan; one brother, Larry Carter (Lois). A private graveside service was conducted on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at Westlawn Gardens of Memory by Pastor Jason Holley. A celebration of Judy’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hanes Baptist Church Youth, 4210 Sabrina Lake Road, Winston Salem, North Carolina 27127. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com

Norma Woosley Bernhardt

Dr. Norma Woosley Bernhardt, 90, passed away March 31, 2020, at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

A private burial service for family will be held at First Christian Church of Clemmons. A celebration of life will be held at Clemmons Moravian Church at a later date.

Bernhardt was a lifelong musician and teacher; a loving parent, in-law and grandparent; and a fun, feisty redhead whose love of literature and the arts made her not only a person with a poem for every occasion, but later in life, a lethal Trivial Pursuit champion. She loved all things seasonal, and with pictures, decorations, elegant or festive clothes, songs, sayings and poems, she always strived to get the most out of every occasion — and taught her family to do the same.

She was born in Clemmons on Nov. 18, 1929, and grew up in what she lovingly called “the garden spot of the world” at a time when everyone knew everyone. She was the first of the two children of Blanche and Peyton Woosley, graduated from grades 1-12 at Clemmons School, started piano lessons and loved playing with her friends, many of whom still remember the fun they had playing in the playhouse her father built, games on the porch and in the yard, and eating the homemade cookies that her mother always had on hand.

After years of lessons, she became the worship pianist and organist at Muddy Creek Church of Christ, now First Christian Church of Clemmons, where her father was sexton and both parents sang in a gospel quartet. Invited in college to join the choir at Clemmons Moravian Church, she later became a member there, singing in the choir, ringing handbells, teaching Bible school and youth classes, and later, participating in activities with the Young at Heart group and the Edwin T. Clemmons Sunday School class.

Bernhardt’s academic career began when she earned a double major in English and music at Salem College. That was in 1951, and she was the school’s first double major.

After several years of teaching music and English at Glenn High School while running her own in-home piano studio, she returned to college, earning her master’s from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1955 and her Ph.D. from UNC in 1963. At a time when women were only admitted at UNC as art, music, education or nursing majors, and only a small percent of all Ph.D.s were women, she earned her doctorate in three years with a focus on educational psychology and began teaching.

She taught at Lane Community College in Oregon in the 1960s, and back at her alma mater, Salem College, in the 1970s, where she was also director of the Teacher Education program.

In the 1980s, she became an Advanced Placement English teacher and yearbook instructor at Parkland High School. There, she was a three-time Teacher of the Year, and the yearbook she sponsored, the Spectatus, won state and national awards for more than 10 years.

She retired in 1996 after her first grandchild, Caroline Averitt, was born, and became Caroline’s enthusiastic, three-day-a-week babysitter. Her second grandchild, Peyton Averitt, named for her father, was born in 1998, and was greeted with equal joy.

She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, N.C. Retired Teachers Association, and the nonprofit American Association of University Women (AAUW), where she was honored to have the Winston-Salem chapter’s annual book giveaway named for her — the Dr. Norma W. Bernhardt Love My Book Project.

Even more importantly, she shaped the lives and careers of thousands of students, many of whom still came over to say hello when they saw her, and tell her that she was their beloved “Dr. B.”

Always an optimist, Bernhardt had many great joys in life: ringing handbells at Clemmons Moravian; singing in the chorus of Handel’s Messiah with the Mozart Club; watching the seasons change; going on outings and trips with friends — “My middle name is ‘Go,’ she would say — and caring for and improving her house, which her father, with friends, built in 1927.

Her greatest joy, however, always was being with her family, first with her mother, father and younger brother; then, with her mother and daughter; and then, with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. A lifelong musician, she enjoyed attending musicals, classical music performances, singing and playing piano and talking for hours on the phone with her daughter, Lydian. She also enjoyed her talks with her son-in-law Phil, and was equally impressed by his skill as a pharmacist and his skill as a handyman. Always a teacher at heart, she loved to share seasonal events, read poems and books and play with her grandchildren, Caroline and Peyton.

Bernhardt was preceded in death, and received with open arms by, her mother, Blanche Phelps Woosley; her father, Peyton Lee Woosley; and her brother, Billy Joe Woosley. She is survived by her daughter, Lydian Bernhardt Averitt (Phillip); granddaughter, Caroline Helen Averitt; and grandson, Peyton Lee Averitt, as well as her sister-in-law, two nephews and other extended family.

The family thanks the friendly and loving staff at Spring Arbor Assisted Living in Greensboro, as well as the tireless and dedicated staff at the Sticht Center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for their years of care and support.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to two nonprofits dear to her: AAUW-W-S, Dr. Norma Bernhardt Memorial, attn. Dr. Betty Alexander, 1922 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27107; or to the Mozart Club Winston-Salem, P.O. Box 5041, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27113.

Kent Robert Curlee

Mr. Kent Robert Curlee, 60, passed away Wednesday, April 1, 2020. He was born in Forsyth County on Jan. 6, 1960, to Robert Edwin and Eloise Fritts Curlee. Curlee grew up attending Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem. While growing up, he was active in the Boy Scouts at the church and made many lifelong friends. Curlee enjoyed hiking on the weekends with his father and other friends as a young person. He was a graduate of Wingate College and was employed with Vanguard. Preceding him death was his mother, Eloise F. Curlee. Surviving is his daughter, Elly Grace Curlee and her mother, Reta Curlee; his father, Bob Curlee and wife, JoAnn. A private graveside service will be held at Forsyth Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Centenary United Methodist Church, PO Box 658 Winston-Salem, NC 27101 or to the American Cancer Society, 7027 Albert Pick Rd. Ste. 104 Greensboro, NC 27409.

Brendan Davis

Brendan Davis, manager of Green Room Brewing and Bottlenose Brewing in Jacksonville, Florida, passed away unexpectedly on March 29, 2020, at his home in Neptune Beach, Florida. Davis was born on June 30, 1982, in Worthington, Ohio and spent much of his life in Clemmons (graduate of West Forsyth High) and Jacksonville, Florida.

The light of his life was his daughter, Linley Ruth Davis. The amazing love they shared was filled with fun, laughter, and adventure. They took trips to the zoo, swam with the dolphins, surfed in the ocean, and started most of their days together with homemade pancakes.

Davis’ infectious smile, warm personality, and big bear hugs will be greatly missed. He truly was the barkeeper who remembered your name and knew your favorite drink. He was loyal, cared deeply, and was passionate about helping others.

In addition to Linley, Davis is survived by many family members in North Carolina: parents, Gerry Davis (Karen LaChapelle) and Jan (Dan) Collins; sister Amanda Rittenberry (Charlie), and sons Isaac, Aaron and Jordan Burns; and brother Dylan (Kristen), and children Jadyn, Raegan and Douglas Davis. He is also survived by many very special grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, step-siblings and nieces and nephews, and Linley’s mom, LeighAnne Curley.

Memorial celebrations will take place post-COVID. Photos, memories, and messages can be shared on Facebook at Brendan Davis Memorial Album.

Peggy R. Long

Mrs. Peggy R. Long, 85, of Advance, went to be with the Lord on Friday, April 3, 2020. Long was born Aug. 1, 1934, in Forsyth County to Samuel Edgar Rights and Georgie Mock Rights. She was preceded in death by her husband, William A. Long. She and her husband Bill, devoted their entire lives to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ working tirelessly in youth and prison ministries to spread the gospel. A private graveside service was conducted on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at Westlawn Gardens of Memory with Rev. Tim Gammons officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dorcas Foundation, 158 Bingham and Parks Road, Advance, NC  27006 or to the Woodland Baptist Church Building Fund, 1175 Bethania-Rural Hall Rd., Winston-Salem, NC  27106.

Robert Neil Steppe

Mr. Robert Neil Steppe, 79, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2020. He was born in Lafayette, Indiana, on June 3, 1940, to the late Robert Albert and Peggy Williams Steppe. Steppe is survived by son Bob (Lory), of Lewisville; daughter Barbara (Eric), of Knoxville, Tennessee; nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. A service will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. Steppe was an Army Special Forces command sergeant major, retiring after 31 years of service to a farmer’s life in east Tennessee. He follows his wife, Linda Girard Steppe, two years after her passing and 55 years of marriage. Together they ventured the world — strong, tough Midwesterners — who took on life’s hardest challenges with practicality and hope always finding their way no matter how great the odds. Ultimately, they returned to a life of quiet peace tending a flock of sheep with a clan of Border Collies in the Tennessee foothills — lives well-loved.