Sallie Pait Surface

1944 - 2025

Sallie Pait Surface

April 9, 1944 - April 2, 2025

Murfreesboro, North Carolina - Sallie Pait Surface, age 80, of 343 Jay Trail, Murfreesboro, NC, died April 2, 2025, at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, NC. She was born April 9, 1944, to the late Ernest and Dorothy Britt Pait of Dublin, NC. She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Daniel C. Surface. She was the beloved daughter-in-law of James Paul and Gertrude Keister Surface of Blacksburg, VA.

Sallie graduated from Elizabethtown High School and Wake Forest University and completed professional development programs from the Rural Economic Development Institute and the Center for Creative Leadership.

Sallie began her career as a teacher in Fairfax County, VA, where she met Daniel. Later, she taught in Greensboro, NC and Hertford County, NC public schools. She also worked with Upward Bound Program at Chowan College. In 1983, Sallie began her thirty-eight-year career at the Choanoke Area Development Association, of NC, Inc., (CADA), a private, non-profit corporation that has serves Northeastern North Carolina. First employed by as Manager of Community Services, Sallie was promoted to Executive Director in 1990 and remained in that role until her retirement in 2021. Up until her death, Sallie was still actively engaged with CADA as its Executive Director Emeritus as well as maintaining her involvement with the North Carolina Housing Partnership Board.

Through her work and leadership, thousands of Roanoke-Chowan region families have received assistance, such as home repair and home rehabilitation, weatherization, rental assistance, workforce development, pre-school education, home-buyer education, and community action programs. Under her leadership, CADA was awarded both Head Start and Early Head Start programs, oversaw the work that helped open residential subdivisions for low-income families in Rich Square and Roanoke Rapids, and led efforts in helping after Hurricane Floyd. She spearheaded three public-private partnerships that preserved regional landmarksWoodland-Onley, Ahoskie High, and Enfield schoolswhile converting them into much needed senior apartments.

Sallie was a Senate appointee to the North Carolina Housing Partnership Board and served as vice chair from. She was a member of the NC Weatherization Assistance Program Advisory Council. Sallie was a presenter/facilitator for local, state, and national conferences, such as the National Rebuild America, National Affordable Energy, and National Weatherization conference.

Due to her expertise, she was featured in the Wall Street Journal for her advocacy for rural banking services as many rural communities were finding themselves in financial deserts. Sallie received the 2006 Outstanding Rural Leadership Award, presented by the NC Rural Economic Development Center and the Rural Economic Development Organization. She was inducted into the North Carolina Community Action Hall of Fame in 2004. In April 2015, Governor Pat McCrory honored her with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for her 30-plus years of service to the citizens of North Carolina. The four counties CADA serves acknowledged her leadership by declaring August 22, 2021, Sallie Surface Day. On that date, the CADA Board of Directors renamed the CADA Administrative Office building, the Sallie P. Surface Complex. In 2021, she received Chowan University's Community Service Award.

Sallie was actively involved in Murfreesboro Baptist Church, Chowan University, and Murfreesboro communities, and the Roanoke-Chowan region. She never missed an opportunity to attend town events, a Chowan football game or other sporting event, a scholarship luncheon or a performance or to attend or watch a sermon.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Dr. Eric A. Surface of Raleigh, NC, Julianne Surface of Apex, NC, and Brian Surface of Malone, NY; her grandchildren Olivia Rose and Ian Daniel Surface of Malone, NY; her sisters and their husbands, Judy and Paul Pinkston of Johns Island, SC and Gayla and Chris Putnam of Apex, NC; her brother and his wife, Ernie and Beckie Pait of Franklin, NC; her brother-in-law, David Surface of Blacksburg, VA; her many special nieces, nephews and cousins; and her many dear friends and colleagues.

She was especially proud of the educational accomplishments of her children, who all earned advanced degrees, and the choices that they had made in life. One of the joys of her life was spending time with and spoiling her grandchildren, Olivia and Ian, playing UNO, learning how to play video games, taking them to museums and baking. Another joy was spending time with family and friends - she always made time to call or send encouraging texts.

"Bloom where you are planted" was one of her favorite sayings and she would encourage everyone to work for extraordinary results in ordinary places through partnerships. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 12, 2025, Turner Auditorium, Chowan University, Murfreesboro NC. The family will receive friends in the Hawks Nest on the campus after the service. Memorials may be made to the Daniel and Salle Surface Memorial Scholarship Fund at Chowan University, 1 University Place, Murfreesboro, NC 27855.