Anne Pendleton Whittington McLendon

Anne Pendleton Whittington McLendon, 94, of Chapel Hill, NC, died peacefully on February 13, 2025 at the DuBose Center in Chapel Hill.

Anne was born at Sternberger Hospital in Greensboro, NC on July 29, 1930 to Dorothy Smith Whittington (Garni) and Elmer Glenn Whittington. Her husband William Woodard McLendon, her sister Betty Kimbrough Whittington, her parents, and her stepfather Max Garni predeceased her.

In 1952, she married William Woodard "Bill" McLendon of Greensboro. Their family gradually enlarged to include Kathrine Aycock McLendon and husband, J. William Chappell of Chapel Hill, NC; Susan Kimbrough McLendon of Charleston, SC; and William Woodard McLendon, Jr., and wife, Mary Calkins McLendon, of Waxhaw, NC. Anne and Bill were then blessed with five loving granddaughters, Sarah Mansfield Chappell (Robert E. Novick), Margaret Aycock Chappell, Kathryn McLendon Greer (David T. Greer), Ruth-Anne McLendon Fraser (Andrew K. Fraser) and Suzanne McLendon Pape (Austin L. Pape); two great-grandsons, Henry William Greer and Theodore Thomas Greer; and two great-granddaughters, Gabrielle Kathryn Greer and Abigail Marie Fraser. Her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren survive her.

Anne attended public schools in Greensboro and Charlotte, NC, and graduated from Charlotte Central High School in 1948. She entered the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (now UNC Greensboro) in 1948 and graduated in 1952.

Following their marriage, Anne and Bill lived in Chapel Hill while Bill attended medical school at UNC-CH. Anne started work at the new NC Memorial Hospital and helped admit the first seven patients to the hospital on September 2, 1952. During Bill's residencies, they lived in the New York City area and then back in Chapel Hill.

Anne, Bill, and their two young daughters lived in a small German village from 1961-63 while Bill served as a medical officer in the US Army Hospital in Landstuhl, West Germany.

From 1963-73, they lived in Greensboro, where Bill worked at the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, and Anne nurtured their young family.

In 1973, Anne and Bill returned to Chapel Hill to stay when Bill accepted a position as a faculty member at the UNC School of Medicine and as director of the hospital laboratories. Anne was active with her family and friends while volunteering at the UNC Hospitals and serving as an officer and then president of the Volunteer Association. On the occasion of the hospital's 50th anniversary in 2002, she was honored as Volunteer of the Year for her dedicated service to the hospital and its patients over many years. In 2013, Anne and Bill were recognized as Chapel Hill Town Treasures.

Anne was a member of the University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill, where she served as an elder in the 1990s. She was also a member of The Book Group for many years.

In 2004, Anne and Bill moved to The Cedars of Chapel Hill retirement community where they were fortunate to have renewed many treasured friendships and to have made numerous new friends. They were grateful for the outstanding services provided there by the dedicated and caring staff at the Cedars.

In 2024, Anne and Bill moved to the DuBose Health Center of the Cedars. The family gives special thanks for the loving medical and assisted living care provided to Anne by the outstanding staff and professionals at the DuBose Health Center during the final year of her life, particularly after Bill's passing in June 2024. The family also thanks the devoted and caring hospice team from AuthoraCare who worked closely with the DuBose staff to care for her in her final months.

Anne was devoted most of all to Bill, and to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was always a gracious and welcoming hostess for family, friends, and Bill's colleagues from the hospital and medical school. She treasured her five granddaughters and felt privileged to see them grow to be talented, accomplished, and caring women. She was thrilled with the gift of four great-grandchildren and always looked forward to seeing them.

A Service of Witness to the Resurrection in Gratitude to God for the Life of Anne McLendon will be held at University Presbyterian Church at 209 East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, NC, at 10:30 AM on Saturday, March 15, 2024. The family will receive friends immediately after the service in the Fellowship Hall. The service will also be live-streamed. Please visit the church website at https://upcch.org/ for more details including information about parking.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to University Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 509, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 or via the Church's online giving portal, or to the UNC Health Volunteer Association, 101 Manning
Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Please note that the contribution is in memory of Anne W. McLendon.