Obituary of Margaret Isabel Rawls Stancil ~ 2011

Transcribed by Joan S Dunn

Source: New Bern Sun Journal Oct 28 2011

Margaret Isabel Rawls Stancil passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 
25, 2011, at Bayview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center after several years 
of declining health.  
Margaret was born on June 11, 1915 in Pamlico County, to Maggie Swan Rawls 
and Zeb Vance Rawls.  
On October 26, 1943, Margaret married First Lieutenant Joseph Calvin 
Stancil, United States Army. Margaret and Joe loved each other very much.  
Captain Stancil died on July 18. 1944, from wounds received in battle in 
France three weeks after the Normandy Invasion.   
Margaret was also predeceased by her parents and her brother, William 
Fowler Rawls.   
She is survived by her husband's family, whom she loved and cherished, 
her brother-in-law, Mokie Stancil and wife, Betsy, of Smithfield; her 
niece, Brenda Stancil of San Diego, California; and her nephews, Larry 
Stancil and wife, Louise, of Smithfield and Charlie Stancil of Morganton; 
and great nieces and nephews. 
Margaret is also survived by her cousins, Ken McCotter and wife, Pat, of 
New Bern, Mary Andrews and husband, Donald, of Morehead City, Virginia 
Watson of Bayboro, Bill McCotter and wife, Jane, of Washington, N.C., 
Ellen McCotter of Washington, N.C., many cousins and many friends and her 
dedicated caregivers all of whom she loved and cherished.   
Margaret received her early education at Bayboro Elementary School and 
graduated from Stonewall High School. She attended and received her degree 
from East Carolina University and furthered her education at UNC Chapel 
Hill. She taught school for a number of years in Raleigh and Smithfield 
and held administrative positions with the New Bern and Craven County 
school systems for many years. Margaret was a member of Centenary United 
Methodist Church and attended the Sara Kee Sunday School Class and was 
a member of the Polly Russell Women's Circle.   
Margaret was a sweet, patient, considerate, gracious and lovely lady who 
will be missed by her family and friends. Margaret loved people and liked 
to read. She traveled all over the world. She was loving and caring and 
always full of laughter and joy. Margaret was very generous throughout 
her life giving to many worthy causes.   
Margaret created three endowments with the North Carolina Community 
Foundation. The Margaret Rawls Stancil Endowment supports the following 
designated beneficiaries: Salvation Army - Craven & Pamlico County 
Centers, Boys and Girls Homes of NC, Inc., Arthritis Foundation - 
Carolinas Chapter, UNC- TV, Craven Regional Medical Center Foundation - 
Cardiac Unit, Pitt Memorial Hospital Foundation - Cardiac Unit, MERCI 
Clinic, American Cancer Society-New Bern Unit, American Red Cross - 
Coastal Carolinas Chapter, Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Bern, 
Inc., March of Dimes - North Carolina Chapter (New Bern Area), Pamlico 
Community College, Craven Community College, Mount Olive College, Public 
Radio East, Delta Kappa Gamma - Alpha Psi Chapter (New Bern), Alzheimer's 
Association - Eastern North Carolina Chapter, Duke Medical Geriatric 
Evaluation and Treatment Clinic, Centenary United Methodist Church, Mount 
Zion Free Will Baptist Church, and the Craven County Unrestricted Fund of 
the NCCF, The New Bern Historical Society Endowment provides for the 
ongoing support of the New Bern Historical Society Foundation, Inc. and 
specifically for the support, maintenance, repair, renovation, or 
improvement of the Attmore-Oliver House, the Ward House, and the Roberts 
House and the grounds, gardens, and structures of the New Bern Historical 
Society located in the New Bern downtown historic district, New Bern, 
North Carolina.   
The Pamlico County Historical Association Endowment provides for the 
ongoing support of the Pamlico County Historical Association. By 
establishing these three endowments Margaret provided the seed money for 
these endowments in hope that others would contribute to these endowments 
for the perpetual support of the endowment beneficiaries.   
Margaret also supported Christ Episcopal Church, New Bern, and Bayboro 
United Methodist Church and the New Bern Garden Club. As an educator, 
Margaret wanted worthy local students to receive higher education and 
established the William F, Rawls Scholarship at Centenary United Methodist
Church and has supported the New Bern Garden Club Scholarship Fund. 
Interment is scheduled for Sunday, October 31, 2011 at New Bern Memorial 
Cemetery at 2 p.m. A memorial service will follow at Centenary United 
Methodist Church at 3 p.m. with Rev. Susan Pate Greenwood, senior pastor, 
officiating, and Rev. Bryan Huffinan, associate pastor, and Rev. William 
Sherman, pastor emeritus, assisting.  
Arrangements are by Pollock-Best Funerals and Cremations.





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