Frances Rountree Harrison

Frances Rountree Harrison passed away on Wednesday, December 19, 2012. The daughter of Benjamin F. and Inez Lovern Rountree, she was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 20, 1925. She earned an AB in Mathematics from LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia and Masters in Mathematics from East Carolina University. She taught in high schools in Georgia and at Benvenue and Northern Nash in Rocky Mount before taking a position at North Carolina Wesleyan College. She served at NCWC for 27 years as a professor and administrator. She chaired the Department of Mathematics for a number of years, was Interim Academic Dean for two years, and was Associate Vice President for Adult Degree Programs for six years. She retired in 1995 with the rank of Professor Emerita. After a brief retirement, she joined Communities in Schools as the Supervisor of Family Resource Centers. She was instrumental in opening and maintaining the Williford and Spaulding Family Resource Centers. She was an active member of First Baptist Church where she was the first woman Deacon, served on numerous committees and taught Sunday School classes for 50 years. She held various community roles including a member of the Rocky Mount Board of Education which she chaired for eleven years and on the Nash/Rocky Mount Board of Education. She also served on the Boards of Directors of First Citizens Bank, Down East Partnership for Children and the YWCA. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her only child, Charles Benjamin Harrison and her brother, Rev. Benjamin F. Rountree, Jr. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Charlie M. Harrison; her daughter-in-law, Julie Glasser Harrison and her grandchildren, Sarah Harrison Chadwick and Charles Benjamin Harrison, Jr., all of Chapel Hill; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Fred and Gerry Harrison of Cairo GA; and a number of nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her foster daughter, Kay McCall Owens and her family. She cherished many awards and recognitions, among them the North Carolina State School Boards prestigious “Raleigh Dingman award for Outstanding Boardsmanship”, the Down East Partnerships “Frances Harrison award for Long-term Commitment to Change” and Williford Elementary Schools “Dome Award”. The family will receive friends and relatives 6:00pm to 8:00pm Friday, December 21, 2012 at Wheeler and Woodlief Funeral Home. A service to remember Frances will be held at 11:00am Saturday morning at First Baptist Church with Rev. William Grisham officiating. Burial will follow at Rocky Mount Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Communities in Schools, Rocky Mount Region, attn: Natalie Watson, 201 South Pearl Street, Rocky Mount, NC 27804. Arrangements entrusted to Wheeler and Woodlief Funeral Home, 1130 N. Winstead Avenue, Rocky Mount NC 27804. You may share memories and condolences with the family by visiting www.wheelerwoodlief.com. Visitation Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home & Cremation Services 1130 N. Winstead Ave. Rocky Mount, NC 27804 ID ) ); ?>"> --> 252-451-8800 --> | Friday 12/21, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Service First Baptist Church (Rocky Mount) 200 S. Church Street Rocky Mount, NC 27804 ID ) ); ?>"> --> 252-446-9113 --> | Saturday 12/22, 11:00 am Cemetery Rocky Mount Memorial Park 4454 Dortches Blvd., Hwy 43 Rocky Mount, NC 27804