Margaret Partrick Faircloth

Margaret Partrick Faircloth died on May 24th at the age of 101 in Clinton, North Carolina.  She lived her life involved in activities and had accomplishments which showed her passion for life.   Constantly on the move, she made the most of every minute of every day.

Margaret was born in Wilmington, NC on June 26th, 1920, the eldest of six children to Edward Dudley Partrick and Lucy Nolan Partrick.  

In addition to her parents and her husband, Red, she was preceded in death by her brother Edward Dudley Partrick, Jr, and her sisters Helen Partrick Markus and Maude Partrick Chiverton.  She is survived by her brothers Cornelius Theodore Partrick (Mary Libby) of Raleigh, NC and Jeremiah Nolan Partrick (Joan) of Lexington, VA.  She is also survived by her daughters Marion Faircloth Colburn (David, deceased) of Gainesville, FL, Mary Holt Faircloth (Sam Uzzell) of Greenville, NC and three sons, James Bascom Faircloth III (Mary) of Denver, CO, Edward Theodore Faircloth of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, and Benjamin Duncan Faircloth (Martha) of Wilmington, NC.  Her cherished grandchildren include Margaret Cauthon (Ray), David Colburn (Michelle), Katherine Fulmer (Jamie), Lucy Kitchin, William Kitchin, Jacob Faircloth (Amy), Marcy Faircloth (Caylan Larson), Christine Faircloth, David Uzzell (Meri) and Hank Uzzell (Anna) in addition to seventeen great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her lifelong friend and brother-in-law Duncan McLauchlin Faircloth and his daughter Anne Faircloth (Fred Beaujeu-Dufour); her friend and sister-in-law Erma Faircloth and her two daughters Ellyn Faircloth and Janie Bowman. 

Margaret graduated from Clinton High School in 1938.  She was a good student and loved sports, especially basketball.  After high school, she attended Sacred Heart Junior College in Belmont Abbey, NC.  Following college, she married James Bascom “Red” Faircloth, Jr, of Roseboro to whom she was married until his death in 1992.

After Red returned from serving in World War II in the European theater as a navigator on B-24 Bombers, he and Margaret made Clinton home and remained there for the rest of their lives.

She and Red taught Sunday School at Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church, where she was an active member her entire adult life.  She helped Graves Memorial establish a Montessori based Sunday School and in 2005 was awarded the Honorary Life Membership in Presbyterian Women from the church.  Her service for the church continued well into her nineties as she delivered meals as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and visited elderly members of the church living in Mary Gran Nursing Home to read from The Bible.

Margaret was a tireless volunteer for youth when her children were young.  Margaret organized the first Girl Scout Troop in Sampson County.  She was a long time Girl and Boy Scout leader and even served as Cub Scout Den Mother for many years.  She also served as Grade Mother to many classes at College Street School.

As the parents of five active children, Margaret and Red never missed a sporting event, cheerleading event, or PTA meeting.  When her children became teenagers, she helped establish the Clinton Teenage Club serving on the building committee of the club and, much to the chagrin of her children, serving with her husband as a chaperone at what seemed like every Teenage Club dance.

Margaret was a pioneer in many ways.  In addition to raising five children, she had a career as the manager for the Sampson County Housing Authority for 20 years.  As president of the Coharie Country Club all female golf group, The Chippers, she began playing golf when women were only allowed on the (local) course on weekdays and Saturday mornings and became very skilled entering many tournaments throughout her life, with at least one recorded hole in one.

In her later years, she became a master bridge player, excellent knitter, avid gardener and continued to enjoy cooking and hosting family gatherings.  

She lived in the present and adapted well to the technology of the new century.  She taught herself how to use a laptop and then an iPad, joining Facebook so that she could keep up with her extended family.  She felt blessed to live long enough to know her grandchildren, and then have the opportunity to know her seventeen great-grandchildren.  Margaret instinctively knew how to be a loving and nurturing mother, grandmother and great grandmother and was absolutely adored by every member of her family.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Mary Gran Nursing Center as well as caregiver and friend, Beverly Lane.

The funeral service shall be at Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church at 11:00 AM on June 13th with a reception to follow.  In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church, 201 Fayetteville Street, Clinton, NC 28328—0268.

Royal-Hall Funeral Home is honored to serve the family. 

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