Zack Hampton Bacon Jr.

1928 - 2024

Zack Hampton Bacon Jr.

July 5, 1928 - February 28, 2024

Wilmington, North Carolina - Zack Hampton Bacon Jr., a patriarchal figure in the Triangle residential real estate community whose career spanned five decades, passed away peacefully on Wed., Feb., 28, 2024 at his sons' home, Orton Plantation on the Cape Fear River below Wilmington, NC.

Born to Zack H. Bacon Sr and Bettine Parker Bacon on July 5, 1928, he grew up and remained for most of his life in Raleigh. Zack was a graduate of Needham Broughton High School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and graduated in 1951. His first job involved selling houses in Jacksonville, NC for North Hills Inc founder Ed Richards. He returned to Raleigh in 1953 to start a real estate firm owned by Cliff Cameron, the former chairman of First Union Corp. In 1959 he formed Bacon & Co with an entire sales force of two other people. Bacon & Co. grew to become the largest such entity in the Triangle region during the sixties, seventies and eighties, totaling 170 agents when it was sold to Merrill Lynch Realty Associates, Inc. in 1984. When Merrill Lynch Realty was acquired by the Prudential in 1989, Bacon and several partners repurchased most of the company. When Zack retired as president and chairman of Prudential Carolinas Realty in 1996 the company had over 1,000 agents and 35 branch offices. He was succeeded by long-term friend and business partner, Richard Roseberry, who was quoted at the time as saying " Zack has become known as the 'Godfather of Residential Real Estate' in the Triangle area as most of the people who work in real estate worked under him at some point. He was calm, deliberate and honest, he always said what he meant, always did more than he promised and always had time for a smile and a pat on the back."

Zack's value system, which he helped impart to his sons, Zack, Louis and Bart, included frugality, a strong work ethic, responsibility for one's actions, honesty, courtesy and friendliness to others, a distaste for flamboyance, respect for one's elders and a proper sense of decorum. He was a social animal who seemed to absorb energy from interacting with others and he could light up a crowd with his charismatic personality, lively sense of humor, winning smile and engaging storytelling abilities. He was a well-loved favorite of his family along with a wide network of close friends, close business associate and close hunting, golfing and fishing buddies. Zack was a passionate outdoorsman whose favorite activities were fly fishing, duck hunting, saltwater fishing and boating endeavors of all types, whether pulling his sons on skis or engaging in fishing tournaments out of Morehead City with his buddies.

Zack was married in 1951 to Ann Moore Bacon, with whom he raised three sons, Zack Hampton Bacon III, Louis Moore Bacon and Bartholomew Parker Bacon. He married Blanche Williamson Bacon in 1980 and inherited three well-loved step-children, Robert, Julian and Blanche Williamson. He was predeceased by Blanche as well as his first wife Ann, a younger sister, Betty Bikle of Wilson, NC and his step-son, Robert Williamson. In addition to his three sons, Zack is survived by three nieces, Bettine Bikle Boyd , Ann Bickle Bissette and Charlotte Bikle Daniel; two step-children, Julian and Blanche; 13 grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Zack was the oldest continual parishioner of Christ Church in Raleigh, which he attended since his Sunday School days, where he served as head of the vestry and along with Blanche, was recognized with the Christ Church Cross for service in 2018.

A Memorial Service will be held at Christ Church at 11:00 AM on Sat., March 23, 2024 followed by a reception at the church. He will be interred beforehand in a private ceremony in the Christ Church Memorial Garden. In lieu of flowers the family request that any memorials be sent to Christ Church.