William M. Jeffries

1930 - 2021

Jeffries, William M.

July 21, 1930 - December 5, 2021

William M. Jeffries, Sr. (Bill) passed away in his home in Durham on December 5 after months of declining health. He was born in Marianna, Arkansas July 21, 1930. He grew up in Chaffee and Cape Girardeau, Missouri and Washington, D.C., received his B.S. from the University of Virginia in 1953, and the Master of Divinity from Duke University Divinity School in 1956. He married Jo Anne Lee in 1955.

Bill was a member of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church for 43 years, serving pastorates at Trinity in Sanford, Marshallberg, Whitakers, Parkwood in Durham, Mount Zion near Garner, Wake Forest, Longview in Raleigh, Red Springs, Southport, Murfreesboro, and after retirement, Rock Creek in Snow Camp, Spring Valley near Henderson, and City Road in Henderson. For eleven years of that time, Bill served on Special Appointment with the American Friends Service Committee, the Quaker service organization, as Peace Education Director in the nine Southeastern States.

Bill and Jo Anne retired to Durham in 1999 and in 2012 moved to Croasdaile Methodist Retirement Community in Durham. Bill delighted in his family and doing for them. Throughout his life, he was an advocate for peace, social justice, and citizen involvement, and in retirement was active in the United Methodist Conference, Durham Friends Meeting, Croasdaile Retirement Community, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington, D.C.

He is survived by his wife, Jo Anne, their loving dog Max, their children: Dr. Thomas Jeffries and wife Glenda of Raleigh, Theresa Lynch and husband Danny of Hollister, the Reverend Doctor Jonathan Jeffries and wife Heather of Raleigh, their grandchildren: Lee Jeffries, Rebecca Cloer and husband Chris and great-grandson Aiden, Michelle Adcock and husband Craig and great-grandsons Justin and Scott, Daniella and Elizabeth Lynch, and Sarah Catherine and David Jeffries, also his sister Betty Baer of Raleigh, his brother-in-law Eugene Wollaston of Napervile, Ill. and children Caryn Dideriksen and David Wollaston, and beloved cousins. A son, William Mac Jeffries, Jr. (Kalon), his parents Grace and William V. Jeffries, a sister Mary Keith Jeffries, brother-in-law Robert Baer, and sisters-in-law by marriage Carolyn Wollaston, Clara Harvey, and Susie Casebolt and husband Casey pre-deceased him.

A memorial service will be held in the Chapel at Croasdaile Retirement Community, 2600 Croasdaile Farm Parkway, Durham, at 2:00 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, December 29. Also, the service may be followed on Zoom: https://nccumc.zoom.us/j/95007573720

Memorial contributions may be made to Durham Friends Meeting, 404 Alexander Avenue, Durham, NC 27705, or the Benevolent Fund at Croasdaile Retirement Community, 2600 Croasdaile Farm Parkway, Durham, NC 27705.