Benjamin Boddie

1929 - 2020

Benjamin Mayo Boddie

December 6, 1929 - March 31, 2020

Rocky Mount

Benjamin Mayo Boddie, 90, passed away peacefully at home, Tuesday evening, March 31, 2020. Mayo was born December 6, 1929, at his beloved Rose Hill in Nash County, the son of the late Nicholas Bunn Boddie, Sr. and Lucy Valeria Mayo Boddie. In addition to his parents, Mayo was predeceased by his brother, Nicholas Bunn Boddie, Jr., his sister, Lucy Ann Boddie Brewer and her husband, Joseph Beaman Brewer, Jr.

Mayo graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High School as a member of the Class of 1948, did a post graduate year at Saint James School in Hagerstown, Maryland and then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mayo was a faithful Christian and lifetime member of First Presbyterian Church of Rocky Mount where he served as a Deacon and an Elder.

He will be remembered as the ultimate entrepreneur and co-founder of Boddie-Noell Enterprises, Inc. which today operates nearly 350 Hardee's restaurants, BNE Land and Development and other ventures. After serving many years as President and CEO of Boddie-Noell, he served as Chairman of the Board for the last 25 years of his life. Mayo enjoyed taking a calculated risk and took pleasure in seeing his endeavors flourish and learning lessons from those that didn't. Nothing pleased him more than seeing others grow, prosper and succeed; hence the motto he chose for Boddie-Noell: "We Believe In People".

Mayo was a generous philanthropist who always put the needs of others before his own and he was a good friend to many. He frequently credited his mother for teaching him and his siblings the importance of being of service to others.

Mayo loved his ancestral home, Rose Hill, and he remained grateful to the Lord he was able to reclaim and fully restore it so many could enjoy its unique beauty and sense of peacefulness. He was most at home and happiest while at Rose Hill and often remarked there was no prettier place on earth.

Mayo was active in his community and the state of North Carolina throughout his life and served in a variety of capacities on numerous boards. He was most proud of his association with the Boy Scouts of America and was humbled when Camp Bonner, a Boy Scout camping facility located on the Pamlico River, was renamed Camp Boddie in honor of Mayo and his brother, Nick, for their loyal support and dedication to the scouting program. He also gained much satisfaction in founding the Northeastern Entrepreneurial Roundtable (NEER) whose mission was to foster, promote, and support the entrepreneurial spirit in Nash, Edgecombe and surrounding counties.

Mayo is survived by his devoted wife of 69 years, Jean Carolyn Cockrell Boddie, who he married on New Year's Eve 1950, and about whom he often declared, "She was the only girl I ever had or ever wanted". In addition, he is survived by his sons Benjamin Mayo Boddie, Jr., William Lewis Boddie and his wife Kim, Michael White Boddie and his wife Mary Ann. He is also survived by his grandchildren Ann McLean Boddie, Jean Blair Boddie Hansen and her husband Brandon, Elizabeth Mayo Boddie and her husband David Kabler, Betty Montgomery Boddie, William Lewis Boddie, Jr. and his wife Laura, Nathaniel Bunn Boddie and his wife Paula; Thomas Pendleton Boddie; Carolyn Elaine Boddie and Olivia Louise Boddie. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren Connor, Will, Austin and Emily Braswell; Sylvie Hansen; Max Kabler; Dakota Compito; Tripp Boddie; Lillie, Willow and Rosie Boddie. In addition, he is survived by his sister-in-law Betsy Bunting Boddie; his nieces Bryan Boddie Hancock, Anne Boddie Mosley, Lee Brewer Garrett, and Lucy Brewer Wheeless; his nephews Joseph Beaman Brewer, III and Mac McInnis.

Throughout his entire life, Mayo owned a dog and had an innate talent for training man's best friend. He especially loved yellow Labrador Retrievers and is survived by his faithful companion of 12 years, Maggie.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Georgianna Moody, Malinda Lynch, Mary Pittman, Marilyn Staton and UNC Nash Hospice and Palliative Care for their care and support of Mayo.

There will be a private family burial at Rose Hill. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Rose Hill.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to UNC Health Foundation where gifts will be directed to UNC Department of Otolaryngology to aid in head and neck cancer research, 123 West Franklin Street, Suite 510, Chapel Hill, NC 27516; UNC Nash Hospice and Palliative Care, 2460 Curtis Ellis Drive; Rocky Mount, NC 27804; Boy Scouts of America, East Carolina Council, PO Box 1698, Kinston, NC 28503; or First Presbyterian Church, 153 N. Church Street, Rocky Mount, NC 27804.

"His Lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord" -Matthew 25:21

Arrangements entrusted to Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 1130 N. Winstead Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC 27804. You may share memories and condolences with the family by visiting www.wheelerwoodlief.com.