Benjamin Carr Ivey

Benjamin Carr Ivey of Wilmington, NC died Sunday, December 11, 2016 at Davis Health Care.

He was born in Raleigh, NC on August 17, 1929, the son of the late Lonnie Lentz and Polly Heitman Ivey. He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Nancy Young Ivey.

Surviving is his daughter, Lynn Allison Ivey-Moore and husband John Vernon Moore of Charlotte, NC; his son, Benjamin Carr Ivey, Jr. and wife Theresa Benton Ivey of Wilmington, NC; his granddaughter, Anna Carr Ivey Bryan and husband Samuel Duncan Bryan of Raleigh, NC; and wife, Alma Fennell of Wilmington, NC.

Ben attended Raleigh public schools and graduated from high school at the Florida Military Academy in St Petersburg, FL. He graduated from Mars Hill College in 1950 and Duke University in 1952.

In 1953 he was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War and was assigned to the US Army Finance School at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, IN.

In 1959, he moved to Wilmington, employed by Peoples Savings Bank. He attended various graduate schools in banking and finance. His graduate thesis, "Establishing Residential Subdivision Regulations for the City of Wilmington & New Hanover County" was selected as one of the top 10 in his class and later incorporated into New Hanover County's Planning and Zoning requirements. He retired as President, CEO, & Chairman of the Board of Peoples Savings Bank in 1990.

His volunteer board service included New Hanover Regional Medical Center; The Foundation of UNCW; Wilmington-New Hanover County Planning and Zoning Commission; Neighborhood Housing Services Inc. of Wilmington; Plantation Village Retirement Community; Brigade Boys and Girls Club, including Chairman of the Finance Committee; NC League of Savings Institutions in Raleigh; and Central Service Corporation in Greensboro. He was a member of the Wilmington Kiwanis Club since 1960.

He was a member of his beloved Grace United Methodist Church since 1960, and served on the Administrative Board as Treasurer, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman of Board of the Trustees, and helped establish the Grace Memorial Garden in 1999.

He was an avid sports fan and amateur genealogist, having collected over 5000 names of his past and present Ivey family relatives and ancestors. He was very proud of his name, Benjamin, a family name dating back to the mid 1700's.

He considered his most important accomplishment as raising two happy children, Lynn and Ben, with his beloved Nancy. Lynn and Ben are both married and have enjoyed successful careers, following him into the banking and finance fields. Ben enjoys a 36-year career with BB&T; Lynn, after a 25-year banking career, founded a nonprofit adult day memory wellness program in Charlotte in 2006, known as The Ivey, as a tribute to both parents who lived with dementia at the end of their lives.

His granddaughter, Anna Carr, is happily married, and enjoys a career as a CPA with Deloitte in Raleigh.

The family wishes to thank the staff at The Davis Health Center along with Sharon Luquire, geriatric care manager, for supporting, loving, and caring for their father over the last three and a half years.

A memorial service will be held at 3 pm Thursday, December 15, 2016 at Grace United Methodist Church followed by a reception in the church Welcome Center.

Memorials may be made to The Davis Community Legacy Fund, 1011 Porters Neck Road, Wilmington, NC 28411.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.andrewsmortuary.com.