Beulah Lassiter Raynor

RAYNOR WINSTON-SALEM Beulah Lassiter Raynor June 26, 1910 - Jan. 8, 2012 Mrs. Beulah Lassiter Raynor, 101, of Winston-Salem passed away on Sunday, January 8, 2012 at her apartment at Vienna Village. She was born on June 26, 1910 in Rich Square, North Carolina to the late James Edward and Gussie Lassiter. Mrs. Raynor was preceded in death by her husband, K. T. Raynor, a legendary Professor of Mathematics at Wake Forest University. She was a well-respected Assistant Professor Emeritus of English at Wake Forest University as well as a member of Wake Forest Baptist Church. Mrs. Raynor graduated from East Carolina Teachers College (now East Carolina University) in 1931 with a bachelor's degree in French and English. Thereafter, she taught in the public schools of several counties in eastern North Carolina for fourteen years. In 1945, Mrs. Raynor arrived at Wake Forest's old campus as the assistant to the university's first Dean of Women, Ms. Lois Johnson. In 1947, Mrs. Raynor received her master's degree in English from Wake Forest, and she began a long career teaching as a member of the English Department where she taught freshman composition, advanced composition, and American literature for 32 years before retiring in 1979 as an assistant professor. Mrs. Raynor held the distinction of becoming the first woman to receive tenure as a professor at Wake Forest, as well as one of the first women to be honored as a professor emeritus. One of her favorite quotes was from Jasper Memory, one of her professors at Wake Forest: "A teacher lights a thousand candles that come back to brighten his way." She often said "Whenever a student comes back to thank me, I tell him, 'You're one of my candles'." To those who knew her well, Mrs. Raynor was known as Beulah or Grandma. At all times, she was a loyal and generous neighbor, a kind and caring friend, a surrogate mother and grandmother, and a fierce Wake Forest sports fan. Beulah is survived by many friends and loved ones who were fortunate to share their lives with her. A funeral service will be held at Davis Chapel on the campus of Wake Forest University on Wednesday, January 11, at 2:00 p.m. Beulah's friends are invited to gather at Salem Funeral Home, corner of Reynolda and Polo Road afterwards to celebrate her life and share their memories of her. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Beulah Lassiter Raynor and Kenneth Tyson Raynor Scholarship Fund at Wake Forest University or to the Beulah Lassiter Raynor Scholarship Fund at East Carolina University. Online condolences may be made at www.salemfh.com